Staycation, Enjoying a Stay!

Staycation is a new trend in the market, especially in India. Till now vacation has been associated with going to a tourist destination and enjoying the itinerary as planned while staying in a hotel and brushing off the names of the destinations from the bucket list. But then things are changing, tourism is getting overlapped by traveling with backpackers flocking the various destinations with more intellectual expectations like deriving an overall experience out of the whole process.

And now comes the new buzz, Staycation. Staycation? Stay+Vacation, Staycation represents enjoying the vibes of a vacation while staying in a hotel, away from home, even within the same city you live in. Had you told this to someone 10 years ago, people would have replied that the thing is only for a fancy lot with extra money. But with the inflow of cheaper options for hotel booking and companies like BookBySlot in play, many people are opting to go for Staycation. 

Why Staycation? To avoid monotonicity, to chill, to do whatever you want to do while receiving services which could make you relax. Especially for the ones who are over-engaged with life and seek a getaway to have a change. The trend is especially high in cosmopolitan cities where homes have been substituted by houses, and life is scheduled so highly that even a smile wishes to make an appointment first and then mark its presence on the faces.

To have a perfect Staycation experience, you need to plan first: what are you seeking? Is it a relaxed chilled out day you wish to go for, or a spa by the side of a pool? It could also be a plan catering to the foodie inside you with a breakfast buffet. Also, a simple get together with friends and family can be an agenda as well. Once you have your bare minimum expectation mapped, you can accordingly filter out the hotels as per your plans. Many times, there are simpler requirements like a balcony with a view or a bathtub. Note down however you would like to spend your time and just go for it.

One of the primary things giving a push to this culture of Staycation is options like BookBySlot providing hotels on an hourly basis, even the premium ones. The demand for hotels suddenly increases during weekends while the bookings are done by the people living in the same city. Also, this crowd doesn’t really care to pay a bit more but just wishes to get something of their choice. The funny part is that this culture of staycation has touched the lives of corporates as well. Though the concept of resorts had been existing for an ever but the hassle of planning the entire thing and paying more, has been a welcome gesture for staycations. Especially, the startups have started planning their mini-retreats in hotels that provide options to engage. Recently a startup went for a full day slot, organizing a series of games and recreational activities for the new recruits. When asked why would they go to a hotel, the manager smiled and said that they had a meeting at night. Going out of the city wouldn’t be feasible, and why spend more when you have book by slot?

Pay for a slot in a hotel has been a demand which couldn’t be addressed properly. But now, the gates have been opened and everyone is finding newer ways to look at it, be it staycation or transit stay. What is your story? How have you utilized the option to book a hotel on a slot basis? Share your experiences with us.