Okay, so you got your passport and your airline tickets, but have you decided where your temporary digs will be when you get to your destination? While most travelers prefer staying at hotels, others prefer these types of accommodations for a cozier atmosphere and a more memorable and authentic travel experience:

GASTHAUS (Germany) – also called Gasthof, Landhaus, or Pension is a German-style inn or tavern with a bar, a restaurant, banquet facilities and hotel rooms for rent.

MINSHUKU (Japan) – a family operated, Japanese-style bed and breakfast. Minshukus offer visitors a good opportunity to meet local families and experience the traditional Japanese lifestyle. They are typically located around tourist areas such as hot springs, ski resorts, and in the mountains. They are also commonly found in smaller countryside cities and towns or by the sea.

BREAD & BREAKFAST B&B (U.S., Europe) – A bed and breakfast (typically shortened to B&B) is a small lodging establishment that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast. Bed and breakfasts are often private family homes and typically have between four and eleven rooms, with six being the average.

MOTEL (U.S.) – a motel is a hotel designed for motorists and usually has a parking area for motor vehicles. The term “motel” is short for motor hotel.

PENSION is a type of guest house or boarding house. This term is typically used in Continental European countries, in areas of North Africa and the Middle East that formerly had large European expatriate populations, and in some parts of South America such as Brazil and Paraguay. Pensions can also be found in South Korea, Japan, and the Philippines.

POUSADA (Portugal) – is a chain of luxury, traditional or historical hotels in Portugal.

PARADOR (Spain) – A parador (Spanish pronunciation: [paɾaˈðor]), in Spain and other Spanish-speaking countries, is a kind of luxury hotel, usually located in a converted historic building such as a monastery or castle. Parar means to stop, halt, or stay.

RONDAVEL (Africa) – a round house resembling a native hut often used as a guesthouse or tourist dwelling in southern Africa.

RYOKAN (Japan) – a type of traditional Japanese inn that originated in the Edo period (1603–1868), when such inns served travelers along Japan’s highways. They typically feature tatami-matted rooms, communal baths, and other public areas where visitors may wear yukata (casual summer kimono) and talk with the owner.