I’ve been a digital nomad for almost five years. I’ve bounced between 40 countries in that time, setting my laptop down in countless cafes, hotel lobbies, poorly designed apartments, and even a bathroom once or twice.
I, and most of us who do it, will never outright complain about our lifestyle—it’s overwhelmingly wonderful 95% of the time—but every accommodation is not made equal, and every hotel room is most definitely not designed to facilitate a remote worker.
With that in mind, we’ve built a list of some of the best hotels for digital nomads from around the world. They’re all well-equipped for work, capable of longer stays, and not too painful on the purse strings (mostly).
Bunk Hotel Utrecht
Location: Utrecht, The Netherlands
Price: $68
Vibe: Dutch efficiency
The rundown: Any savvy digital nomad knows the key to affordable accommodation is picking a country’s cool second or third city. The Dutch city of Utrecht has all the charm of Amsterdam but none of the crowds or eye-watering prices.
It also has Bunk, an outstanding property bridging the gap between a hostel and hotel with style. At the cheap end of the spectrum, guests stay in spacious pods and utilize shared bathrooms, while the slightly more expensive bedrooms are bang on the money for a traveler looking for some privacy and a little edge. It also puts its huge former church to use in the form of a giant co-working space.
The Old Foundry Hotel
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Price: $108+
Vibe: Southern hospitality
The rundown: As the name suggests, this stunner of a hotel is set inside a disused foundry (a factory where metal castings were made). While some of its industrial edge lingers on, it’s been transformed into a spectacular hotel, and digital nomads are its obvious clientele.
Rooms are sprawling and boast all the necessities for longer stays, while the greater property is equipped with its own gym, working areas, a cafe, and an excellent restaurant. It’s also ideally located for exploring the rest of one of the most exciting cities in the world right now.
Hyve Hotel
Location: Basel, Switzerland
Price: $130+
Vibe: Swiss engineered and brilliant
The rundown: If nothing else, the Swiss are efficient. Nowhere (besides their trains) is that more evident than Hyve Hotel, a price point and experience shifting property designed to appease digital nomads of any budget.
At the low end of the budget, it functions as a pristine hostel with the usual bunk beds, while its higher-end hotel apartments are designed for a stylish longer stay in the Swiss city. Its co-working space is extremely well equipped, with the ability to rent full desks or entire rooms for designated periods of time.
Hobo
Location: Stockholm, Sweden
Price: $120+
Vibe: Stripped down Scandanavian
The rundown: Anyone who’s spent an afternoon trawling through Ikea understands how good the Swedes are at simplifying design. Hobo Hotel in Stockholm is a tremendous representation of their practical perfection.
As stylish as the Millenial traveler requires, but homey in a way so many hotels fail, its 201 varying rooms are built for comfort. But smart designs, like convertible headboards that turn into desks, help make it the ultimate location for the remote worker. Throw in an ace gym, wonderful restaurants, and the fact you’re in Stockholm, and you’ve found yourself a winner.
TRYP by Wyndham
Location: Dubai, UAE
Price: $115+
Vibe: Middle Eastern epic
The rundown: TRYP is the only big brand name on the list, and it’s one that’s flying under the radar. While it’s not explicitly for digital nomads, it ticks all the boxes required for remote workers to make the most of their time in Dubai.
First, its price point is unbelievable. With hotel prices regularly skyrocketing in Dubai, an excellent room under $150 is more than welcome. But its state-of-the-art co-working spaces, generous room sizes, two brilliant gyms, and stunning pool all help make it a stay to remember.
Selina Hostels
Location: Around the world
Price: Wildly varying
Vibe: Built for nomads…but watch the wallet
The rundown: This one might be a little divisive. If you’re a digital nomad, you’ve heard of Selina. As one of the hotel franchises truly designed for digital nomads, they generally can’t be beaten for atmosphere (most of the time). You’re guaranteed to be surrounded by people like you, have a nice clean room, and a place to work.
The downside is the spiraling rates. Some month-long stays are now costing upwards of $5,000 in Central and South America, miles behind the normal price point. The longer you stay, the cheaper it gets, but with prices that high, it might be worth shopping around unless you’re a loyalist.