As we are wrapping up our European adventure, I thought it would be fun to go back through all of our vacations and rank the places that we stayed, thinking about it solely from the lodging lens. We enjoy different accommodations, and while on vacation we like to splurge on the place that becomes our temporary home. Our memories are often linked to the place we stay on vacation.

This first group is extremely special – something almost magical about them. Attention to details, jaw dropping views, a home away from home, indescribable atmosphere. 10 out of 10. A+.

This next group is lovely, but lacking that special “thing”. I would absolutely go back, would highly recommend. They either had a prime location, beautiful decor, a relaxing spa, a fancy factor, beautiful views – but not ALL of those things. Or maybe they did have all of those things but were missing the magic.

Paris Marriott Champs Elysee, Paris, France

Maison de la Plague 83, Les Issambres, France

Bahia Del Duque, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain

Romantik Hotel Markusturm, Rothenburg ob der Tauber

Hotel Am Hopfensee, Füssen, Germany

Mitsis Renela, Crete, Greece

Titisee-Neustadt AirBNB, Black Forest, Germany

AirBNB, Todtnau, Black Forest, Germany

AirBNB, Strasbourg, France

Ritz-Carlton, Berlin, Germany

Brussels Marriott Grand Place, Brussels, Belgium

The Pantheon Iconic Rome Hotel, Autograph Collection, Rome, Italy

The Intercontinental, Dublin, Ireland

The Intercontinental, Lisbon, Portugal

Westin Paris Vendome, Paris, France (permanently closed)

Riverside Chalet Alpspitze AirBNB, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany

The Clermont Charing Cross, London, United Kingdom

Hotel du Rond, Paris, France

Unsoelds Factory Hotel, Munich, Germany

The Hoxton, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Martin’s Chateau du Lac, Brussels, Belgium

Leon 1014, Air BnB, Venice, Italy

This next group is just meh. Not my favorite, but just fine. They were likely loud, uncomfortable, lacking A/C, tiny, needing TLC. They met our needs, but without any of the “wants”. I wouldn’t go back, but wouldn’t say “hell no don’t go” to future travelers.

GINN Hotel Potsdam, Berlin, Germany

Grand Hotel Baglioni, Florence, Italy

Hotel Orphee, Regensburg, Germany

Riverview Apartments Das Paul VRBO, Nuremberg, Germany

Bochum VRBO, Gelsenkirchen, Germany

Boutique Suites Lisse, Keukenhof, The Netherlands

This was a fun little trip down memory lane for me. What can one deduce from looking at this list? I am kinda high maintenance when it comes to vacation lodging. I prefer mountains over beaches over cities. I need peace and quiet and comfort. I appreciate the “extra”. 5-star hotels don’t always score in my top group – I don’t necessarily “look” 5-star and hate when hotel staff make me feel like a country bumpkin. Super friendly staff can make all the difference in a guest’s overall experience (W Algarve figured this out). I love the comfort and space of AirBNBs, but sometimes miss the services a hotel has to offer.

Number one on my list is kind of surprising when I read what I just wrote. We stayed there while there was an extremely dense fog blocking what I know are incredible views of Lake Lucerne. We were among the rich and famous but never felt “less than”. We didn’t make friends with guests or staff. But we had an amazing room in a beautiful building, delicious food, room for Kaycee to roam. I suppose the cowbells tinkering in the distance, unseen but heard, helped add to the charm. It was an experience, not just a place to lay my head.

I hope this list helps at least one person with some travel planning. We have covered a LOT of ground in 2 years. While our bank account has suffered the consequences of my high maintenance travel expectations, the memories we all have are priceless.