When my co-writer and photo- grapher husband Terry and I aren't on the road doing research, and therefore don't need to move hotels every night or two, we prefer to try a few hotels in a city and then spend the rest of the time in an apartment. If we're working on a city guidebook for big cities such as Buenos Aires or Amsterdam or Milan, then we might spend a couple of months or more holed up in a place, pounding the pavements most days, writing in the afternoons and evenings, then heading out at night to try restaurants and bars. Our aim during these stints is to live like locals and get to know the locals as much as we can so we can find those hidden gems only locals and expats know about. Mallorca has been no different, except, because the island is small, we've spent just a couple of weeks in the city of Palma, and the rest of the time on the road, driving around the island. We spent two weeks in this sprawling, rustic-chic apartment in a renovated historic building in the old city owned by a lovely man (a former fashion designer) who has as much character and charm as the atmospheric accommodation he rents out. I found the place on Owners Direct, an excellent site which (along with vrbo.com) I've used all over the world and absolutely love because there's no middle man. You can check them both out here. Is renting apartments something you do when travelling? And how often would you rent and why?

Last month I posted on hotels and apartments in Are hotels going out of fashion? My question came about from my experiences on the road these last couple of years and my observations on how people are travelling: what I'm seeing is that travellers are increasingly choosing apartment rentals over hotels, generally with a view to staying longer in one destination and experiencing the place like a local, or simply because they want some of the comfort, conveniences and space that apartments offer over hotels. The subsequent discussions that saw a number of big players in the boutique hotels and apartment rental business responding were fascinating, as were travellers comments. See these blogs. I posted a survey to ask you where you planned to stay when you next traveled and here are the results: 30% of you said you'll check in to a small boutique or design hotel while a close 25% said you'd rent an apartment or villa; another 19% of readers said they'll be staying in a B&B while 13% said they'd bunk down at a hostel or backpackers; 11% were in favour of agritourismo or a farm-stay, while an equal number said they were going to pitch a tent or head for a caravan park, and another 11% said they'd be checking in to a large hotel or resort. Just 8% of you said you'd be staying at a friend's house, 5% were opting for the homeliness of a pensione, while 2% were planning to a stay at a palazzo or locanda. But, despite the rise in couchsurfing, not a single one said they'd be sleeping on a stranger's sofa.

Pictured? The boutique beauty of Beit Al Mamlouka where we stayed in Damascus last April.

Here are two more views on the hotel versus apartment rental debate from a couple of vacation apartment moguls. Marvin Floyd, GM of VRBO admits: “I'm biased for vacation rentals of course, but don't believe hotels will ever go away or even out of fashion. Business travellers will continue using hotels to get points and preferential treatment. I stay at the Radisson in Austin every month rather than dealing with a different short term vacation rental... I know the hotel, the route, etc, so it's just a lot easier. Many couples will continue staying in hotels... a nice romantic weekend with a daily room cleaning is preferred by many people who get away to be pampered. They love going downstairs to a nice restaurant, visiting the pool or hot tub or spa, things many vacation rentals don't have... There will always be a place for the consistency of most hotel chains, where you know exactly what you're getting ahead of time…” Robert Shive of Buenos Aires-based Living-like-locals writes: “They are going out of fashion for me. I just spent two weeks in hotels in Sun Valley, Utah, and Park City, Utah, while shopping for a ski condo. No matter how nice the hotel, the rooms just can't compare to living in an apartment. The trade off is making my own bed, and not having fresh towels every day – but it is worth it for the space to spread out.”

We so know what you mean. Yes, that's me, pictured, and that's one of our many temporary 'offices' that we find ourselves creating when we're on the road. Admittedly, that was the last night before flying out (from Buenos Aires via Milan to Dubai), and you know that feeling, right? In the Milano apartment we’re currently renting, our laptops, drives, boxes of CDs and DVDs, guidebooks, brochures, press kits, business cards and so on, completely cover the 'dining' table as they did at one of the BA apartment we rented above. We just can’t do that in a hotel. Although it would be kind of nice to have someone come and clean up occasionally…

I asked you if hotels are going out of fashion and you all inundated me with insightful emails. I want to share some more of those perspectives. First up, a couple of frequent world travellers: Dubai fashion entrepreneur Shehab Hamad, emailing from London, writes “Given the choice between hotel and pad for visits longer then three days I tend to choose the latter (Rio, LA and Ibiza are three cities I opted-out of hotels recently). I still love hotels but it’s been a long while since a new hotel has truly broken new ground and blown me away – staying at Morgans or the Royalton in the early 90s were revelatory travel experiences! But not even Schrager has managed to come up with the next revolutionary wave of hotel concept although the Gramercy is lovely, refined and wonderfully scented... there will always be room for both but discerning travellers do have that constant desire to get closer to the local experience and there's nothing like being able to throw a dinner party for new friends in a new city!” Jetsetting academic consultant Denver Craig emails “Just back from Bangkok yesterday where I stay in a Thai owned boutique hotel called Triple Two Silom. Why there? Only 3 floors! (who needs a view?). They know me – they have my photo so when I book they remember me. They pick me up at the airport. They are cheaper than a chain. They know what I do for my work and know I visit colleges and unis - they find out where they are and guide me. No big branding or commercial stuff in the rooms, no ads, no up sell of products. They want me to come back so they're nice! And guess what? I like them too!” Book me in! But will they let us throw a dinner party, Denver?

Pictured? Our room at the Ron Arad designed Duomo hotel in Rimini. Super-stylish but not ideal for work or dinner parties.

In answer to my question are hotels going out of fashion?, travellers responding are reaffirming my recent observations while travel industry professionals are seeing things a little differently. Norae rarely stays in hotels on her many travels: "If I do I always seek out the small hotels that have some character... the main reason I have avoided hotels is that they tend not to be good value for my money.” Brett Webber agrees: “Most of my travel is business, and for short stays where corporate restrictions on accommodation choices apply, hotels are still in. For longer work assignments, serviced apartments are increasingly becoming a better choice. For private travel, the value proposition offered by anything other than the best deals at the best hotels is diminishing, particularly when compared to higher quality B&B operations.” Bernard Purcell writes: “Hotels, apart from a little spoiling luxury every now and again, do not meet any of our travel requirements these days. With family in tow, we prefer to rent villas or farmhouses for a longer period and explore the region from that base. Even in major cities, a fully equipped apartment meets our needs more fully than a hotel.” Bill Holmes says: “My vote is for apartment or house swaps. This works out cheaper for everyone and the accommodations are often much nicer and more personal.” Travel writer/blogger Dan Eldridge writes “I'm not sure if hotels are going out of fashion, or if it's just that American travelers are becoming more comfortable with alternative accommodation options.” Dan is developing an upmarket hostel-cum-cool B&B for “grown-up hipsters”. Tamara, founder of Mr & Mrs Smith offers a nuanced perspective: “I don’t think it’s time to ring the death knell for the hotel industry at all... boutique hotels have never been more fashionable...‘More interesting and intimate travel experiences’ don’t necessarily exclude hotel stays, after all; it just depends on the hotel in question. I do, however, think you’re right to suggest that people are more likely to consider unusual forms of accommodation, and self-catering alternatives in particular... I don’t think this is necessarily eating away at the hotel market, it’s just an indication that people are becoming more imaginative travellers, whether they stay at a boutique hotel, a B&B, a self-catering rental, or whatever.” And The Happy Hotelier tells me this is exactly why he's so fascinated by the pod hotel concept!

Pictured? Our room at Talisman, a magical boutique hotel we stayed at in Damascus last year.