Lodging

Your living situation on a gig can be a dream or a nightmare; there are so many factors to consider that the average person doesn’t have to worry about, (assuming you get to choose where you stay). Many of the contracts you’ll sign with larger companies, (especially those outside the United States), don’t offer assistance with booking your lodging for a gig (similar to the way airfare works). The fee is usually large enough to cover most travel and lodging expenses, but not always. 

Smaller houses and some larger houses in America will give you a lodging stipend, which will be included in your first fee or as a separate check when you arrive at the first meet and greet or sing-through. In cases where you are assigned housing, you are simply told where you’ll be and you have to make the best of the situation. The housing a company provides may be anything from a small, long-term corporate housing apartment, to an Airbnb, to a homestay, and occasionally a hotel. 

As with flights to and from a gig, worry not, the ability to choose where you’re staying is ultimately a good thing, though it will mean more prep work for you in addition to learning your role and making sure you are in excellent shape vocally. Sure, you may miss out on hotel points, but in the end, you will most likely find a better scenario that helps you to be at your best. 

Things to consider

• What is the travel distance from where you’re staying to the rehearsal space and theater (if they are not in the same place)?  
• If you have allergies, does the place you stay have pets, or has it had pets? Are you allergic to mold, dust, or other things, and how do you know if a place might have those kinds of problems? (see the post on “Singing with Allergies”)
• If you travel with a pet, can you take the pet with you? 
• Is your housing situation going to be a homestay? If so, will the hosts be there and how much will you need to interact with them (More on this in a future post)?
• If you stay in a hotel; are you a member of their rewards program or can you stay at a place where you have a lot of points to get a better room or some free amenities? Can you use some of those points you may have to get a discount and avoid breaking the bank? 
• Is there a kitchen? If not, do you plan to eat out every meal? 
• Is there a place to practice either at the rehearsal space or theater or where you’ll be living?
• How close are you to a grocery store or public transportation? 
• Is there free internet where you’ll be staying or will you have to pay for it? If so, what are your options? They can be very limited depending on where you are. 
• What about exercise? Is there a gym, can you work out where you’ll be staying? Are you a singer who can run or walk outside or do you need to work out indoors? 
• Noise level, will you be able to sleep? 
• Is there heating or air conditioning where you are staying or are you going to have to sleep with the windows open; If so, what about heat, cold, or bugs?
• Is the neighborhood safe? 

What else do you think about when organizing your lodging, singers? What is your priority checklist? 

As with airfare, the companies that give you a stipend for travel give it to you outright. If you can find a place for significantly less than the stipend, you keep the rest and take home some extra. You may have to use some of that extra for transportation to and from rehearsals and to get groceries etc., so don’t forget to factor that in. 

Some companies that house you, will also provide a rented car, usually to share among several cast members, to get you to the rehearsal space and the theater. 

Sublets, Airbnb, Vrbo, long-term corporate housing, hotels, and staying with friends or friends of friends, are some of the many options you’ll consider as you make your plan. 

Options

Airbnb Is by far the most popular, affordable, and reliable choice for me and the majority of singers that I talk to.  

Stateside, Airbnb, offers the most flexibility, customization, and sheer number of options for almost every place you’ll travel. When traveling abroad, that isn’t always the case and sometimes hotels can offer rates just as good with a few more amenities. Again, it depends on where you are. 

Time is your friend with AirBnB, and the earlier you can book your place, the better luck you’ll have with finding a good price and a place with all of the features you need. You can often get a discount for staying for an extended amount of time as well. 

When using Air BnB, the comments for the place I’m looking at are where I focus. I look for these keywords:\

• Clean
• Quiet
• Easy Check-in
• Ground floor. (if applicable)
• Kitchen

I also take a close look at: 

• Host rating
• Description of the place and surroundings (you can often find out about public transit this way) 
• Photos (number and quality of photos)
• Discount for a longer stay (often since we stay so long, many hosts offer significant discounts)
• Parking and any associated fees (if you are driving) 
• Type of air conditioning or heating system
• Cancellation policy (if the gig dates change or you have to withdraw from the gig)

Read descriptions and user comments CAREFULLY and multiple times. When in doubt, email the host or customer service. Don’t take any chances. Most of the information you need to know you can find online, but rushed bookings almost always equal frustrating situations. 

I always prefer to book an Airbnb that I can have to myself. Without a shared space or common area simply because we usually keep such odd hours during a rehearsal and performance process, and it’s nice to be able to practice without bugging anyone. However, you may not mind sharing a home or bathroom with anyone and you can sometimes find cheaper rates on the shared options. 

If it looks a little dicey, remember that AirBnB is pretty good about protecting consumers from false advertising, unacceptable conditions, unresponsive hosts, and any major issues found upon check-in. 

I’ve heard numerous stories about AirBnB having to find a new place for someone if they arrive and things are not as described online, or there is a major unanticipated problem. It’s nice that the company offers that protection but not the way you want to start the gig. I’ve also heard my share of horror stories, so when in doubt, look for another option. 

When Airbnb is booked in your area and there are no options that are even remotely affordable, I’ve also had luck with booking.com which books hotels like all other travel websites, but other apartments and condos as well.  

If you’ve had experience, you can also go the sublet route, or just check for long-stay hotels, long-term corporate housing, or websites specifically for apartment bookings that aren’t tied to sublets. 

To assess the safety of the neighborhood, I’ve not found any reliable system, other than asking the company you’re going to work for, an internet search, talking to anyone from that area or anyone who has worked with that company, or, when desperate, use the google street view to walk around and take a virtual (albeit most likely dated) view of the neighborhood.  

What reliable strategies do you use to find safe neighborhoods when you’re not familiar with the area? 

Hotels are the least efficient in terms of saving money but are often in great locations. You most likely won’t be able to cook or practice much in these spaces though without trouble. Sometimes they do have fitness centers, but they are often so small that they are not worth paying extra for the access and you’d be better off with a different option.  

Singers, what websites do you use to book your lodging? Horror Stories? Other safe reliable options? What else do you consider when booking the place you’ll stay? Other advice about housing on a gig? 

Be sure to read the upcoming article on Home Stays, coming soon!