Three models, three promises
On a workation you'll mainly come across three work environments:
- Café: Cheap, social atmosphere, flexible use
- Coworking space: Infrastructure, focus, community, costs
- Coliving with an integrated workspace: All-inclusive, community, but little flexibility
All three can work, but they work for different types of work, projects and personalities. This article helps you understand when each model is the right one.
The café: big promises, little delivery
What speaks for it
- No booking, no prepayment
- Atmospheric surroundings
- Switch places whenever you like
- Cheap in many cities (cost = coffee)
What speaks against it
- Internet: Unstable, shared, often without failover. Video calls are a gamble.
- Noise: Variable and impossible to control. Fine for light tasks, bad for focused work or calls.
- Ergonomics: Café chairs and table heights are made for short visits, not for 6-hour workdays.
- Power: Not always enough sockets.
- Social expectations: In many cafés, sitting for a long time without ordering more feels inappropriate.
When the café makes sense
- For short, creative sessions (2–3 hours)
- As a change from your main workplace
- For tasks that don't need a stable connection (writing, reading, planning)
- When your surroundings inspire you
Tip: Searching for "laptop-friendly café" in Google Maps or nomad forums quickly gets you a curated list in most cities.
The coworking space: the most reliable model
What speaks for it
- Internet: Dedicated bandwidth, often with a backup connection. Good enough for calls.
- Ergonomics: Proper desks, height-adjustable options, good chairs (depending on quality).
- Focus: Work is the norm; fewer distractions than in a café.
- Infrastructure: Printers, meeting rooms, coffee, kitchen.
- Community: A network of other workationers and locals, if you actively use it.
What speaks against it
- Costs: Day to monthly passes cost between 15 and 40 EUR/day, depending on the city.
- Prepayment: Many spaces require a booking, sometimes with a minimum term of one month.
- The atmosphere varies a lot: Some spaces are inspiring, others feel like open-plan offices.
- No privacy: Sensitive calls need meeting rooms (often bookable at extra cost).
When the coworking space is the first choice
- For productive full-time hours
- When you have regular video calls
- When you're looking to connect with a community
- For workations longer than a week
Tip for choosing: Do a trial day before you book (most spaces offer one). Pay attention to noise levels, internet speed (measure it yourself: speedtest.net), ergonomics and atmosphere.
Coliving: more than a workplace
What coliving means
Coliving concepts combine accommodation and workspace under one roof. Specialised coliving houses and networks offer a room plus a dedicated coworking area plus a community programme.
What speaks for it
- No friction between living and working: Open your laptop and you're done.
- Community is built in: You automatically meet like-minded remote workers.
- Predictability: Everything included, one booking.
- Events and structure: Many coliving providers organise excursions, workshops and dinners.
What speaks against it
- Costs: Coliving is often more expensive than an apartment plus coworking booked separately.
- Little flexibility: You're tied to one place and often to a minimum stay.
- Community bubble: You meet lots of people with a similar background, but see less of local reality.
- Variable quality: The workspace part isn't always as good as in a dedicated coworking space.
When coliving is the first choice
- On your first or second workation (less planning needed)
- When community matters more to you than maximum flexibility
- For stays of 2–6 weeks (shorter stays are inefficient, longer ones can feel claustrophobic)
- When you travel alone and actively need social connection
The combination: what many experienced workationers do
People who go on workations regularly often combine:
- Mornings: Coworking for deep-work blocks
- Occasionally: A café for creative or lighter afternoons
- Accommodation: Airbnb or an apartment (instead of coliving) for privacy and cost
This model gives you maximum flexibility without the compromises of a single format.
Conclusion
Cafés are overrated for productive work, but underrated as a change of scenery. Coworking spaces are the most reliable foundation for getting real work done. Coliving is ideal for beginners and people hungry for community, but it's no miracle of efficiency.
Decide based on how you work, where your project stands and what you need socially, not on what looks better on Instagram.