Lodging (or a holiday accommodation) is a type of residential accommodation. People who travel and stay away from home for more than a day need lodging for sleep, rest, safety, shelter from cold temperatures or rain, storage of luggage and access to common household functions.

Lodgings may be self catering in which case no food is laid on but cooking facilities are available.

Lodging is done in a hotel, hostel or hostal, a private home (commercial, i.e. a bed and breakfast, a guest house, a vacation rental, or non-commercially, with members of hospitality services or in the home of friends), in a tent, caravan/camper (often on a campsite). In addition there are make-shift solutions.

Sleeping is typically done lying in a bed, or more generally on a soft surface, such as an air mattress, a couch, etc. Some trains have sleeping cars.

Sometimes people sleep sitting, because lying is not possible, such as in a train (if not in a sleeping car), a bus, a seat in a waiting room or a bench on the street or in a park. Inclinable seats allow something between sitting and lying. Whether lying on a row of seats is possible and comfortable depends on the presence of arm rests, and whether they can be moved up. In some public places, lying would be possible, but is not permitted.