Where to lay your head?

JUL

Where to lay your head?

With the dollar still hovering at record lows against the euro, every cost must be analyzed in a budget trip to Europe. Accommodations can be one of the biggest chunks of the budget so it's worth taking a look at your options here.

It's important to know your own tolerance and needs, and then question them. Don't take for granted that you need the all the 'amenities' you need at home, like a private bathroom. Before you shudder, consider this -- staying in a room with a shared bath down the hall can save you 20 or 30 euros a night, or more. In the name of budget I've stayed in a number of places from Denmark to Scotland, Switzerland to Italy, with a bath down the hall. One of these, Millfield Guest House in Edinburgh, is one of my favorite places to stay. Rarely have I waited to get in, they've generally been just as clean as your own private bath, and the fellow travelers you meet at these type of lodgings seem to be interesting and easy-going.

If you do require your own private facilities, know this term -- 'en-suite.' A hotel description may say private bathroom, but it could be located outside of your room.

If you're ready to go low with your accommodation costs, check out this helpful tip sheet from veteran budget traveller Rick Steves.

If you have more discerning tastes and require a bit more, unfortunately you can't rely on the star rating system. Obscure and irrelevant factors like the location of the reception area and presence of an elevator weigh more heavily than any sort of charm or actual 'nice'ness, so a 3 or 4 star rating is no guarantee of anything. Your best bet is to read (and weigh) reviews of other travellers in the many review sites that abound online.

TAGS: hotels rooms lodging budget europe

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Where to lay your head?

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