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Accommodation

My rule of thumb is between $20 and $25 a night. This means in Europe I stay in hostels and in developing countries I have a range of options from guest houses with my own bathroom to a room with a shared bathroom. Also, sometimes it is necessary to spend more to get a clean and appropriate room and other times you will spend less so in the end it balances out.

I talked about guest houses, pensions and hostels as well as hotels. In many countries guest houses and pensions are small family run establishments. They are clean and comfortable and the bonus is because they target the budget traveler they also have a great deal of information about travel in the area including public transportation and local activities. Since other independent travelers are staying here it is also a good place to hook up with someone else to share a tour or other activity which is less expensive if a larger number of people are participating.

Also, many private hostels have private rooms with and without shared bath. They accommodate a range of travel needs. I love staying in hostels when I am on my own as I have a built in network or friends and new sources of information. Also, this is the place to meet other travelers who may be going in the same direction and this provides opportunities for a travel companion to share costs. When traveling with someone else we often share a room and may choose to do different activities and join each other for the ones which we both are interested in. It provides a great deal of flexibility.

Consider the following when deciding on your options

Hotel/Pension/Guest House	Hostel
More expensive than a hostel, but if a room is shared it can work out to the same as a hostel room Privacy Private or shared bathroom Clean sheets and towel provided Do not always meet other people No cooking or kitchen facilities	Great place to meet people and hook up with other travelers Kitchen facilities Common rooms with internet, library, TV, games areas No privacy Shared bathrom Can be noisy in the day and at night with people coming and going at all hours Bunk beds
For both the Hostel and Hotel most often you get what you pay for. A cheap hotel can give you privacy but may not be as clean as you are comfortable with. Also, some cheap hostels can limit your privacy and also not be as clean as you may be comfortable with.

Other Options

In some cities such as Eastern Europe rooms are available in families houses. These can be booked at the tourist information office. Often these offices are located in or near the train station. In other cities touts (runners) will offer up rooms with families or in a newly opened facility. These can be great options. I always ask the location and the price and state if I do not like it or if it is not as stated I will go to another place. Some have worked out well, other times I will take the place for one night and then move to another place the next day.

Considerations for Staying in Hostels

Hostels are not for everyone. However, here are some suggestions to make hostels work for you.

1. Beds per room. I prefer to stay in hostels that have a maximum of 6 beds per room. Some hostels offer a range on options. I prefer to pay a bit more for the smaller number of beds in a room.

2. Gender mix: I prefer hostels which have the same gender, but am flexible on this.

3. Bathroom. Some hostels have a bathroom in the room and in others it is outside the room. This has not made any difference to me. The other consideration is how many beds per bathroom and also how clean the bathroom is. If it is a hostel I really want to stay in and is lacking in bathrooms. I will shower at night or will get up early in the morning before everyone else to use the bathroom.

4. Ratings. Take a look at the accommodation websites. There are several links to sites where reservations can be made at hostels. These sites have ratings. I take a look at several of the the sites to review the ratings and also the comments. I then select the hostel which is most appropriate for me. I like quieter hostels so tend to stay away from the party hostels. These may have high ratings, but often in the comment section their will be statements about the noise from the club in the hostel or the club next door. After I stay in my first hostel, I can then use the word of mouth to determine where I will stay for the next destinations. I have done this for years and have had almost 100% success in finding nice hostels which are clean and quiet. Mind you I usually travel off season and many times have had only one or 2 other person in my room. Many times I have been the only person in my room. If it do not like the hostel I will spend one night and then look for another place to stay.

5. Preparation. I take ear plugs and sleep shades with me when I go to sleep. I usually go to sleep early and get up early. I prepare what I need for the morning and put it in a small carry bag. I then get up and leave the room and spend some time in the kitchen or common area on my own before everyone else gets up. In some cases a sleep sheet is necessary. I have a silk sleep sheet which I tuck into my back pack. I find that most hostels now provide sheets. However, a towel is a necessity when staying in a hostel.