How to Sleep Cheap, From Cruises to Convents

By Sue Kovach Shuman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, April 6, 2008

Dismayed by the high cost of hotel rooms in Europe? Don't cancel your trip just yet. Here are some ways to save on lodgings. Prices were accurate when the Travel section went to press last week but are subject to availability and change. Unless otherwise noted, rates quoted are per person double.

Buy a Package

If you don't want to spent hours shopping for bargains, Mary Peters of Alexandria's Friendly Travel has this advice: "This year is the year to take a tour." Whether escorted or independent, you'll get better prices on accommodations and won't have to worry about taxes and service fees when air, hotel and (sometimes) meals and guide costs are bundled. By prepaying, you know the cost upfront.

To avoid sticker shock in the United Kingdom, for example, Affordable Tours (800-935-2620, http://www.affordabletours.com) offers $200 discounts per couple on land-plus-airfare escorted tours; it also discounts land-only tours. Escorted tours include transportation, admissions, guides and most meals. For example, Globus's seven-day "Taste of Britain" is $949 (less 10 percent discount); airfare is $1,046 from Washington Dulles. If booked separately with the best rates at the same hotels, you'd pay $725 for lodging only. And a six-day "Taste of Ireland" through CIE Tours starts at $953 (less 5 percent discount); air from New York is $582. The same three- and four-star hotels would cost at least $777 if booked separately.

Sophisticated Traveler, which specializes in Eastern Europe, has an eight-day all-inclusive "Poland's Best" escorted tour from Washington in May at $1,815 (plus up to $360 in taxes and fees; http://www.affordablepoland.com). Airfare alone to Warsaw starts at almost $900 on Orbitz (Scandinavian Airlines), and the hotels would cost at least $690 if booked separately.

Independent air-hotel packages also offer savings. The average hotel price in Italy is $196 a night, according to the latest

Hotels.com survey, so it doesn't take a genius to figure out that Tourcrafters'"Florence and the Heart of Tuscany" package is a bargain. For $999 (plus $310 taxes and fees) from Washington, airfare, seven nights in four-star hotels, car rental and breakfast are included (through mid-May; book by April 15; 800-482-5995, http://www.tourcrafters.com). If booked separately, the same hotels would cost $1,340.

Other Web sites to check: Go-Today.com ( http://www.go-today.com), Virgin Vacations ( http://www.virgin-vacations.com), Gate1 Travel ( http://www.gate1travel.com), European Destinations ( http://www.europeandestinations.com) and FranceVacations.com ( http://www.francevacations.com). Also check flight-hotel packages on Expedia.com, Travelocity.com and Hotwire.com.

Take a Cruise

With a cruise, you not only prepay -- thereby ensuring against rising rates -- but you have built-in lodging and all meals included. Check consolidator sites for bargains within 90 days of sailing. On Vacations to Go, for example (800-338-4962 or 800-680-2858, http://www.vacationstogo.com), late May and early June sailings on Royal Caribbean's Navigator of the Seas are $549 for a five-day Mediterranean itinerary. Norwegian Gem's seven-day Mediterranean cruises start at $699, far below the brochure rate of $1,599. "Anything close to $100 a day in the Med on a ship like that is a great price," says Alan Fox, chairman and chief executive of Vacations to Go.

River cruises can price out considerably cheaper than land travel. Amadeus Waterways (800-626-0126, http://www.amadeuswaterways.com), for example, has an air-cruise-hotel package from Amsterdam to Paris (from New York) from $2,699 in November. Priced separately, airfare from Washington to Amsterdam on Lufthansa is $860; budget hotels in all cities on the itinerary would cost about $1,388. The difference of $451 covers ground transportation, 11 tours, admissions and meals.

If your time frame is flexible, check last-minute cruise sites for deals. CruisesOnly.com (800-CRUISES, http://www.cruisesonly.com), for example, has a $799 seven-day Tunisia-Spain-France route from Barcelona on the Costa Magica on May 30.

To sort through the choices, Cruise Lines International Association can help you find a travel agent ( http://www.cruising.org).

Rent an Apartment

Renting an apartment can be cheaper than a hotel for a group if you're staying a week or more; a kitchen cuts dining costs. Kemp Prugh, 62, of Vienna and his parents stayed in an apartment in Kandersteg, Switzerland, about 30 miles south of Interlaken, for a month last fall. It cost about $75 a night through Untours (888-868-6871, http://www.untours.com), which helps independent travelers live like residents in 14 European countries. Untours, in business 33 years, provides on-the-ground support: A local tells you where to shop for groceries, how to take the bus, etc. In October, a double hotel room in Kandersteg starts at $109 in two-star Silencehotel Edelweiss; at Sunstar Hotel Wenger, it's $258. Prugh's rental cost at least $34 less per day, or almost $1,000 over a month.

Untours rentals can be bundled with airfare, but it's optional. Spokeswoman Kim Paschen says the Swiss Heartland-Swiss Ticino Sampler, which includes 14 nights in an apartment, round-trip air and ground transportation, is typical. In September it's $1,584 ($2,494 with airfare), staying in studios in Locarno and Sachseln. On Expedia, a double in Locarno's Hotel Dell Angelo starts at $157 a night, or $1,099 for a week; in Sachseln, Kruez Sachseln Hotel is $236 a night, or $1,652 for a week. Hotels for 14 days would cost at least $2,751, or about $400 less than the apartment package for two people, but eating meals in restaurants would easily exceed that amount.

Because of the shrinking dollar, Tuscany travel is down this year, Paschen says, but travel to Umbria, in central Italy, is up. In October, an apartment on a farm in Spello, 10 miles from Assisi, costs $1,699 per person for two weeks through Untours. On Expedia, a double at Green Hotel Assisi, in a renovated farmhouse, costs about $57 a night -- about $840 for two weeks, proving that sometimes a hotel is cheaper. By comparison, two weeks at the budget hotel Elite in Florence ( http://www.hotelelitefirenze.com) with private bath would cost $1,960.

Some of the best values now, Paschen says, are in the harbor town of Nafplio, in the Peloponnese area in Greece: A house in an orange grove costs $1,659 for two weeks. But sometimes the choice is between a slower pace and the big city, because in Athens two weeks at the 1 1/2 -star Alma Hotel in Omonia Square ( http://www.almahotel.net) costs $938, but the three-star King Jason near the Plaka ( http://www.kingjasonhotelathens.com) costs $1,722.

Other sources for European apartment and house rentals:

· Rentalo, 877-710-5914, http://www.rentalo.com. London offerings include a South Kensington studio in a Victorian townhouse on a quiet residential street near Gloucester Road tube station for $198 a night. In Lisbon, a sunny three-bed, two-bath on the third floor of a refurbished 18th-century building starts at $162 a night and sleeps nine. The catch: No elevator.

· Citadines Apart'Hotel, 011-33-1-41-05-7905, http://www.citadines.com. Rentals in eight European countries. In Lyon, a fully furnished apartment in October is $223 a night for four people.

· HIT Apartments, 011-48-22-351-2222 http://www.staypoland.com/en/warsaw/hotel/hit_apartamenty.html. One basic, fully furnished Warsaw apartment goes for $72 a night in May. The midrange Hotel Atos is $77 per double on Expedia, $66 on Hotels.com, proving that it pays to shop around, and $100 gets you into the five-star Sofitel Victoria Warsaw.

· Cottages to Castles, 800-225-6290, http://www.cottagestocastles.com. This British firm has specialized in Italian lodging for 25 years. A four-person apartment in Tuscany's Castellina in Chianti starts at $780 a week, swimming pool included. A three-person villa on the Neapolitan Riviera coast starts at $1,100 a week.

· Britain's National Historic Trust, 011-0844-800-2070, http://www.nationaltrustcottages.co.uk. This nonprofit agency lists more than 360 properties in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Most rent by the week. A five-bedroom lighthouse-keeper's cottage in Devon, where hiking and bird-watching are popular, costs $1,618 a week in September but $918 in October. A medieval thatched farmhouse in Devon that sleeps six costs $1,354 in July, $688 in October.

Consider a Hostel

Don't dismiss hostels as the exclusive provinces of young people and backpackers. In Europe, families and older people also are regular guests. Dorms and shared baths used to be standard; many now have two-bed and family rooms. Cooking in hostel kitchens saves major bucks. Many also include breakfast buffets and simple meals in the price. In fact, some are more like hotels.

Some countries, such as Germany, Poland and Britain, have many hostels, ranging from inner-city to countryside. In Krakow, hostels are almost as numerous as hotels.

Universities often turn college dorms into hostels during summer vacation; inquire ahead of time. Or ask at tourist information desks at train and bus stations -- but arrive during daytime work hours. At Budapest's Keleti train station, for example, a hostel desk staffer helps you locate a bed. It's one way to snag a double for about $30 a night, if you don't mind unisex bathrooms.

Hostelling International ( http://www.hihostels.com) is a worldwide network of places that must meet standards for safety, cleanliness and service. In Reykjavik, Iceland, for example, a dorm bed is $23.50 a night, and a private double with bath, breakfast and 10 minutes of Internet is $124. By comparison, a double without bath at two-star Floki Inn Guesthouse in Reykavik costs $199 ( http://www.randburg.is/is/fosshotel).

A few years ago, hostels were not found on most online booking sites. That has changed.

"People are accepting that they have to trade down" in expensive places such as London, says Patrik Oqvist, Hotels.com's Europe expert. Places such as the 200-plus room Generator near Kings Cross Station in central London, he said, which costs $30 a night for a dorm bed, are attracting more interest on the site.

Other resources:

· Youth Hostel Association, http://www.yha.org. London Central, a new hostel near Oxford Street, starts at $36. At Pwll Deri in Wales, on the Pembrokeshire coast, a double room with bath is $63 in June.

· Expedia.com. Spokeswoman Erin Krause says the company offers A&O Hostels and Hotels in Berlin, Dresden, Hamburg, Munich and Prague. All have single and double rooms, as well as dorms. A&O Hotel Friedrichshain in Berlin has doubles for $79 in May, with breakfast.

· German Youth Hostelling Association, http://www.jugendherberge.de/en. Has an extensive network of lodging, most with family rooms. In Oberammergau, bed and breakfast costs $27.50 a night; with all meals, $37.

· Hostel World, http://www.hostelworld.com. With thousands of easy-to-read listings in all European countries, plus travelers' reviews and ratings, this is a good one-stop shopping place.

· EuroCheapo, http://www.eurocheapo.com. A good source for hostels and budget hotels.

· Some universities rent dorm rooms during breaks. For example, London King's College ( http://www.kcl.ac.uk/kcvb), near Covent Garden, has doubles for $116 on Great Dover Street. Contact individual universities in your destinations to inquire. Sometimes train station information desks and tourist bureaus can direct you.

Rent a Room

In some train and bus stations and ferry docks in Eastern and Central Europe, private residents with rooms approach travelers. You have to trust your gut. Never fork over money before you've seen the room and neighborhood. Insist on being shown the location on a map, and ask about transportation. Still, these rooms can represent real bargains, with cultural immersion as a bonus. If you feel safer using a broker, many airport, train and bus stations have information desks or tourist office branches offering information on private rooms.

Memorize the term for room vacancies. In Germany, for example, it's "zimmer frei"; in Croatia, "sobe." In Austria, you might stumble upon a "pension" sign at a farm whose workers are on vacation, such as during Easter week.

But you can also plan in advance. Online resources include:

· Chambredotesfrance.com, http://www.chambredhotesfrance.com, and Chambres d'Hotes.org, http://www.chambresdhotes.org. In France, chambres d'hote (host rooms) dot back roads, and most can be found online. For example, Ferme Auberge de la Rhonie in France's southwest is a farm with 10 rooms, with doubles from $92.50 ( http://www.chambres-larhonie.com).

· Uptown Reservations, http://www.uptownres.co.uk. In London, empty-nesters rent spare bedrooms with private baths in upscale locations through this company. Doubles with breakfast close to tube stations start at $190 a night; family rooms (two bedrooms) are $270.

· StayPoland.com, http://www.staypoland.com. This Warsaw-based travel agency helps Americans with tours and accommodations. A double at Paryzanka guest house outside Zakopane, in Poland's Tatra mountains, is $62 (breakfast included) in May.

Stay in an Indie Hotel

In the United States, about 75 percent of hotels are part of chains and about 25 percent are independently owned; in Europe, it's the opposite. The bedspreads and curtains may not match. Rooms may be small, and breakfast may be served on long tables under photos of Grandma with her clan. You have to embrace the quirkiness.

In France, smaller hotels listed with Logis de France ( http://www.logis-de-france.fr) often are family-owned places with a restaurant, especially in the countryside. Many offer half-board (breakfast and a meal). For example, L'Aragon, in the heart of Roussilion wine country, has 10 rooms from $76. At 18-room Le Tassigny in Corbieres, a double costs $65.

Some budget hotels don't accept credit cards. They also may charge for parking, breakfast, even heat and air conditioning -- if it's available. Many places don't have central air. For example, the Paris Hotel de la Porte Doree ( http://www.hoteldelaportedoree.com), a 20-minute ride from center city, costs $95 a night and charges about $15 extra for AC.

We found similar hotel deals on online booking sites, including city tourism sites. Rates vary; shop around.

· In Lausanne, Switzerland, where the dollar and franc are almost equal, the four-star center-city Hotel Minotel Crystal ( http://www.minotel.com) costs from $124 a night; it's $111 on http://www.hostelworld.com. And the three-star hostel Hotel Jeunotel Lausanne in nearby Vidy ranges from $59 to $192 on various Web sites.

· In London, the 22-room Enviro Hotel ( http://www.envirohotel.com) near Victoria Station averages $94 a night.

· In Budapest, the Hotel Papillon ( http://www.ohb.hu/papillon), a 10-minute walk from Buda Castle, is $85 through Priceline-europe ( http://www.pricelineeurope.com). And Booking.com ( http://www.booking.com), part of Priceline.com, is based in Amsterdam and contracts with hotels in all price ranges throughout Europe to offer discounts.

Scott Booker, vice president of customer marketing for Hotels.com, says promotions are posted on the site on Fridays. And any time you see a really low rate, he says, "Be a little suspect . . . make sure you look at guest ratings and reviews."

Consider a Budget Chain

Budget chain hotels may not have much character, but most have air conditioning. France has more budget chains than other countries. Among them:

· Accor Hotels ( http://www.accorhotels.com) has 13 brands, including Formule 1 ( http://www.formule1.com), Etap ( http://www.etaphotel.com), Novotel ( http://www.novotel.com), Mercure ( http://www.mercure.com) and Ibis ( http://www.ibishotel.com).

Formule I rooms are small and basic, with TV, sink and double bed with a bunk above for a third person. In Dijon, France, a double is $48.50 for up to three people -- a bargain by any standard. An Etap hotel in Hamburg is about $58 in September. Mercure hotels have more amenities. The 84-room, stylish three-star Mercure Nice Grimaldi is $146 in Nice.

· France-based Campanile, Premier Classe and Kyriad are part of Louvre Hotels ( http://www.louvrehotels.com). Campanile ( http://www.campanile.com) has more than 380 hotels in nine countries, with promotions such as stay two nights, get the third free. In September on the Riviera, a double near Cannes costs $96 -- and it's still warm enough to swim. At Campanile Beaune in September, a double or triple room is $108.

· For other budget options, including Mister Bed and Fasthotel, see Eurapart ( http://www.eurapart.com), keeping in mind that prices are approximate. In Strasbourg, France, at the very basic Mister Bed, a double costs $48. In the U.K. and Ireland, Travelodge ( http://www.travelodge.co.uk) is located along motorways, with rooms starting from under $40 per night offseason.

· If you prefer U.S.-based hotels, check out properties with chains such as Choice Hotels ( http://www.choicehotels.com), which has Comfort and Clarion inns. Also check budget properties on Web sites of large multinational chains, such as Holiday Inn and Intercontinental Hotels; with AAA or other discounts, you might get a better hotel at less than you'd expect.

Go Camping

With a sleeping bag, you can sleep cheaply. Some tourism offices compile tent site and caravan (trailer) sites. Countries such as Poland forbid camping in national parks. And in many countries, "wild" camping -- tenting on a farmer's field or overnight at a roadside pull-off -- is illegal. Although camping is regulated with minimum standards enforced in some countries, in others it's not.

In Poland, small family-run campsites are more common. In Lubuskie, a village near the German border about an hour from Berlin and Poznan, a site for two people with a car is $15 a night ( Mini Camping Poland, http://www.minicamping.pl). In Paris, the Hotelliere de Plein Air is a campsite near the Seine in the Bois de Boulogne. Although most campsites can accommodate RVs, there also are tent sites, plus cabins to rent: from $17 a night for two in your own tent, or rent one from $3. If you have an RV, sites can be found at http://www.mobilhome-paris.com. To the east in Paris near the Bois de Vincennes is a similar campground ( http://www.campingparis.fr).

Some sites provide the tents and beds. In Rust am Neusiedlersee, Austria, Camping Rust ( http://www.gmeiner.co.at), a lakeside resort 23 miles from Vienna and 122 miles from Budapest, offers a bed in a six- to eight-person "tipi" tent -- canvas with a wooden floor -- starting at $7 (plus about $6 to park the car).

Web sites with camping tips and links include Karma Bum ( http://www.karmabum.com/index.htm) and Camping Compass.com ( http://www.campingcompass.com). Camping.com ( http://www.camping.com) lists camping options through Europe as well as mobile home and house rentals in 16 countries.

And Finally, Pray

Some convents and monasteries have guest rooms, but some prefer guests making spiritual retreats. If your itinerary includes bar-hopping, forget it. Check curfew time; it could be early. Write or e-mail far in advance of your trip to ask about availability.

Italy has many religious accommodations. In Rome, for example, Casa D'Accoglienza S. Spirito convent near the Vatican charges about $62 for two beds with breakfast, $54 for a three- or four-bed room. Curfew is 11 p.m. in summer, 10 p.m. in winter. Write Casa D'Accoglienza S. Spirito, Suore Francescane dell'Addolorata Borgo S. Spirito 41, 00193 Rome, or e-mail ssmsanpietro@libero.it.

Not all religious places are sinfully cheap. Zefiro World Tour Operator lists more than 300 convents, monasteries, abbeys and castles throughout Italy that are really upscale hotels ( http://www.go-to-italy.com/English/Religious.htm). For example, at Villa Domenico, a monastery-turned-hotel in Siena, a double costs $150 a night without breakfast.

In Reading, England, Douai Abbey in the Berkshire countryside has 22 rooms for guests on retreat. There's no curfew and no requirement that you participate in the Benedictine monks' services, guestmaster Christopher Greener explained in an e-mail, "although we expect guests to recognize the fact that we are a monastery and be respectful." The suggested daily charge is $80, which includes meals ( http://www.douaiabbey.org.uk).

In Paris, the Basilica of Sacre-Coeur's ( http://www.sacre-coeur-montmartre.com) guesthouse Ephreum is next door. It welcomes those "who wish to pray or some on pilgrimage," writes the Benedictine Sister of the Sacred-Heart of Montmartre in charge. You're expected to "take part in the adoration at the Basilica (night or day) and to take part in the liiturgical celebrations." A segregated dorm is about $15 a night, and you can stay two nights. Curfew is 9:15 p.m. The guesthouse closes Sunday evening through Tuesday morning. E-mail montmartre.adoremus@wanadoo.fr.