Booking Hotel Rooms in Europe

Ostello Venezia photo

ABOVE: Ostello Venezia, a youth hostel on the island of Giudecca in Venice, Italy.

Consider alternatives to hotels.

If you're on a tight budget, a youth hostel may be worth considering. Many newer hostels have double, triple, or quad rooms instead of the traditional open dormitories, and others (especially privately owned hostels) have done away with onerous rules about check-in times and curfews. Check our city guides for listings.

For visits of several days to a week or more, apartment and cottage rentals can save money while offering a taste of local life. Read our article, A Home Away from Home, for more information on self-catering accommodation.

Private rooms are a possibility in many countries, where homeowners and farmers supplement their incomes by renting out rooms at modest rates that normally include breakfast. Local tourist offices usually have lists of such informal B&B-style lodgings.

For more articles on hotels and other accommodations, see:

Articles Index: Accommodations

and the pages on hotels, hostels, camping, vacation apartments, etc. in our:

City Guides

Europe Travel Planner

Venice Travel Planner

Switzerland/Austria Travel Planner

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Need a car in Europe?

Auto Europe guarantees the lowest rental rates for standard cars, sports cars, SUVs, luxury cars, chauffered sedans, and RVs. Its Web site also has driving information for 38 countries.

If you live outside the EU, a tax-free Renault or Peugeot tourist lease can be cheaper than renting. Minimum driver age is 18, there' s no upper age limit, and rates include insurance. See: Short-term car leasing.

European train

Traveling by train?
Rail Europe has schedules, maps, and guides for 50+ European railroads. (Residents of North and Central America can buy tickets and rail passes online.)

From Europe for Cruisers:

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