Do Europe on a shoestring

Buy a package

Some tour operators offer a discount per couple on escorted tours, including land and air fares. Escorted tours include transportation, admissions, guides and most meals. Here are some websites that could help you make a choice:

Take a cruise

On a cruise, you can enjoy built-in lodging and not need to worry about meals. Check sites for bargains within 90 days of sailing.

Also, river cruises can be cheaper than land travel.

Rent a Flat

For a group, renting an apartment can be cheaper than a hotel if staying a week or more; a kitchen also cuts dining costs.

Kemp Prugh, of Vienna, and his parents stayed in an apartment in Kandersteg, Switzerland, about 30 miles south of Interlaken, for a month last autumn.

It cost about $75 (Dh276) a night through Untours (www.untours.com), which helps travellers live like residents and 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 (Dh400) in the two-star Silencehotel Edelweiss; at Sunstar Hotel Wenger, it's $258 (Dh948). Prugh's rental will cost at least $34 (Dh125) less a day — almost $1,000 (Dh3,673) over a month.

On Expedia, a double in Locarno's Hotel Dell'Angelo starts at $157 (Dh577) a night, or $1,099 (Dh4,036) for a week; in Sachseln, Kreuz Sachseln Hotel is $236 (Dh867) a night, or $1,652 (Dh6,068) for a week.

For 14 days, hotels will cost at least $2,751 (Dh10,103), or about $400 (Dh1,469) less than the apartment package for two persons, but eating meals in restaurants will exceed the amount.

In Italy in October, an apartment on a farm in Spello, ten miles from Assisi, costs $1,699 (Dh6,240) per person for two weeks through Untours.

On Expedia, a double at Green Hotel Assisi, in a renovated farmhouse, costs about $57 (Dh209) a night — about $840 (Dh3,085) for two weeks. By comparison, two weeks at the budget hotel, Elite, in Florence (www.hotelelitefirenze.com) with a private bath will cost $1,960 (Dh7,198).

In the harbour town of Nafplio, in the Peloponnese area in Greece, a house in an orange grove costs $1,659 (Dh6,093) for two weeks.

There are several choices in Athens. A two-week stay at the 1-1/2-star Alma Hotel in Omonia Square (Almahotel.net) costs $938 (Dh3,445) but the three-star King Jason near the Plaka (www.kingjaso.hotelathens.com) costs $1,722 (Dh6,325).

Hostel STAYS

Hostels are no longer only for young people and backpackers — in Europe, families and older people are regular guests.

Dorms and shared baths used to be standard; many now have two-bed and family rooms.

Cooking in hostel kitchens saves a lot of money. Many also include breakfast buffets and simple meals in the price.

Some countries, such as Germany, Poland and Britain, have many hostels, from inner-city to countryside. Universities often turn college dorms into hostels during the summer vacation; enquire ahead of time.

Or ask at tourist information desks at train and bus stations — but arrive during daytime work hours.

At the Keleti train station in Budapest, Hungary, a hostel desk staffer helps you locate a bed.

It's one way to snag a double for about $30 (Dh110) a night, if you don't mind unisex bathrooms.

Hostelling International (www.hihostels.com) is a worldwide network that must meet standards for safety, cleanliness and service.

In Reykjavik, Iceland, a dorm bed is $23.5 (Dh86) a night and a private double with bath, breakfast and ten minutes of internet is $124 (Dh455).

By comparison, a double without bath at the two-star Floki Inn Guesthouse in Reykavik(www.randburg.is/is/fosshotel) costs $199 (Dh731).

Places such as Generator near Kings Cross Station in London has more than 200 rooms and costs $30 (Dh110) a night for a dorm bed.

Rent a room

In some train and bus stations and ferry docks in Eastern and Central Europe, residents with rooms available approach travellers.

Never confirm before you've seen the room and neighbourhood.

Insist on being shown the location on a map and enquire about the transportation.

Still, these rooms can represent real bargains. If you feel safer using a broker, many airports, train and bus stations have information desks or tourist office branches which offer information on private rooms.

Memorise the term for room vacancies. In Germany, for example, it's “zimmer frei''; in Croatia, it's “sobe''.

Indie hotels

In the US, about 75 per cent of hotels are part of chains and about 25 per cent are independently owned; in Europe, it's the opposite. The bedspreads and curtains may not match.

Rooms may be small and breakfast 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 (www.logis-de-france.fr) are often 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 the Roussilon wine country, has 10 rooms from $76 (Dh279).

At the 18-room Le Tassigny in Corbieres, a double costs $65 (Dh239). Some budget hotels don't accept credit cards.

They may also charge for parking, breakfast and even air–conditioning, if that's available.

The Paris Hotel de la Porte Doree (www.hoteldelaportedoree.com), 20 minutes from the city centre, costs $95 (Dh349) a night and charges about $15 (Dh55) extra for air-conditioning.

In Lausanne, Switzerland, the four-star city-centre Hotel Minotel Crystal (www.minotel.com) starts from $124 (Dh455) a night; it's $111 (Dh408) on www.hostelworld.com.

The three-star Hotel Jeunotel Lausanne in nearby Vidy ranges from $59 to $192 (Dh217 to Dh705) on various websites.

In London, the 22-room Enviro Hotel (www.envirohotel.com) near Victoria Station averages $94 (Dh345) a night.

In Budapest, Hotel Papillon (www.ohb.hu/papillon) is $85 (Dh312) through Priceline-Europe (www.pricelineeurope.com.

Booking.com (www.booking.com) also offers discounts. Promotions are posted on site on Fridays.

Budget chains

Budget chain hotels don't have much character but offer air-conditioning. France has more budget chains than anywhere else.

Accor Hotels (www.accorhotels.com) has 13 brands. These include Etap (www.etaphotel.com), Formule 1 (www.formule1.com), Novotel (www.
novotel.com), Mercure (www.mercure.com) and Ibis (www.ibishotel.com).

Formule 1 rooms are small and basic, with a TV, a sink and a double bed with a bunk above for a third person. In Dijon, a double costs $48.5 (Dh178) for up to three people — a bargain.

An Etap hotel in Hamburg, Germany, is about $58 (Dh213) in September. Mercure hotels have more amenities. The 84-room, stylish three-star Mercure Nice Grimaldi is $146 (Dh536) in Nice.

France-based Campanile, Premier Classe and Kyriad are all part of the Louvre Hotels (www.louvrehotels.
com). Campanile (www.campanile.com) has more than 380 hotels in nine countries, with various promotion offers.

In September, on the Riviera, a double near Cannes costs $96 (Dh353).

At Campanile Beaune in September, a double or a triple room costs $108 (Dh397). For other budget options, see Eurapart (www.eurapart.com).

In Strasbourg, France, a double costs $48 (Dh176). In the UK and Ireland, Travelodge (www.travelodge.co.uk) is located along motorways, with rooms starting from $40 (Dh147) in the off-season.

And finally, pray

Some convents and monasteries have rooms but some prefer guests looking for a spiritual retreat.

If your itinerary includes bar-hopping, forget it. Check curfew time and write or e-mail in advance to ask about availability. Italy has many religious accommodations.

In Rome, the Casa D'Accoglienza S Spirito convent near the Vatican charges $62 (Dh228) for two beds with breakfast and $54 (Dh198) for a three- or four-bed room.

Curfew is at 11pm and 10pm in winter. E-mail ssmsanpietro@libero.it

But not all are cheap. Zefiro World Tour Operator lists more than 300 convents, monasteries, abbeys and castles throughout Italy that are really upscale hotels (www.go-to-italy.com/English/Religious.htm).

At Villa Domenico, a double costs $150 (Dh551) a night without breakfast.

In Reading, England, Douai Abbey in the Berkshire countryside has 22 rooms. There's no curfew.

The daily charge is $80 (Dh294), including meals. In Paris, the Basilica of Sacre-Coeur's guest house welcomes those “who wish to pray''.

A segregated dorm is about $15 (Dh55) a night and you can stay for two nights. Curfew at 9.15pm. E-mail montmartre.adoremus@wanadoo.fr

Tips
To help you find cheap lodging

In Bratislava, Slovakia, for example, a double at the three-star Hotel Jurki Dom costs $53 (Dh195) a night (www.bratislavahotels.com).

In Tallinn, Estonia, $66 (Dh242) buys a double in Hotel Stroomi (www.estoniahotel-link.com) near the beach.

Cost-cutting
Off the beaten track

From the practical to the unusual, consider these ways to cut costs:

Where are you headed these holidays?

Juanmi Moreno Greuter: This summer I'm taking my vacation in Mallorca, Spain to visit friends and family.

I haven't seen them in a while so I am really looking forward to going.

The weather will be much better than here and so there will be lots of things to do to have fun and forget about work!

Aaron Noah: It's all about Brazil for us this summer! Me and my beautiful, beautiful fiancé Hayfa, are planning on spending about a month there – specifically in Rio de Janiero.

It's far away, its different, the people are great, the food is great, so why not!

Farzaneh Syamdoust: I am looking forward to travelling to the Maldives this summer and I am already counting the days! I've never been there before and it is exactly the kind of holiday I need, where I am far away from noise, construction etc.

All I need are the endless sandy beaches and beautiful surroundings.

Gazmend Misimi: This summer I am heading off to Iran and Macedonia! I want to explore two very different regions and feel it would be the perfect time.

It is much better than going to the same hotspots people go to every year, this is much more exciting.

Tobi Naegele: I'm going to take a whole month off this summer to explore the islands of Indonesia.

I am looking forward to diving and swimming in the lagoons, trekking in the jungles and meeting some of the local tribes.

The great thing about these islands is many of them are so isolated they can only be reached by boat and so will be the perfect getaway.

More on hostel accommodation

Links to apartment rentals

Online resources to help in planning