Easy Guide To Affordable Accommodation

Cutting down accommodation costs is something that you truly need to consider. Imagine yourself saving half of your budget and spending it instead on tickets to a musical, another safari, a football game, a couple of extra nights, you name it.

Most people mistakenly think that accommodation is always expensive, here is a list of different types of accommodation to help you choose the type that suits your needs, your budget and above all save your money.

Hotels

Are commercial establishment that must have a minimum of six bedrooms, at least three of them must have ensuite -attached to the room- bathrooms facility. Other than providing lodging, it usually provides meals and a lot more of guest services. As for the star rating it is not standardized, so for instance a 3 stars hotel in Paris is not the same as a 3 stars hotel in Singapore each providing a different level of facilities and quality of service.

• Range from cheap to expensive depends on the location, star rating, popularity and offered services.

Photo by Eustaquio Santimano

Boutique Hotels

A boutique hotel is a small establishment,that should not be much bigger than 100 rooms. The main characteristic about Boutique hotels is its intimate size that produces a personal feeling, a more exclusive identity -unsimilar to big hotel chains- and better service. They tend to be located in the city. Boutique hotels can have a modern or designer decor however it was has an individualistic quirky touch.

• Usually expensive.

Photo by Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau

Guest Houses or Guesthouses

A guest house is similar to a hostel,bed and breakfast, inn, or inexpensive hotel. It is mostly a private home that has been converted into a lodging facility. The owner usually lives in a separate area within the property and the guesthouse serves as a form of lodging business. It is usually run by the owner and his/her family who cook, clean, and serve, or a part time staff is hired to take care of such tasks. Due to the limited staff presence, check in is often by appointment.

• Relatively inexpensive.

Photo by JR P

Airbnb

It is basically a trusted commonly used website -www.airbnb.com- where you can find hosts from all around the world with extra rooms, entire homes, and unique accommodations like castles and igloos who are ready to rent them. All you have to do is looking for the accommodation that suits your needs, connect with your guest, confirm your travel dates, pay, and voila. Note: Pick your host cautiously.

• Relatively inexpensive.

Photo by Neil Howard

Hostels

A place providing inexpensive lodging for travelers -it is mistakenly thought that it is exclusive to students & young travelers. Hostels provide accommodation in rooms -single, double, triple and even quadruple- with ensuite or shared bathroom facilities, or in a dormitory be it mixed, for females only, or for males only with shared bathroom facilities. The biggest advantage about sleeping at dormitories is how cheap & affordable it is to everyone, and how suitable it is for solo travelers as you get to make friends with people from all corners of the world, hang out and party with them as well, however their main disadvantage is the lack of privacy due to room sharing, and how loud and noisy your co-sharers can be.

• Relatively inexpensive and the cheapest option is a bed in a dormitory.

Photo by Ville Miettinen

Note: Most hostels have lockers where you can put your valuables, just make sure to always carry a padlock as most lockers come without one, you can also rent or buy one from the hostel.

Campsites

Are areas of land specifically designed for people to camp, they usually provide lodging in tents owned by the campsite, or people can camp using their own tents in return of a minimal fee. Some campsites also offer lodging in huts -primitively built shelters and cottages- with ensuite only in huts– or shared bathroom facilities. If you are adventurous; a person who can cope with nature at its rawest form, then go for camping it’s a very unique experience that’s worth trying.

• Inexpensive.

Camping in the middle of nowhere by nate bolt

Huts by Doug Wheller

B&B

A bed and breakfast (or B&B) is a small lodging establishment that offers accommodation and breakfast, but usually does not offer other meals. Bed and breakfasts are private homes with less than 10 extra bedrooms for rent. Generally, guests are accommodated in private rooms with shared or private bathrooms.

• Relatively inexpensive.

Photo by jakub-suchy

Inns

The main difference between Inns and B&Bs is that inns offer lodging and food, while B&Bs only offer lodging and breakfast. In some countries inns are bars that provide lodging.

• Relatively inexpensive.

Photo by Kansas Tourism

Motels

A motor-hotel shortened to motel. Originally built to accommodate motorists who drive for hours on the U.S. highways, and is equipped with a vast parking lot for motorcycles. These are low end hotels, not very safe, usually rented for a couple of hours by adults, and are not advisable for anyone especially solo females.

• Inexpensive.

Photo by Keith Skelton

Couch-Surfing

Is a trusted website -www.couchsurfing.org- that offers temporary stay in a series of other people’s homes as a guest, free of charge, you could be offered to sleep on the floor, a couch, a bed, or a room. You have to pick your host carefully, by reading reviews about him/her and making sure that s/he has hosted a lot of people before and they have all submitted positive feedback.

• Free of charge.

Photo by Aimee Ray

Camp In My Garden

Is the only online -www.campinmygarden.com- garden camping community in the world. As a member of this community you can advertise your own garden as a campsite and/or book accommodation in other community members’ gardens.

• Free of charge or a minimal fee.

Photo by Alan English CPA

Lodges

Are usually located in caves, bushes, desert, parks, etc. In some areas they are very basic and primitive, in other cases they are very luxurious.

• Prices vary from inexpensive to very expensive.

Eco-lodge: a type of accommodation with minimal impact on the natural environment –environmentally friendly.

Photo by Adam Jones

Safari Lodge: a type of accommodation that could vary from basic to luxurious found in Eastern & Southern Africa.

Photo by Echo Valley Ranch

Apartments Hotels or Serviced Apartments

Those are facilities requiring long term stays, starting from 5-7 days minimum. Usually equipped with amenities that gives a home-like feeling (kitchenette, laundry facilities, etc). Some of them can even be shared. For extended stays those come cheaper than hotels.

• Inexpensive in case of extended stays.

Photo by David Stephens

Home Exchange/Home Swap

Is exchanging your home with someone’s home free of charge, so for instance you offer him/her accommodation in your apartment in Cairo for a week, in return of staying at his/her apartment in Paris for a week. This practice is commonly used in western countries, however you have to be extra cautious when you are about to home swap with someone, and you have to use a trustworthy website that has been used by someone that you know. You don’t want to be part of a scam, end up having your house robbed and staying homeless in the streets of Paris.

• Free of charge.

Photo by B.D.’s world

House-Sitting

Similar to baby-sitting, however in this case you take care of a house not a baby, avoiding any trespassing, taking care of house pets’ if any, doing any required maintenance works. It is as if taking care of your own house.

• Free of charge.

Photo by Bruce Faling

Bonus Tips

• Pick the location of your accommodation carefully, you don’t want to end up staying in a remote unsafe area, or one that is not accessible by public transports, or one that consumes a lot of time to reach.

• To save extra money try to stay far from the center, but make sure that you are not too far to the extent that what you have saved on accommodation will be paid on transportats.

• If you are traveling solo, or you like to walk a lot your best deal is staying at the city center, or any area that you consider central, and is easily accessible by public transports.

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