Saving on Accommodation

One area that has traditionally distinguished budget travellers from other holidaymakers is the quality of their accommodation. When many people think of travelling on a budget, they presume they will have to compromise on their level of comfort and envisage flea-ridden hostels or tacky budget motels.

Many solo travellers in particular might expect that if they want to save any money at all, they're destined for nights in shared dormitories being kept awake by the snoring of their bedroom companions.

This can often be a deterrent to long term travel - particularly once you've secured a cosy apartment, or found some awesome housemates, or finally paid off your mortgage...

So as I sit here on this dreary winter's day from the warmth and privacy of our bedroom in Berlin, it has occurred to me how much of an impact your standard of living can have on your overall enjoyment and memories of a trip.

Bed bug bites 

For example, our last few nights in Istanbul were spent in a hostel dormitory as we needed somewhere cheap and convenient to get to the airport. Unfortunately, I woke up covered in bed bug bites - all over my face, arms, legs and even my eyelids!

I've been to over 25 countries and stayed in all manner of places, but this is the first time I've ever been bitten by bed bugs and it really dampened my experience. Not only did I look repulsive but they itched like hell - and the scars took weeks to fade.

The hostel staff were lovely about it (they marched me up the street to the pharmacy, paid for my medication and dry-cleaned my backpack and jacket) and it was an otherwise pleasant stay. However my primary memory of the place will unfortunately be those three days spent itching like crazy.

So - how can you save on accommodation without feeling like your slumming it?

1. Hostels and Dormitories 

In spite of my experience above, I still recommend hostels be considered by all serious budget travellers. In many countries the gap between hotels and hostels is getting smaller every day, with both establishments now vying for the 'flashpacker'.

This means increasingly higher standards of design and hospitality, with many hostels containing stylish bars and cafes and offering luxurious extras like swimming pools, rooftop terraces, cinema rooms and bicycle hire (some gorgeous examples here).

If quality of sleep is a concern, you can always upgrade to a private room and simply share a bathroom with your fellow travellers. Or if there's two of you, pay for a private with an en-suite bathroom. Our rule of thumb is to always go for the cheapest option - but if the cost of a private between two of us is the same or only a fraction more than a bed in a dormitory, we often opt for the private. I've spent too many nights kept awake by snorers to quibble over a few extra euros...

Besides, often there can be additional savings to be gained by staying in a hostel - free breakfast or dinner for example. In Veliko Tarnovo in Bulgaria we stayed in the fabulous Hostel Mostel, which included breakfast AND a light dinner (with a free beer!) in its room rate. We also had use of the hostel kitchen, so many days we prepared our own lunch as well and spent next to nothing eating out.

The Ginger Monkey Hostel, Slovakia

Hostels can also have the advantage of unique or quirky locations, or simply have a brilliant atmosphere all of their own. The camaraderie of your fellow travellers can often be a lifesaver when visiting a foreign country, particularly when travelling solo or when you don't speak the local language. In Slovakia we stayed in the gorgeous Ginger Monkey Hostel in the High Tatras, which had such a homely atmosphere (due in part to the manager's amazing apple pancakes) that we ended up volunteering there for an entire month!

So it's worth always taking a peek at the cost of hostels in whatever city your planning to visit, if only to get an idea of the cost of accommodation. Peer review sites such as Hostelworld, Hostelbookers etc mean you can read what other travellers have thought of the place, but I advise always trying to contact the hostel directly to book - that way you avoid additional fees and you may be offered an even better rate.

Just be sure to pack some earplugs if staying in a dormitory - and inspect for bed bugs upon checking in!

2. Camping 

If you have room in your backpack for a small tent and the weather allows for it, camping can be a great budget option. Many campsites are situated in the most picturesque locations with shared facilities such as hot showers, BBQ's and even swimming pools.

You're not limited to camping grounds either - you can always try your luck pitching your tent out in the countryside, or ask a local if it's possible to camp in their garden (I'd advise offering them a few dollars/euros for the privilege though). Just be sure to do some homework first - the last thing you want is to be woken at night by the local police and asked to move on.

Camping in summer

Some hostels also offer use of shared facilities and space for a tent in their garden for less than the cost of a dorm bed - which is a great option if you're a happy camper but could use a hot shower, a washing machine or a fresh meal.

Even if this option isn't advertised it doesn't hurt to ask, in my experience many are happy to oblige they just won't promote this fact as they want their primary source of income to be people renting rooms or beds.

Camping is particularly great fun during music festival season - an experience that every true music fan should have at least once! Some of my best travel memories are of dancing all night and collapsing back in my tent, only to rise and do it all again the following day...

3. Stay with Locals

In addition to camping on people's property, I've also had success simply door-knocking and asking locals if they have a spare room. This is particularly easy in parts of central and eastern Europe, especially over summer when many families rent out rooms to travellers. In Croatia and Montenegro, I could barely step off the bus before I was accosted by locals shouting "sobe!" (rooms) or "apartmani!" (apartments) and thrusting photos in front of my face.

If door-knocking isn't your thing, simply ask at a tourist office or travel agency (once I even asked the staff at the bus station) and see who, what or where they can recommend. Or learn what 'room for rent' is in the local language and keep an eye out for hand-written signs in windows.

Often the host will simply show you the room, you agree on a rate, they hand over the keys and you

A host in Turkey 

hand over your money. And then you simply leave the keys on the bedside table upon checking out.

Many solo travellers (particularly women) understandably feel insecure of unsafe doing this - if you're unsure, perhaps try taking the plunge with a travel buddy you meet along the road, or only use this option when travelling with a partner.

Fortunately for me all of my experiences have been positive. I've sat down for afternoon tea and breakfast with hosts; been left cakes and sweets and chocolate in my room; had my laundry done and been driven to the station on departure... in a village in eastern Europe I got some curious stares because my host had bragged to her neighbours about the strange young woman sleeping in her living room (they couldn't quite comprehend how I could be unmarried and traveling by myself at 26). But she was simultaneously delighted to have me there and happy to showcase her country and their culture.

4. Sublet

Thanks to the internet it's now easier than ever before to find a sublet for a short-term stay. Sites like Airbnb (in addition to the plethora of online classifieds like Gumtree and Craigslist) make finding a room in an apartment or a house as simple as booking a hostel bed. I always search Airbnb in addition to hostel websites, because often for the same price as a dorm bed (or even less) we can have our own room in someone's home.

Increasingly, entire apartments are available for rent or the owner/leaseholder simply surrenders the property for the dates you want and goes to stay elsewhere. In Istanbul we stayed in an enormous 4 bedroom/2 bathroom apartment with other travellers - we only saw the owner on the first day when he handed over the keys.

The reason it's so easy is because Airbnb takes care of the money aspect - you simply provide credit card details upon registering with the site, browse ads and make a booking (just as you would with a hostel/hotel website) and you're provided with a confirmation email detailing the exact address and your host's contact details. Your credit card isn't officially charged until your first night, so you can cancel without financial penalty up to 24 hours beforehand.

The peer review aspect means that both guests and hosts can rate each other, so it's in everyone's interest to be on their best behaviour. Airbnb also has a thorough verification system, they provide insurance for their hosts and have a strict zero tolerance policy for any breaches of the rules (although occasionally things can still go wrong!)

A student apartment in Budapest

Already we've stayed in some fantastic properties thanks to Airbnb - at far less than the cost of a bed in a hostel. In Budapest we secured an entire week in a student apartment within the University of Film and Theatre; in Munich we stayed with a lovely couple in their 2 bedroom apartment within minutes of the city centre - and our current room in Berlin was found through Airbnb.

To save even further on a longer-term sublet (i.e. when staying more than a few days), instead of immediately booking the entire stay through the Airbnb website I'd advise sending an enquiry to the properties you're interested in asking them what rate they can offer for the full period. Many times they will offer considerably less than what Airbnb automatically calculates, as it's in their interest to secure someone for a longer period. They may even propose you book a few nights via the Airbnb site and then pay the rest to them directly (thus avoiding the Airbnb fee) - however I would strongly suggest not taking this path until you've met your host, and only if they can provide another form of written contract/agreement instead. Airbnb can mediate should something go wrong, offering both guests and hosts peace of mind - without them you're on your own.

A word of warning about ALL online classifieds/property rental sites - NEVER transfer any money for rent or a deposit until you've actually viewed the property. A legitimate site such as Airbnb doesn't charge guests until the first night for this very reason - should you turn up and there's major inconsistencies with what is advertised and what you really get, you can cancel (although Airbnb's own photographers have already viewed the place, so it's unlikely).

Similarly sites like Craigslist are RIFE with scammers, who simply steal photographs from other websites and create fictitious ads. If you're asked to use Western Union Money Transfer to send a 'holding deposit' or anything similar, you can be 100% certain it's a scam (we received this exact email in response to an enquiry - word for word. I simply replied back saying "I don't think so" and provided them with the link).

So you have been warned!

Finally, some general advice about scoring good deals on all types of accommodation:

• Do your research - Booking.com in particular can offer discounts and deals (e.g free meals/airport transfers) on properties you're interested in. Particularly for last-minute bookings. Always search more than one website and compare rates!

• Contact accommodation providers directly wherever possible - best case scenario, you get a significant discount and don't pay a booking fee. Worst case scenario, you're quoted the same price anyway.

• Sometimes NOT booking in advance can mean significant savings - particularly in the shoulder months/off season when properties are competing for fewer customers. Don't be afraid to turn up to your destination without a booking and simply ask around/haggle for the best price you can get. Just do a bit of research beforehand on where the cheap neighbourhoods are and where most budget accommodation providers are located. 

In my next post I'll explain how we managed to get half of our accommodation on this trip absolutely FREE - and made some new friends in the process. It's easier than you think!