Cheap Tickets & Cheap Hotels

Mark Kahler lists alternatives to staying in cheap hotels:

Hotel rooms abroad are often much smaller than in North America. Therefore, many families are forced to book two rooms, and that gets very expensive. In many places, renting an apartment actually can be a better deal, especially for stays of more than a few days.

The London Connection offers flats (apartments) in a wide range of neighborhoods starting at about $218 USD/night.

That amount might make budgeteers cringe. But large families can easily spend that amount to get one spartan hotel room in London, let alone two rooms. In a flat, you can set up housekeeping, saving money by cooking breakfast, lunch, and even dinner if money is tight. By the way, the name of this service is a bit misleading, because they operate in Paris and Australia as well as London.

Need something cheaper? Studios 92 represents flat and room rentals in England, France and Greece. I found a flat in central London during a recent search for £70 ($140 USD) per night for a group of four travelers.

VeniceRentals is based in Quincy, Mass. and offers one, two and three bedroom apartments in one of Italy's most expensive cities. On this Web site, you email them your dates and budget parameters. They promise an answer within a few hours.

Rome bound? A similar service exists for the Eternal City.

If this idea appeals to you, I must express two warnings: deal only with bonded companies or services when reserving on-line, and be skeptical about rates that seem too good to be true.

Many of these owners will require a minimum stay, sometimes as long as a week. Since budget travelers often use one city as a base to explore a region, this can work to your advantage if you cut a good deal.

Want to stay in an apartment without paying cash? Consider a home swap. This can work well for longer stays, but obviously requires a great deal of caution. Use an agency to screen potential swap-mates and be sure the deal works for you before you sign on the dotted line.

The Times of London reports Jan. 3, 2008:

Dozens of youth hostels have been granted 24-hour licences to sell alcohol, despite protests from local residents who fear that their peace is about to be shattered. The Youth Hostel Association has taken advantage of the new liberal licensing laws to get permission to sell alcohol around the clock in 118 of its hostels in some of the most scenic parts of England and Wales. It is trying to diversify its clientele away from early-to-bed hikers and penniless students to young professionals who can now hire out entire hostels for parties and receptions.

The association submitted a blanket application for its hostels, and over the past month almost all have been granted, to the fury of many people who live near by. It was disclosed by The Times yesterday that Gordon Brown is to keep the 24-hour licensing laws in place despite controversy over their impact on binge drinking and alcohol-related violence. Government sources confirmed that 24-hour drinking would stay but signalled that there would be a tightening of the rules and further powers to restrict all-night licences of rowdy premises. A review into the operation of the Licencing Act, which came into effect in 2005, is due to be published at the end of this month.

John Ready, 61, an architect from Saffron Walden, Essex, who opposed the 24-hour licence for the hostel in the medieval market town, said it was a shame that youth hostels were being turned into �cheap hotels�.