Voice of Travel

One of the interesting things I heard at Arthur and Pauline Frommer’s seminar at the New York Times Travel Show was that you should stay away from hotels. Hotels are very expensive, and you’ll end up paying a lot of money for a tiny room.

It turns out hotel prices are up 15% this year, hidden charges are also way up, making a hotel not the best solution when traveling. The most obvious question is then – Where should we stay when going on vacation? They had a few good answers…

The suggest you look into renting apartments, or homes from people in the area. There are many companies that will help you find an apartment to rent for a week or more if you’re going away. You will stay in a lot nicer of a place, and you’ll get extras such as a kitchen so you won’t have to eat out for every meal. According to Pauline, in London you can stay at a local residents place for just a quarter of what you would pay to stay at a “fleabag” hotel!
There are also other options. You can stay at a hostel. Back in the day they were called youth hostels and only young people stayed at them, but now people of all ages can stay there, and pay a lot less than what you would at a hotel.

You should also consider university stays. Many colleges have college apartments that they will rent out for very little. Of course this is usually easier when schools are on break, but it is an option!

House swapping is also becoming more popular. If you live in an area where people might want to visit, consider switching houses for a week or more. You’ll both get to visit someplace new, and not have to worry about paying for a place to stay. You’ll also have a kitchen, and other amenities you might not get with a hotel room.

While in some cases you may prefer to stay in a hotel, these are all great options if you’re looking for something less expensive!

Here are a few links to help get you started:

Vacation Home Rentals

Home Exchange -Live like a local

Home Away