Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
7 alternative European accommodation options
If you love to travel but are having difficulty finding a way to pay for that trip to Europe, consider some alternative lodging options. Not only will these unconventional options save you a few bucks, but you're bound to end up with some amazing stories in the process, since everyone else stays at hotels ... but YOU were far more resourceful.
Convents and Monasteries
Convents and Monastery resources
- You can find more information in "The Guide to Lodging in Italy's Monasteries" by Eileen Barish.
- Monasteries of Italy, Monastery Stays, and Monastery Hotels are some online resources worth checking out.
- If you're interested in monasteries, but NOT interested in Italy, there are a number of other countries with monastery options.
Farm Stays
Staying on a working farm is very popular in Britain, France, Spain and Italy and can offer savings along with a unique cultural experience. In addition, this vacation will work your muscles, too, so you'll actually come home fitter than when you left!
Farm stay resources
- Budget Travel has a nice primer on the subject.
- GoNomad has a thorough roundup (with contact information) for numerous farm stay opportunities.
- Reid's Guides also has an excellent roundup of farm stay options.
- Agritourism.net leads you directly to the home pages of those farms offering rooms for rent.
Home Exchange
Don't rent a room; stay in a house! If you're willing to offer your home to someone else to stay in, you can have access to thousands of listings, which can include homes, motorhomes -- even boats -- in dozens of European countries.
Home exchange resources
- For $9.95 per month you can become a member of the Home Exchange Network. This program enables people to swap homes at an agreed-upon date and stay for free.
- International Home Exchange is another option to consider.
Hospitality Exchange
Couchsurfing is a network that connects travelers who host each other in their homes. This allows for a more social experience, since you're hanging out in someone's home with them. There is no cost, and the database can match you up by interest as well as by location.
Hospitality exchange resources
- Couchsurfing is hands-down the leader in this lodging option.
- However, the Times Online has a nice explanation of the process and lists several alternatives to this already alternative lodging style.
Volunteer
If you're looking for an opportunity to immerse yourself deeply in a foreign culture, there are many programs that allow you to volunteer your time in exchange for free accommodations.
Volunteer resources
- Europe Up Close has a nice overview of the process and some suggested organizations.
- Transitions Abroad hosts numerous "volunteer reports" so you can learn what the experience is truly like.
- United Planet lists volunteer options by destination and by duration of stay.
- Workaway.info is a database that lists a variety of volunteer opportunities in over 24 European countries, in a range of fields.
Organic Farming
If you have a strong interest in organic farming, then there are several options for you. In exchange for lodging, guests are expected to help work on the farm. On the face of it, "work on the farm" doesn't sound like a vacation, but spending some time outside with animals in a rural setting seems pretty idyllic to us.
Organic farming resources
- WWOOF offers opportunities in over 24 European countries.
- Help Exchange offers farm stay options in Europe and elsewhere.
Hostels
OK, so hostels may not be all that unconventional any more, but a lot of people are still nervous about or unfamiliar with them. Understand this: Hostels are no longer geared just to the student traveler or the drunk English stag party. You can find hostels that cater to families and even some that offer private rooms with private bath.
Hostel resources
- You can find 3000 independent hostels listed at Hostel Europe.
- Hostels.com, European Hostels, and Lonely Planet all have hostel suggestions neatly organized by destination.
- If you're feeling discriminating, check Europe's Famous Hostels for suggestions.
- Rick Steves is a fan of hosteling, and offers numerous tips on how to have success with hostels.
- If you do want to get crazy, consider some of these top party hostels.
Gallery: Top Ten Strangest Hotel Guest Requests
Remember: a trip to Europe isn't about staying in certain hotels. A trip to Europe is about exploring the destination.
What better way to really explore a destination than to get outside a conventional hotel and experience something new, unusual ... and just a little foreign?
Filed under: Europe, Hotels and Accommodations, Budget Travel
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
TripIndia Jan 30th 2010 1:34AM
Great to know about the staying options in Europe. I would prefer to spend my vacation at farm houses.
Well, my past trip to India offered me grand hospitality (http://www.delhiagrajaipur.com/delhi-hotels/) at the expense of minimal budget.
Wanna know more? Click: http://www.delhiagrajaipur.com/golden-triangle-tours/
Andrew Jan 30th 2010 6:43AM
Couchsurfing is the best one! I complement it with ridesharing for the ultimate budget travel. Great ridesharing sites are craigslist.org or liftsurfer.com, which is dedicated to cross country rideshares.
soultravelers3 Jan 30th 2010 10:29AM
Some good ones, but I'm really surprised that you didn't mention home/apt rentals or camping.
We've been on an open ended family world tour since 2006 & although we have been to 4 continents & 32 countries so far, much of it's been in Europe. We travel/live very large in Europe on just 23 dollars per person per day!!
All Europeans (and many from OZ & NZ) know that this is the smart way to go for those who want high luxury on a low budget, and a fantastic way to meet and spend time with Europeans, but we almost never see Americans.
They tend to think of camping as "roughing it" and have no idea that some of the best ways to see all the best sites in Europe is via a campsite (many of them 5 star resorts with every amenity from wine tasting, to water parks to horseback riding & all with cottages to rent) from Venice to Paris to Tuscany to Satorini.
Weekly apt deals ( monthly are even better) can save you a lot. Hostels are much too expensive for our budget, (not a great fit for families) so we rarely use them, but one can rent a beautiful Med sea home for a pittance off season.
Lynn Feb 2nd 2010 12:06PM
My daughter spent more than a year travelling, both WWOOF-ing, and volunteering, and she wrote the following useful articles about the former:
http://matadorchange.com/4-questions-to-ask-before-wwoofing
and the latter:
http://matadorchange.com/from-elephant-tourism-to-elephant-voluntourism
They're worth a read to the interested!
Tony Feb 18th 2010 8:47PM
For your readers interested in home exchanging, they should take a look at our article:
66 Practical Home Exchange Tips
http://www.1sthomeexchange.com/holiday-home-exchange-tips.php
It's a complete guide to finding, arranging, and enjoying a perfect home exchange stay.
Lois Jan 31st 2010 10:52AM
Home exchange is definitely a good option and, to avoid competing with many others from your own country for the same exchange offers in Europe, it's a good idea to check out sites based in Europe.
Michael Feb 1st 2010 2:16PM
Some great ideas that add more options for travelers in Europe. We've stayed in hostels in Portugal, convents in Italy, and camped in Slovenia, for starters.
We're big on getting the most out of our limited budget when we travel, and we've found that traveling in Europe is often cheaper for us than traveling here in the U.S. - even after we throw in airfare. Europe tends to have many more original, small, and reasonably priced places to stay.
Another accommodation resource for travelers looking beyond traditional hotels is our own website, http://www.darngooddigs.com. Budget-minded travelers nominate their all-time favorite independently owned places to stay, and we publish the best of the best on Darn Good Digs. We now have reviews for hotels, guest houses, and b and b's in 15 European countries. It's true we're a bit biased, but we think it's a great way to learn about often hard-to-find cool places to stay!
Jess Porter Mar 25th 2010 11:06AM
You could always try serviced apartments too. I use them for business travel but I understand that some agencies deal with leisure travellers too. I cannot recommend serviced apartments highly enough.
Jill Singer Jul 13th 2010 3:16AM
I would like to spend my vacation at house swapping, it will arrange some agencies all over the world. http://www.thevacationexchange.com, one best for home swapping they offer Easiest & Most Flexible Way to Arrange a Home Exchange
Ali Oct 18th 2011 4:58AM
I would like to suggest http://volunteerstays.com/. The site is great for couchsurfing and offers a lot of opportunities for volunteering abroad with the idea of work exchanges in return for food and accommodation. So you get to stay in a place better than hostels and in return only help your hosts with something. I think it's a great bargain as compared to living somewhere very cheap, since you also get to experience the local cultures and ways of life.