Hostels vs. Hotels

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4 replies

Hostels vs. Hotels

Thu, 04/07/2011 - 15:29

chaos06069

New Member

Eurotrip Points: 27

Member: 35402

Joined: 04/07/2011

I haven’t looked too much into pensions or hostels. I’ve been doing most of my research on hotels. Comparing prices and locations. Is it worth it to reserve a room before I go, or seek out a vacant room when I get there. I’m leaving at the beginning of May 2012. I read somewhere May wasn’t considered a peak time. I do want to get the best deal per night. I also read somewhere, its better to book the first hotel you stay in, because once you land, you’re going to be so tired, you don’t want to worry about finding a room. Any recommendations for good, trustworthy websites if I do decide to buy/book online. Thanks. Smile

Chrissy and Paul's Bogus Journey

I am leaving from Boston, MA with $12000 for 62 days
Madrid, Rome, Athens, Paris, Munich, Humberg, Amsterdam, Holland, London, Dublin, Seville

Requesting help with Transport, Hostels, Budget, Sights

Thu, 04/07/2011 - 21:26

DreamingOfItaly

Traveler

Eurotrip Points: 273

Member: 21697

Joined: 01/25/2010

Definitely book the first couple nights stay before you go. When you arrive, you’ll be jet-lagged and in some culture shock and it will be much easier if you have a place to go straight away (look up directions how to get to your hostel from the airport via metro or bus before you leave the US.)

If you want to get the “best” deal per night, then I would book everything beforehand. It’s much less hassle and that will allow you to get the locations/rates/etc. that you want.

Summer 2010

I am leaving from Boston, MA with $5000 for 47 days
Madrid, Barcelona, Athens, Santorini, Rome, Sorrento, Florence, Cinque Terre, Nice, Lyon, Paris, Zagreb, Grabovac (Plitvice), Split, Dubrovnik, London

Requesting help with Transport, Hostels, Budget, Itinerary, Sights

Fri, 04/08/2011 - 10:01

mim

Moderator

Eurotrip Points: 2362

Member: 235

Joined: 01/03/2007

You can always book your hostels with us Wink I may be biased, but we work with one of major hostel booking companies and do not charge a booking fee…

Anyhoo — if you are set on your dates and places then I would book ahead. If you plan on winging it, you should be okay booking while you’re on the road.

Turkey and Georgia On My Mind

I am leaving from New York, NY and traveling for 64 days
Reykjavik, London, Lille, Berlin, Kraków, Lviv, Istanbul, Selçuk, Pamukkale, Kızkalesi, Göreme, Kars, Bat'umi, Akhalts'ikhe, Tbilisi, Telavi, Istanbul

Eurotrip Managing Editor

Fri, 04/08/2011 - 13:16

oldlady

Moderator

Eurotrip Points: 19

Member: 778

Joined: 01/03/2007

Whether to book in advance or not is a matter of travel style, not cost. How you book won’t make noticeable difference in the budget.

Definitely book 1st night before you leave home. You don’t want to arrive sleep deprived, jet lagged, culture shocked, possibly lost, AND homeless. If your flight back home leaves in the AM (most to North America do) book last night in advance, so you can work out transportation to the airport.

I use a quidebook, about 1/2 dozen booking websites and the individual property’s own website to find and book places since I’m very picky about convenient-to-tourist-sights location and try to find good prices on places in that area. I agree with mim that this site generally has good prices, so if you only intend to use one site, I’d recommend this one.

Fri, 04/08/2011 - 18:58