Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
CHAPTER THREE—
ACCOMMODATION
Between hostels, couchsurfing, rental apartments, and cardboard boxes under
bridges, there are plenty of budget accommodation options in Europe. It's wise to
learn about each option because there are many creative ways to cut back on your
expenses.
Hostels—Beer, Bunk Beds, and Breakfast
Hostels are the most popular type of accommodation for budget travel in Europe. They're
inexpensive, located in every European city, and full of other young travelers. Hostels are fairly
uncommon in the United States, so most Americans are totally clueless about them and have
a lot of misconceptions (I know I did). This section will cover everything from hostel basics to
tips for choosing a great hostel.
HOSTELS 101
Hostels—sometimes called “youth hostels”—are the bastions of budget travelers. They are like
hotels except the rooms (dorms) are filled with enough bunk beds to house anywhere between
four and forty people. You're only renting the bed so you'll share the room with a group of fel-
