Ever since we started traveling the world in 1997, we have personally used the following budget accommodation options….
- Cheap hotel rooms
- Hostels and Guesthouses
- Camping
- Campervans (RV’s)
- A friend’s house
- A stranger’s house
- Overnight bus and train trips
camping in Rocky Mountain National Park - Colorado
There are times when we need a certain level of comfort and facilities, particularly when we travel with a laptop and need WiFi access, and now that we have a family.
And then there are times when we have just stayed anywhere to save a dollar.
Not all travelers are alike. We all have different needs, tastes, and budgets, and what works for one doesn’t necessarily work for another.
But what we do know is that no one wants to pay more for accommodation than is necessary, and considering accommodation is one of your major costs, if you can cut down on your lodging expenses, over time you can save a lot of money.
Hotel Credit Card Processing is a great check in and out system that helps make your hotel stays much easier.
Whether you are traveling solo, as a couple, or as a family, and you are traveling short term or long term, here are your budget accommodation options:
Find a Cheap Hotel Room
If you desire a little comfort, and your budget allows it, then an obvious choice is a hotel. There are several travel sites that we personally use…
- Hotels Combined – Searches all the best travel sites at once and finds the cheapest price.
- Hotwire - For last minute deals. e.g. We got a 4 star hotel in the heart of the French Quarter in New Orleans for 50 bucks
- Priceline – Bid low on last-minute hotels. Also, check their pricebreaker deals.
- Hotels.com – has over 20,000 last minute deals each week
- Agoda - Great for deals in Asia
- EasyToBook.com – You can get Discounts up to 80%…Find & Book a cheap hotel room worldwide
Kalyra in our hotel in New Orleans
Hostel and Guesthouses
The best option for budget accommodation around the world is a hostel. But they are not for everyone, and we have written a post about our tips for staying in hostels.
We have consistently used hostels because they are affordable, usually well located, and we like the social aspects of meeting other travelers. We now only stay in a private room, and the hostel must have kitchen facilities.
Sites for booking a hostel include:
- Hostelbookers – no service charge or booking fees.
- Hostelworld – over 25,000 Hostels in more than 180 Countries
- YHA Australia – Australian backpackers and hostels.
view from the Sydney Harbour YHA
Couchsurfing
A great way to meet locals for a drink, a tour, and accommodation is by Couchsurfing. It connects travelers with local people in various cities that offer places to stay.
It could be a couch, a bed, or literally just space. Being able to save on accommodation and meet local people who can be a great resource on what to do around the local area is HUGE.
Just be aware though that it’s respectful to buy a gift for your host, and you really shouldn’t be couchsurfing just for a ‘free ride’.
It’s also about meeting local people and getting in touch with the local vibe of a city.
Tripping
Similar to couchsurfing, Tripping is a global network of travelers who believe cultural exchange makes the world a better place. Members connect with each other for travel tips, shared cups of coffee and even home stays.
How it works is quite simple. When you’re traveling, Tripping enables you to connect safely with locals who will introduce you to their towns, their cultures, their lives and their friends.
House Sitting
Mind My House is a global house sitting matching service. They provide all the online tools for home owners and house sitters to find each other from around the world.
The house sitters provide their pet and house sitting services for free in exchange for the privilege of accommodation in the owner’s home.
AirBnB
AirBnB is a way to get low-cost vacation rentals and sublets from locals in 180 countries. They connect people who have space to spare with those who are looking for a place to stay.
Rent nightly from real people in over 8,000 cities. Watch this short video for how it works.
Home Exchange
The home exchange strategy is possibly best for families or retired people who are looking to base themselves in another country or state for an agreed period of time.
And just like the name suggests, you stay in their house whilst they stay in yours. This is obviously not for everyone, but it’s another option.
VRBO – Vacation Rentals By Owner
Established in 1995, Vacation Rentals By Owner was founded by owners who self-manage their second homes.
They provide an online space for homeowners to advertise their vacation properties and make it easy for travelers to search 130,000+ rentals in over 100 countries worldwide.
Vacation rentals can sometimes offer more value, space and privacy to hotels. Plus, your pets are welcome at over 25,000 properties across the US.
Sleeping While Traveling
When taking a bus, train, or flight, try and plan it so you are traveling at night. That way, you don’t have to pay for a night’s accommodation. You have to get from one location to another, so why not do it at night time.
We have taken many overnight bus and train journey’s, as well as the red-eye flights, and it greatly helps to cut down on your accommodation costs.
e-Newsletter Deals
We are subscribed to a few e-newsletter’s that produce a list of current deals available on the net for any given time period.
- Travel Zoo- Subscribe to their weekly FREE newsletter of their Top 20 deals. There are editions for different countries.
- Deal Base – Sign up for there free deal alerts. They have deals of unadvertised sales and offers you won’t find anywhere else.
Facebook and Twitter
Go and “LIKE” your favorite travel search sites and hotels on facebook and follow them on twitter.
It’s getting more and more common for sites and companies to release hot deals directly through their social media channels.
Other Tips
- Stay more than 1 night – many hotels and hostels provide their best deals when you stay more than one night.
- Stay Sunday to Thursday – try and travel when people do not. Try off-peak travel times and seasons to get great bargains.
- Call the Hotel Directly – A last minute phone call directly to a hotel or hostel and asking about cheap rooms can prove fruitful. They don’t like having empty rooms so will discount.
- Negotiate - Most front desk personnel are personable and can give good advice on getting better rates.
QUESTION: Can you add to this list? What suggestions and resources do you have for finding budget accommodation around the world? Please share in the comments section below…
Great list, very helpful! I definitely prefer the hostel route. Saves a dollar AND has wifi (usually)..
Hi Seattle,
We like hostels too, but it has to be a private room these days, our dorm days are over
. And because of our lifestyle, it has to have wifi access, and kitchen facilities preferably (unless it is SE Asia where it’s just as cheap and easier to eat out)
What a great list! Hostels are a great budget alternative, and I love hanging out with other travelers! I also think it’s cool you mentioned Tripping; I and my husband are hosting a Tripper from Israel right now in our home in the San Francisco Bay Area and I love the social aspect! Yesterday we went on a picnic in the beautiful park across the street with fresh produce we bought at the local farmers market. Then for dinner we took our Tripper to our favorite taco place in San Francisco’s Mission District which he loved but said he would never have found on his own, then to a favorite local beer garden. Now we’re off to Berkeley to show him our favorite spots there. So Tripping’s a great budget alternative for travelers, as well as an opportunity for them to experience an area like a local – but it’s also fun for the hosts.
Hi Anis, wow that sounds fantastic of you. Can we be a Tripper with you next time we visit SF
And we really need to start hosting here as well.
Great list of options. By far, I go for CouchSurfing but if there’s a few of us I’d take a hostel or cheap hotel.
Great article. I’ve used AirBnb a number of times with success. I particularly like having access to a kitchen which allows me to cook. I also find private rentals can be more comfortable than sterile hotel rooms.
Great options you share with us.Accommodation is the important thing during travel.It is really difficult to find cheap hotels with good facilities.Your tips for budget accommodation really helpful for traveler.Actually I am planning a Europe travel in coming December.I heard that Europe is very expensive my budget is not very high I was worrying regarding accommodation Your tips help me.Thank you very much for sharing such informative post.