|
(And Other Cheap Accommodations) |
There are more than 4000 international youth hostels operated by Hosteling International, all over the world. Despite the name, and the continued focus on youth, they are generally open to anyone looking for cheap accommodations. You can use the link here to reach the official Hosteling International Website, where you can get more information and even book a bed or room in Katmandu or New York.
International youth hostels have been a oriented towards the young and budget travelers for decades. In the United States the concept was originally more complicated (guests helped with chores, etc.), but generally it is very simple now: you rent a bed instead of a room, sharing the bathroom, living room and kitchen. You get less privacy, but cheaper accommodations. You also get to socialize.
The first time I was in Quito, Ecuador I stayed at Centro Del Mundo, a hostel in the center of town, for $4 per night, and this included breakfast. I shared a room and bathroom with 4 or 5 others, and a T.V. room with guests from 14 different countries (and television from half a dozen countries). For 80 cents one of the staff would get me a rum-and-coke to drink while I played chess with a flower-buyer from Holland. The cable television had channels in at least three languages, and the manager would arrange anything from tours of Cotapaxi (a snow-covered volcano), to Spanish lessons for $2/hour.
I love the idea of hostels, but a lot of you won't, I am sure. What I like, especially during international trips, is mingling with travelers from around the world (and they haven't been just youth, in my experience). You tend to be more isolated in a hotel. "Mingling," of course may mean sleeping next to somebody who snores. The idea of sharing a room ill be too much for some people. The same goes for waiting to use the shower. There is no question that it is a different experience from staying in a hotel.
I have to admit that even if they were the same price, I would prefer a hostel to a hotel. I just like the environment. One of the biggest reasons people stay in hostels, however, is to save money. For this, they still are a good option, if you are traveling alone. Since my wife and I travel everywhere together now, we don't stay in hostels as often. You have to pay for two beds, after all, which makes nearby hotels more competitive.
In the United States, hostels are not as common as in other countries, unless you include "bed-and-breakfast" places, which are after all, just high-priced hostels. There are still a few cheap hostels in almost every state, though. A good place to begin your search is the HI-AYH Website. This is the official website of Hosteling International - American Youth Hostels. You can type in the name of the city you are going to, or click on the state (or country), and get a list of what's available, plus information, including the rates. Another website to try is Hostels.com. They have listings that are not members of the hosteling organizations.
When you cannot find a hostel, don't want a hostel, or there are two of you, how do you find a cheap hotel or motel? You can try web sites, such as Cheap Tickets.com. Be aware, however, that they only give you the cheapest rates for the hotels that are in their system. I just did a search for Tucson, Arizona on their site, and two others. Cheap Tickets.com was the easiest to use, and found the best rates, but I could show you several motels here in Tucson that are clean and $15 cheaper than the cheapest rate they found.
One way to get decent rates, is to pick up coupon books at gas stations along the highways. We have repeatedly found good deals using these. It is rare that a manager or owner won't honor the coupon. Only if they are absolutely full will you have a problem. Read the fine print, however, as they may charge more for certain dates, or for two people.
The other way to get a cheap room is to negotiate. This doesn't work as well in the United States. For some reason, most (but not all) owners here would rather watch you drive away than knock five bucks off the room rate. This is not true in other countries. When my wife and I were in Banos, Ecuador recently, we were told the room would be $12 per night. We paid $6 per night (Clean, cable T.V., lots of hot water), because the owner understood we would walk away if we thought we could do better.
Related Page: Cheap Travel Tips