Planning a stay away from home is imperative with the vacation season approaching, especially during this delicate time. Accommodation costs usually consume the most considerable portion of the travel budget. Fortunately, there are ways to save money with these tips.

An Offer Adapted to Your Needs

“Cheap accommodation” is, of course, a relative term and depends on the size of your budget. For some, it means sleeping for free on the beach, in the hosts’ barn, with friends or in the car on the side of the road. For others, cheap accommodation is less than €15 for two people and less than €60 for two people. Everyone has their own possibilities and limits.

For this type of research, the Internet is your best ally today. The net is a real mine of exciting and cheap offers. So, where to start?

Online Booking Site

Hotels are the most convenient solution but also the most expensive. Prices depend, of course, on the standard, class, and location. You can simply type in Google and come across several offers, but it is easier and more efficient to use booking sites that allow you to search and compare offers based on your criteria. In addition, this type of website also includes reviews from past customers, which can help make a choice.

There are many popular booking sites on the Internet. They differ mainly in functionality but mainly in the capacity of the hotel base. Here are the most used in Europe and worldwide:

booking.com: is the best known on the Web. Indeed, the prices are not the lowest, but the portal is famous for its advanced user support and the wealthiest database (well over half a million worldwide). You can often find real bargains there.

HRS: You can also find various promotions. The site is recommended, especially if you plan to go to a big European city.

Trivago: The site stands out with more than 700,000 hotels, which allows you to find an establishment in every corner of the world. The portal compares the prices of various other websites, thanks to which you will be able to find the cheapest offer.

Hostels: Not Only for Students

Hostels are usually chosen by those who travel in groups. They are much cheaper than hotels. This is mainly because they are of lower quality. The rooms are usually dormitories with shared bathrooms. It should be noted, however, that more and more hostels offer smaller, higher-level private rooms, for which, of course, you have to pay more.

In addition to price, hostels also have other advantages, often an ideal location, close to the city center, and above all, a relaxed atmosphere.

Apartment or Whole Property

The undisputed leader of the online travel platform market is Airbnb, which has been around since 2008, i.e., “Air bead and breakfast”, which offers thousands of accommodation places worldwide. Airbnb benefits from charging a 3% fee to owners via the service. Remember, however, that you are renting the premises to a private individual, and the service here is only an intermediary.

Prices vary considerably and, as with hotels, depend on the location, size, and type of property rented.

Renting from a private individual has its advantages: you have exclusive use of the premises, and you can split the costs between several people.