Affordable Accommodation in Europe – 4 Tips to Sleep Cheap

Sleeping cheap in Europe doesn’t mean staying in a dump. The rise of online accommodation platforms has opened up a whole new world for the adventurous budget traveller. Not only can you bunk on a total stranger’s couch, you can even sleep with nuns!

Here are a few cheap alternatives to a hotel in Europe.

1. Rent an Apartment

If you are travelling as a family or in a group of three of more, the benefits of renting an apartment are plentiful. The rate per person generally works out much cheaper than for a hotel room. Plus, you have more space to move around in. Depending on the size you choose, kids or couples can have their own private rooms. Not to mention the saving if you prepare your own meals with ingredients from the local supermarket. Have yogurt and cereal for breakfast and make lunch sandwiches to take with on your day trips. In the evenings, whip up a quick pasta and salad.

We stayed in apartments in Berlin, Venice and Crete and loved the flexibility it gave us. My favourite sites to find cheap, clean and comfortable apartments are still www.airbnb.com and www.booking.com. Also check out the offers on local tourism associations’ sites.

2. Sleep in a Monastery

More and more monasteries are opening their doors for overnight guests at a very affordable rate. The nuns serve an excellent breakfast. Many also serve a set dinner menu that is bookable in advance. If you are lucky, the ladies in black and white might even bring you a beer from the monastery’s own brewery. The rooms and bathrooms, some private and some shared, are basic but super clean.

We slept in the Kloster Maria Hilf in Bühl near the Black Forest in Germany. Also see http://www.monasterystays.com.

3. Stay with Locals

Sharing a house with strangers or renting a private room in their home is even cheaper than renting an entire apartment. So you might have to move out of your comfort zone a little, but have you thought about the invaluable travel advice they can give you about the local area? If you book through a credible platform and read the reviews of previous guests, there is no need to shy away from this option. Many hosts allow you to prepare light meals in their kitchen or offer a transfer service to and from the airport or railway station.

We stayed with a Croatian couple near the Plitvice Waterfalls. It turned out our hostess used to be a guide in the Plitvice Lakes National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and could tell us which routes to walk to see the most in the shortest time.

4. Camp

I’m not saying you have to drag a tent and sleeping bag with you across Europe. But why not stay in a mobile home or a permanent tent with all the added extras such as beds and kitchen equipment at a fraction of the cost of a hotel? You can even rent sheets or order a “welcome pack” with basics such as dishwashing liquid and matches. Most campsites are easy to reach by bus or train if you are dependent on public transport. Meet people from all over the world while saving money.

We’ve tried both EuroCamp and Vacansoleil in campsites in Austria, Germany, Italy and France. Seven nights at the beginning of September with EuroCamp in Normandy cost us only €180. We also stayed at a campsite in the French countryside about 20 km from Euro Disney and with a direct train connection to Paris.