Day 20 Living like locals.

As we arrive at our last venue for this trip we enter our little apartment with a certain amount of trepidation wondering if it will work out okay.

We are often asked about accommodation. How do we organize it? What costs are involved?  We have developed a method of organizing accommodation that won’t suit everyone, but seems to work for us.

Firstly, we book everything before we leave home. People tell us that this lacks spontaneity and flexibility, but we find that planning ahead ensures that we get a good bed every night, without having to worry each day about where we will sleep that night. We often find that in many places, the best rooms go first – so those who book ahead get the best rooms. This is especially the case in hostels, which often have a limited number of double rooms and even fewer with ensuite bathrooms.

Secondly, we prefer places where we can cook our own meals. This saves us a great deal on food costs, but this is not always possible.

Thirdly, we try to stay at least three days in every place – we use each place as a base from which to explore the area rather than having to move every day. This reduces the stress of having to pack and unpack everyday. Every new place is disorientating to being with, but within two or three days you often feel like a local.

Fourthly, we always start our search for accommodation using the Lonely Planet and then move out to the web. Often the Lonely Planet has great tips for inexpensive and well-located places. This saves us searching through endless websites and links. A recommendation from a guidebook also ensures that the place actually exists.

On this trip our accommodation has worked out like this …

Days 1-4. A visit to friends in Basel – very generous and great company.

Day 5. Lucerne. This was the only time on this trip that we did not book ahead. We found a double room in the centre of Lucerne at a Best Western Hotel. It was by far the most expensive night of the trip, and we only stayed one night, but having the opportunity to explore this beautiful town made it worthwhile. A generous continental breakfast was provided.

Day 6-8 Bologna. We found a really great family owned 10 room Pensione (small hotel) in the heart of the old town of Bologna. The owners spoke very little English but the room was spacious and it was in a quiet location. We loved this place because we felt like locals.  The Pensione occupied just one floor of a wonderful historic building behind a big wooden front door. Breakfast of sorts was provided. 

Day 9-11 Trento We stayed  in a family owned three star hotel in the heart of Trento, with a view across the square to the Cathedral. Italian breakfast – orange juice, yoghurt, coffee and bread was provided.

 Day 12-15 Munich. For a change of pace we stayed in a double room in Wombats Hostel. Wombats are an Australian owned group of hostels located in  several European cities. They are clean, reasonably priced and well located. Sure we did feel like the grandparents in this hip place, but again we enjoyed a central location, a quiet, top floor room (which was compact) with a balcony and daily cleaning (a bonus for a hostel). A great breakfast was available for an extra 3 euros each.

Days 16-19 Amsterdam  We saved our best accommodation until last and stayed at a really nice B&B. Essentially this was a loft apartment above someone’s house. It was spacious, light and again we experienced local living rather than a tourist hotel. Five types of cereal and milk, as well as coffee and tea were provided for breakfast in our apartment.

Days 20-24 Paris.  Paris is expensive, but with a lot of work and several false starts we eventually found a lovely tiny apartment on the edge of the 3^rd Arrondissement. (The apartment we have stayed in before was unavailable this time). On several occasions we have dealt with a Lonely Planet recommended, Australian owned company called Cross-pollinate who organize short-term rental apartments in several European cities. The lady who regularly lives in this apartment, Elizabeth, has moved to a friend’s house and we have moved in. She met us on arrival and with little common language between us she made us feel very welcome.  The flat is tiny, but huge compared to a hotel room, and once again gives us the experience of living like a local.

We find good planning allows us to stay at places that are authentic, well located, different and most of all reasonably priced.

We are not the ultimate budget travelers, but we think that at an average nightly cost of about $A100 (including Paris) has been very reasonable and we have enjoyed some very pleasant and memorable places to stay,  and we are happy to say, no disasters! Although we have again experienced some challenging European showers!!