The Accommodation Hunt

The cheapest, simplest, and most efficient way to hunt for accommodation is not to hunt at all. Ideally, you should avoid everything covered on the next few pages by taking a few minutes and finding your next accommodation before you leave the current place you’re staying. The best way to do this is to ask around where you’re staying and see if anyone knows a good place in your next destination. (A notice on the bulletin board can also work.) Remember, a I guidebook’s information is a year old, at best (although good places don’t change too quickly). Another traveler can give you real-time information, and first-hand experience.

If you do not have a room reservation when you arrive in town, prepare to play “Who’s got a room?” No matter how you arrive in ] a city, even with your own transport, use the phone to search for a place, either out of your guidebook or from a tourist office. Using the tourist office can make your bed-hunting easier: they should have the latest information on local accommodation, they should know which places are full and which are not, and can often make a booking for you (they may charge a small fee for this). If the tourist office can’t call for you, get a phone card and call around before heading out to look at places. Obvious? Of course. But you’d be surprised how many fall into the temptation of “This one’s only five minutes away - let’s just go there.” Also, don’t quit calling if the first place has beds. If it’s a pit when you get there, you’ll have to hike back to the station and start over. Find two or three places with rooms, start with the one that sounded closest, best, friendliest, cheapest, whatever you want, and go take a look. (It’s a lot easier “to go take a look” if you’re traveling light.)