EXTENDED STAY HOTELS
Extended stay hotels are
gaining in popularity, and with good reason. The weekly
rates are often so low that it's worth reserving for
a week, even if you won't actually be staying that long.
Free local calls, voice mail and computer data ports
are the norm, saving you money on Internet cafes and
phone charges. (Tip: No laptop? Most libraries have
free Web connections available.)
The included kitchens, complete with dishes and utensils, allow you to keep leftovers and do your own cooking, saving you money on food. Some extended stay hotels off sleeper sofas in addition to beds, allowing more people to comfortably share a room. A similar idea is serviced apartments... that is, furnished apartments with cleaning service. Try these links for more information:
Extended Stay Hotel Network (InTown Suites, MainStay Suites, Staybridge Suites, Studio 6...)
Extended Stay Hotels (Extended Stay Deluxe, Studio PLUS, Crossland, Homestead Studio Suites...)
Extended Stay Network (Ramada Limited, Comfort Suites, La Quinta Inn, Holiday Inn Express...)
Home-Towne Suites
ApartmentService.com (serviced apartments worldwide)
MoveAndStay.com (extended stay hotels & serviced apartments worldwide)
Premiere Executive Suites (Canada)
Quest Serviced Apartments (Australia)
TIMESHARE RENTALS
& EXCHANGES
Timeshare rentals vary
widely in price, but can be quite economical. Many timeshare
resorts offer lodging that can comfortably sleep 6 people
or more, yet weekly rates can be found for $800. (Add
up what 3 hotel rooms would cost for a week.) And remember,
the fact that they're "resorts" often means lots of
things to do. Look here for more:
Classifieds
- Timeshare users Group
Marriot Vacation Club Timeshare Rentals
RedWeek.com
Rental Getaways - Platinum Exchange
Timeshare Rentals - MyResortNetwork.com
Timeshare
Rentals - Timeshare Travel
Timeshares By Owner
Timeshares
For Rent - Timesharing Today
Vacation Timeshare & Rentals
If you already own a timeshare, you may want to temporarily exchange it for more vacation variety. There are two methods for doing this. The first is to join an exchange network. These act like banks, where you "deposit" your week for trading. They handle the exchange for you, but also have fees. Read all details before joining:
Dial An Exchange
Exchanging - IES Travel
Interchange Timeshare (Australia & New Zealand)
Interval International (the second oldest & largest exchange company)
New Horizons Exchange
RCI (the oldest & largest exchange company)
Resort Exchange - Platinum Interchange
SFX Preferred Resorts
Trading Places Exchange Directory
The second method is to work directly with other timeshare owners. This is called Direct Exchange. You don't have to deposit your week with a third party and risk losing it, but of course, there's no middleman to confirm things. There are also little or no third-party fees:
OwnerTrades.com (for Marriot timeshare owners)
RedWeek.com
Timex
TUG Free Direct Exchange Database
BUDGET HOTELS/MOTELS
For shorter trips, these accommodations
offer low, low rates:
Budget Host
Knights Inn
Motel 6
Poland Spring
Inns
(a unique adventure on 1000 acres in Maine)
Red Roof Inns
Travelodge (some
have kitchenettes)
Valu-Lodge (kitchenettes)
While your at it, pick up some motel coupons:
Motel-Coupons.com
Don't rule out Mom & Pop accommodations as a possibility.
They can be tough to track down on the Web, but you
can let your mouse do the walking in the yellow pages:
Qwestdex
White & Yellow Pages
HOME EXCHANGES
Home exchanges can be the ideal
money-saving technique, but they're not for everyone.
We recommend you take the time to get to know the family
you'll be swapping residences with for safety's sake.
You can find home exchange services here:
Home
Exchanges - Yahoo
HOUSE SITTING
House sitting sounds like
a dream come true. Just take care of the pets and plants,
make sure the house is safe and you're literally home
free. unfortunately, house sitting positions are few
and far between. Here's some places to check:
Search
- HouseCarers.com
Worldwide Housesitting
HOSTELS
Hostels are a great no-frills
way to save money and meet interesting people from around
the globe. Many hostels offer private rooms, which we
recommend over shared rooms. Read these articles to
decide if the hostel experience is for you:
Frequently
Asked Questions About Hostelling - Hostels.com
What
Are Hostels? - The Hostel Handbook
If you're intrigued, locations and membership information
can be found here:
About
- Hostels Of America
Hostelling
International
DORM RENTALS
Many educational institutions,
domestic and foreign, make dorm rooms available for
rent when school's out. If you'll be near a university
during summer travel, you may want to call and see if
they have guest rentals available.
Nightly
Guest Accomodations - Hofstra university
McGrew
Towers Residence Hall - Hampton university
Summer
Dorm Rental - Hawaiian Mission Academy
Summer
Visitor Housing - univ. Of California, Berkeley
NEXT:
Lodging & Accommodation, continued
