Know thyself. It's as simple as that. All to often I hear travelers claim they just want a place to crash, but then complain about the size of the room, the shabby decor, and the skimpy breakfast. Clearly, such travelers wanted more out of their accommodations, but either weren't willing to pay, or search for the appropriate place. If the prospect of shared facilities repulses you, then don't book those accommodations. If you wish to have a non-smoking room, then search for it. Finding suitable accommodations that fulfill your needs and desires is possible if you put the time and effort into the process. Ask yourself what facilities or extras are essential in your accommodations. By using the internet and guidebooks intelligently, you can find accommodations that meet your budget and taste.
Guidebooks & Maps
All my accommodation searches begin with a trip to the bookstore to scope out guidebooks and maps. I like to get a good feel for the place I am going, what I want to see, what areas of town sound intriguing, and what the transportation systems look like. Sometimes it might be more convenient and cheaper to stay "further afield," and then use local transport into town. Guidebooks can be particularly helpful in giving a sense of general hotel rates, both at high and low season. When budgeting for accommodations, you can take into consideration that a city like Munich might cost more than a smaller village like Iphofen. Culling together a group of guidebooks-everything from Eyewitness and Frommers to Rick Steves and The Rough Guide-I usually get a sense of the city or region I intend on visiting. Though the lists of accommodations given in any of these books ranges from extensive to very few, you at least get a working list of fax numbers, email addresses, and web sites from which to begin your accommodation search. After a bit of research and a few cups of coffee, I usually head online to check out the establishments on my list.
