Rick Steves Urges Travelers To Avoid Wasting Money On This Type Of Lodging In Europe

In today's economy, even the most budget-savvy travelers are keen to cut costs wherever they can, and it's no secret that travel expenses can add up quickly. You've got the cost of flights, transportation, food, and accommodations to consider. But fear not: When it comes to making your dollar stretch far while on vacation, travel expert Rick Steves provides a wealth of knowledge that any traveler can appreciate. In regards to saving money on lodging, Steves urges travelers to avoid wasting their money on a certain type of accommodation that will empty wallets faster than anticipated.

Besides recommending faster travel in certain parts of Europe to save money, as well as using strategic money tips to make the most of your European travels, Steves is also a firm believer in not having to spend a fortune on hotels. In a blog post, the travel guru tells his readers that fancy, high-priced hotels will ultimately "rip through a tight budget like a grenade through a dollhouse." And when asked how he chooses the right kind of budget-friendly accommodations to list in his guidebooks, Steves humbly states, "There's no secret trick to it: I walk through the most inviting neighborhood in town, snoop around each hotel and grab their price lists, and jot down some notes. By the end of the day, the best-value hotels stand out."

Much like Rick Steves' preference when traveling, I'd much rather stay in smaller accommodations to save hundreds of dollars. As long as it provides a clean, comfortable, affordable, and local vibe to it, at the end of the day, I'm just sleeping there and cannot justify anything out of my budget. During a week-long trip to Malta, I found a small hotel, which checked all the boxes, including a breakfast every morning for less than $300 for the entire week. And as Steves puts it, "True, you can spend $400 for a double, but I never have. That's three days' accommodations for me."

Steves recalls how he got his daily steps during a trip to Amsterdam as he scoured the city for hotels offering stay-worthy accommodations that meet his criteria without breaking the bank. "What I found is that you are just as likely to spend $150 for a big, impersonal place on a noisy highway as you are to spend $100 for a charming, family-run guesthouse on a bikes-only stretch of canal," he shares.

Steves is a fan of a more localized, community-driven experience where the staff "are more interested in seeing pictures of your children and helping you have a great time than in thinning out your wallet." Staying in expensive hotels won't only eat away at your budget, but can rob you of a local experience and, as Steves writes, "just builds a bigger wall between you and what you traveled so far to see."

Before you book your next trip to Europe, doing a bit of extra research into places to stay that are rich in experiences, rather than high in price, will certainly add value to your travels, instead of dollars to your credit card bill. Whether it be a farm stay in the rolling hills of Tuscany, a cozy room in a traditional Croatian stone house, or a unique stay in a houseboat near Amsterdam's must-visit attractions, staying in smaller and cheaper accommodations over swanky hotels is the best way to fully immerse yourself within local culture.

So how can you be certain that you are getting the best value while still having a local and special experience when booking European accommodations? Giving his readers solid advice on what key elements he suggests tourists look for, Rick Steves writes, "I look for places that are clean, central, relatively quiet at night, reasonably priced, friendly, small enough to have a hands-on owner and stable staff, run with a respect for local traditions, and not listed in other guidebooks. If I can find a place with, say, six of these eight criteria, it's a keeper."

Whether its proximity to major sites, access to public transit, or neighborhood safety, focusing on what matters most to you as a traveler will yield better value. With so many affordable, character-filled options in Europe, Steves always prefers places with personality, saying, "I'm more impressed by a convenient location and a fun-loving philosophy than flat-screen TVs and pricey laundry service."