Hostels, Hotels, and HomeAway: Where to Stay When Traveling Abroad

During your nine months in England you will probably be off on your own adventures, and no matter where your travels take you will need a place to stay. Here is our breakdown of some your options:

Hostels

Hostels are a solid option if you are looking for something super cheap. You may have to share a room with a lot of other travelers, but they are generally pretty safe and clean. If you are traveling with a group many have private rooms to rent. They are easily accessible, will help you get where you are going, and many have options for activities around their particular town. Keep in mind during the weekend it can get a bit rowdy. A good site for these is hostels.com, or hihostels.com to find hostels affiliated with Hostelling International, a reputable intentional hosteling organization.

Hotels

Hotels are nice because they are clean, private, and comfortable. However, they can end up being pretty spendy (especially in bigger cities). When you book a room, do not lie about the number of people staying, they take this very seriously. Still, if you can afford it, staying in a hotel can make you feel like you are on a real vacation. You can find hotels on sites such as expedia.com or hotels.com.

HomeAway

Our third and final option is HomeAway. Using this option, you rent someone's property for a short period of time. Unlike couchsurfing, where you stay with the owner, you have the flat to yourself. There are a variety of options for this in terms of how many people, where you are trying to stay, what sort of place you want, and the season. We were able to stay affordably in several different countries for various amounts of time in nice places, by paying close attention to the neighborhoods and reviews that accompanied the posting. HomeAway usually works best for multiple people planning to stay for longer trips (many require a minimum of a three to four night stay).

There are other options for accommodations whilst traveling, such as couchsurfing.com, where you stay at someone's house with them, and airbnb.com, to find bed and breakfasts.
In order to maximize the amount you save, we would also suggest using skyscanner.net for plane tickets. It is amazing the deals you can find out there with this site!

Safe travels,

Jill, Jasmine, and Miranda

Train Travel in Pictures

If you're wondering how to get around for cheap, make sure to get a 16-25 Discount Railcard when you get here! The train is a super easy way to get around for a cheap price. At first, it may seem intimidating, but after you do it once, you realize how easy and efficient it actually is! The rail employees and station staff are more than willing to answer questions and point you in the right direction. It is an extremely popular way to travel here in the UK, as it saves you from more expensive flights. Once you get the hang of the system, it is the simplest way to travel.

If you take the train to London, an extremely easy way to get around London is by using the London Underground Subway. All day passes cost about 8 pounds. They are very efficient, easy, and FAST! There are loads of signs to point you in the right direction if you are having any issues. The underground trains run about every 5 minutes or less, so it is an extremely reliable way to get around London as well!

In October and November, make sure to watch for the "Great Escape" deal, where you can go anywhere that the London Midland Service trains go for only 10 pounds!

-Rose, Cassidy & Rachel