Where We’re Staying
Posted on September 15, 2008
Filed Under Call us tourists |
Posted by Daria
During this trip we’re staying in a variety of accommodations—apartments, bed & breakfasts, small and large hotels, and hostels. They have one thing in common: They’re either cheap or as cheap as we could find in a particular area. Cheap in the heart of Brussels isn’t the same as cheap in the forests of Luxembourg or cheap in an extortionate tourist town.
One option is youth hostels. These are buildings with dormitory-style rooms, shared bathrooms, and communal entertainment and dining rooms. They were originally created for older high school and college kids who are backpacking around, but over the years many have added family rooms to appeal to people with kids. The price includes breakfast, a small Continental buffet with European standards like deli meat, different breads, chocolate spread, jams, cereal and coffee or milk.
We cut back on our hostel plans after discovering that in countries such as Switzerland and France, they cost more than hotels if you’re paying for three people. (”Under 12 free” is not universal.) And many of those in large cities get horrible reviews on hostel review websites.
Germany and Luxembourg have nice, inexpensive ones, however, so we chose three. The horror stories (just kidding, sort of) follow.
Rothenburg (Germany). Located in a great old building (at top), a former mill. Pros: Right in the center of town, view of old buildings and red roofs, sink and shower in room, men’s and women’s toilets very close by, tomatoes at breakfast, lots of hooks in room. Good, cheap beer and wine for sale by the bottle. Cons: Tiny pillows, light in women’s toilet “went strobe,” room curtain hung down so it was in the way of the sink. Ceiling was slanted, leading to bumps on heads. About $80 per night.
Ulm (Germany). Located in a modern college-type dorm in a suburban area of Ulm, a city that was heavily bombed during World War II but still has a gigantic cathedral. Pros: Modern, lots of entertainment options, many showers and toilets in communal rooms, strong shower, humongous sink room (”sink heaven,” Sierra called it), cool laser beam door lock, useful shelf by window. Cons: Shared changing area (although the women’s had one private shower with its own changing area), noisy kids in the hall at 1 a.m., two reading lights didn’t work. About $70 per night.
Hollenfels (Luxembourg). Located in a tiny town next to a beautiful old chateau in a former chateau building (see below). Pros: Large room with four double bunks for the three of us (so plenty of extra bedding), fitted sheets, very quiet, freshly made strawberry-rhubarb tart at breakfast one morning, cool retro hair dryers in shower rooms. Cons: Co-ed bathrooms (although the showers were single-sex), bathrooms a ways away, showers in the basement, showers that shut off every 12 seconds, no hot water in sinks, room not that clean, no reading lights. About $60 per night.
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It is so exciting to see this building! I stayed at this hostel with a friend 13 years ago. I am really enjoying following you all on your journey!
Val Nye
Thanks! I haven’t been mentioning the libraries that we’ve been visiting (so far there have only been a few). They use Dewey in Brussels city libraries.