Lodging Alternatives

Lodging Alternatives

Apartment Rentals

If you want a home base that's roomy enough for a family and comes with cooking facilities, consider a furnished rental. Home-exchange directories sometimes list rentals as well as exchanges, and many of the B&B agencies also handle apartment, cottage, and house rentals.

Bed-and-Breakfasts

Bed & Breakfast Agency of Boston (617/720-3540 or 800/248-9262. 617/523-5761. www.boston-bnbagency.com). Bed & Breakfast Associates (781/449-5302 or 888/486-6018. 781/455-6745. www.bnbboston.com). Bed and Breakfast Reservations: North Shore/Greater Boston/Cape Cod (617/964-1606; 978/281-9505; 800/832-2632 outside MA. 978/281-9426. www.bbreserve.com). Greater Boston Hospitality Bed & Breakfast Service (617/393-1548. 617/227-0021. www.bostonbedandbreakfast.com). Host Homes of Boston (617/244-1308 or 800/600-1308. 617/244-5156. www.hosthomesofboston.com).

Home Exchanges

A home-exchange organization will send you its updated listings of available exchanges via either e-mail or printed brochure. It's up to you to make specific arrangements.

HomeLink International (954/566-2687 or 800/638-3841. 954/566-2786. www.homelink.org). Intervac U.S (800/756-4663. 415/839-9670. www.intervacus.com).

Hostels

Hostelling International (HI), the umbrella group for a number of national youth-hostel associations, offers single-sex, dorm-style beds and, at many hostels, rooms for couples and family accommodations. Membership in any HI national hostel association, open to travelers of all ages, allows you to stay in HI-affiliated hostels at member rates; one-year membership is about $28 for adults (C$35 for a two-year minimum membership in Canada, 16 in the United Kingdom, A$32 in Australia, and NZ$40 in New Zealand); hostels charge about $10-$30 per night. Members have priority if the hostel is full; they're also eligible for discounts around the world, even on rail and bus travel in some countries.

Eastern New England Council of Hostelling International-American Youth Hostels (617/718-7990. 617/718-7995. www.usahostels.org) provides information on membership and on hostels in the Boston area. Hostelling International Australia (02/9565-1699. 02/9565-1325. www.yha.com.au). Hostelling International Canada (613/237-7884 or 800/663-5777. 613/237-7868. www.hihostels.ca). Hostelling International New Zealand (03/379-9970 or 0800/278-299. 03/365-4476. www.yha. co.nz). Hostelling International UK (0870/770-8868. 0870/770-6127. www.yha.org.uk). Hostelling International US (301/495-1240. 301/495-6697. www.hiusa.org).