Andytrav

"The hotel was small and drab even by European standards"-- Someone said that at a budget hotel in Europe. Does this mean that budget hotels in Europe are a step below the typical budget hotel in America (such as the Red roof Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Comfort Inn).

Do I need to spend alot more money for a hotel in Europe so I will not get a small and drab room?

Intrepid

First of all, the person quoted obviously has some notion of what those "European standards" are..too bad they didn't elaborate. We often hear that hotel rooms in Europe are "smaller" than often found in the US. But be aware that this all depends on WHICH places you stay in in Europe, not to mention the varying definition of "smaller" among individuals. The hotels I've been in recently had rooms just as large, if not larger, than sometimes seen in the US. Sizes vary from establishment to establishment..both in Europe and in the US.
You use the term "budget" which is also undefined. I am not sure there is general agreement on what "budget" means in terms of the amount of money that represents. Ask ten different people to define it and you're likely to get ten different answers.
"A step below"...meaning what? In size, in amenities offered, in service???
And in terms of your spending "a lot of money"....no, I don't think you have to do so (how do YOU define the term "a lot"???) to not be stuck with a drab room.
It might be easier if you had some definite properties in mind and then asked people to comment on those properties specifically so you'd have a better sense of what the rooms are really like. The more concrete you are the more likely you'll get really useful information. Generalities just make things more complicated.

cmeyer54

I'll give you an example we just encountered - a Marriott in Heidelberg had a "double" room with two twin beds that was about half the size of a Best Western with two double beds we had in South Bend Indiana a month later. European hotels are normally older and thus will have smaller rooms - unless you get a newer Sheraton/Hyatt/Westin, etc. The family run places and chains based in Europe will be smaller.

elberko

Yes, Andytrav/fatgirl/bunchargum, you will have to pay $450. a night just to get a room the level of Motel 6.

obxgirl

BINGO! Elberko you named that tune in just two notes!

Congratulations, Andytrav, on that great new job in NYC. Do I correctly understand that you will be travelling to China, Europe and relocating to New Jersey all in the next 30 days?

How do you feel about thin curtains and hard beds in your hotel rooms?

Intrepid

See what I said? "generalities"...hopefully you'll get a few helpful answers eventually.

ChatNoir

Let's put it this way: As a general rule, $75 usually buys you a much larger and nicer room in the USA than in most of Europe. Going to the Euro made an already bad situation even worse.

elaine

Hi
Most hotels in European historic city centers are not new construction, which means they are converted private houses or other types of buildings, which also means that unless they are going to do a structural renovation, rooms can be smaller than the American chain hotel or motel average. Most of these hotels have fewer than 50 rooms, sometimes fewer than 25.

Many hotels in Europe will carry chain labels like Comfort Inn or Best Western--this does not usually mean that they chain-looking hotels; most often it is still an originally older building that is bought by the chain, or the owners join the chain to take advantage of group marketing and purchasing.

"Drab" is not required. You won't find fabulous decor usually in the rock bottom budget hotels, but you don't find that often in low budget places anywhere.

Many of the older buildings have a lot of charm, and make up for smaller room size, even in economy-minded places, with pretty decor, personalized service, friendly staff, etc.

It is true that one person's charming room is another person's walk-in closet, but I judge my hotels on several factors. If even a small room in a great location gives me a pleasant experience at a reasonable price, then it's a good value in my book. A huge room in a very large modern hotel in a relatively inconvenient location, such as I stayed in during my first visit to Paris, proves to me that there are a lot more factors important to me besides room size. On the other hand I once stayed in a very well-reviewed hotel in Paris that had a minuscule room with gorgeous decor, and great location. For the price we thought it was a poor value, and we found a better place the next day.

Marilyn

You can get an actual room in Europe for $75? Who knew!

ira

Andytrav wonders
>"The hotel was small and drab even by European standards"-- Someone said that at a budget hotel in Europe. Does this mean that budget hotels in Europe are a step below the typical budget hotel in America...<

No. It only means that that particular hotel was small and drab, even by European standards.

Patrick

My favorite is when people compare staying at a Comfort Inn along the interstate in Georgia to staying in a hotel in the center of London or Rome, either by prices or description of rooms. Some things just can't be compared!

ira

Shucks, Patrick,

Y'all mean I shouldn't compare the Sleep Inn in Henderson, NC with a hotel in a former palazzo in Venice?

WillTravel

Comfort Inn Vauxhall in London advertises itself as having rooms that are 20% larger than the average 3* room in London, and I think that is likely true, at least for some of their rooms. It's three years old, with sparkling plumbing and comfortable beds. The decor is nothing special, but as nice as any you will see at any standard 2* hotel, in my opinion. I'd be happy to get a room like that at any Comfort Inn anywhere. On Priceline, you can typically get this hotel room for $49-54 + taxes and fees/night.

GSteed

Hotel price information background. European tourists like to stay with friends when they travel. The majority of these travellers cannot afford the hotels that are currently available. European 4 & 5 star hotels are for business travellers! Inexpensive hotels are inexpensive because they have made two or three rooms out of one. Next: How much time are you going to spend in your room? Check the local University for housing availability. A one person standard room University of Lodz, Poland is $25. An apartment is $60.

GeoffHamer

It's surely all a question of taste. I prefer to stay in cheap hotels because I use a hotel as somewhere to sleep and wash, and somewhere to keep my belongings. I don't want to waste any time sitting in my hotel room so I don't care if it's small or drab. On my last visit to France, in May, I paid 29 Euros for a perfectly comfortable room. In the UK, I stay in guest house or bed & breakfast accommodation, and normally pay around £20 a night.

WillTravel

Geoff, were those prices for Paris and London?

MGB

You first need to decide what is important to you in a room. Prices vary depending on what you want to pay for.

The 5 key elements we go for are;

1. Location
2. Cleanliness
3. Private WC and shower
4. Reasonable (In 1999 we averaged $80 a night, next month we will average $100 for a double about 1/3 include breakfast)
5. Some ambiance or charm trying to avoid modern, or Motel 6 type places (or a view in certain exceptions Alps, Mediterranean Sea)

So it all boils down to what you need and are will to pay. Huge rooms do not mean that much, we do not plan to be in them that long other than to sleep, shower, change clothes. The two exceptions we make do drive the average up. For the view in Switz we are paying $130 a night with breakfast and for a Terrace with a view of the sea probably $110.

There are so many neat places but the Euro/Dollar rate is not helping. A year ago this itinerary average $90 a night but the currency conversion has really hurt!