going to cracow, poland for four days, would like to know good hotels ($100US) and then to Budapest for four days. <BR>also would like to know if there is any train pass that can be used from vienna to cracow, poland to budapest to maribor slovenia.. <BR> <BR>are the cars safe in e. europe? How is driving vs trains..

Try polandhotels.com or hotelsinpoland.com. I stayed at Hotel Polonia because it was a 2-minute walk to the train station and 3-minute walk to center of Old Town. I paid less than $50 (including breakfast) for 1 in December. It is a nice hotel. On another trip, we stayed with a family in Budapest. If you are interested, email me.

Fodors <BR> <BR>The current Lonely Planet guide to East Europe says that the Hotel Polonia is 50 US dollars a night with private bath. It says that the Hotel Europejski, nearby, is the same price and is the nicest of the three hotels it lists near the station. I stayed at 70 US dollars a night for a single with bath at the Hotel Fortuna Bis, well sited just outside the line of the old walls, fifty yards from the central building of the University, and comfortable, with friendly serrvice. <BR> <BR>In Budapest in 1995 I liked the Emke Hotel, just north of Blaha Lujza ter, which has a metro station. I expect that these days it may be 50 dollars a night for single with bath. According to the Lonely Planet book, your 100 dollars will stretch to such top hotels as the Gellert Hotel, old and famous, but not on a metro ststion. I greatly enjoy breakfast at the Astoria Hotel, after which the Astoria metro station is named, but haven't seen their rooms, nor their room rates. It is well placed for seeing Budapest. <BR> <BR>In central Europe fares are low, and no pass is worth buying. The January issue of the Thomas Cook European Timetable says that the basic second class single fare from Vienna to Warsaw is 46 US dollars, so Vienna to Krakow will be about 40 dollars. By day you leave Vienna South at 0925 in a restaurant car express, arrive at Warsaw Central at 1745, and pay a 5 dollar express supplement. The night train arrives at the horrid hour of 0528, so it's worth spending an extra eight dollars and going from Vienna to Warsaw and then straight back on the morning express, with breakfast, to reach Krakow at 1010. The supplement for a sleeper in a 3-berth single-sex sleeping compartment is about 40 dollars. The night train with sleepers abd a restaurant car runs another way. You leave Krakow (beware pickpockets at the station) at 2220 and reach Budapest at 0927. The basic fare is 49 dollars: again you add 40 dollars for a berth. There are day trains too. Budapest to Maribor is a day journey. Leave Budapest Keleti at 0750 on the Drava restaurant car express, and reach Pragersko at 1347. From Pragersko to Maribor is 19 kilometers. There may be a bus from just outside the station: otherwise a local train, Pragersko 1513, Maribor 1535. You might even ask a taxi driver to quote you. <BR> <BR>I'm afraid I'm no help on motor cars. As you see, comfortable trains take you readily from place to place, often overnight. For first class add fifty percent to each figure I give. First class sleepers have two berths per compartment. <BR> <BR>Congratulations on thinking of Maribor. Not a lot of anglophones do, and it's a pleasant place. <BR> <BR>Please write if I can help further. <BR> <BR>Ben Haines, London <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR>Fodors

Last May I spent a little over a week travelng around Poland with my 68 year old mother. All by Train. In Krakow we stayed at the Hotel Polski just inside the old walls. We walked with out fully loaded backpacks from the train station to our hotel. It was very close. We liked the hotel very much. <BR>Train travel was great - trains run frequently, feel very safe and are cheap plus you get to meet local people <BR>We took a couple of night trains. (krakow to Prague) and (prague to Munich) and slept very well. <BR>Hotel - We didn't make reservations in advance except for our first night. We asked our current hotel to make the next reservation for us. They spoke Polish - we didn't. We used the lonely planet guidebook mid to top range recommendations and were very pleased. <BR>In Krakow, we visited Wawel castle and hired an english speaking guide. The guides offices are in the compound. The guide was wonderful. <BR>Have a great trip <BR>

aka, <BR>We've traveled throughout Poland three times. My recommendation for Krakow would be the Hotel Pollera. <BR>There website is: <BR>http://www.pollera.com.pl/ <BR>Central location with good resturant used by locals. <BR>Krakow is a wonderful place to visit-reminds one of Prague without the hoards of people. Thou it won't be for long!

thanks for all the suggestions!!!