Lad, I apologize if this is repetitive, but you might want to pick up a copy of Rick Steves Italy guide. There are a lot of lodging options in it that are not hotels including private rooms with shared baths and B and B's. On our trip next month we are mostly staying in small family owned places, we wanted to get to know some people and that is RS's aim in his guide. Mom is in her 60's and has never travelled so we were looking for a mid point between hotel living and roughing it. I'll let you know if we found it!Many of the rooms are very affordable and the hosts are still willing to help out with reservations etc. Have a great time!!!

The two hostels I stayed at in Italy in 2002 didn't seem to have anyone over the age of about 27 or 28. In fact, at 22 years old, I was the "middle aged" one in my room of several teenagers and a couple of mid-20s

Bavaria (Germany) has a strict 26 year age limit, FYI.

I kind of doubt lad is still around reading this, but I found Nutella's comments pretty funny (and accurate). I haven't stayed at one in Paris, but was near one once and those kids staying in there did indeed hang out doing nothing a large part of the time. I remember one beautiful June day when I was looking at the nearby church or something of interest, and a bunch of the kids were just sitting around the square hanging out doing nothing, because it was lockout or something I suppose, and they were waiting to get back in. Given this was the middle of the day, why they were not out exploring Paris or doing something of interest was surprising to me. I'm not talking about a few, a mean a lot of them, they took up the whole small square.

Anyway, I did want to say to the one who asked about convents for cheap lodging -- this is mainly in Italy, from what I've observed, because tax laws were changed with the Jubilee year to make it very beneficial to religious orders to run hotel rooms. So, if convents are letting out rooms to tourists, you don't have to be female, men stay there also. Lots of couples even may stay there, so they are definitely not just for women.