But by no stretch of the imagination could Karen Brown's guides be called "budget". If you're looking at budget accommodations, try Lonely Planet or Rough Guide, or possibly Rick Steves, although he's been getting pricier. You might also look at www.sawdays.co.uk, a few of his listings are at the cheaper end.

I was actually surprised with Karen Brown guides because they do include a range of modest priced hotels or B&B's.

In larger cities she will include a number of places to choose from with varying price ranges.

Rick Steeves does a good job of including sections labels with different price ranges and we have found his books to be reliable too.

May I suggest that you email the Tourist Office of towns that seem attractive to your needs and wants. They are delighted to help. Just type in the town and country on your Browser.

"Modest" is in the eyes of the beholder. I went through KB's Austria guide recently, and found very little in my price range. Certainly not enough to justify actually buying it!

i last used karen brown guides a few years ago - so maybe she is only including more expensive places. thanks for the update!

<What about Common Europe Guide as well?>

OP - is this the name of a guide - seems to be since you capitalized it or are you looking for a general guide to all of Europe?

I like the DK Eyewitness and Michelin guides. However, I,like many others, photocopy pages, and print info from the internet, and trash it when I'm through. Less to carry home.

Yes make your own guide - hop to local library and get the more in-depth country only guides (i.e. Fodor's (!) Germany rather than Fodor's Western Europe - get several take home and for your cities copy several different guides pages you think wortwhile - then throw out in europe as you go along.

Carry one pan-European guide perhaps if itinerary is not set in stone. Then you'll have the wisdom of Lonely Planet and Doris K and all in between.

But one attraction of DK guides - great illustrations and pictures may be lost at Kinko's copies.