“Chains” seem to be more synonymous with the US - think restaurants, shops and of course, hotels. Motel 6, Holiday Inn, Marriott, Hilton - no matter your budget or where you plan to go, you’ll probably quite easily find one of these. In Europe however, and especially if you are a budget traveler, you are more likely to find and stay in a locally owned pension or bed and breakfast. The positive aspects of chains is that you know exactly what you are going to get. And in the constantly surprising world of travel, a little bit of comfort can go a long way. Here are a couple chain hotel brands operating in Europe. Be sure to note exactly where they are located - sometimes they are on the outskirts of cities. This is great if you are driving, but if you are staying in a city, and without a car, you may want to find a property closer to the center. They aren’t the cheapest places to stay, but they are on the budget end and may offer you a little something extra you’ve been looking for.

Ibis has nearly 700 properties in about 20 European countries. They have a loyalty card program and a permanent “special offers” page on their website. A quick check of room prices found for a 2-night October weekend stay in Berlin, prices ranged from 49 EUR - 99 EUR a night; they have 10 hotels in Berlin. That same weekend in Vienna would cost between 64 EUR and 72 EUR in one of their 3 hotels.

easyJet, easyCruise and easyHotel; the easy empire is spreading. For a great price, you’ll get a teeny tiny room, private bathroom, no housekeeping and one towel per person. However, prices are great - especially considering most of the hotels are in excellent city center locations. Book ahead though, I’ve tried on a couple of occasions to get a room at one of these, and haven’t been able to. And even though their website seems to offer lots of cities; they are partnered with Octopus Travel and you’ll get booted to their website if there isn’t an easyHotel in your select city; or one available for your chosen dates.

The UK unfortunately is one of the priciest countries to visit, but you may be able to cut your sleeping costs by checking in to Premiere Inn. They have more than 500 properties in Britain, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland. Our October weekend in Blackpool would be 154 GBP, while staying in London Kensington would cost 214 GBP.

Have you tried any of these, or a different, European chain hotel? Please share your experience!

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A round-up of some interesting, informative and entertaining things Ive come across lately

Budget Monkey Travel (how fun a name is that?!?) has added to their Cheapest Countries to Travel list with Cheapest Countries in Western Europe to Travel. I was excited to see that my current number 1 I want to go there destination (Portugal) is number 2 on the list. Number 1 is Andorra, and where will be not be visiting anytime soon? Iceland.

Airline fees. Who can keep up with them and who even knows what the heck you are paying for anymore?!? The kind people at Kayak have put together a fabulous Airline Fees list that should aid you in the booking process. Or annoy you (how the heck can they charge me for THAT?!?) or allow you to figure out which airlines you want to avoid.

Are you a flashpacker? Wish you could be one? Want to know what the heck one is? Vagabondish explains.

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As you may or may not know, Europe String is part of B5 Media, one of the biggest blog networks in the world. We belong to the companys Travel & Culture Channel, and the Channel has just released its brand new spiffy website.

Its pretty slick looking, if I do say so myself, and puts all the fab Travel & Culture blogs right at your fingertips. Did you look at the Channels demographics? 85% of you plan to travel in the US. Im happy you are traveling, but Im hurt you arent planning a European jaunt! :) But thats okay; there are tons of really good stateside bloggers who have excellent ideas for some fun times across the US.

What else I like about this Channel is the blogs dont just cover destinations. Traveling the Green Way is a blog everyone should check out before planning their next holiday to make sure they are going eco-friendly. If you like stuff The Travel Product Guide will keep you up-to-date on the latest must-have, on-the-road gadgets. And dont forget Travel Photo Daily. Travel vicariously!

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Berlin defies description. It is definitely Western Europe; but most of its prices are decidedly not. Parts (specifically the eastern half) still have a gritty, post-Communism feel; but a lot of the city is spiffy and full of interesting landmarks. The amount of museums and levels of history you can experience in Berlin, in my opinion, cannot be matched any where else in Europe.

One of the cheap charms of Berlin is its variety of neighborhoods. Afternoons can be spent discovering the streets, shops and lifestyles of these unique areas. Prenzlauerberg is a good one, as is Mitte and Friedrichshain. Berlin is huge, so if you only have a couple days to spend, get a transport pass. Youll cover more ground that way and their system is reliable and cheap. It’s a combo of buses, trams, trains and underground; and there are a number of passes available; including the WelcomeCard and the City Tour Card.

The best free, and insanely popular, thing to do in Berlin is a visit to the Riechstag. This is the official seat of Germanys Parliament, and a really cool building. Take a ride up in the elevator and then slowly make your way up the ramp for an awesome view out over the city, and down onto the parliamentary happenings. Be prepared to wait in line. Camp out early, or go late. You wont see any governing going on, but you may not have to stand around for so long. Two other popular free sites are the Berlin Wall and the Memorial to Murdered Jews of Europe. And dont forget photo opps in front of the Brandenburg Gate and Checkpoint Charlie.

Anything that is really cool or cutting edge has been through Berlin at some point so should you! For more information check Berlins Tourist Bureau or the German National Tourist Board.

Photo Credit: medienfrech@Flickr

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Well, no one is going to sing to you or give you gifts, but September 27^th is designated as World Tourism Day. Sponsored by the United Nations World Tourism Organization, this day is set aside to recognize and raise awareness of the important social role of tourism. This years theme is Responding to the Challenge of Climate Change and organizers hope to build on the tourism sectors relationship with the climate and its related global social and economic value. It also hopes to address the role of tourism in regards to sustainable development.

These ideas pose interesting questions for budget travelers. While on the one hand budget travel can seem to be more eco-friendly: Using public transport, staying in smaller, locally owned accommodations; the proliferation of cheap airlines and the sheer amount of people traveling has a detrimental effect on the environment. Tourism is a source of growth in some of the worlds poorest and still emerging countries. We need to ensure that we support these efforts, all the while being responsible guests.

Logo courtesy of the World Tourism Organization

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