Europe: How the West Is One

EuroCheapo , whose slogan is "We've been there," trawls hotel sites like Booking.com to find the most affordable hotel rooms in dozens of European cities, including Lisbon, Krakow, and Nice. The site's clean design and clear pictures take the mystery out of finding hotel and hostel accommodation. The site is also spruced up with useful features like its "European Bus Guide" section, which we recommend in the "How will I get around?" section of this guide.

Hotique is a directory of some of the most high-end hotels in the world, whether they're known for their famous architect, special amenities, or gorgeous locations. Several unique places in Europe are on the list, including the Xara Palace in the city of Mdina, Malta, and the 1896 industrial shell that now houses the Gastwerk Hotel in Hamburg, Germany.

Hostelz is a large database of hostel room listings worldwide, with two sections devoted to Western Europe and Eastern Europe/Russia. Head to one of those pages for a clean, uncluttered index of the cities and towns in which hostel listings can be found. Even lesser-known countries, such as Andorra, are covered. The site also benefits from "brutally honest" comments and reviews from users.

Transitions Abroad is an online publication specializing in resources for international studying, working, and living. This article discusses camping around Europe, taking into consideration RV travel and tents. Author Edward Newton "has traveled to more than thirty countries for trips of up to one year.”

Eurocampings is a UK-based site that has compiled a list of campgrounds in approximately 30 European countries. There are useful details to the site, such as the amenities search, which includes swimming pool, shower/hot water, and coast proximity. There are also campground selections specifically with winter sports, disabled travelers, and naturists in mind (top right-hand side of the page).

Sleep and Tell is a hotel review site that includes 16 major European countries, including Germany, the UK, Portugal, and Turkey. Users give hotels ratings that include categories such as "cleanliness of rooms," "spaciousness of rooms," and "hotel surroundings." The hotels' individual profile pages list their ratings, amenities, photographs of the property and rooms, an explanation of basic features and location, and quotes from former guests.

HotelChatter is one of the most thorough European hotel reviews on the Web, as it covers all 45 European countries. But reviews are not as comprehensive as on SleepAndTell. You will find photographs of the hotels, the average price of a room, and in some cases, "Stories" accompanying the hotel's page, written by former guests. Browse the "Hotels in France" page, for example, and you will be presented with a blog-type design that lists large, clear photos of hotel rooms with accompanying words about the experience of a stay there.

EuroTrip , mentioned in the "How do I get there?" section of this guide, has a good hostel directory and review section that covers 20 or so of the most popular country destinations in Europe. Where applicable, users have provided comments to describe their stays; if not, the directory solely lists location and contact information.