
Your Lodging Choices Can Make or Break Your Trip
Your selection of accommodations can impact the success of your holiday to Belgium. In many cases, it may even be the highlight of the trip.
Do not dismiss the fact that choosing the right hotel can make your trip memorable, while staying in the wrong lodgings can wreak havoc on your vacation to Belgium!
The good news is that the Net today offers a variety of resources, reviews and details about the best accommodations in Belgium, in addition to the best deals to be had.
We always start our lodging exploration with a reliable reservations and information site, such as Hotels.com. Not only does this save a lot of time, but it allows us to take an extensive view of what accommodations are available in Belgium and can very easily see which ones are good candidates dependent on prior visitor ratings.
How to Select the Right Kind of Hotel
When planning a trip, we encourage you to ask yourself a few important questions that will assist you in selecting the right lodging at a desirable price.
- Is it a priority for you to spend minimal time getting back and forth to sites and events?
- Are you willing to spend more time on public transportation and taxis in order to save on lodging? If so, you can usually get a lower cost lodging on the outskirts.
- Are you seeking a place infused with local culture? Smaller independent inns are often some of the most beautiful and historic ways to enjoy the local culture.
These are key questions to ask before securing your accommodations. We encourage that you give some thought to how you might use your hotel to receive the most out of your Belgium vacation experience before making your decision on where to stay.
When searching for lodging it is also smart to decide upon the kind of lodging and creature comforts that suit your tastes and needs. If you will not be spending much time in your room, and therefore you might care less about the conveniences than you do about the location, then we encourage looking for a hotel near the places in Belgium that you would like to visit.
Our favorite accommodations reservation site is Hotels.com, which offers more than 70,000 properties around the globe, presents detailed property reviews, pictures and provides a price match guarantee. There are plenty of other sites, but we have not seen one that is as comprehensive and easy to navigate.
Stay at a B&B for a Friendly Lodging Experience
If you delight in the company of strangers and a traditional meal then consider staying at a Bed & Breakfast in Belgium. These properties offer an experience quite like staying with old friends and often the owners can provide a wealth of knowledge and tips on the dining options, customs, and local sites. And often the breakfast provided will be gourmet quality.
When we are looking to reserve a B&B, we prefer to use BedAndBreakfast.com. Its search capability includes a global network of bed and breakfasts, country inns, guest houses and farm stays.
Note that these properties are typically situated in more rural areas and may not be near to mass transportation. If you will be getting around by car then this is a delightful choice.
How About a Home Exchange Program?
If you enjoyed the film “The Holiday” then you probably have an idea of how attractive exchanging your home can be.
If you plan to visit Belgium for a while and you yourself live in a desirable vacation region (or you own a 2nd home in a desirable locale) then you might give some thought to exchanging your home with someone from Belgium who is interested in visiting your area.
Staying in someone’s home in Belgium enables you to live like a local (not a tourist) and can often times cost you nothing. You will commonly have full use of kitchen and laundry facilities and enjoy the comforts of staying in a cozy home and neighborhood. This alternative is also considered environmentally sound because it does not consume additional local resources to account for non-residents. And a frequently ignored benefit is that while you’re in someone else’s home that someone else is in yours–possibly watering your plants, picking up your mail, and generally putting off crooks which target vacant homes.
Check out HomeExchange.com for access to their worldwide network of homes for exchange. A one year membership is required but they guarantee that if you don’t find an exchange within your 1st year they will extend your membership for another year. If you are interested in learning more about the details of choosing and contacting possible home exchange prospects Home Exchange Academy offers a special reference guide.
When you are already paying a high price for airfare exchanging your home with another traveler can be an easy way to manage the total cost of your vacation. If you’re feeling like you just cannot afford that trip to Belgium you may want to reconsider!
Lodging for the Super Tight Budget
If you are on a strict budget (perhaps you’re a student) and desiring to get the most economical accommodation (given that it provides a bed and bathroom) then we recommend what are known as hostels. Hostels are quite common in many countries and often times provide separate quarters for couples and/or senior citizens. There are several hostels available in Belgium to choose from. These can be reserved via HostelWorld.com.
