Travel

Ditch the Hotel: 10 Cheaper Ways to Stay

Travelers can find cozy, convenient lodging for $50, $20 or even free in virtually every destination -- as long as they know where to look.

Aside from airfare, lodging is typically the expense that takes the biggest bite out of a vacation budget. But there's no need to rack up hotel stays for $100 - $200 a night or more. Creative travelers who are willing to consider alternatives to hotels could pay a fraction of that price -- or nothing at all.

Below, we review 10 options and evaluate the pros and cons of each. Read on to see if these affordable alternatives to hotels are something you'll dig or want to dump.

Short-Term Room Rentals

This is a popular and ever-growing trend in the travel world -- a cross between vacation rentals and homestays. Using websites like Airbnb.com and 9flats.com, travelers can rent a room in someone's house, a cottage or a private studio apartment for low nightly rates (it's not uncommon to see prices under $50 per night). It’s a way for hosts to open up their homes and make a little extra money, while giving travelers a great deal and a local’s-eye view of a destination.

Do you love a chance to meet people, see how they live, maybe play a midnight game of Scrabble or Call of Duty? Although you may score a cottage all by yourself, it's more likely you'll get a small bedroom and share a bath. If that's cool with you, a short-term room rental is your thing.

If uncertainly keeps you awake at night, you may sleep better at a chain hotel.

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