Scrimp, save and stretch your travel budget

Lonely Planet's guide to booking a hotel

The countdown to your trip is on. You’ve pinpointed the perfect Thai beach, dreamed up a hit-list of Paris galleries or browsed online for the best restaurants in Rio – but when it comes to hotels and hostels, making that booking can feel like a bit of a gamble.

That’s where we come in. Every single one of Lonely Planet’s author reviewed hotels is a place you can trust: we’ve been there, we’ve given our honest opinion, and we never, ever accept freebies in exchange for positive hotel reviews. When you see the smiling author icon against any of the hotels, hostels or B width:670px;height:90px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-2822997588048711" data-ad-slot="6127977750">