Travelling to Europe - Accommodation & Bank Card Tips Needed

pixpotato on 07/05/2023 - 21:39
Last edited 07/05/2023 - 21:46

Im traveling to Europe with my partner in July and August, and was wondering if anyone knew of any good websites or tools that helped you book well-priced accommodation.

I remember in 2016 my friend and I traveled Europe and we used this website edit: it was called routeperfect - that helped us with booking accomodation with all of the cities - with all these 2-4 star places. Any tools like this?

Also - what bank card is the go to travel card these days? It was all about the citibank plus in 2016 - what's the best one around now?

Travel Accommodation Europe

Comments

  • Wiadro on 07/05/2023 - 21:48
    +1

    hilton

  • Benoffie on 07/05/2023 - 22:08

    Apparently chatgpt can do it. Havent tested but if you plug in the parameters (dates, locations, preferences, pricing), itll spit something out

    • pixpotato on 07/05/2023 - 22:35

      Ooooo interesting suggestion! Will test it out at least for fun!

  • jjjaar on 07/05/2023 - 22:20

    Best card is still Citibank if you have one.

    • Clurt on 05/09/2023 - 20:00

      Why is citibank best?

      • jjjaar on 05/09/2023 - 20:41

        Well firstly, if you already have it, that’s one less barrier.

        Otherwise - No hoops. Just have the account and use it when needed. They’re also an internationally known bank so never any issues when you hand the card over in restaurants or anything.

        I wouldn’t waste my time with ING and their hoops.

        Others that I’ve heard that offer pretty much the same experience as Citi are Macquarie, ubank or wise. Haven’t used them myself tho so can’t comment.

  • vulpesvulpes on 07/05/2023 - 22:23
    +2

    I'm both an avid traveller and travel agent, have just moved from UK back to AU.

    Few things: Expedia/booking.com do the best price low effort.

    Medium effort is emailing those places for a deal

    Max effort is finding the places not on Exp/booking and managing to email them in local language to book.

    You're traveling in the absolute peak of summer travel so things are just going to be super expensive. Post COVID things are wild on the continent in summer.

    Travel cards are out. ING, Wise or Revolut

    • pixpotato on 07/05/2023 - 22:37
      +1

      How do you use wise while travelling?

      • YadaYadaYada on 07/05/2023 - 22:55
        +1

        Wise has a physical/digital card available https://wise.com/au/card/.

        Citibank plus is still great for withdrawing money. Scroll down to the bottom for tips for individual countries https://whirlpool.net.au/wiki/citibank_plus_transaction_acco…. However I'd also bring a credit card with no international transaction fees too.

        With Expedia there is this long running 10% off promo that's with Mastercard (https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/754600). Code shifts once in a while but it's easily attainable. Booking.com offer some discount member rates too (free to join).

        • pixpotato on 13/05/2023 - 21:32

          Thank you! super helpful!

      • Eeples on 08/05/2023 - 01:48

        I used wise in Italy and Greece for purchases recently.

        No problems. (But you need to activate it in Australia).

        Sure, it has fees, but I can only lose what I load up into it.

    • Windows7forever on 15/05/2023 - 10:27

      I just noticed that ING is sneakily removing a massive feature from their OE cards by bringing back the international ATM withdrawal fees. I am looking at Macquarie Bank as an alternative. Any recommendations?

  • peternxyz on 08/05/2023 - 09:16

    +1 on Wise, just came back from a Europe and used it everywhere.

    Convenience outweigh the minimal fees (in my opinion)
    Can use the physical card to withdraw from an ATM so you don't have to carry a massive wad of cash with you at all times.
    App is super easy to use, can transfer between different EU currencies instantly too. Also can transfer between Wise accounts without any fees.

  • werdnanostaw on 08/05/2023 - 10:46

    I returned 2 days ago from a month in France.

    In that time I spent EUR 2.20 in cash for parking meters (horodateurs) that didn't take credit cards. One was in Etretat but I don't recall where the other one was. Yes I do - Rouen.

    I couldn't park near the centre in Lausanne in Switzerland because the parcometers don't take credit cards and I didn't have any Swiss Francs coins because I was only driving through from Geneve back to France at Pontarlier for the day and I wasn't going to break a CHF 50 note that I had left over from a previous trip just to park. We found a Blue Disk bay about 1km from the centre and parked for free.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disc_parking

    We got our Blue Disk for free from the tourist office at the Bear Pits in Bern many years ago. I read on a sign somewhere in France that you had to BUY one from TO.

    If you are driving, you may wish to buy one online before you leave.

    Seety is good for sussing out parking (black = tow away zone, red = very expensive, say EUR 3/hr, orange = expensive EUR 2/hr, green = less expensive EUR 1/hr, blue = free with disk, white = unlimited) zones in major locations:

    https://map.seety.co/?lang=en

    All other payments were made with my 28 Degrees credit card. Pre-paid hotels even accepted CC for city tax amounts as low as EUR 0.75.

    I was going to use my ubank debit card if I needed to withdraw cash from an ATM but I didn't have to because I had EUR in cash from my last trip and I hardly used any.

    Usings CCs in France has always been complicated because you almost always had to sign. The checkout chicks aren't expecting this so you had to point out to them the word Signature on screen. Then they had to ask how to generate Signature form and get a pen from other operators much to the "amusement" of the shoppers behind you.

    This still happened a few times but most supermarkets now use Tap and Pay which doesn't trigger the signature requirement.

    The Tap and Pay limit in EU is EUR 50, much less than AUD 200 limit in Oz.

    Buying fuel is still difficult especially if you had a GPL (LPG) car like we did because:

    1. Very few "gas" stations sell GPL. Only Total and hypermarches/supermarches have GPL.

    2. Most carburant stations are unmanned, or are unmaned after hours

    3. They won't sell GPL unless station is manned.

    4. You have to insert card in slot and sign.

    You have to find a hypermarche that has a manned boomgate booth during shopping hours, but not after 1230 on Sat or at all on Sun.

    When you do find one, using:

    https://www.prix-carburants.gouv.fr/

    a lot of the time they don't have any GPL or the dispenser is being repaired or …

    Fortunately, we had a dual fuel car so if we had run out of gas we wouldn't have been stranded.

    Fuel purchased

    We spent:

    GPL: EUR 313 = AUD 518 at an average price of EUR 0.94/L (AUD 1.59/L). Fuel economy according to car computer = 7.9L/100km

    Petrol: EUR 67 = AUD 111 at EUR 1.89/L (AUD 3.13/L) on one tank of petrol that we still had half of because we didn't use any once we found the first “gas” station that had GPL. Fuel economy = 7.2L/100km

    We are very pleased we had GPL because it worked out so much cheaper than petrol.

    GPL = AUD 12.56/100km
    Petrol = AUD 22.54/100km

    It would have cost 79% more if we had been using petrol.

    The big gotcha of having a GPL car (leased Dacia Sandero Stepway) was that they put the gas tank in the spare wheel well in floor of boot and you don't get a spare tyre, just an inflation kit. This would have made life difficult if we had had a puncture but we didn't get one.

    TIP: Always have enough cash on hand to cover fuel payment just in case CC fails for whatever reason which it looked like it was going to do once but eventually the booth lady sorted out whatever the problem was.

    Hotel costs - We spent EUR 1622 = AUD 2687 for 31 nights accommodation at an average price of EUR 52/night = AUD 87/night.

    We stayed at Enzo, Premiere Classe, B&B Hotel, Ibis Budget, Kyriad and Campanile hotels.

    Use Booking.com on map on PC to locate potential hotels.

    Tip: If you select View on map from main screen it doesn't show prices unless you point to hotel. If you go into hotel and then View on map prices are displayed for all hotels - if you zoom in far enough!

    Read reviews.

    Check on phone app because a lot of the time it is cheaper.

    Check on hotel chain website. Usually much cheaper, say EUR 10 less, even though I have Level 3 Genius status with BC.

    Join their free discount clubs. Usually get 5 to 10% off.

    I prefer BC because I can filter for ensuite facilities and free on-site parking which are our 2 critical selection criteria.

    Food cost - No idea. A lot of the food, which we mainly buy from supermarkets, is cheaper than in Oz, so it probably cost us less to eat there than it would at home.

    Travel Tip: You have to be off your head to travel in Europe in summer. April/May is best. Crisp temperatures. Spring flowers. Few other travellers to compete for hotels, roads, parking.

    We got caught in Spain's "unprecedented" 40C heatwave when we were in Toulouse. Temps were only mid 20s but it was quite unpleasant clambering up and down to hilltop "beaux villages" in Dordogne valley.

    Very few hotels have AC.

    No hotels have insect screens so if you open window you will get bitten.

    Hotels never change bedding style (we asked to confirm this). They only have doonas which are too hot in summer. You have to remove lining and use cover which may mean that you are then too cold.

    • iceteacake on 08/05/2023 - 19:47

      Do you know of any ATM’s in the country you visited that does not charge fees for withdrawing Euro?
      Is it necessary to get a train in Switzerland or is it better off with a car? How much does the train pass cost?

      • werdnanostaw on 09/05/2023 - 12:46
        +1

        The Man in Seat 61 suggests that train passes aren't a good deal:

        https://www.seat61.com/how-to-use-a-eurail-pass.htm

        ATM fees from pre-Covid trip in Dec 2019 to Jan 2020:

        France - mostly free, but some charge

        Portugal - free

        Spain - EUR 5

        Italy - free

        GB - free

        I can't find website I used to use to find out fees. I will post it if I find it.

        • iceteacake on 09/05/2023 - 14:46

          Thanks!

          • werdnanostaw on 09/05/2023 - 19:25

            @iceteacake: If you're going to get a car in Europe for more than 2 weeks you should consider a short term, tax free lease from Renault, Citroen or Peugeot.

            https://www.renaulteurodrive.com.au/

            https://www.citroeneuropass.com.au/

            https://www.peugeoteurope.com.au/

            Pickup in France for free or in nearby countries for extra fee. Drive anywhere in Europe except UK, Kosovo and Albania. Possibly other exclusions. Don't take my word for it. CHECK!

            These are the greatest travel deals on earth. You get a brand new car that is 110% insured.

            100% means that whatever happens to car you will pay nothing.

            10% means that while they fix whatever is wrong with car, eg no replacement tyre immediately available, they will provide up to 10 days car hire and/or accomodation.

            If you rent car even if you take out maximum insurance, ie CDW offered by rental company or travel insurance, you are liable for a vast number of extra charges:

            Underbody and overhead damage
            Damaged glass and mirrors
            Interior damage, eg spilled coffee on seats
            Wrong fuel
            Lost keys
            Damaged wheels and tyres
            Recovery after accident
            Storage while car waits to be repaired
            Transport to repair centre
            Lost rental while car is being repaired
            Admin fees
            THE BIGGIE - Diminution of value. If they assess that resale value of car has been reduced by say 25% due to accident damage they will charge you 25% of $40,000 car.

            If renting, you need to take out 3rd party rental car insurance. I always use, but have never needed to claim so I can't say that it works but all reviews say that it does:

            www.rentalcover.com

            They provide $100,000 of cover for whatever rental company charges you for about $10/day.

            I rent through associated company:

            www.rentalcars.com

            At end of rental process they offer rentalcover.com cover. This way you get one voucher with rental and insurance details.

            Never rent directly from overseas car rental company because when you pick up car they will attempt to "upsell" many extras with conditions in foreign language and/or displayed on scratched unreadable tablet with 20 pages of conditions.

            Always book through Oz reseller because they will, hopefully, have made sure all basic cover such as 3rd party property and personal is included. Especially important in USA where home car insurance covers rental cars so basic cover is not included in base price. You can end up liable for millions in damages if you injure someone or you run into very expensive vehicle or shop front.

            I have been leasing cars in Europe for 41 years. It is a brilliant deal.

            As I said above I have just returned from driving leased car around France for one month. No damage this time though previously I have taken out right side of car on low bollard on last day of 4 month return trip from Paris to Syrian border in Turkey (no longer possible becuse Turkey is now excluded) with no damage up until then or in tiny village in Sicily driven up onto ground level front door step from approach side and dropped off on other side and crushed rocker panel. In both cases when I returned car they gave a Gallic shrug and that was it - no cost to me.

            Contact me directly if you want more info.

            • werdnanostaw on 09/05/2023 - 20:38

              @werdnanostaw: Other items rental company may charge you for:

              Uninsured other driver
              Single car accident, ie any of the things I did wouldn't be covered

      • werdnanostaw on 09/05/2023 - 20:17
        +1

        I cant find Wiki page giving details of ATM fees worldwide. A Gsearch will give you many links to other pages.

        The ATM fees are almost irrelevant because you only have to use ATM once to pull out enough cash to pay for one tank of fuel, if driving, if CC rejected for some reason. The rest of the time you can use (no fees) CC for everything.

        I found this Wiki page in my Favourites about local phone SIMs:

        https://prepaid-data-sim-card.fandom.com/wiki/Prepaid_SIM_wi…

        I find it is easier to buy SIM in Oz. Even if it is cheaper to buy SIM OS the amount of faffing about to sign up is just not worth it.

        BC (Before Covid) I got SIM in Spain after long search to find company that would sign up non-EU user. It took 20 minutes to fill out paperwork for EUR 10 SIM.

        It's like getting key cut at Bunnings. It costs $3 and it takes 10 minutes. How is this financially viable for them? Ditto buying SIM OS.

        As far as I could find you can only buy 30 day SIM in Oz. SIM sellers said it couldn't be topped up and you had to buy extra SIMs for longer period. However, after it expired 2 days ago Three hammered me with offers to top up.

        I had 3 SIM in current phone and I took old phone with Oz SIM in it to receive authorisations codes. When I got back to Oz I switched SIMs. That's how I received 3 offers.

        You can get 60 day data only SIM. You can use voice messaging apps like WhatsApp to call online contacts. If you need to make voice calls to standard phone you can buy Skype out credit.

        I had $50 Skype credit left over from years ago when I needed to call non-online parents, etc. I used this credit to call lease company at CDG airport to come and pick me up. (I now have $49.94 credit - it ain't going to be used up quickly at 3 cents/minute.) I used airport wifi to get online because I only had 30 day SIM and it didn't activate until day after I arrived. It was 1700 so I reckoned I didn't need phone on first day. I hoped I wouldn't smash up car in 10km drive to first night hotel.

  • Sweet3st on 08/05/2023 - 16:37

    HostelWorld is good for scouting out budget accommodation. Lots of EU hostels are quite nice and most have private rooms.

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