In-room cooking

Carol, there's so many places you can get delicious food to go, and its reasonably priced by the kilo.

Unless you "have to" eat soup, you're better off going to the take away and get something from the local deli (or equivalent).

Greetings

Be sure to check with the hotel or B&B - many forbid cooking in your room for safety reasons. Remember that your immersion coil would likely require an adaptor and converter to work. Immersion coils in particular can be dangerous, and are sometimes forbidden when other appliances are forbidden.

I concur with the above - you are much better eating out or being creative (deli etc.). There are many inexpensive ways to eat in Europe - I've had a great dinner at a restaurant for under 10 Euros. Not sure where you will be, but Use It, which is aimed at students & 20 somethings is a great source of inexpensive food & tourist ideas for all. Google Use It to see if they have a map guide for your city(s).

KAte

I have no problem with in room eating, but I think in room cooking is going too far. First I am fairly sure any hotel would not be pleased, its a fire hazard and your food could stink up rooms (ok , well not soup, but getting more creative then that is where the problem lays).

Frankly there is so much take away you should not have to actually cook in your room , even people who rent apts which have kitchens will often rely on take away with some fruit, wine and yogurts in the fridge for extras.
Why not rent a studio apt. They can be cheaper then hotels and they will at least have a sink , some dishes and a micro wave and fridge!?

While in London, I spent 7 pounds for the daily dinner special at a RS recommended restaurant on Panton Street. Roast chicken, potatoes, salad.

Probably would have spent 7 pounds had I gone to Tesco and purchased the same amount of food - but I don't think it would have been a pleasant experience standing around my hotel room with an immersion coil stuffed up a dead chicken's butt for an hour.

As other people have said, you can also go to a deli and get the same meal for even a little less (and avoid having to leave a tip) if you go for takeaway.

It is possible to eat cheaply in Europe.

I wouldn't worry too much about cooking food. Most dry soups can be made palatable with the hottest tap water you can get out of the tap and extra soaking time, and there's plenty of uncooked food that will make LOTS of good meals. I usually breeze through a grocery store and pick up some fruit, bread, nuts, and some sort of oil or spread for the bread. This strategy makes for good last-minute picnicking as well!

In the UK, you'd have to be in a VERY dodgy hotel or B&B not to have a kettle and tea fixings. Brits don't function without a good cuppa!

B&B's almost always forbid any cooking in rooms (and using the kettle for anything other than hot water). If you are staying in a B&B, check to see if they offer kitchen facilities. Some have a kitchen for residents, others will allow you use their kitchen for simple things.

Still, I'd go out for dinner. Why travel if you're going to stay in your room for meals...checking out local pubs & restaurants is half the fun.

Kate

Because I'm one those people who must have a cup of coffee immediately upon rising in the morning, I used to travel with an immersion heater to heat up water. It also came in handy for a late evening cup of tea.

There are dual voltage immersion heaters with safety devices on them that prevent you from laying them down on anything that can get burned.

I have since switched to a portable one cup coffee maker since the immersion heater was too much of a problem when trying to make real coffee.

Be advised. If you plug or unplug an immersion heater into the wall without it being submerged in some type of liquid, it will most likely burn out. Very easy to do.

I agree with the previous posters that take away is a better idea. But if you must heat something up in your room, go with a travel sized pot that can heat up water over an immersion heater.

I think in room cooking is a no-no

Greg

We usually do shop in markets for picnic foods or takeaway during the day, and always carry a picnic kit with us -- cutlery, Frisbee for a plate, S&P, hand wipes, etc. And, we often find inexpensive places to eat at night. We love pub grub, for example.

But I was just wondering about other possibilities. I have a dual-voltage immersion heater and had heard here and there about some stuff that could be done besides soup.

We'll be in the UK, so I know we'll usually have an electric kettle in the B&B rooms, but just wondered.

Honestly, how expensive would soup or anything else be that would make someone want to take an immersion heater or hot pot to Europe?

I don't get this. We stayed in hotels before and simply went out and bought whatever we wanted to eat later in the night. Sometimes we took things back to the room, but cooking in a room is not a good idea and can be dangerous.

If the rules say NO COOKING in the room, why chance causing a fire?

http://www.monkeychef.fr/

Carol, why would you cook in your room when you've got this in Paris? bon appétit! P

I've used an immersion coil in my room no problem. You can actually do a lot with a kettle or coffee maker found in your room. Get creative! I've entertained myself this way many a late, sleepless night. It helps to have a travel partner just as wacky! Or no travel partner at all!

If a kettle and coffee maker in your room is provided it must be safe to use. You can do a lot with boiled water. It's nice to be able to make hot choc at 3AM when RS is closed. Or hot soup after a wet rain pour. Or even Hot Lemon. The convenience factor is invaluable, IMO.

Some of us here don't like this idea. I see nothing wrong with it. Maybe they would change their mind if they lived out of a small Opera box sized Apartment hotel room 4 days a week three weeks a month! Afterall, it is my home away from home! I also enjoy take aways and occaisional fine dining.

BTW, just be careful not to use the same outlet for both coffee maker and kettle at the same time...I've popped a fuse a time or two that way!

F/A

Traveling when it's your job, and traveling for fun are two different things. When i worked in tours, I used to have a travel-sized hot pot that came with two large plastic cups.(Sadly, it's no longer made.) Rather than go down and face my passengers in the dining room, I traveled with individual packets of instant oatmeal and coffee. (One of each cup.) This way I could enjoy my breakfast in peace.

When I travel as a tourist, I always go out for breakfast to enjoy the local specialties. I still travel with some type of device to make coffee in my room should my room not have one.

I've seen the immersion heaters but haven't yet packed or used one.

Even when we stay in an apartment, we rarely "cook". We buy cold food to throw together and snacks. We augment that with pizza or bratwurst to go and an occasional cafe/restaurant meal. Eating in for us is a quick bite so we can head out for sites.