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Need Accommodation Recommendations - Brussels, Germany for Christmas

Posted by (Petaluma, ca, usa) on

We are arriving in Brussels Dec. 18 and will be in Europe until Jan 30. We will also go to Germany and perhaps France to enjoy the Christmas faires. We will probably drive, so we can stay in small towns.
We need to stay on a small budget, $80 Euro per night, including the exchange rate, so $55USD per night if possible. We stayed in Rick Steves' destinations last time we were in Italy and Germany and enjoyed it. We are in our late forties and would love to have your recommendations for accommodations in the area. We will be there about 2 weeks. How booked do you think accommodations will be in small, medium and large towns?

Is there a way to book in homes before we go? (my favorite memory is of staying in a home that had two rooms to rent in 1970).
We liked the Steves' recommendations for summer, but there were lots of Americans in those locations in summer - we prefer homes if possible or places that are clean, quaint, charming, great deals with fewer Americans if possible.
Thanks!!

Posted by
6929 posts

80 Euros is much closer to $110 than $55.

But in Germany accommodations in private B&B's can be had for around $55-$70 per night with breakfast. These of course can be booked in advance, though not always online; a lot of owners are older couples, empty nesters without computers but with 2-3 spare rooms. You can find vacation rentals (best as a base for stays of 3-4 days or longer) for even less. Have a look at www.accommodation.de to get an idea of the possiblilities.

You are quite right about the towns and accommodations Rick recommends - but in winter the population of Americans is quite compromised.

Don't know where you intend to go, but from Belgium it isn't far to the Rhine/Mosel region. The Christmas markets in Trier, Mainz, and Ruedesheim are quite nice. If you'd like rec's for this region or others, please provide your destinations.

Posted by
479 posts

Russ is correct, the exchange rate goes the other direction. So figure that 55 USD is about 40 euros. You'll probably have to look into camping to find that rate.

I don't have any recommendations for camping as I have never researched it. but I know it's becoming a much more popular way to travel for a lot of Europeans.

Posted by
6929 posts

There are actually many inexpensive B&B accommodations in Germany that don't include camping. In the Black Forest for example you'll find Euro prices per person for a double room w/ breakfast in the low teens, $30 or so for two I stayed at Haus Steiert in Elzach a couple of years ago and had a clean, roomy set-up w/ private bath and balcony for 15.50 Euros. If you do a search from this page you'll find similar results:

http://www2.toubiz.de/touri/en/search.php

In this and certain other Black Forest towns you can leave your car parked and ride the local trains and buses for free with a guest card called the Konus-karte that you get from your host.

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