Traveling to Europe in Off-season Time

While planning a trip to Europe, consider a trip during the off-season time - November through March.
Off-season airfares are often hundreds of dollars cheaper. With fewer crowds in Europe, you'll sleep cheaper. Many fine hotels drop their prices, and budget hotels will have plenty of vacancies. And while many of the cheap alternatives to hotels will be closed, those still open are usually empty and, therefore, more comfortable.
But winter travel has its drawbacks. Because much of Europe is at Canadian latitudes, the days are short. It's dark by 5 p.m. The weather can be miserable — cold, windy, and drizzly — and then turn worse.
Off-season hours are limited. Some sights close down entirely, and most operate on shorter schedules (such as 10 a.m.–5 p.m. rather than 9 a.m.–7 p.m.), with darkness often determining the closing time. Winter sightseeing is fine in big cities, which bustle year-round, but it's more frustrating in small tourist towns, which often shut down entirely.
To make the most of a winter day, start early and eat a quick lunch. Tourist offices close early and opening times are less predictable, so call ahead to double-check hours and confirm your plans. Pack for the cold and wet — layers, rainproof parka, gloves, wool hat, long johns, waterproof shoes, and an umbrella. Dress warmly.
Most hotels charge less in the winter. So you can save some money on that front too.

URL: http://www.eurailing.com/category/Travel-Guides/Traveling-to-Europe-in-the-Off-Season-time/

By Chandana Banerjee

Tips on Making Hotel Reservations

You’re in Europe and are all set to embark on your Eurailing trip. You’ve armed yourself with a good guidebook, packed your haversack with all the essentials for your Europe vacation and have got yourself a railpass. Now you need to give a thought to accommodation and lodging. Here are some tips on making hotel reservations:
Use a good guidebook and read the hotel listings.
Call ahead to reserve a room.
A hotelier will usually request your credit-card number as a deposit when you book your reservation. You can be billed for one night if you don't show up. Some hotels will hold a room without a deposit if you promise to arrive early.
Try to email or fax your long-distance reservations. European hoteliers prefer reservation requests by email.
In your emailed or faxed request, always list these items: your dates (with date and expected time of arrival, number of nights you'll stay, and date of departure); your room needs (number of people, the facilities you require); and your budget concerns (of course, a trade-off with facilities).
Once they've offered you a room, accept the reservation and send your credit-card number as a deposit.

URL: http://www.eurailing.com/category/Eurailing-across-Europe/Tips-on-Making-Hotel-Reservations/