If you want the same thing for free, I’d recommend Couchsurfing or Hospitality Club – works pretty well in many parts especially of Eastern Europe.
Well, it’s not exactly the same, as it focuses on the social experience of staying with other people and also on a “give-and-take” mentality.
AirBnB arrangements and the likes, AFAIK, are on the brink of illegality in many places. See here.
However… who cares?
Everybody who puts a spare room on the market is undermining the hotel business.
Every hotel owner would like to shut down all B&B and self catering options.
Most self catering owners don’t declare it for tax (especially in southern Europe).
The internet has undermined many old and comfortable business models, and will continue to undermine more.
Air B&B may be illegal in the USA in some way but seemingly not in the UK where they advertise massively.
It’s probably a bit like online advertising aeroplane seat sharing (legal) and online advertising cost sharing (illegal). Yet everybody knows most seat sharing adverts imply cost sharing, because most of the pilots are renters and most of those will not do a flight unless they can cost share it.
It’s an interesting point that if I was running a server with a “dating agency” for self catering accommodation, I would need to be prepared for the local tax authority to raid it at some stage 
Air B&B may be illegal in the USA in some way but seemingly not in the UK where they advertise massively.
Apparently in some cities in Germany it’s also illegal due to local regulations.
It’s probably a bit like online advertising aeroplane seat sharing (legal) and online advertising cost sharing (illegal).
AFAIK that’s a UK-specific thing, too, though.
This is a bit off-topic, but what I haven’t quite figured out is this: As a UK-license holder flying in Germany with an airplane rented in Germany, am I restricted by the “advertise in a club environment only”-rule? And then it gets even more complicated when I ask my friends on Facebook to share a ride and the costs… I don’t see how that is public advertising, but how would a court rule on this?
As a UK-license holder flying in Germany with an airplane rented in Germany, am I restricted by the “advertise in a club environment only”-rule?
No. You are restricted by the “no advertising at all” rule. (The emphasis on “nichtge*werb*liche Flüge” lies on “werb” or advertising). “Word of mouth” is the only way by which you can legally find people to fill your spare seats for cost sharing. But AFAIK, nobody has ever prosecuted a pilot for putting up a note at his club house informing fellow club members about his planned flights.
And then it gets even more complicated when I ask my friends on Facebook to share a ride and the costs… I don’t see how that is public advertising, but how would a court rule on this?
Difficult one. From my experience with German courts, the outcome would mainly depend on how many “friends” you have on facebook (20 would probably pass as real friends or people who you really know personally, making the thing legal; 200 would look more like a random group gathered for commercial reasons) and the aviation expert nominated by the prosecution.
Apparently in some cities in Germany it’s also illegal due to local regulations.
Especially in Berlin, but people have obviously been exaggerating the “private hotel” business model there.
How do you choose your hotels
Hi all,
In september I hopefully plan a trip (1 week), combined with 4 days congress in Ljubljana during that week. Because I don’t have IFR, i’m more dependent on good weather.
Before and after the congress I have a few days (4 before, 1.5 after) for flying around in europe. I want to visit a few places (lugano, sion, venice, soms airports in Croatia,… I don’t know yet. But Europe is still Europe and we don’t know the weather for a few days/weeks before, also with and alpcrossing the weather has to be good. So it is possible I have to stay longer, shorter, or just fly direct from Belgium to ljubljiana (I will take Lesce Bled I think), …
I know only the accor group (with no hotels in Slovenia) where you can cancel your room the day of arrival without any costs. But do you know other hotels with easy cancelling (because VFR is unpredictable)
So the question is:
- What are the flexible, pilot-friendly hotels, B&B’s, … with easy cancellation due to the weather (preferably without any costs if possible)
- How do you choose your stay
- Do you still book in front when you don’t know if you are going to make it? Or do you book your room the day itself when you arrive, before you depart,… (with internet,…)
- What are the tactics on trips with multiple destinations and a lot of flexibility?
Done a similar trip last year in September (there is a long write-up here on euroga, feel free to check it: http://www.euroga.org/articles/trips/fly-balkan-trip-report).
In terms of choosing accomodation, some ideas:
)For a longer trip, I suggest a combination of those options to diversify the risk a bit…
You can always go on Booking.com and choose the hotels with the best cancellation policy. Often there are various cancellation / modification policies at work within the same hotel, so check carefully. At least that’s what I usually do, as I travel a lot for work, but very often need to change plans at very short notice.
booking.com and book 2 days before you plan to arrive.
