Trippers' Best of...Lodging

From guesthouses, to hostel, to hostels, to camping, to staying at people's houses, to sleeping on trains and buses, I did it all. These are the ranking of the best paid places. For sake, anyone who offered me a free place to stay (and there were many of you), consider yourself the true #1!

1. Prince Mekong Villa, Siem Reap, Cambodia - I don't think I ever more at home, or even felt so sad to leave, than during my five days at the wonderful Prince Mekong Villa. A gem in the dirty sea of guesthouses that is Siem Reap, the gateway to Angkor Wat. Free welcome drink, free one time laundry, free unlimited bottled drinking water, free bikes, free hot breakfast, and self serve beer. not to mention the only kitchen in SE Asia. Paradise...did i mention it cost $4 a night for my own fanned room?

2. Indigo Youth Hostel, Valencia, Spain - I had just had one of the worst days of my traveling before I came to Indigo. There, the friendly staff, beautiful spacious common areas, and small, intimate atmosphere melted all my worries away. What a fantastic place, I wish I could have stayed longer. You really helped me remember why I love traveling.

3. Nathan's Villa, Sighisoara, Romania (pictured) - Free breakfast...all day long. No check out time, just leave when you have to. A downstairs bar, plenty of booze, great tours, and the most amazing open air market just a few blocks away. That 5pm breakfast was delicious!

4. Hiker's Hostel, Plovdiv, Bulgaria - Hiker's had it all, a great staff, a lovely garden and a perfect location right inside the Plovdiv old town. Free internet, free breakfast, and a full kitchen along with a friendly backpacker atmosphere made it a perfect traveler's stop.

5. Mut Mee Guesthouse. Nong Khai, Thailand - A pleasant surprise in a the pleasant border town of Nong Khai, Thailand. Beautiful rivenside garden lounge, cheap bikes, and a short walk to the central market. Not to mention it cost $2.5 for a comfortable 3 bed dorm room!

6. Traveller's House, Lisbon, Portugal. - a two week old gem (when we were there).

7. Treehouse Hostel, Gruneu, Austria - Gertrude, the owner, sure knows how to have a good time!

8. Mostel Hostel, Sofia, Bulgaria - With three entries in the top 10, Romania and Bulgaria were paid accommodation heaven.

9. Daniel's Lodge, Cameron Highland, Malaysia - Don't mention the Lonely Planet writer who wrote a bad review over the nightly bonfire.

10. Goodbye Lenin Hostel, Krakow, Poland - Free BBQ, two free shots, free internet, and it was named after one of my favorite movies. Woo-hoo!

Dishonorable Mention: Flying Pig Hostel, Amsterdam. Besides being expensice (26 euros a night), no airconditioning amist a heatwave, and horribly overcrowded. Then they charged us a 10% conversion fee on my credit card to make it even worse. HORRIBLE.

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