Villa Life on the Cheap

Need an inexpensive accommodation base to use while investigating the South of France? You can find a double room in a villa, with a swimming pool and tennis courts, during the peak summer holiday period for only $12 per person a night.

The trick is to check out schools that have student residences that empty at the end of the academic year. Many times they offer rooms to travelers at budget rates.

An example is the Universite Canadienne en France, which is set above the village of Villefranche-sur-Mer overlooking the Mediterranean. It’s operated abroad by Blyth & Co., a Canadian firm known for operating a variety of upscale educational, student and adult travel programs.

School’s Out

This student residence is a collection of villas, each with six double rooms, a kitchenette, a sun terrace, two bathrooms and a common room. During the summer holiday season, which begins April 17, the double rooms become available to students, other individuals and families.

When you investigate student resident accommodations, inquire about local transportation. For example, the UCF campus is on an estate four miles east of Nice.

It may overlook the sea, but it’s not within easy walking distance of the waterfront. Its site is best for travelers who have their own transportation. It’s a 10-minute walk to the bus stop, where for 6.50 francs (about $1.10 U.S.) you can travel to Nice. That hourly service stops at 7 p.m.

Before deciding about a residence, also inquire about meal facilities. The UCF residence has a cafe but it is only open on an irregular basis during the school holiday. The villas do, however, have shared kitchens.

You don’t have to be a student to use many of the residence facilities in North America and abroad during holiday periods. And they do let you settle in for several weeks if you choose, something you can’t do at many other youth facilities.

Ask for information through tourist information offices or contact the director of residences directly.

For more information on the UCF facilities, contact Universite Canadienne en France, Blyth & Co., 1 Rockefeller Plaza, Suite 1712, New York 10020 or call toll-free (800) 228-7712 or (212) 265-9600.

In France, contact UCF, Domaine du Mont Leuze, Ville Franche-sur-Mer 06230.

For South Pacific Jaunts

Young budget travelers who stop in Fiji while traveling can find low-cost dormitory accommodations at several resorts. One of those resorts, Seashell Cove, is adding more budget accommodations.

Seashell Cove Resort is on the beach 23 miles south of Nadi Airport. It offers a swimming pool, tennis courts and a variety of lodgings from tent sites at $6 Fiji (about $4 U.S.) to family bures with refrigerators and stoves for up to $70 Fiji a night.

Those who have depleted their travel budgets can find dormitory beds at the resort for $10 Fiji a night, continental breakfast included. Members of the International Youth Hostel Federation pay $8.

A block of double rooms was added last month; they go for $25 Fiji a room, continental breakfasts included.

The resort has a restaurant, food shop and a bar with entertainment six nights a week. It also offers a variety of day trips from visiting a Fijian village to reef snorkeling excursions.

An airport pickup service for $2 is provided to guests who have prebooked. The postal address is Box 9530, Nadi Airport, Fiji.