A Short Course in Finding Student-Style Rooms

A new, free shoestring traveler’s guide to Canada is out. The 70-page “North: A Backpacker’s Guide to Canada” lists all the independent and Hostelling International hostels in that country. Copies are available at Canadian hostels and the 60 offices of the national student travel service, known as Travel CUTS. If you have questions, e-mail editorial@northmagazine.com.

An inexpensive way to find all the hostels operating in North America this summer is through the “Hostel Handbook” for the U.S. and Canada. It’s a pocket-size, 112-page listing of more than 700 places to stay, with tips on budget travel and backpacker services.

Most listings offer accommodations for less than $20 per person, per night. The information is brief, and there are no editorial comments, making it difficult to know the quality of each listing. Ask other travelers for their recommendations and, when possible, check for reviews in guidebooks.

To buy a copy of the handbook, send a check or money order for $4 (payable to Jim Williams) to Hostel Handbook, 722 St. Nicholas Ave., New York, NY 10031. Details, including many of the listings, are on the Web at https://www.hostelhandbook.com. Two other Internet sources for budget accommodations in North America are https:// www.hostels.com and https://www.backpackers.ca.

If you want budget lodgings but with more privacy than hostels offer, two summer options in North America are student residences and YMCA/YWCAs.

Student residences empty out after the school year, and many educational institutions welcome the use of those rooms by travelers. The accommodation is usually in a single or double room. You may have to share a washroom, but you also may have access to a gym or swimming pool. Contact the director of residences at a college or university for information.

Another budget option is the Y, which often offers fitness and swimming facilities with a room.

In Vancouver, Canada, the 4-year-old, centrally located YWCA Hotel/Residence offers rooms with one to four beds and a shared or private bathroom. In the summer, rooms start at $55 for a single, $68 for a double. Students are eligible for a small reduction.

For more information, contact YWCA Hotel/Residence at 733 Beatty St., Vancouver, BC V6B 2M4; tel. (604) 895-5830 or, for reservations, call (800) 663-1424, Internet https://www.ywcahotel.com.