Comparison-shop on travel websites for the best hotel deal. Horowitz recommends calling individual hotels and national chains to find out if there are any special rates available. Consider other options for accommodation, such as joining a homestay network like Servas Canada (canada.servas.org).
Homeowners may enjoy a house swap with another family. The only charge is joining a house-swapping agency, which connects you with other interested families. HomeLink International (www.homelink.ca) charges $130 per year and Home Exchange (www.homeexchange.com) costs $99.95 US per year.
Or, consider staying at a bed-and-breakfast. "They're not all cheaper than a hotel, but many are less expensive for a comparable room," says Horowitz. The website BBCanada.com offers a directory, and listings include photos and an icon indicating whether the establishment is family-friendly.
Hostels are another option for budget travellers. Hostels.com (www.hostels.com/en/ca.html) lists hundreds of hostels in Canada, and the listings include pictures as well as visitor comments and ratings. Hostelling International Canada (HI-C) also lists more than 60 hostels from coast to coast on its website (www.hihostels.ca). The majority of HI-C hostels have dedicated family rooms. You don't need to become a member, but if you do, you'll receive even better rates. Rates vary at each hostel but, for example, a room for four people at HI-Toronto costs $108 per night with a membership and $124 per night without a membership, compared to about $184 per night in a standard hotel.
Families travelling between May and August can often bunk in at university residences. The University of Victoria, for example, rents out four-bedroom cluster units (similar to an apartment) for $188 per night (www.housing.uvic.ca/visitor). The University of Prince Edward Island offers accommodations for a family of four in a Blanchard Hall apartment-style residence, which costs $122.71 per night (www.upei.ca/rfcs/html/summeraccomodations.html).
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