One such option is youth hostels (Jugendherberge, or Hostel). There are about 600 of them in Germany. The average price ranges from 15 to 30 euros. Anyone can stay there, regardless of age, but under one condition: they must join the German Youth Hostel Association (DJH). Membership for one year costs just 12 euros for people under 26, and 20 euros for older people and families. You can buy a membership card and reserve a place at a hostel, for example, on the association's website or at hostelclub.com. Payment is made by credit card or cash upon arrival at the hostel.
The cheapest, but not always comfortable, overnight accommodation is offered by campsites. Campsite fees are usually charged per person per day and once for a tent site. You have to pay extra for a shower (about 1 euro). The average price is about 10 euros if you sleep in your own tent, or about 40 euros if you stay in a trailer, which is usually equipped with everything a middle-class hotel has: toilet, shower, telephone, satellite TV.
German campsites often also have a solarium, sauna, and cafe. The main drawback is that they are usually located on the outskirts or outside the city. A list of campsites with addresses and phone numbers can be found online at d-camping.de or kleincamp.de. Detailed descriptions and prices are also available on the website camping-urlaub.de.
For those who like to travel from city to city, a reasonable alternative is the Etap Hotel chain of one-star hotels, where you can stay for 30-40 euros, and a second or third guest in the room pays only 6-7 euros. The chain has 330 hotels in ten European countries, including about 50 hotels in almost all major German cities. You can reserve a room online, by phone, or directly at the hotel. All information is available in German, English, and French at etaphotel.com.
You can also stay for 15-40 euros in three- or four-star hotels, including well-known chains such as Holiday Inn, Mercure, or Novotel, but under one condition: you stay for only one night. Hotel offers can be viewed on kurz-mal-weg.de, and you can reserve a room on the hotel's website or by phone.
Travelers in small groups can rent an apartment (Ferienwohnung) in the private sector. On average, an apartment for four people can cost from 100 to 300 euros per week. The price depends on the region of the country and the time of year. Apartment rental is most expensive during holidays, school vacations, and the main season from June to September. Apartment owners often require a deposit of about 200 euros. You can select and book an apartment online, for example at ferienwohnung.de or fewo-direkt.de. You can find an apartment or room in Berlin for your vacation at an affordable price at ferienwohnung-zimmer-berlin.de.