An American Vacation in London (and Paris)

No vacation is more classic, more beautiful, more enlightening than a vacation in Western Europe. An ancient land that can really teach you a lot about your origins as an American, a member of Western civilization, and a slightly different way of living, European life is wonderful, and on a vacation you get to get a taste of that without having to move there permanently.

Unfortunately, hoteliers in the hotspots of Europe – cities like London and Paris – have caught on to the fact that tourists absolutely love to come to their metropolises and spend money. Thus, renting a hotel room in Europe can cost you more than any other part of your vacation, and that's saying something!

Fortunately, there are alternatives. For example, in foggy London, vacation apartments are available for rent. London apartment rentals can be had for short lengths of time – days, weeks, even months – at a considerably lower rate than a hotel in the same area.

A London apartment rental has the downside of you having to pay for your utilities, along with having a minimum of furnishings and having to stock the refrigerator yourself, rather than enjoying a nice hotel brunch every morning. Of course, not having to pay for that gourmet chef over the course of your stay amounts to considerable savings!

Perhaps  London isn't for you, though. Paris, on the other hand, is for everyone. Who doesn't harbor a secret dream to visit Paris, see the sights, experience the streets and sights and sounds and (notorious) people of the city of love? Yet, Paris is even more expensive than London! Property owners there have caught onto the need for short-term rentals as well, and so rental apartments in Paris can also be had for the budget vacation.

Paris apartment rentals are somewhat more expensive than their English counterparts, but then, when you get a Paris apartment rental, you're getting the experience of living in Paris for however long you need to. That is, quite frankly, awesome. A hotel in Paris is less useful when you can just walk down to a local Parisian grocer in the morning or experience a Paris boulangerie every evening.

With your living arrangements all lined up with an affordable apartment rental, you can experience your European vacation without concern for cost. Paris and London become infinitely more doable thanks to this smart and efficient way of traveling the world!