If you are in the process of planning a holiday on a tight budget, you will know that sorting out accommodation is one of the key difficulties facing any potential traveller. It is possible to find a hotel that suits both budget and taste as long as you follow a few important guidelines.

To start with, it is very important that you begin to plan your holiday well in advance. If you leave it to the last minute to book your accommodation, you will inevitably find that all the good, cheap hotels are booked up.

Make sure you do your research as well. Of all the huge collection of hotels in Dublin, for example, only a few might meet your own personal criteria. Unless you thoroughly investigate potential establishments, you could end up staying somewhere you find that you hate.

As long as you have done your research and are organising your holiday well in advance, you should not have to sacrifice comfort in the interest of adhering to your budget. While you shouldn't expect the Ritz, you should also demand a good standard of hotel living.

If accommodation is not sufficiently comfortable, you won't enjoy your vacation as much – and surely a horrible holiday is a far greater waste of money than a few extra pounds spent on slightly nicer rooms?