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Cheap hotels around the world are an alternative approach to tourism and a non traditional way through with to discover cultures and societies. Apart from the linguistic confusion drawn into the matter by the word cheap, this hotel concept has lovers and detractors, those who wouldn’t change that sort of lodging not even for a Hilton 5 star and those who wouldn’t even set foot into one of these rustic bed shelters. I find myself in between lines, for I take passion in traveling in either way, depending always on where, when and whom I’m with. Cheap is an ambiguous word when used in this context. For, while indeed these accommodation options are inexpensive, the adjective can be misunderstood as tacky, tasteless, etc, making no justice to a through description. These are one-of-a-kind hotels in which the owner is usually the one who runs it, frequently found in the front desk sharing tips and information with the travelers, making sure everything is on the right lane. Simple and exuding a true local feel, Cheap Hotels are a particular reflection of the city or town they belong to, frequently decorated with local crafts and linens, and even some local artists’ paintings hanging in the walls; the construction most of the times shares lines with those of the town’s majorities –wood, brick, adobe or even salt blocks can be the basic foundation and aesthetic style. A limited number of rooms, with basic beds and facilities, in some cases you will even share toilette facilities and dine in a common living room with the locals. These are not strange features to B&Bs, Inns, hostels and 1-2 Star Hotels from around the globe…, that’s right, for any of these can be a cheap hotel if the concept is to provide an inexpensive lodge featuring the essence of the local style and way of life in an unpretentious way. While natural ethnic lodges are intentionally local-ish in their style and aesthetic, “Cheap Hotels” are just like this… They are decorated with handy inexpensive local crafts because that’s what’s most accessible to the local population. So in an essential manner we could point out that without even aiming to achieve a truthful local style, the owners of what we have graciously christened as Cheap Hotels are the most authentic aesthetic reflections of the town or city they belong to. I’m pretty proud of calling myself a citizen of the world, having traveled since I was born, having made my way discovering each new place I set foot on, I’m deeply fond of these lodges for the simple life style as well as the fact that the contact I grasp of society when temporarily living in these chosen homes is deeply rewarding. I thought I was a strange traveler, our of the average who was so into these lodges, till I recently found on a local bookstore a book entitled Cheap Hotels from around the world. I was immediately filled with the need of reading and enjoying the photos, and while I went through its pages I began to remember all the places I had been, where I stayed and how deeply happy I was. My challenge, my “leit motive” from then on was to keep on traveling and discovering those wonderful places… Throughout the last years I began to document my own cheap hotels which I now share with you all. I would love to read other travelers experiences and findings around the globe. In the near future I’ll go telling the story behind each of these magical places! In the past months we visited with great pleasure the coasts of Uruguay –as we described in past work blog entries-, it was a trip for pleasure and one of work, for we had the opportunity of working first hand in several locations of our interest that have populated many of our most important projects of the past year. Such is the case of the Lighthouse documentary, the shipwrecks’ historical reconstruction, deep scuba diving and other earthier like treasures like antique classic cars. We are know working for and developing our next trip of the year 2010, again to Highway-Route 40, Argentina, we will be visiting the North of Argentina, starting from the city of San Juan, Province of San Juan…… please feel free to check the update with new and fantastic information of our trip by checking this work blog we have started, so ……….. If you would like to take part in any of our trips or tours or in this interesting rally venture, please don’t hesitate to contact us directly thru email, phone or chat. Press here; For more information: Email: Bob Frassinetti. Press here to go back to the web blog for Arts and Antiques in Argentina:Daily Updates for web all Argentina, Chile and Uruguay. By means of this brief insight we want to encourage our readers to participate actively in any (or all) these developing projects, by means of questions, information, tips, collective work as well as traveling and discovering together this marvelous gems of the River Plate coastline area………….