With some tour companies, you pay extra for single accommodations on the tour unless they find a roommate for you. But what happens if the roommate they find has issues that are not satisfactory to you? Loud snoring, for example.

What if it’s someone who talks too much when you want to relax or sleep or someone who goes on about politics or religion or who you just find irritating because of personality conflicts? How can you find out these things before agreeing to the roommate...

A friend and I visited Indonesia, May 5-27, 2011 (Nov. ’11, pg. 4). On Java we stayed near Borobudur temple at the gracious Lotus Guest House (Jl. Medang Kamulan No.2, Central Java, Borobudur, 56553, Indonesia; phone +62 293 788281), overlooking lush rice fields. From the roof, we enjoyed great sunset views of Borobudur.

We had a huge, and I mean megahuge, room with a private balcony. No AC; fan only. Our double cost IDR200,000 (near $24), with breakfast.

Many visitors...

My husband, John, and I had the luck to find a wonderful hotel in the center of Brussels’ I’lot Sacré (the historic district). The fairly modern, 92-room Floris Arlequin Grand’Place (rue de la Fourche 17-19, B-1000, Bruxelles, Belgium; phone +32 [0] 2 514 16 15) has an ambiance of comfort and coziness and a location that is not to be beat.

On a quiet section of rue de la Fourche and set just off the busy rue du Marché aux Herbes, it’s simply steps away from the...