After all, the main reason for paying 500 Euros for a night in a hotel is that everything will meet your expectations. There will be no surprises. What's the fun in that?

But let's say you rent a motorhome and drive down the Algarve in Portugal, avoiding the built-up mess they've made out of the heart of it, only to come to rest late one evening in a paradise of flowers and fresh air which also happens to be a camping spot. You are pleasantly surprised. For very little cash you're having a great deal of fun in air perfumed by spring flowers. Your little corner of this paradise is so hidden away that you don't see other campers. Ahhh.

But then, the next morning, as the sun pokes through the horizon you get out of your motorhome for a little stretch in the fresh air and find out you're in a nudist camp. Will the surprises ever end?

By James Martin, About.com Guide to Europe Travel