One of the first blog entries posted here was about staying in hostels and other budget types of lodging. From the responses that post garnered, I gather that many of Stripes readers prefer mid-range to out-and-out luxury accommodation when traveling. But booking a hotel on-line can be an iffy proposition, especially when searching out something from the “moderate” category. How many times have you booked an unknown but seemingly-OK-for-the-money 2- or 3-star place based on photos online only to check in, open the door to your room, and feel vague disappointment, if not utter dismay? What to do?

On many of the past few trips I’ve taken, I’ve decided to dispense with the off-chance opportunity that I might find a hidden gem and just go with the more known names in accommodation. My tried and true recommendation for short-duration getaways in Germany and northern Europe? A room from the Accor hotels line.

Some of the hotels offered by Accor are Ibis, Mercure, and Novotel, and I have recent experience with the first two. Ibis, my choice in Duesseldorf when I had a 1 a.m. arrival at the city’s main train station, proved a great pick in that I didn’t even need to exit the terminal to gain access to the hotel. The room was in the 50-euro range for a single.

Arriving in Breda, Netherlands, at the dinner hour last month, we were confident a three-star hotel would materialize in short order. Three hours of wandering and seven fruitless inquiries later, we were at last directed to the city’s Mercure. The next day, having no desire to repeat the experience of the previous evening, we headed to Den Haag and immediately settled into a centrally-located Ibis. The charm factor was low, but the room was spotless, and in terms of location and price (79 euros), it would have been hard to beat.

Novotels represent the more upscale offerings of the Accor line. Presumably due to a slump in the volume of guests on business over the weekends, some of their hotels in the larger cities offer quite advantageous weekend rates. A minimum two-night weekend stay may qualify you for their city breaks special, in which you save up to 40 percent of the standard published rate. Plus they throw in breakfast, something you don’t always find on the other types of bargain deals. Another possible way to find a weekend bargain? Stay at a hotel located near an international airport. Admittedly slightly inconvenient, but the public transportation links might turn out to be really good.

Heading somewhere, but don’t know where? Scroll through the Accor’s list of hot deals and see what’s available at up to 40 percent off rack rates. Tempting offers as of this writing included a Mercure in Munich at 49 euros, an Ibis in Bruges, Belgium at 69 euros, or a Novotel in Barcelona for 70 euros per night, double occupancy.

Do any readers have their own particular favorite chain hotels here in Europe?