No room in Beijing

Q: I am a student planning a trip to Beijing for the Olympics in August. I have my flight sorted out, as I will be in Hong Kong for July, but I am struggling to get accommodation. Do you have any suggestions? - Mike van Lingen

A: A hotel room is virtually impossible to get at this stage as they will have all been booked out by tour operators. You can try one of the tour operators in Hong Kong, but they are unlikely to allocate you one of their rooms if you don't buy a package including flights and event tickets. As I guess you are doing this on a budget, your best bet is to find alternative accommodation. You can try to find a bed in a hostel (check sites like www.Hostel.net or www.HostelWorld.com) or a site with rooms to rent in locals' homes (www.homestayBeijing2008.com).