Car trip without hotel reservations beforehand?

[fh2000]

I am inspired by the other travel thread: "Pacific North West"

https://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f46/pacific-north-west-109646.html

I would like to take a train ride from California to Washington, then rent a car to slowly drive back to California along the coast now that we are vaccinated. I see a lot of good recommendations to the OP that I would like to go also. Normally I would plan out for all sites and make hotel reservations along the route, but what if we decide on staying in one place for extra night? That would push everything else down.

I am asking if it is possible simply start driving and try you luck each afternoon to get a hotel room when you get to the next town.

 

[harllee]

I am inspired by the other travel thread: "Pacific North West"

https://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f46/pacific-north-west-109646.html

I would like to take a train ride from California to Washington, then rent a car to slowly drive back to California along the coast now that we are vaccinated. I see a lot of good recommendations to the OP that I would like to go also. Normally I would plan out for all sites and make hotel reservations along the route, but what if we decide on staying in one place for extra night? That would push everything else down.

I am asking if it is possible simply start driving and try you luck each afternoon to get a hotel room when you get to the next town.

Pre Covid we use to do this all the time. We would try to get reservations by 3 pm or so for that night. Usually no problem except in resort areas or where there was some big event. Now I understand that the hardest thing is renting cars, there is a car rental shortage.

 

[Car-Guy]

I am asking if it is possible simply start driving and try you luck each afternoon to get a hotel room when you get to the next town.

Sure "it's possible". Actually I've been doing it for years now.... I seldom make reservations anymore... Sometimes I'll call ahead "that day" if there's a particularly hotel I know I want to stay at that night, but even that is uncommon. Note, I do typically travel "off" season (not during summer vacations, spring breaks or Christmas time)

I can't speak for the Pacific NW, but it works for me in the Southern States, coast to coast...

 

[Bflotomny]

I often travel without reservations. One tip: Here along Rt 90 the service stops have throw away hotel pamphlets which have deals at hotels along the area. Pick up one and begin your search.

 

[OldShooter]

We faced that problem in Alaska and in New Zealand. In both cases busy tourist-season areas made last-minute reservations uncertain. Our solution was to rent a mini-motor home. Mostly we used it for sleeping and breakfasts. Lunches and dinners were in restaurants. We really liked the flexibility.

I'd suggest that you call a few properties on your route and ask them your question. Also look for properties and AirBNBs with friendly last-minute cancellation policies. With AirBNB, probably VRBO too, you can look at bookings calendars to see how busy the properties of interest are.

 

[JRon]

I’m in the hotel business in the central plains states and right now our hotels in leisure areas are doing well. We are more limited by the employee shortage than we are by a guest shortage. Getting a room in a leisure area, especially on weekends this summer, may be difficult.

In business markets, larger cities for the most part, we have a guest and employee shortage, but getting a room there at most any time is no issue.

 

[Midpack]

Might not be exactly as described by the OP, but DW and I have driven to destinations that are further than a days drive without reservations many times. Usually it’s on a two day drive, but we like to go as far as we can the first day, so we take off and pull into a hotel when we decide we’ve had enough for the day. These days it’s much easier than it used to be as we can make reservations using a smartphone while minutes away from a hotel. That way we don’t have to guess if they have vacancies, we know before we exit the route. Unless you know you’re somewhere that may not have vacancies, why not?

 

[tulak]

I’m doing this right now in the SE part of the US. I haven’t had any problems finding a hotel.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

I would be more concerned about the "slow" rental drive. The rentals (when available) have not been very cheap and if you are going to drop it off at another location then it could get VERY expensive.

 

[RobbieB]

Certainly possible but best done after "summer vacation" season is over. Also can be difficult on weekends at popular places.

 

[Bamaman]

I often travel without reservations. One tip: Here along Rt 90 the service stops have throw away hotel pamphlets which have deals at hotels along the area. Pick up one and begin your search.

I do the same exact thing--travel with discount coupon books.

But I also will chart my route and go on Booking.com to checkout the accommodations in the cities I'll be going thru. Rates vary city by city.

In larger towns, I'll filter the search from low to high costs, and then look for a cheap hotel/motel that has very high customer ratings than others in the same price range. I've never been disappointed traveling worldwide in this manner.

I'll also be looking for rooms in other cities close by. Monterrey, CA rooms are very expensive. But you can stay in Seaside, 5 mi. north, for very reasonable rates.

And don't forget that many restaurants like Taco Bell and Panera have WIFI. I've also been known to use hotel WIFI's by pulling under their canopy and asking for the password at the front desk. We carry a tablet for such searches. Hotel Reservations on a laptop or tablet are easier to make and info is superior.

 

[WestUniversity]

A couple of friends have rented cars recently. Be prepared for potential STICKER SHOCK…

 

[Which Roger]

Easy to cancel a reservation. Some hotels you can cancel the same day, others might require 24 hours notice. So DW and I will make reservations ahead of time, but then adjust along the way if we decide to stay more of fewer nights at a given location.

 

[audreyh1]

If it’s just regular chain hotels we don’t make reservations because we like the flexibility. I certainly don’t do it while traveling to a far destination.

If it’s a special destination in a popular season - yes, I make reservations ahead if I want a nicer hotel or resort.

 

[pb4uski]

...I am asking if it is possible simply start driving and try you luck each afternoon to get a hotel room when you get to the next town.

That's what we do. DW was initially uncomfortable with this approach but is acclimated to it now.

We have friends who have their hotel spots arranged in advance and DW wanted to do that. on one of our trips I looked at where we would be the next day and found a hotel in that location and almost made a reservation. Wouldn't you know, we ran into a bad accident that delayed us for a couple hours and would have had to drive a couple hours longer than we are comfortable with if we had that reservation. Similarly, not having a hotel room goves us the flexibility to drive farther if we are making good time or simply feel like it.

We usually try to get off the road about dusk, have dinner and then sleep. Mid afternoon we assess where we'll be in a couple hours and make a reservation. Works well for us.

 

[mn54]

That's what we do. DW was initially uncomfortable with this approach but is acclimated to it now.

We have friends who have their hotel spots arranged in advance and DW wanted to do that. on one of our trips I looked at where we would be the next day and found a hotel in that location and almost made a reservation. Wouldn't you know, we ran into a bad accident that delayed us for a couple hours and would have had to drive a couple hours longer than we are comfortable with if we had that reservation. Similarly, not having a hotel room goves us the flexibility to drive farther if we are making good time or simply feel like it.

We usually try to get off the road about dusk, have dinner and then sleep. Mid afternoon we assess where we'll be in a couple hours and make a reservation. Works well for us.

is there a particular website you use such as booking.com, hotel.com, trip advisor.com, etc.

 

[tulak]

is there a particular website you use such as booking.com, hotel.com, trip advisor.com, etc.

For me it depends, but I use hotels.com for general reservations because of their rewards program. After 10 nights, you get one night for free (up to the average of the cost for the 10 nights). So roughly a 10% discount on bookings.

 

[Bamaman]

We rented a SUV in Las Vegas last week. The going rate was $708 per week after all the ridiculous taxes and surcharges. Somehow, I found a car @ $444.

Casino rental desks were only open Thur-Sat. A few were open every day until 1:00, but the cars were all taken. The rental agent told me that despite Vegas having the #2 highest unemployment in the country, they cannot get anyone to work for them.

Everywhere we went, we saw Florida license plates on cars and plates from the far eastern U.S. They were unused rental cars originally used in Florida that were reallocated to the West. It's not like auto manufacturers can furnish them with new cars.

I got phone calls today asking where my rental car was. I turned it in 6 days ago and nobody entered the return in their computer. Personnel quality is lacking too.

 

[pb4uski]

is there a particular website you use such as booking.com, hotel.com, trip advisor.com, etc.

I have status with Hilton Honors so usually that's what we use... but the lower tier Hilton properties like Hampton Inn, Home2 Suites, Hilton Garden Inn, Homewood Suites, etc.

We probably spend a little bit more like going with Hilton but the quality and cleanliness of the properties are consistently good.

 

[aaronc879]

I have never made a hotel reservation in my life. Only had a problem one time and it resulted in sleeping in my car for one night. I like to have the flexability to stop whenever I want rather than have a reservation. I has been worth the one single night sleeping in my car because of unexpected lack of vacancy in the entire area.

 

[audreyh1]

Since we use Hilton hotels most of the time on road trips I often use their HHonors app, especially as you can check-in, go straight to your chosen room, and keyless entry. Even just 1/2 hour ahead of time. Very nice.

For major destinations where I am reserving ahead I usually read through TripAdvisor reviews for a nice hotel in a good location. And I almost always book directly through the hotel website.

 

[ncbill]

I am inspired by the other travel thread: "Pacific North West"

https://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f46/pacific-north-west-109646.html

I would like to take a train ride from California to Washington, then rent a car to slowly drive back to California along the coast now that we are vaccinated. I see a lot of good recommendations to the OP that I would like to go also. Normally I would plan out for all sites and make hotel reservations along the route, but what if we decide on staying in one place for extra night? That would push everything else down.

I am asking if it is possible simply start driving and try you luck each afternoon to get a hotel room when you get to the next town.

Did something similar with dad & younger brother one summer back when I was in college.

Flew into Reno, rented a Town Car, drove up I-5 to Redding, then to the coast, back down the coast highway to SF.

Driving south you find there are a lot of big RVs coming north...sort of scary when you have no guardrails or shoulder most places & a steep drop to rocks below.

So were I driving the coast road today I'd head north instead.

Sometimes we had to drive a ways inland to find a hotel...one time one had only one room so after trying to endure dad's snoring I ended up sleeping in the car.

 

[gamboolman]

ms gamboolgal and I love to take Road Trips from Texas all over the South and Gulf Coast. We normally plan a rough Itinerary and we do make Hotel Reservations - but we can and have in fact cancelled rooms at next destination due to change in plans or finding a different Hotel or place to stay at.

We have also flown to a spot and rented a Car worked our way back to Texas. We've done this a couple of times flying in to Miami and then working our way back to Texas playing the Pokersszzzz..... in the Casino's and Card Rooms all along the Gulf Coast.

All fun stuff !

We have a Road Trip planned for starting 1-July working our way to Tunica, MS to play in some Poker Tournaments. I think it is about three weeks as planned now. But that can be easily changed - now that I'm retired !

I see that the World Series of Poker (WSOP) just published the Tournaments schedule for Las Vegas starting 30-Sep-21 thru 22-Nov-21.

The Seniors Tournament starts 27-Oct and the Super Seniors starts 31-Oct. That is a helluva drive from Spring to/from Vegas - so I imagine we'll fly out so we can play in some of the tournaments

Link to WSOP sch: https://www.wsop.com/2021/2021-wsop-schedule.pdf

There is nothing I enjoy more than heading out to most anywhere - as long as I'm with ms gamboolgal....

 

[savory]

We make reservations if we plan to do something in a location. if just driving, we wait until we get tired. We are also very flexible in our brand but we try to save money.

In all our years, I can only think of one time we had a problem and once we were lucky. We ended up in Des Moines and decided to stop at about 9PM. We had our children who at the time were 9 and 13. We stopped at a Super 8 and the manager says it is his last room and its smoking. I turned it down without asking why he was so busy.

It turned out it was the State Fair. We stopped at 2+ more hotels. There was not another room for about 3 hours.

We stayed at a small independent. The lesson I learned is be more inquisitive if a hotel is full and do a little research for special events, especially if your first hotel check has no room or even your choice of room.

 

[Nick12]

One can always use the Vegas trick - bribe the hotel front desk staff