I've never traveled without reservations before, but it's going to be too difficult to predict where we're going to be each night on our trip from Washington to New York for me to set up plans.

Can you just show up at a hotel in the middle of the night and get a room? Like, if we pull into a Comfort Inn at 3 am, will someone be there to get us a room? Or do hotels close the front door at night?

Thanks.

Hotels are open 24 hours. The problem you may run into is that they want to charge you more when you show up in the middle of the night. (they know you need a place) When you go to the desk tell them that you are just checking the rates for the night and what their lowest rate is. Check a few hotels around where you are. If you have AAA be sure to bring your card. Most hotels are in a circuit so there is some competition there.

Thank goodness. So all we have to do is walk in and we'll get a room? Like I said, I've never traveled without reservations, I'm not sure how "walk-ins" work. (The AF is paying for most of it so they aren't messing us over lol)

quote:

---

So all we have to do is walk in and we'll get a room?

---

LOL You don't get out much do ya.

The only time you need a reservation is at some cool location during tourist season or at a really nice hotel. If you stay at the Comfort Inn then I don't think you will have a problem. There could be a chance that the rooms are booked already but they will let you in to say no. They leave the light on for ya.

lol!!

Actually, we travel a lot but never before without reservations. With this trip, I don't know where and when we're going to need a room, so I can't set up reservations before hand. My biggest fear is that we get to like 3 am, we're both too tired to drive anymore, it's December...and we can't get into a hotel.

We usually stay at like the Mariott Courtyard but since the route we're taking is a highly traveled trucker route, it's more likely that we'll see Motel 6s and Comfort Inns. We're not really going through cities at all.

Jus look for the sign that says "Vacancy." 'Course that'd be a MOtel. HOtel, MOtel, what's the difference?

Catty

Clarebear!Turning up in the middle of the night means a bad rate? It ought not to. Tell them that it is up to them; but at present the room is unlet and there's no chance of anyone else wanting it.(How much passing trade is there at 3am? ) Do they want money for nothing or not, because when you get back in the car nothing is what they'll have earned from it, but if they let it at any rate it's something.This reasoning works at all levels except 5 star; there you'll usually only get the cheapest 'official' rate they allow for a room but you can get almost any upgrade,even up to a big suite plus free meals, depending on business, for that rate. (The top de luxe won't admit to discounting, so they have to hide it in their books as a basic room, whatever in fact it is they let you have for the rate).