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Mowgli Adventures

  • South America
    • All Argentina Bolivia Brazil Chile Paraguay Uruguay

      An epic guide to San Pedro de Atacama,…

      Uyuni Train Cemetery – a haunting resting place

      Everything you need to know about learning Spanish…

      Tarabuco Sunday market – the authentic Bolivia

      The complete guide to visiting Iguazu Falls

      Northeast Argentina road trip | Nature, culture and waterfalls

      Waterfalls in Argentina | Iguazu Falls & Beyond

      Utopia lost? Guaraní Jesuit missions of Argentina 

      Uyuni Train Cemetery – a haunting resting place

      Everything you need to know about learning Spanish…

      Tarabuco Sunday market – the authentic Bolivia

      Incredible things to do in Sucre

      The complete guide to visiting Iguazu Falls

      An epic guide to San Pedro de Atacama,…

      Driving Paraguay’s Trans-Chaco highway

      Mbaracayú Forest Nature Reserve | In search of…

      Itaipu Ecological Reserves, Paraguay | Free birdwatching safaris!

      The South American obsession with Yerba Mate

      Driving in Uruguay: a gentle introduction to South…

      Off the beaten track in Uruguay’s interior

      Uruguay travel itinerary – beaches & the gringo…

  • Europe
    • Lumsdale Falls: waterfalls, pools and ruins in the…

      1 week Netherlands road trip itinerary

      How to spend one day in Hamburg

      What things cost in the Netherlands & what…

      A brief guide to driving in the Netherlands

  • Africa
    • The 12 Best Things To Do In The…

      One week in Morocco – 3 perfect itineraries

      A week on safari in Tanzania

      Things to do in Marrakech | A short…

      Exploring the blue city of Chefchaouen

  • Travel resources
    • An honest review of our composting loo

      How to avoid bank fees while travelling

      A Guide to Wild Camping for Motorhomes

      North Coast 500 Packing List: camper van essentials

      How To Empty A Portable Camping Toilet

  • Build a camper
    • Camper van water system design

      Camper van layout design

      Camper van electrical design

      A guided tour of our 4×4 Sprinter van…

      How to register your converted camper van with…

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Hotel Booking Hacks for Your Road Trip

Hotel Booking Hacks for your Road Trip

If your road trips are anything like ours, you’ll have an idea of where you’re going and the route you think you’ll take and then promptly take a detour no sooner than you’re a few miles down the road. That’s part of the joy and flexibility a road trip gives you but it also presents you with a challenge when booking accommodation. If you book all your accommodation before you leave, you effectively have a fixed itinerary which can only be changed at a cost, usually in the form of a hefty cancellation fee. Don’t book anything at all until you’re on the road and you may not find any vacancies and you’ll be sleeping in your car for the night. Follow these simple hotel booking hacks for your road trip to help keep your budget under control without losing that all important flexibility.

Hotel Booking Hacks for your Road Trip

Book accommodation with a flexible cancellation policy – if you really don’t want to leave all your accommodation bookings until you’re on the road, you may want to book before you leave. This can still be a flexible option if you check on the cancellation policy. Many hotels will allow free cancellation up to 4pm on the date of arrival. Keep a close eye on this to avoid missing any cancellation deadlines which will cost you some, if not all of the first night’s tariff.

If possible, avoid the high season in popular locations to avoid disappointment – the high season brings in the travelling hoards so finding accommodation at the last minute can be a challenge. If you can avoid the height of the season altogether, all the better. If not, think about pre-booking a few places that you really don’t want to miss. Alternatively, consider accommodation that is just a little further away from the major tourist attractions. There’s more chance they’ll have vacancies and you’ll probably save a few pennies too.

Don’t assume the online booking price is the best price – when you book a hotel online, especially when it’s almost last minute, try calling the hotel before you confirm to see if they can give you a better price (or a room upgrade). It doesn’t hurt to ask!

Try homestays or guesthouses – there are loads of websites now like VRBO and AirBnB where you can check availability at short notice. But keep an eye out on the roadside. You will probably pass many private houses that offer rooms for the night that will have a small sign outside. These will probably turn out to be your favourite overnight stops!

Bring some basic camping equipment, even if you don’t plan on camping – if you’re caught out with nowhere to spend the night, this will be a lifesaver. Finding a campsite, a wild camping spot, or even just a farmer’s field maybe far easier than finding a hotel room and if you have a small tent and sleeping bag, you’re good to go. They don’t even take up very much room in the car.


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Photo credit: Thomas Hawk

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and make a purchase, we will receive an affiliate commission. But don’t worry, it doesn’t cost you any extra.

For more travel hacks, hints & tips click here.
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