making lodging reservations in advance/ or not

Cal, last year we spent nearly 10 weeks driving, a lease car, around Europe, this year we are doing 8 weeks (half way finished.) we like to book well in advance ( 6 months etc) particularly for prime locations. we create an complete itinerary and find the most suitable accommodation. while this might sound too 'controlled' most if not all hotels allow for cancellations with little or no cancellation fee ( we check to see this is the case). we see the advantages being that we know exactly what to expect, we know we are can get into the ' often crowded' prime locations,we don't waste time looking for suitable accommodation when we are travelling, when time is precious, and if we want to we can cancel the booking without much or no penalty.

when we relocate to another town, we simply arrive , often in the afternoon, and get out exploring. not spending time going to tourist offices etc, wasting time and 'potentially' ending up with accommodation that may be what everyone else did not want.

knowing how crowded we have found Europe ( in may and june), we feel happy booking in advance.

this is how we do it, it would not suit everyone.

If you plan on using Rick's recommendations you should book months in advance. Many people travel without hotel reservations and don't end up sleeping in their car. If you are not picky and only see the hotel as a bed and bathroom for the night and want the flexibility by all means go for it. I'm more OCD and want everything planned but for the trip you are suggesting I think I'd have some reservations and also leave space to just wing it.

I am usually the queen of having things planned in advance - one great help is if you have a tablet or laptop (or even a smartphone) it can certainly help find somewhere to stay.

When we went to California in 2013, I had most of our nights booked, but two of the nights I didn't as we weren't sure where we would be that day. What I did was look at a map the night before and figure out where we would stop the next day, go on my iPad that evening (onto Expedia, but of course there are many other sites) and book a room for the next night. I also had to find a spot in San Diego after one of our nights at an airbnb got cancelled.

The flexibility of having a car is great...and if you book somewhere with wifi and have a tablet with you, it makes it a whole lot easier - you could even find somewhere to stay that night while having breakfast. Personally, I wouldn't want to spend precious sightseeing time finding a place to stay, or ending up either way over my budget, or in a dive...if you have a tablet and wifi (free preferably - also - McDonalds and Starbucks are great for free wifi) I think it would make things way easier...

In 1989 I arrived in Paris July 9 without hotel reservations and was staying over the Bicentenary of the French Revolution celebrations. I managed OK (with a change of hotels mid stay) but now with the internet I would never travel without booking, especially in September. Commit to an itinerary and book a hotel that appeals - you will save time and won't come home disappointed.

You probably need to wean yourselves from Mr. Steves and get on www.tripadvisor.com for France or Paris forums unless you want to travel with Seattle tourists. We do all of our bookings from London, then Paris via Eurostar and rent a car in Caen to travel along the French motorways. It is so easy to drive about France (Normandie), stopping in little villages to buy local sandwiches, pork, veggies, cheeses, and trinkets.

Check out www.bandbnormandie.com. Best place we ever stayed. Reserve a rental car across the street from the Caen RR station, fetch it, and get off on your adventure....

We have road tripped in France many times and September may be the busiest month in Paris and it is also difficult in the countryside. When we have not booked ahead we have always regretted it. When I book ahead I get well priced charming accommodations; when we book on the fly we end up driving endlessly looking for a room (even with a lit of potential sites) or we end up in an overpriced or very awful highway chain. One Ibis ran over a road so we had trucks literally driving just beneath us all night.

YOu may be better at efficient acquisition of nice rooms on the fly than I am but we have always done better when we planned. I would particularly not leave major tourist cities like Paris or Beune etc to chance.

If you do decide to do this, I suggest that you have a rough itinerary and then call ahead a couple of days to reserve a place. I would never just drive into town and look for a room.

Do you need everything planned, or are you adaptable? I often travel without reservations and have found some absolutely amazing places. I have also found some that I did not love but were fine. If you need a schedule, then book. Usually, if you have to ask if this is an OK way to travel, it might not be for you. I have also had disappointments when I have booked ahead. I try to book a few key places that I know I might have trouble, and some trips I will book all hotels, (like Istanbul and Greece) and some none. You can do as a few people have said... book the day of, or a few days out with WIFI.

I would not suggest making a bunch of reservations with the plans of cancelling them. Most places who are taking these without a penalty is because they are trusting that you want the room. If it's a small hotel they are counting on you. Not too much of a problem if it's a chain, but I would not feel good about cancelling at the last minute.

cal, just to clarify, while we book places in advance that we could cancel, we have yet to do this and would only do so under extreme circumstances. we don't like messing people around. but it does give you the option. and yes, trying to predict how long we need to stay in a particular place is of concern but we do all our research ( ie trip advisor etc) asking people, when we have the time months before we go, so are confident in our plans.

Thank all of you for your comments/suggestions. Very much appreciated. We'll be booking in advance.

I have done a lot of travel without reservations, especially when I had a car, and have had no regrets. Being flexible does not mean getting what you want when you want it, but choosing from what is available when you are ready to choose. September is a busy travel season, but at least you're not headed to the Riviera in August. If you know a day ahead or three days ahead where you want to head next, that's better than just showing up. Your guidebook listings give you a security net of phone numbers, etc, and internet resources expand your options. Other people who reserve then change plans mean that beds can open up on short notice; these are best confirmed by calling directly to the hotel. Budget chains like F1 and Ibis Budget may not have any regional charm, but they are convenient for drivers all over France.

I always book ahead. I don't want to waste precious time trying to book "same day". It is hard enough finding out of the way B&Bs that I've prebooked, so I don't want to look for one and risk being turned away. And, it saves me from driving too far/late. I generally avoid one nighy stands and prefer to stay 2-3 nights in one place and there may not be availability for that if I didn't book ahead.