Hotels

If you will be in Munich in late September, then definitely, yes!

I think I would book rooms ahead of time. With easy online reservation systems, I believe that more people than ever book ahead of time--which means fewer rooms available for that "spur of the moment, let's stay here" attitude. Also, if you are traveling by train, you are restricted to a smaller area, closer to the train station. I love traveling by train, but if you have a car and can't find a room, you can just drive to the next town. But not so easy with train travel. And I would agree that Munich in September is a must book place--rooms may already be tight.

Except for Octoberfest in Munich or other special events you will find rooms easily. There is always a TI in the train station that will help you find a room. And you are not restricted to the train station area because a short cab ride expands your options.

Ralph, once again, you're not sharing accurate information. Not that Rhoda asked, but if she is going to Oktoberfest, she can get seats in the beer tents, she just has to arrive early. No later than 11am on weekends, no later than 2pm on weekdays. Given that in most of the tents, reservations are restricted to large groups, how else would anybody be able to enjoy a beer tent? And Hofbrauhaus is not a good substitute for Oktoberfest, there is a huge difference between hanging out in a touristy beer hall and taking part in the festivities at Oktoberfest.

I keep going without reservations and keep finding decent places to stay, at good prices. I value the flexibility of booking the morning before I arrive in a town. One caveat is I always book a place for the first night after the flight there, and the last night before the flight home. My itinerary is fixed at these points, so there's no good reason not to book ahead. The other big caveat is where and when you're traveling. If you're going to Munich during Oktoberfest or Pamplona during San Fermin, you need to either book well ahead or have an alternate plan to stay in another town.

Thank you all so much. We were planning to book ahead the night we fly in and our days in Rome since that will be our last stop. I feel much better hearing your experiences for the days in between. You have all been most helpful. Thanks again.

Rhoda: Just a clarification, and I apologize if you already knew this. Oktoberfest, despite its name, is mostly in September; it ends in October. This year, it begins Saturday, September 22, 2012, and ends Sunday, October 7, 2012. So, that's why everyone is saying that if you will be in (or even near) Munich around those dates, you need to book accommodations in advance. The question you asked is one of the more contentious ones in travel. Some like flexibility, and some like pre-planning. Some feel it's a waste of time to be looking for rooms during a trip, and some don't find it time-consuming at all. For the first and last nights, I agree it only makes sense to have rooms booked, since, unless you're rich, you not going to change your arrival and departure dates and cities. I also agree that if you're traveling without reservations, you need to be aware of potential trouble spots. Munich during Oktoberfest is one, and years ago I hit another one - Milan during March (fashion shows and conventions). Frankfurt is another city that can be trouble, as they have frequent large conventions. I had to be there during a meat-packers convention (really), and had great difficulty finding a suitable room in advance; it would have been even harder if I had waited until I arrived. Notice the word "suitable" above. I think that's the key. If you have special needs or wants (price, amenities, location), then booking in advance is probably a good idea. If "suitable" covers a wider range, then you'll be fine.

Rhoda, If travelling by train, and you're prepared to stick to a specific schedule, it's worthwhile booking your train tickets now( directly through the national rail companies such as Deutschbahn, SwissRail, Trenitalia, etc, and NOT through RailEurope ) to get cheaper rates. The Man in Seat 61 is an excellent site to learn about the European rail system, how to book tickets, etc, etc. I too will be in Europe late September , and booked my train tickets yesterday. These are the prices I've paid ( in Canadian dollars) for the following journeys: Train Paris to Interlaken $123 Flight easyJet (booked in early May) - Basel to Edinburgh $95 Train Edinburgh to London $26 Train(Eurostar) London to Paris $65 As for hotel accommodations, I booked those ( London, Paris, Switzerland, Edinburgh ) about 6 weeks ago, and have good hotels in great locations. You shouldn't have any trouble getting rooms wherever you go, but you may be somewhat limited in terms of locations and prices.
One last piece of advice...Travel Light!!!!!! Read Rick's information on travelling light here and take it to heart..

I always book hotels in advance in Europe. I work out my itinerary and then have plenty of time to research, comparing prices, locations, and other travelers' reviews. Then I'm not stressing during my trip about booking the next place. If you are winging it, and are comfortable with that mindset, that's great. But if you are going to determine your itinerary in advance, you might as well book the hotels before you go. Last February, I was really unhappy with the my hotel in Rome, and I had a reservation for a week later for several more nights. It was, in fact, a hotel I'd been satisfied with on a previous trip. Anyway, I spent a whole evening on the internet finding a different, suitable hotel for my return.