To reserve or not to reserve

I've gone many times without reservations and never had a problem (although not in July). You can also stop and use internet along the way to make reservations for the next night. However, I've never traveled with a group of 4, so don't know if that will make things more complex. Do you have a problem if the family is split up in multiple rooms? If not, I think you would be fine. And if you are willing to move on to the next town, you will probably also be fine.

I do usually book my first and last nights.

July is at the height of the high season. So I'd be careful to go without reservations, especially if you're a family 4 and not a single traveler or a couple. Familiy rooms are not very common in Europe. You'll probably be able to find something just by asking at the TI but most likely this accommodation will be

• more expensive than if you had prebooked because the best-value-for-money rooms go first

• you'll have to book two rooms because the few larger rooms are already taken (again that makes it more expensive)

• in a less than ideal location (e.g. window onto a noisy street)

And finding accommodation under these circumstances may take up valuable travel time. Driving around at midnight trying to find a hotel with crying kids on the back seat doesn't create a wonderful travel experience ... and we've been there and don't want to do that ever again.

We usually travel as a family of 4 during high season and we ALWAYS make reservation. However, we always make sure that the cancellation policy will accommodate last-minute changes. that gives us a good mix of safety and flexibility.

You will be absolute fools not to reserve. I say that being dedicated to unreserved, spontaneous travel. But, with four to accommodate, and in July you'll spend a horrible amount of time trying to find rooms on the fly. I say this having learned the hard way traveling with a small child.

Being spontaneous is easier when it's just two. But when you have kids in tow it's a different story. Also, why would you want to waste so much of your European Vacation time "locating" accomodation along every single stop?

Traveling with kids is a completely different animal than traveling without. Before kids, we rarely made reservations. But, as others have said, family rooms in Europe are much harder to come by than doubles. We always make reservations now since we have 2 kids. I don't want to spend my vacation running around town looking for a place to stay.

The great thing about going to Germany, Austria, and Switzerland is that you can rent self-catering apartments in those countries by the day instead of only by the week. Apartments are bigger, cheaper, and will give you the option of eating in instead of dining out all the time. And many come with washing machines so you can do laundry.

If you're going to be in more rural areas, you can stay on working farms. 2 bedroom apartments in farmhouses Germany and Austria usually run about 50 euros/night.

Because it is July - reserve. No question. You will save yourself valuable time and headache. If it was spring or fall, I could see winging it if you wanted to. But not July.

A few years ago, I tried not having reservations for a couple of nights. I had no problem getting a place through the TI office when I arrived, but it was in March.

The tourist office is not necessarily dedicated to finding you the most economical accommodations. On that trip I deliberately arrived a day early at a town where I had accommodations reserved. The TI office sent me to a hotel. The price was OK, but more than where I was staying the following night. When I checked into my reserved hotel for the second night, not only was it closer to the TI office, but I found that they could have accommodated me the previous night.

I think the bottom line is, the later you get your room, the more you are likely to pay.

Yeah...its the time of year that makes it dodgy...Off season? no prob. But at the height of the season you might get accom thru the TI---but it will be "whats left". If thats ok by you--go for it!