The Ultimate Guide to Pre-Booking Accommodation for Your Road Trip – Pros & Cons

So you’re planning a road trip, and you’ve got all the basics covered—you know where you want to go and what you want to see. But one of the most important questions that still needs to be answered is, “where will I stay?” It can be tricky navigating all the different types of accommodation options available, so let’s look at the pros and cons of pre-booking accommodation versus booking on the day.

Pre-Booking Accommodation Before You Leave Home

The main advantage of pre-booking before leaving home is that it you will have peace of mind that your accommodation is sorted for each night of your trip. You won’t have to worry about finding somewhere at the last minute if all the hotels in town are full. Plus, there are often discounts available if you book online in advance. It also means that once you arrive at your destination, you can spend more time exploring instead of searching for a place to stay.

That said, there are some drawbacks to pre-booking before leaving home. For example, if your plans change suddenly and unexpectedly (as they often do!), then it might not be possible to get a refund or transfer your booking elsewhere. And while pre-booked accommodation may offer discounts, keep in mind that these savings may not always make up for the added stress and hassle if something unexpected occurs during your trip.

The rise in AirBNB’s has opened up a whole new range of accommodation options, from inner city apartments to remote log cabins, and everything in between. Choosing somewhere unique for your stay can add a whole new element to your trip, providing you an opportunity to personalize each step of your journey. These unique AirBNB’s often book out long in advance, or are not available for immediate booking. If unique stays are part of your vacation plans, then pre-booking accommodation make a lot of sense.

Booking Accommodation on The Day

On the other hand, booking accommodation on the day also has its own advantages and disadvantages. One benefit is that it allows for much more flexibility – if something changes during your road trip then it’s easy enough to find another place to stay without any hassle or worry about whether or not you can get a refund or transfer your booking elsewhere like with pre-booked accommodation! Additionally, by only booking one night at a time you can easily compare prices between different types of accommodations such as hotels, motels and AirBNB’s to get the best deal for each night on your trip.

However, one downside of this approach is that it can take longer when arriving at each destination since you need to find somewhere suitable – depending on how busy it is at any given time this could be anything from 10 minutes up an hour or even more! Additionally, if you happen to arrive when everywhere else is full then this could turn into a stressful situation!

Conclusion

It really depends on what type of traveler you are – do you prefer structure and order in advance? Or would rather fly by the seat of your pants? Pre-booking before leaving home provides certainty but less flexibility whereas booking on the day provides flexibility but no guarantees – ultimately which approach would work best really depends on what type of traveler YOU are! Whichever option works best for YOU will ensure an enjoyable road trip experience!