Same day hotel booking for a road trip. Anyone tried it?

[mojo]

Thinking of renting a car for a week and working my way around, but it's difficult to plan ahead for stops. Often depends how long I spend in one location.

 

Anyone tried road tripping and just booking a hotel in the evening when you nee to stop? Shops are often open until 8 or 9 PM so it could potentially be after that.

 

Looking at るるぶ and booking.com it does seem possible to book hotels late for the same day. Another option is love hotels, I've heard you can book in alone for a "stay" overnight, but never tried it.

 

I looked at renting a camper van but the small ones don't look very comfortable.

[Grant_T]

Not in Japan, but I've done this many times in the US and NZ. I typically log into hotels.com in the afternoon when we decide where we are stopping and it has never been a problem to find somewhere. It is often cheap too. Not sure that Japan would be different. Everywhere we went on the last trip seemed to have vacancies.

[Tony Galiani]

Not sure if this is all that helpful but I have done that - last minute hotel booking - in the US and Europe.  When we were in Kyoto with our Shinkansen cancelled, I asked about extending our stay in case we could not get a seat on a later Shinkansen and the hotel indicated that they did have some rooms available.  So, nothing is guaranteed but I would think the chances would be good.

 

The strategy we often use - once we have an idea where we are likely to end up - is to check web sites and call to inquire about a room.  Generally that works well for us.

 

Cheers,

Tony

 

[katoftw]

I wouldn't be doing it in a country unless you speak the language at conversation level. You may need to get on a phone to call around for 5pm check in / walk up rooms.

 

I'd be booking online a least a day in advance.

[cteno4]

I’ve done this traveling in Mexico and Central America a lot when travel could be very probabilistic so trying to stay on set itineraries could be tough. Never did not get a room, a couple of times we had to head onto the next town or two as local festival/event booked up rooms that day. This was all pre internet and cell phones so you had to have some maps, guidebooks and idea of where to look for things, but always doable. My Spanish was very very rudimentary but with staff rudimentary English and my Spanish we would always work it out. In japan I never had an issue with not having conversational Japanese in making on the spot room reservations. All my rooms pre internet were done this way, some by phone but most in person. Again only issue really can be some local event that books up all the rooms.

 

in traveling in the us on longer trips I would take off in the evening, drive until tired and just find a room, internet made this better as I could search for the next 30 miles for a good price that sometimes came up just trying to fill unfilled rooms and convenient to my drive. Of course I would preplan some to know where there were hotels and where there weren’t.

 

jeff

[mojo]

Thanks guys. I will be travelling around the new year so I don't expect there to be too much issue finding rooms. That period seems to be fairly quiet.

 

My Japanese is okay for booking rooms I think. Not supposed to make phone calls on a visitor SIM, but Skype works very well. I think I'll try it.

[Tony Galiani]

Have you traveled at that time of year before in Japan?  Considering a winter trip this year but going back and forth as to whether it is a good idea or not.  Too many places I want to see and I am getting older every day so anxious to travel while I can.  Currently thinking Japan in February but not sure.  So looking for ideas.

 

We also plan to travel to Germany, and possibly Paris, in December if I can work out the family visit logistics so we used to winter travel - just wondering what there might be to do - besides going to model train shops of course.

 

Cheers,

Tony

[mojo]

Tony, I have and in fact I usually try to go over the new year for a few reasons.

 

The weather is generally very good.  seem to recall that February was good in the Tokyo area, but it was a long time ago when I last went back in 2011 (I was there on 3/11 too). It's mostly dry, and for me the ideal temperature as I tend to overheat quickly. Not cold, even had to take my jacket off on a few days and just walk around in a t-shirt.

 

Of course it depends where you go. Further south will be warmer, Hokkaido will be cooler. Tokyo this year in February was averaging 10C with some rain.

 

Obviously things like gardens and parks aren't looking their best in the middle of winter, but there is still plenty to see and do. Busses are on a reduced time-table in some parts for New Year, but the trains don't seem to be. Most shops seem to be open too, apart from the small independent ones. It's well out of peak season so places are not too busy for the most part, temples on new years's day aside.

 

The new year sales are great (20% off everything at Hard Off!) and I hate xmas so it's nice to mostly avoid that.

 

Obviously things will be a bit different in February, there are a couple of national holidays but they probably won't cause you much disruption, if any. If you are mostly interested in shopping and other indoor pursuits then I'd say it's fine.

[Tony Galiani]

Thanks.  Good to know.

Tony

[chadbag]

I used hotels.com account to book same day in Japan a few times on our December trip.  We ended up unexpectedly extending our Tokyo visit a few days and also had a last minute trip to Nagasaki (that one I think was day before reservation and not same day).

 

No problems.

 

[mojo]

Changing tracks, does anyone know about EV charging in Japan?

 

There is a website that shows lots of chargers: https://ev.gogo.gs/map/?gps=1

 

Many of them say that you have to pay, but don't mention how. Payment terminal on the machine? RFID card?

 

I'd have thought that if you rented an EV they would give you some cards for popular networks, like they give you an ETC card. But none of them mention it on their websites. A couple do say you don't need to charge the car up before returning it, which is nice.

 

If they have a 62kWh Leaf, or maybe the new Honda, or Toyota's EV, I'd be quite tempted to get it. Aside from anything else it would force me to stop and eat. Last time I found it really hard to eat properly during the day, with the Siren song of the next Hard Off calling me.

[Aleks]

I have had to book a hotel around Japanese Alps the same day, twice. First time, a Japanese friend was on hand and he called. It was a simple inn in a small village, likely no online reservations. Decent quality. Two days later I was late trying to get out of the National Park before the last bus out, and got stuck. Not a whole lot of choices were available, and I ended in a 4 or 5 star $450/night luxury place. I think the next best alternative was bunk beds in a hut type accommodation, and I was way too tired after hiking up and down the ridge in two days to do that. Due to the nature of the place, they thankfully spoke English. And thankfully there was a hot meal. That same night, I did not arrive into the parking lot where my car was and therefore into my pre-booked hotel a few hours drive away, and then later had to figure out how to send them cash for a missed reservation...

 

I think some places and some days around New Year tend to be busy for travel in Japan by Japanese people. I was there last December through December 30, and it was difficult finding a decent quality room for a couple nights in Kurokawa Onsen/Mount Aso area in Kyushu between Christmas and New Year. I had to get creative and modify the trip plan to change which nights I was spending there, to be able to book one.

 

 

[mojo]

Thanks Aleks. I will be travelling Tokyo -> Nagano -> Niigata -> Koriyama -> Utsunomiya -> Mito -> Kashima and then maybe around China, and over to Yamanashi, and down to Shizuoka. Depends how far I can get in 8 days with the car, and then I'll be back to public transport. So while there will be some trips through the mountains, I think I shouldn't have any issue finding hotels in the larger places along the route. I hope anyway.

 

I'm just picking a rental car, probably going to go with a Note e-Power. A little more expensive than a DAYZ, but it is more efficient so some of that will be offset by fuel savings. I think it's also a lot more powerful than the little turbo-charged 660cc DAYZ. It's hard to compare exactly because the Note uses electric motors, with the petrol engine only charging the battery, but even the petrol part is 1.2 litre. It's a shame they don't offer a discount for low emission vehicles.

[BrodyBenjamin]

Road-tripping with spontaneity can lead to some of the best memories. Booking on the fly gives you the freedom to go wherever the road takes you. Apps like るるぶ and booking.com are lifesavers for finding last-minute stays. Love hotels might be an interesting option too – a bit unconventional but hey, why not try new things? If you're ever in a pinch, just search for "accommodation near me," and you'll find a comfy spot. Happy travels!

Edited September 4, 2023 by BrodyBenjamin