Ad-hoc touring on continent without camping gear?

[LeeW]

Just wondering if anyone has done any Ad-hoc touring on continent (mainly Netherlands, France, Germany), using just hostels, motels and B&B's and not carrying any camping gear and not booking anything in advance.
Is this a realistic idea? With camping you can normally get into a site even if it's techically full and as a last resort I could camp wild. However if not carrying camp gear then that's not an option and thus possibility of the dreaded scenario of 'no room at the inn' becomes a worry. Or paying over the odds at the only expensive hotel I can find.

 

[mcr]

A lot will depend on when you plan to go (eg low season or high season). But if you have details of potential accommodation with you, or get them online, you can always phone/email ahead each day for the following night's pitstop (or get the hotel proprietor to do it on your behalf). France and Germany, at least (I haven't travelled in the Netherlands), have a pretty comprehensive spread of accommodation - eg the motel-like Formule 1 in France (French B&Bs - or chambres d'hote - can be more frou-frou and expensive than hotels), or in Germany cycle-friendly ones at all prices are listed on the Bett und Bike site, and the popular cycle routes have plenty of Zimmer Frei signs everywhere for B&B.

So the answer to your question is yes, it is a realistic idea, unless, say, you find yourself in holiday hotspots in July/August. It depends how much planning or not you wish to do before you set off - you can research generalities and still wing it when you're there, especially if you can get regular internet access on the move to weigh up options for the next night.

 

[djmc]

I have toured using hotels, chambres d'hôtes etc in the height of the season in France and Spain. I didn't have any problems in getting accommodation. I normally started looking about 17:00 hours. There seems to be less in Spain than France out of tourist areas.

 

[StuartG]

I have not had a problem using Formule1 in France. Wheeled the bike into the bedroom without issue. Around 36 euro/night. Nearly always opposite an out of town mall so grab cheese, bread & wine from a hypermarket and eat al fresco in front of the hotel. Good way to meet people.

Rooms are basic and have vanity unit - but showers/wc are in custom flushed shared pods. Shared serially sadly ...

The B&B chain is a bit more posh if you want to spend another 5/10 euro and have free wifi. Premiere Class are n'between. You can book online and cancel up to 6pm.

 

[TheDoctor]

Often done this. The main down side IMHO is that you may well end up needing to do another 15 miles when you'd rather not.
Don't try it in France in August. Half of the hoteliers have shut up shop and gone to stay with the other half, or that's how it seems anyway.

 

[yello]

Don't try it in France in August. Half of the hoteliers have shut up shop and gone to stay with the other half, or that's how it seems anyway.

You ain't wrong! It seems nuts but it's the way it is.

Something I've never tried, so can't really comment on, is staying chambre d'hote; but there are enough of them around and they'd give options particularly outside of towns. No idea of prices but I'd guess them to be cheaper than even the cheap chain hotels (F1 etc). I'd personally feel confident of touring in France that way, keeping in mind that you may not be in a town/village every night and the implications that carries (food, entertainment, etc).

 

[andym]

Yes it's very possible but more difficult if you are going somewhere off-the-beaten track. Bear in mind that small hotel-restaurants B&Bs may have a night off - so it's worth ringing ahead.

Personally I''d avoid the chain hotels like the plague, but I guess if it's late and you're tired then ... They are reliable, but hotel standards in France seem to be generally pretty good and you'd be unlucky to find yourself in a really bad hotel - and if anything owner-managed places have more incentive to maintain standards.

Unfortunately Chambres d'Hôtes are often more expensive than basic hotels/pensions. Gites d'étape are also very good value (but bear in mind that on hiking routes thes can be filled by groups).

if you have internet access then Booking.com is very useful. I've also found the Guide Routard guides very reliable (if you read French).

 

[snorri]

Just wondering if anyone has done any Ad-hoc touring on continent (mainly Netherlands, France, Germany), using just hostels, motels and B&B's and not carrying any camping gear and not booking anything in advance.

I have only done ad hoc touring, in mainland Europe, I never know where I will be, so booking ahead is not an option, although I mostly camp. One French tour was enough, but I have had no problems in Germany, The Netherlands and other Euro countries. I regularly use the tourist info offices, someone there usually speaks good English and finds you a place to suit your budget. I feel that smaller B&B type places may not be happy to accept your booking at the door if there are communication difficulties, but will accept the booking through the info office. Hostels are usually not a problem, I have seldom found them to be full when I needed them.
I still think rather than spend hours of hunting (and increasing panic),you should go prepared to pay over the odds on one or two nights, and consider it a bonus if you finish your tour without having done so.

 

[rich p]

I've done it a few times in N France and always been okay but I make sure I'm heading to a place big enough to have at least one hotel. Tourist offices are invaluable help in finding rooms and chambres d'hote.
As someone said, the extra miles at the end of the day can be hard work if your mind has stopped for the night.

These days I would preplan a little more and have a good idea of the accommodation available in a few likely destinations - Google has transformed the ease of doing this.

 

[Brains]

It all depends on WHERE and WHEN

I've done the Danube trail in May on this basis, just turning up at the local Tourist Info Centre before 4pm to find somewhere within 5 miles for a B&B. Not a problem, had some great hotels and B&B's never a problem and in 2 weeks only one bad one.

However I think if we had tried the same in August we would have ended up under the odd hedge.

 

[asterix]

Only once, in the Loire. It was all a bit unpredictable but in those days I was doing short rides of about 40km a day so a few more, unplanned, weren't the end of the world. One YH I reached was being used by a rock band for practice and they needed it!

Spent two nights under the stars. Even in summer it can be very cold under the stars.. After that I bought a tent.

 

[delport]

I have stayed in a lot of hotels in europe, plenty in France too.
Apart from Formule 1 in the budget range there are others, considering formule 1 allows around 4 people for the price of £30 you aren't going to get much cheaper than that.
As has been said it is normally a shared bathroom you get, these formule hotels do differ from region to region, one in Cherbourg for example has no visible staff at all, then go round to Caen and they have visible staff and a reception, and in room bathrooms if i remember rightly.
"Stars" hotel chain also compete at these lower prices with Formule 1.
I am quite content with formule 1.

I usually used Ibis which is much higher in price for popular cities used to be up to £70 a night and around £40 to £50 for less popular cities and towns in western europe.Overpriced really, but always good clean room with bathroom, Ibis barely differs wherever you go in Europe you'll find pretty much the exact same room.

You may have problems finding any place abroad in peak months, [peak months can be any time between now and the autumn] if you choose a specific city, could be a conference or something, and every single room in the city has gone, the way round it i suppose is keep cycling.
I have run into that problem a few times where an entire city is fully booked, at that time i wasn't cycling, so i just got on the train to the next city or town.

Nowadays i wild camp so it doesn't matter to me what is booked or isn't.

Hopefully i have said something of relevance to you, if only to back up what others have said.

 

[jay clock]

Virtually all my tours have been exactly like that although more recently have got into camping. Not tried July/August, but never been bedless for a night. www.crazyguyonabike.com/julian for all the tales of adventure

 

[asterix]

When I am driving I use F1 and they're fine. The only problem is that the ones I know seem to fill up rather quickly. Probably not a problem if you are a daylight cyclist.

 

[MarkF]

Did Holland in August last year, Amsterdam area, then North Brabant for 2 weeks and lastly down to Antwerp. No problem finding rooms although some rooms in Dam and Anwterp were disgusting. After August in Holland last year I needed sun and headed to Barcelona in late September, toured Catalonia, rooms again, were no problem.

In fact, I've never had a problem getting rooms at any time in Holland, Germany, France & Spain apart from in Laon in the eclipse year (1999?) when it was bench time.