What You Should Know Before Booking A Hotel In Europe
Researching where to stay for a trip to Europe can be one of the most enjoyable parts of trip planning. The hotels you choose will become part of your memories that will last a lifetime, whether good or bad. You should plan carefully before booking a hotel.
Perhaps you are a first time traveler to Europe and you are nervous about booking a hotel. You understandably have concerns about everything from bed sizes to language problems. Of course you could have a travel agent handle it all. I have traveled around the world for years and can tell you it isn’t hard to do yourself. Read my advice then book your hotels in Europe with confidence. You will have a wonderful time.
When my husband and I first started traveling to Europe, we did it without making any hotel reservations. It was easy as fewer people were traveling to Europe compared to the number of travelers today. I would pack a couple of Michelin maps and a Michelin Red Guide for the country we were visiting. Additionally, I would bring a good, up-to-date guidebook like Fodor’s or Frommer’s. We searched for family owned hotels in smaller towns that offered the most authentic experience. We enjoyed the spontaneity of deciding when and where to stop each day.
We would select a hotel from the Michelin guide with a two (comfortable) or three (very comfortable) hotel symbol. We would stop at the hotel and inquire at the front desk if a room was available. The receptionist would grab a couple of keys and show us what was available and let us make a decision. Occasionally we would say “no thank you” and head to another hotel. Most of the time, we were pleased with the hotel and room. Occasionally, a particularly charming hotel would have no availability. No problem, we would move on to our next choice. We were young and life was an adventure.
Tips For Booking A Hotel In Europe
Booking Hotels in Advance
How times have changed since my first journeys to Europe and beyond. Booking hotels in advance is now a critical part of trip planning.
The number of tourists traveling worldwide is increasing. This is especially true f you are dreaming about joining the hundreds of thousands of people in Germany for Oktoberfest. Many travelers book a year in advance.
Click on any photo in the galleries to enlarge and see a slide show.
Perhaps you are planning to stay in a small village in Italy for a wine harvest, book early. Wonderful Christmas markets take place in Austria and Germany during the holiday season. It is the same for both, you should book early.
Hotels fill up quickly on holidays
During big festivals like Octoberfest and the peak travel seasons hotels fill up quickly. That is especially true for charming village hotels or well known hotels in the heart of a large city.
Try to reserve several weeks or even months in advance if you have your heart set on a particular hotel.
There Are Disadvantages To Using A Booking Site
I suggest that you don’t use a booking site to reserve a room. The price can fit your budget but there is a chance it is not for one of their better rooms.
On average, European rooms tend to be on the small side. I would be disappointed with a tiny room with only space for the bed and not much more.
It is often hard to change a reservation or solve issues through a third party. The problems usually come when people discover that they can’t make changes once they pay.
If hotel points are important, some third party booking sites don’t take part.
That good price might also be for a noisy room over the dumpster that the hotel has trouble renting. Instead of a view, the hotel window could look out at a neighboring building.
I believe you do better overall booking directly with the hotel to avoid all these potential problems.
Use Internet Search Engines
I start the process by using the internet to research what’s out there. I’ll Google the destination town I’m hoping to visit. I will look at least 10 or more pages of websites to get honest, unbiased information. If the website is in a foreign language, I’ll copy and paste it into Google translate.
Visit The Hotel Website
I visit hotel websites to learn more information, check prices, and view photos of the rooms. I would never think of staying at a hotel that didn’t show photos of their rooms…there is a reason they don’t want you to see them.
Don’t Worry About A Language Barrier
The language barrier will not be a problem when contacting a hotel, they are used to tourists. Most all hotels, even the smallest ones have someone that speaks some English. I have learned that it is better to write to them in your own language. This way, they will respond to you in kind. I once had a friend write a request for a room in Italian. The response came back in Italian and my friend wasn’t around to translate the offer.
Emailing A Hotel Directly
When emailing a hotel directly, you can be very specific about what you want. Give the hotel your tentative dates and the room category you are interested in.
You can find out if the room you want is in the main building. If it is in an annex, you may face exposure to the elements in bad weather.
I also ask how many square meters a room is. Be specific on the size of room you need. I also like to inquire if the hotel room is near an elevator or are stairs involved.
I ask if the room has a view. There could be a view of the mountains or a famous monument just one room over or higher.
I also want to know if it will be a quiet room. If you are sensitive to noise, ask for a room in the back. You can also request a room that faces an interior courtyard or garden.
I often find that booking sites show no rooms available on a specific date. But when emailing the hotel directly, they do in fact have rooms that I can book.
Accommodating Special Requests
If you contact a hotel directly, they are more likely to accommodate any special requests. Remember that hotels want happy guests that will return often.
The hotel can let you know if one room classification has an advantage over another. They can also tell you about special offers for staying a certain number of days.
If the hotel has an award winning restaurant, the front desk can often help secure the hard to get reservation.
If you will be arriving by car, they will reserve a space in their parking garage. This is very important if you will be traveling when there is a possibility of snow.
By corresponding directly, I have sometimes received a better price. I have also received an upgrade. This is because the hotel did not have to pay commissions to an online booking agent.
A hotel you book directly with will likely work with you if you need to change to a different date. I once had to revise travel dates to arrive two days later because of a mistake I made. The staff member at the hotel was very understanding and worked with me on the issue.
Let The Hotel You Are Looking Forward To Your Stay
Everyone likes compliments. Mention what makes their hotel special and you are hoping a room is available. Kind words are much appreciated and often times there is a welcome gift thanking us for choosing their hotel.
In Summary
The above tips are what I personally do before booking a hotel in Europe. The hotels are selected for their good locations and well earned reputation. They offer excellent amenities like an outstanding restaurant or wellness and spa facilities.
By the time I walk into a hotel entrance, I feel confident. I am sure that I will get a nice room and believe our stay will be enjoyable.
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Over the years we have been happy with our European hotel rooms. Some of the hotel rooms were larger than a typical European room. Others have been truly memorable. They featured striking décor and outstanding views. If you research your options before you book a hotel room, you too should not be disappointed.
Sound advice, especially for large events and festivals.
Great advice, Karen.
All great tips Karen! Like you, I remember the days when we could book hotel rooms after arriving in Europe; things have certainly changed.
Thanks… this is very informative.
Wonderful advice Karen. I remember the first time we arrived in Paris after a long flight. The room was so small. Of course I was going through instant menopause due to a hysterectomy and treatment for my ovarian cancer. I broke down and cried after seeing the room. I was not myself.
Thanks so much, Karen for sharing your advice and tips! I love travel and have enjoyed several trips to Europe!
Great advice and tips. Your pictures are beautiful.
We have had great luck with hotels in Europe as well as Airbnb’s.
These are great tips, Karen.
I rarely travel for leisure.
You are an expert.
yes we like to interact with the hotel or BnB etc themselves rather than thru a booking agency. You mostly get better deals! Thanks for the info Karen.
cheers
sherry https://sherryspickings.blogspot.com/
Karen, Your caution regarding booking sites is spot on. We typically book hotels directly, but sometimes we find a deal we can’t resist and use a booking site. We consider ourselves experienced travelers and read the fine print along with asking lots of questions. Even so, things can still go sideways.
We recently stayed at the Kempinski hotel in Berchtesgaden, Germany. We booked it six months in advance using a booking site. This hotel has amazing views from nearly every room. Unfortunately, we were given a room on the ground floor, overlooking the patio area of the hotel bar. We could literally walk out our patio door and within five feet there were tables and chairs, filled with people and noise all times of the day. Before the luggage arrived, we walked back to the front desk to inquire as to why we were given an obviously undesirable room when we booked far in advance. The clerk did not admit that it was because of the booking site, and said it was because we selected a ‘premium’ room, but we suspected that was the case. Long story short, after claiming they were fully booked, she ‘found’ a suitable room on the 3rd floor which afforded the views we were expecting. Strange to us that a fine hotel would pull such a trick, but I suppose it wouldn’t matter to some folks.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience.
Karen, years ago we traveled just like you with a Michelin guide , Frommer or Rick Steven’s traveling books. These days we book in advance.
It’s all excellent advice, Karen. People use Booking.com and the like for quickness and convenience and there’s no personal contact involved. I’m often guilty of that myself, even though I know I could get better service and not have to pay commission.
So many great tips Karen, you are definitely a professional traveler!
Jenna
SO many great tips! We’ve been using a travel agent lately–it definitely takes some of the pressure off. I hope you’re still taking some time to get away. xoxo
Great advice! I used a third party recently and ended up with a room so small you could only get out of one side of the bed. It had not occurred to me such a thing would exist.
These are great tips! I usually go off the website or booking websites but I’ll try going direct to the hotel next time for more detail and a better price 🙂
Very helpful tips Karen. You have grown wise with travelling to Europe so often! 😃
We always book the first night and last night in advance, and often just drive around and decide where to stop when we have had enough of driving. And that way we usually get great rates as hotels are open to lowering their prices for ‘pop-ins’. I use booking.com for all our bookings, mainly to protect myself if we need to cancel, and to safeguard payment 🙂
Couldn’t agree more, we always book direct and research the hotel website plus always check to see if people on trip advisor stay where we would stay and are used to that level price etc. In earlier days we have walked away from some places and even not entered which says it all.
This is wonderful advice, Karen. I used to travel as you did, when you were young, but you are right — things have changed so much. You can’t even visit some museums and churches without a reservation and payment. I love customer service at good hotels — it makes a difference. I just had a wonderful experience with my hotel in Johannesburg: quick and friendly response!
Thank you for letting us know, Karen! Such an useful article!
Thank you for letting us know, karen! Such an useful article!
We too have been travelling to Europe for decades but we have always booked our hotels in advance, we just don’t like leaving it to chance, particularly when we were travelling with a more restricted budget. We prefer to stay in the city centre where the action is, but off the main beaten path. Hotel prices are also more reasonable of the beaten path. Your tips are excellent and are great for the unseasoned traveller.
These are great tips! Hopefully I’ll get over to Europe sometime and put these into practice! 🙂
Great tips, many of which would easily be applicable to booking hotels in the U.S., too.
Good suggestions – it pays to do research when deciding where to stay.
Great tips on booking with the hotel directly. You are so on it as the holidays are right around the corner- if you want to reserve them – you best book them now. Great Post Karen! – Healthy World Cuisine
This article offers a wealth of valuable tips for booking hotels in Europe, especially for first-time travelers. Luckily when I visit Europe I just either stay at my moms of sisters place in Zurich, but if we do travel to other parts, as you mentioned research is the best way to do it, I do not use hotels most of the time, more than half would be AirBnB which makes us experience living like local since these are located in villages not city centre. Definitely there is something from your tips that I’ll keep in mind for future trips!
Yes, I remember the days of heading to the local Tourist Office to get a room. I loved the spontaneity! I do usually try to book directly with the hotel. Recently in Sedona we found out our lodging’s internet was out and there was no cell signal. With that booking through Chase points, it was days before we knew for sure we’d get reimbursed for that after we made a different reservation. I can do without that stress.
You always share the best tips, Karen, thank you! I cannot believe you guys traveled without a plan in the early days. As a planner, that would totally freak me out but I know it must have made for the most memorable experiences. One of my sisters travels like that too and she comes back with the best stories and little treasures she would have otherwise missed. Sending you lots of hugs and can’t wait to find out where you’re traveling next. Your pictures and commentary is always so inspiring, CoCo
Beautiful scenery! These are remarkable photos, Karen.