Motel Advice Wanted
Banned
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 20,823
Likes: 1,506
From: Nowhere
In most cases, you will be fine. There will be exceptions like: local construction, soccer games, classic car shows, too few rooms during peak tourism season, etc etc etc. What you can expect though is to compromise: spend more than you want to (expensive rooms fill last), stay somewhere you are not happy with (too far away from a point of interest). The point is, you can't predict these kinds of situations.
You can improve your odds by calling it a day before 5:00PM. This way, you can beat the late day rush for available rooms and then leave yourself enough time to move on without exhausting yourself.
How I solve the problem, is I stop some time in the mid-afternoon and make reservations. By then, you should have a pretty good idea how far you are going to go and where you will want to stop. I carry a tablet and a smart phone; and as long as I have a WiFi hot spot or 4g coverage, I can Google a place to stay and make a reservation held with a credit card.
This way, I can pick a place I like, at a price I like; then, I make a reservation with a credit card and tell them I may be a late arrival. I am guaranteed a room and I don't have to stress.
You can improve your odds by calling it a day before 5:00PM. This way, you can beat the late day rush for available rooms and then leave yourself enough time to move on without exhausting yourself.
How I solve the problem, is I stop some time in the mid-afternoon and make reservations. By then, you should have a pretty good idea how far you are going to go and where you will want to stop. I carry a tablet and a smart phone; and as long as I have a WiFi hot spot or 4g coverage, I can Google a place to stay and make a reservation held with a credit card.
This way, I can pick a place I like, at a price I like; then, I make a reservation with a credit card and tell them I may be a late arrival. I am guaranteed a room and I don't have to stress.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 4,556
Likes: 1,844
From: Albuquerque, NM
Like Mike said, Yellowstone will be a problem in September without advance reservations. The "crown jewel" national parks fill up in September with people who don't have kids and want to go while the weather is still nice.
Road Master
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 916
Likes: 12
From: NoVA
The only time I ever ride with reservations is in Sturgis during or very near bike week. Other than that I start early in the AM and start looking around 3 to 4 in the afternoon. By five I want to be showered, hanging by the pool or hot tub and drinking a margarita.
Oh yeah, being able to walk to diner helps the life expectancy.
Oh yeah, being able to walk to diner helps the life expectancy.
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 927
Likes: 256
From: North Arkansas
you may know what kind of towns have motels. Major hi way crossroads almost always do. Outskirts of major cities or areas are usually a bit more reasonable. Never used any of the sights mentioned here. Have called ahead thru best western rewards program, tho.
We hit Rock Springs WY one summer and no rooms in town.... at like 3 in the afternoon???? Started calling ahead after that.
We hit Rock Springs WY one summer and no rooms in town.... at like 3 in the afternoon???? Started calling ahead after that.
Road Warrior
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,833
Likes: 111
From: Sioux Center IA
A lot of these guys have great advice. usually in the middle of the afternoon you can have an idea on where you want to be and you can google the towns motels and see where they also sit in town. I like to find a mom and pop place usually and close to downtown. This way if i have a couple beers and a good meal i dont have to worry about driving. If you think you know where you can make it the night before than reserve a room and make sure you can cancel at any time. Yellowstone will be tough to find a room. Enjoy and have fun
Banned
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 161
Likes: 0
From: Peoples Republic of Ct
What do you consider to be "reasonable"
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 927
Likes: 256
From: North Arkansas
I want to say a room in Gardiner was 150 or better??? 2 years ago. Maybe closer to 200. Nothing special. I remember the wifi wouldn't work that evening... had to look the next morning
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 7,611
Likes: 104
From: Southern Colorado
Some great advice here. If you are near Gunnison, CO there is a Roadway Inn on the west side of town that is clean and reasonably priced. Last time I believe it cost us either $55 or $65 a night. IMO, I'd make reservations in most places....it sure makes me comfortable knowing I don't need to worry about where I'm going to sleep. Otherwise, take a sleeping bag and crash in city parks, KOA's or irrigated pastures. 
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 9,556
Likes: 7,904
From: Long Island, New York
This is a personal choice, like so many other things. For me, it would be way too stressful to not have a destination or a reservation. If in a car, I could be a little more cool with it, but on the bike with weather being a factor, no reservation is stressful. We have tried it and it was always a nightmare, running around trying to find a damn room.
We have done it both ways and prefer having everything planned out. The wife is good with chugging along in rain and other bad weather, so we probably get to our planned destination 98% of the time. 2013 we did 6 weeks on the road, everything was planned out. We missed one reservation in all of that time, due to a breakdown in Maine. Got hung up at the dealership for most of the day, we still did 100 miles and we were back on schedule the next day.
+1 on Best Western and joining their rewards program.
We have done it both ways and prefer having everything planned out. The wife is good with chugging along in rain and other bad weather, so we probably get to our planned destination 98% of the time. 2013 we did 6 weeks on the road, everything was planned out. We missed one reservation in all of that time, due to a breakdown in Maine. Got hung up at the dealership for most of the day, we still did 100 miles and we were back on schedule the next day.
+1 on Best Western and joining their rewards program.
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