‘No Vacancy’ Signs Are Vanishing from America’s Highways
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Re: ‘No Vacancy’ Signs Are Vanishing from America’s Highways
#2The average US hotel is 70% full for tonight, the only night that matters. Not sure why people put these signs up other than maybe bringing people in with more neon.
Re: ‘No Vacancy’ Signs Are Vanishing from America’s Highways
#3The average US hotel is 70% full for tonight, the only night that matters. Not sure why people put these signs up other than maybe bringing people in with more neon.
But people don't stay in the "average hotel", they stay in the hotel wherever they happen to be, and that area may have low vacancy due to seasonal demand or special events.
Though I haven't just pulled into a random hotel in years, I look up hotels on my smartphone so I can not only look at vacancy but also ratings.
Re: ‘No Vacancy’ Signs Are Vanishing from America’s Highways
#4I've never been able to find a room last minute by stopping in a hotel and asking to stay the night. They always say they're full.
Re: ‘No Vacancy’ Signs Are Vanishing from America’s Highways
#5I've never been able to find a room last minute by stopping in a hotel and asking to stay the night. They always say they're full.
Huh - I've done that tons of times. Out in rural Australian and even at a castle in Germany using part of my three-word German vocabulary - "Zimmer?"
Re: ‘No Vacancy’ Signs Are Vanishing from America’s Highways
#6It's a shame because how far you will get in a day of driving is not exactly set in stone. If you're alert and in the zone, you may wish to go farther than the hotel you booked. If you've hit bad weather, traffic, etc. then the hotel you booked couple be a couple hundred miles past when you'd prefer to stop driving for the night. It's really nice to be able to stop when you feel like it.
Re: ‘No Vacancy’ Signs Are Vanishing from America’s Highways
#7I've never been able to find a room last minute by stopping in a hotel and asking to stay the night. They always say they're full.
I'd be curious to know the difference between your experience and mine. U. S. here, and its rare that a motel turns me away. Now, there are several distinguishing characteristics of my travel. First, mostly by motorcycle, and second is that because I'm on the bike I'm probably in some out-of-the-way place and not downtown SF. My mode of travel is important, I think, because sometimes I think they feel sorry for me (especially when my wife's with me). Who wants to turn away a biker when it's 10C and pissing rain? (Never mind that I'm perfectly content to put my tent up if I don't find a room.)
Anyway, I'll bet I'm turned away from ad hoc hotel stops 10% of the time at most.
Re: ‘No Vacancy’ Signs Are Vanishing from America’s Highways
#8I've never been able to find a room last minute by stopping in a hotel and asking to stay the night. They always say they're full.
In the last year and a half, I've driven the Baltimore San Diego route three times, and I've never planned ahead for a motel room, nor have I had a problem getting a room. Maybe I was lucky.
Re: ‘No Vacancy’ Signs Are Vanishing from America’s Highways
#9I've never been able to find a room last minute by stopping in a hotel and asking to stay the night. They always say they're full.
In the last year and a half, I've driven the Baltimore San Diego route three times, and I've never planned ahead for a motel room, nor have I had a problem getting a room. Maybe I was lucky.
Wow. What causes you to have to drive so much?
Re: ‘No Vacancy’ Signs Are Vanishing from America’s Highways
#10I've never been able to find a room last minute by stopping in a hotel and asking to stay the night. They always say they're full.
Interesting. I rarely have a reservation when driving on a multi day trip. Instead, I use the fact that it's already late as leverage to get a lower rate. I'm about 50/50 on getting that to work. I'm not the best sales person, so I bet someone who is more persistent would be more successful. I have the best luck when the hotel clerk is younger.
I tend to drive mostly in the western US, specifically Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, the Dakotas, or Nebraska. Where are you trying it?