My husband and I will be driving through Austria and Switzerland the last two weeks of May. Tentatively we'll be staying in Vienna, Hallstatt, Strasburg, Fussen or Reutte, Appenzell, Luzern, Lauterbrunnen, and Stresa. Will we need hotel reservations in advance or can we choose accommodations upon arrival, which will give us more flexibility?

Why will it give you more flexibility? I've always found having reservations in advance considerably improved my flexibility. Without them, I was wandering around towns banging on hotel doors asking if they had a room, sometimes for hours, even if aided by the local tourist office. I gave up several hours a day because they needed to be devoted to finding a room.

I've done trips with no advanced reservations, but they were for the most part in France with a cell phone and a Michelin Red Guide at my side, and the minute we left one place we started phoning around for reservations for the next night (and still ended up with some horrible places).

Is there some reason you can't plan an itinerary and map out where you want to spend nights?

I do have a very detailed itinerary. Almost obsessive I've been told. However, sometimes we want to make changes as we go. Also, I've made a few poor choices in the past, based on internet information. I have booked a room in Stresa, and it wasn't easy, as we found that May is their peak tourist season. However, with your input, I think I should commit and make some more bookings. Thanks

ML:

It's a personal thing, but I hate to hunt for a hotel at the end of the day. I also go with a fairly detailed (though not obsessive) program and I always reserve hotels in advance, although I often leave a day in the middle without a hotel between stops where I can prove to my wife that I can be "spontaneous" too.

I do know what you mean trying to choose a hotel late in the day. Can be a real drag! My main concern is whether we'll have trouble finding accommodations at the mentioned cities late in May. We usually go for 3 or 4 star hotels, and try to stay under $200. $100 is even better. Its not summer, so I hope not, but what do you think?

A 4 star hotel for $100.00? Surely you are kidding.It is definitely tourist season.I suggest you go over to tripadvisor to get a more realistic idea of what your hotel is going to cost and I would definitely book in advance.

I still don't understand why you want to wait, esp if you already have an itinerary planned. Just make reservations at hotels that will allow you to cancel 24hours in advance without any penalty - in that case, you still have some flexibility up until the day before you arrive at a city. While late May isn't highest season yet, it certain borders on high season. $100 is probably do-able in smaller towns/Germany, but very unlikely in Switzerland and Vienna, and by this I mean 2 or 3* hotels; definitely nor 4*.

Towards the end of May is Ascension and Pentecost, a major holiday period in Europe. I'd reserve places in advance, esp around Ascension Day (May 21) and Pentecost weekend (May 30 - Jun 1)). Often there is web discount available for booking in advance.

Thanks for the advice. I didn't know that Ascension and Pentecost are major holidays.