Use This Strategy When Booking A Hotel For Your International Trip, Per Rick Steves

Rick Steves, the legendary travel guru, spends approximately four months of the year in Europe, improving travel experiences for American visitors to the continent. Having spent so much time across the pond, he has a wealth of travel tips up his sleeve, including how to pack for any type of weather. However, even if you're well packed for a rainstorm, you still don't want to be searching for a comfy bed in one, especially on a multi-nation trip across Europe.

Steves' strategy of prebooking a room for your first few nights in a hotel can help you not only have peace of mind from when you arrive, but it will give you a base to explore the city. Per Steves on his website, "I advise booking in advance for the first few nights, as finding a room when jet-lagged can be stressful. After that, you can book your next hotel once you know where you're going and when you'll arrive." This way, you won't have to worry about looking for a place, but can also leave your options open to find a better hotel and protect yourself if the photos and reviews were misleading.

Once your feet hit the pavement on day one, Steves recommends using part of your day to find other accommodation options for your next stop by asking the locals, who will know the market and point you in the right direction. Locals may also know of major events (expos, major races, sporting events, or concerts) that can draw thousands of visitors, and give you a better idea of where to stay, in addition to helping you avoid some of the most common hotel booking mistakes.

Steves' mission is to help Americans grow from life-changing travel experiences. If you're on a longer trip across Europe or are a more spontaneous traveler, leaving the last couple of nights free can open the door to visiting some of Steves' favorite hidden gem spots across the continent that are off the beaten path, yet offer enriching experiences for adventurous travelers. If you go, be aware of where and when you're traveling; smaller beach towns in Italy, Spain, and France may fill up during the summer months, though they are quieter during other seasons.

If you do get a wild hair to visit a major city for a major event, for example, Munich for Oktoberfest or Barcelona around the middle to end of June when the Sonar Music Festival and the Night of St. Joan celebrations take place, you may have trouble finding a place in town if you haven't booked in advance. In this case, Steves has another solid tip to help you potentially save money and venture off the beaten path. He recommends that in this situation, travelers head about an hour away from the city center and look for a hotel near the main train or bus station in a nearby suburb. Generally, this area on the outskirts of the city will not have major tourist attractions, though it likely has a budget hotel with plenty of rooms and easy public transportation access to the events that you're planning to attend. It's just one of the ways that you can take your typical tourist trip and turn it into an authentic experience.