Europe - need to book accommodation long ahead?

[grayrider]

I'm hoping to cycle through Netherlands / Germany to Copenhagen in April (still a lot to sort out tbh), probably just cutting diagonally across from hook of Holland on a cycle.travel route (unless coast would be much better??). Wondered if it would be safe enough to just book most accommodation a day or so ahead rather than plot a full itinerary in advance. Looking at airbnb's / hostels / cheap hotels I suppose. Any thoughts?

 

[All uphill]

I've had no problems booking on the day in the Netherlands in May, although it was expensive once in Den Haag.

I'd suggest checking school holiday dates in each country when holiday destinations may be expensive.

 

[lazybloke]

The booking websites warn if availability is low.

If you going near to Easter, i'd be booking sooner not later. Many have free cancellation.

Look out for moneyback on quidco/topcashback/etc

 

[Emanresu]

I've a potential route for August going from Calais to Travemunde. Will be following this thread for suggestions. Are you using Eurovelo 12?

I've used this chain of hotels when in France. They have hotels all over Europe. Budget hotel in that there is virtually no staff. You get sent a code for the hotel door and then another for the door of the room. You can take your bike in with you (as there are no staff around)

https://www.hotel-bb.com/en/germany/hotels-germany

 

[grayrider]

Thanks for replies - a few things to think about there!
Emanresu (thanks for hotel link) - Eurovelo 12? I wasn't initially thinking of doing that - cycle.travel offered the attached more direct route and I thought maybe take that and get trains back, but then (put off by suggestion I'd need a bike bag on one of the trains back - presumably there'd be alternatives, but anyway...) I thought maybe extend the trip, go up on eurovelo 12 and back the cycle. travel. yet to work out if I have time to do that or not, but looking into it anyway.

 

[Emanresu]

Love cycle.travel. It's a very intuitive piece of software. You can ask it to split your route into separate days and then get it to suggest accommodation at the end of the each day. Helps identify where there may be issues with limited availability. Then your choice is to shorten/lengthen that day - or jump on a train.

When son and I did Italy last year we were using RidewithGPS, Cycle.Travel and Komoot. For touring CT was the best of the three (for touring). Komoot took us down some dodgy routes so we tended not to use it.