anyone tried to find a hotel in Cardiff?

virtually no rooms left at holiday inn premier travelodge-rugby league extravaganza on that weekend

 

Best bet

Get yourself in at a private B & B if poss.
Cathedral road is full of them and is close to the centre.
There's a few here
http://www.city-visitor.com/cardiff/guesthouses.html

Other than that, you might just have to sit tight. Most budget hotel chains allow cancellation up to 24 hours in advance without charge. As a result, people travelling in a large group book enough rooms early doors to ensure the maximum party size is catered for, then cancel close to the event when final numbers become apparent. As a result, you often find rooms do become available between now and then, so just keep trying.