During a sweltering season in Europe, many travelers were steamed to find their vacation rentals and boutique hotels didn't have air conditioning.

But it's not just a problem limited to European destinations — or, in many places these days, to just a few months of the year. Temperatures are still soaring in the American West as we write this. And indoor climate control could make or break your comfort on trips to many hot weather vacation destinations, such as to Mexico and the Caribbean.

There may not be much you can do to fully cool down a hotel room without air conditioning in the middle of a very hot day. However, there are some ways to at least improve your experience. Here are a few tips and tricks to think about before you depart — and once you arrive.

Related: Best travel clothing to beat the heat

In addition to packing the right gear, there are a few steps you can take to keep cool in a hotel lacking air conditioning.

First, before accepting your fate on a steamy day, be sure to check to see if any other rooms at the hotel have A/C and request a room change if possible.

Also, if the hotel promised air conditioning on its website but does not actually offer it when you arrive, or if the air-conditioning unit is broken, request that they change not just your room but — if that's not available — move you to another property. This may be a situation where travel insurance can help you, but the conditions at the hotel likely would have to be "uninhabitable" for the insurance to reimburse you.

Related: 7 things to look out for when buying travel insurance, according to an expert

Should your room feel unbearable but not technically uninhabitable, your best course of action may be to change hotels on your own and request a refund from the original hotel (whether through your credit card issuer or from the travel agency you used). While there's no guarantee you'll get the refund, it may be worth heading elsewhere to preserve your mental and physical health.

If you do decide to stick it out in a hotel room without A/C, here are some techniques to help alleviate the effects of the heat.

Related: TPG's best tips for traveling during a heat wave

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