best technique for hotel booking upon arrival at Ko Phi Phi Nov. 20?

Am not having luck getting the decent looking hotels in my price range (low to medium-low) to respond to e-mails.
So what can I expect if we just show up? Meaning, what's the scene like there on the pier with the touts, and what can you do to determine what the hotels they are pushing look like and whether they're in a decent spot before committing?

And there will be at least some rooms, available at that point in the season, Nov. 20-25....right?
Tezza? Anyone?

send a mail to Fon at TKT Krabi Tour - blueloma21@hotmail.com - she'll sort u out if anyone can - good luck

Not once have I ever been left to sleep on the beach, anywhere in Thailand, even when travelling during peak-peak season over Xmas and New Year, and I never pre-book.

During November I'm sure you'll be absolutely fine.

If there are touts on the pier when you arrive, that's a good sign - it means rooms are available!

From my experience of visits to Ko Phi Phi in June and July, the touts there usually carry photos of their accommodation, so you can get a good idea of what the place looks like, prices etc., before you go with them to the accommodation. If when you arrive you decide you really don't like the place they are touting, then by all means find somewhere else.

I've slept on the beach once or twice, but only through being daft and getting too drunk. In my experience u can always find somewhere, its just a bit of a fag lugging yr bag round whilst u do so - I prefer to book somewhere for the first night. There is a good cheap place opened up on Phi Phi not so long ago - the something Cabana - as far from the pier on Tonsai bay as its possible to get, I stayed there for a night a year ago and it was good, even had a pool. Maybe just google Phi Phi Cabana and see what come up. Whoops I just googled it and no, its not the place i was thinking of.

Yah,
booking ahead is against my religion, but for once I have the wife and little kid tagging along. I don't care if I wind up a day or two in a filthy closet but now have to be the Responsible Guy.

Like Dom says, there's no commitment involved if you go somewhere with a tout. If you don't like it you just leave again.