English paper pieced Grandmother's Flower Garden type quilt & simple crochet scarves & wash cloths.
I take my sewing machine if I know there will be long boring stretches in a motel or condo. I work on paper piecing usually because there is a maid to clean up all the papers trimmings! I bring a 18x24" June Tailor Press & Cut board, my 45mm rotary cutter, paper foundations, thread, my old mechanical sewing machine, & 18" & 6.5" square rulers and whatever fabric I need for the project I'm working on. If I'm paper piecing, I also bring my Clover mini-iron and it's coffee mug home. I have made swap blocks while on vacation several times--even ran out to a quilt shop in Myrtle Beach one time to buy fabric to work on swap blocks.
Planning out what you need to finish the job and then sneaking it all in with the regular luggage or threatening a hissy fit if space isn't found works for me!