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What’s the difference between Platz and Ort when they are used in the sense of place?
I know each can have different meanings on their own (e.g. Platz can mean city square and Ort can mean village), but what when you’re talking about a place in a generic sense? For example:
I know a place. – Ich weiß einen Platz.
Is there a place to stay overnight nearby? – Gibt es einen Platz in der Nähe zum Übernachten?
In these generic cases, is Platz or Ort preferred?
Germans don't say "Ich weiß einen Platz." nor "Ich weiß einen Ort.". They say: "Ich kenne einen Ort."
"Gibt es einen Ort in der Nähe zum Übernachten?" is correct. (People understand that you're searching for a hostel or something similar.) If you talk about a "Platz" in regard to "übernachten", it's a spot to sleep (as in: "Du kannst deinen Schlafsack da drüben hinlegen."), not a place.
"Ort" is more like a location whereas "Platz" is more like a spot. But "Platz" can also be a town square, a sports field, or refer to a seat. To make things even worse: If someone says "Da ist viel Platz.", it means that there is a lot of space.
