Last Minute Hotel Deals & Budget Travel
Your dream vacation may seem out of reach at the moment, but if you are flexible about when you go, and keep your eyes open, you can get some great last minute hotel deals that will save you a fortune, and help you get that dream vacation.
Last Minute Vacation Planning
It may seem like an oxymoron, but you can plan a vacation and still take advantage of a last minute hotel deal. Some 'last minute' deals are available up to six weeks in advance, giving you plenty of time to plan the rest of the vacation.
Most last minute hotel deals are for weekends, as this is the time when there are fewer business travelers, so the hotels look to budget holiday makers to fill their rooms. If you are able to stay over a weekend, then you should find that you will save the most money.
Finding Low Cost Air Fares
If you want to get a super discounted vacation by combining your last minute hotel deal with the lowest air fares available, search for low Web fares that are released on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, for travel the very next weekend. You can find some amazingly low fares by using this practice. Spending Saturday night at your destination will get you the very lowest fare possible.
The main exception to the weekend rule is Las Vegas – the best deals for Las Vegas are available mid-week, so try to arrive on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday to get the best rates.
Booking Online
Online booking services usually offer much better prices to telephone booking services – they are cheaper for the companies, and the companies pass these savings on to the consumer. So if you are able to book online, do so for the best prices.
Services such as hotwire.com, expedia.com, hotels.com, and Travelocity give you access to a massive list of hotels, flights, and other travel services. You can get a list of prices from several companies all with a few clicks of the mouse. Set up an account now, so that when a great deal comes around, you can book straight away.
Watch Fares Always
Keep an eye on fares to your favorite destination cities year-round so you will recognize a great bargain when one comes along. The very lowest last minute hotel deals go fast, so the traveler who is best informed is the one who will get the best deal.
Protecting Yourself
Make sure you print out all of your documentation, and carry hard-copies with you when you travel. Print them out as soon as you book, so that you don't end up stuck if you have computer problems close to the holiday time. A printout will also help you if the airline or hotel tries to get out of honoring the deal you got online – providing proof of the booking will go a long way towards silencing any protests.
Good luck with finding a great deal for your next holiday. I hope you have a wonderful time!
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Normally if you plan way ahead and make reservations as soon as possible, you can get great deals on your trip. A lot of hotels have been running great deals too, to fight out the horrible gas prices. I’m an official ambassador for Hampton Inn and I thought I’d share this info with you and maybe you’d like to share it with your readers! Hampton Inn is offering 10% off the best available rate until September 1st of this year. We’ll also be giving away a bunch of other cool stuff like bikes, vacations all leading up to Team USA competing at the Olympic games! You can check it all out at: http://hamptoninn.hilton.com/en/hp/promotions/hx_summerpromo08/index.jhtml?cid=OM,HX,Dreams,Specials&it=Specials,Dreams Hope to hear from you soon, I hope I didn’t overstep any bounds by directly posting in here. Talk to you later, Rob Williams Official Hampton Inn Ambassador naturalhouse302@gmail.com
Hi Rob,
Thanks for your contribution.
We welcome helpful comments and information that will benefit our readers. What a great idea to give away nice prizes leading up to Team USA competing at the Olympic games. I am sure our readers will want to take full advantage of those opportunities. Thanks for sharing.