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Holiday Accommodation: All You Should Know About Online Booking
One of the main items of travel expenses along with tickets are accommodation and food. By choosing the type of holiday accommodation for the trip correctly, you can significantly save on your travel.
It doesn’t matter what is the purpose of your trip or what type of accommodation you prefer, it is always pleasant to save and not to overpay.
Below you will find useful tips on choosing and booking accommodation for a trip. After you read our tips, you will be able to find the ideal accommodation that will match the goals of your trip and will reduce the overall cost of the trip.
1. Determine the Purpose of the Trip and the Type of Accommodation
The first thing you need to decide before the trip - in what type of accommodation you would like to stay in. If you travel alone, but want to communicate with other travelers and possibly spend time together - a separate room in a hostel is the best choice. If you prefer a secluded vacation - you should pay attention to a room in a small hotel. Hotels are undoubtedly more expensive than hostels, so if you want to save on accommodation, but you are fed up with the atmosphere of hostels - think about guesthouses. In case you have romantic trip - a villa in a quiet secluded area will be a winning option.
2. Book Your Accommodation in Advance
Book your accommodation immediately after you come up with the dates of your trip. Do not wait for a long time, good accommodations are quickly sold out. Book a suitable accommodation for you, which can be canceled in case you find a better option later. We recommend to book your accommodation in advance, so that not to choose from the latest free ones in a hurry. This is especially true if you are planning a trip in high holiday season or during public holidays such as New Year's Eve. Prices on accommodation during high season usually increase and it will be hard to find some advantageous vacation rental a couple of days before the trip.
3. Book Accommodation With Free Cancellation
If you book accommodation in a long period of time - do it with the possibility of free canceling the reservation. You never know how the plans can change. And of course simply for a long period of time you can find new more suitable accommodation for your trip. In case you have a spontaneous trip in the near future - it is possible to book the accommodation you like without the possibility of canceling the booking - options without cancellation usually cost less and so you can save on accommodation.
4. Look for a Place to Stay in After Arrival at Destination Only if You Have a Long Trip
Some people prefer not to book accommodation in advance, but to look for a suitable vacation rental upon arrival at the destination. This way may take place only if you have a long trip with a lot of free time. Yes, then you can walk around and look for a suitable accommodation for you, but it will take a lot of time, because you will hardly like the first one. In case you have a short trip with many things to do and to see, I think you agree that searching for accommodation on arrival is losing precious time. So, if you have a short trip it is better to book accommodation in advance.
Check Prices on Different Websites (Booking, Airbnb, Trivago, and etc.)
Before booking an accommodation, check the one you like on all the major resources (booking.com, airbnb.com, agoda.com, trivago.com, hotels.com and etc.) Often the prices on accommodation may vary, and sometimes you can save a significant amount by simply booking your preferred accommodation on another site.
6. Remember About Promotions for Accommodation
Before and after booking an accommodation with the possibility of canceling it, keep an eye on the promotions. For example, booking.com sometimes returns part of the amount of booking back to the card after your staying in accommodation. Such bonuses are always pleasant, with its help you can save money or on the amount you planned to stay in a more expensive and comfortable accommodation on the price you planned (taking into account the refund).
7. Rent Accommodation With a Kitchen...
If you want to save a significant amount during the trip and you are not lazy to cook on your own - book accommodation with kitchen. This will really help you not only reduce food costs, but also better experience the atmosphere of the country of your journey, because you will get to know local products.
8. ...and a Washing Machine
Another way to save money is to rent accommodation not only with the kitchen, but also with a washing machine. If you rent an apartment or a flat, for example on airbnb, there is often a washing machine (you can clarify it in the description of accommodation on airbnb or in the reviews), which helps to save on the laundry. This is especially true if you are renting an apartment for a long time.
9. Choose the Location According to the Purpose of Your Trip
Location of the accommodation you book is very important. During our travels we lived both in the central areas and on the outskirts of the cities. And here you should take into account the purpose of your trip. If you stay in any place in transit, for example by car, and you are not going to visit the main attractions - you can easily choose accommodation on the outskirts, away from the busy center of (especially European) cities, where you may have additional problems with car parking. If you come to explore the city and spend enough time in it - I recommend to rent accommodation in the city center. Better - in a quiet area of the center. Yes, renting an apartment or hotel room in the center is often more expensive, but this so only at first sight. You do not know what amount you will have to pay each time to get to the center, in the evening or at night or under unforeseen circumstances you will probably need a taxi. It is also necessary to take into account the fact that, in addition to money costs, you will spend time and energy on the road every time, and your travel impression depends on it all. Therefore, always check the location of the accommodation before booking!
10. Carefully Read the Conditions of Booking an Accommodation
When booking accommodation, thoroughly study what is included in the price, and what is not. This is especially true when you decide to rent an apartment or a flat. The final cost can sometimes be higher than the one indicated at the beginning, since there are often cleaning costs or fees added. Always study all the nuances of booking.
11. Contact the Accommodation in Advance
In order not to waste time and energy on your arrival at the destination - find out in advance how to get to the lodging you have booked. Another important point - your arrival time. If you book accommodation without a 24-hour front desk - contact the owner of the apartment or a flat in advance and inform about your arrival time. Please note that such accommodation facilities often charge an additional fee for late check-in or do not provide a late check-in service at all. Always discuss the time of your arrival in advance.
12. Want to Find a Profitable Holiday Accommodation - Keep an Eye on New Hotels
Check if the new hotels appear at your destination. Often when opening new hotels hold promo-actions and give discounts, reduce the prices for accommodation and encourage visitors with bonuses. That’s how you can combine a pleasant stay in a new hotel and save on accommodation.
13. Do Not Rent Accommodation in High Season
If you want to save money - travel in low season. At this time prices for lodging, tickets, and even sightseeing (the main travel expenses) are lower, and your trip may be several times cheaper than the same one in high season, when the demand is higher. Often in low season accommodation facilities offer bonuses and discounts for those who stay for more than 2 days, but not for daily rent. For example, you can stay at accommodation for 4 nights at a price of 3 nights.
14. Travel With a Company? - Choose Apartments
If you travel by a company of at least 4 people - often renting apartments with separate bedrooms will be cheaper than renting even 2 hotel rooms. The obvious advantage of the apartments is the kitchen, where you can spend time with your friends and cook, reducing the food expenses.
15. Delete Search History on Rental Websites
In case you prefer not to book accommodation immediately, but want to check the options for a few days - delete the search history when you return to the website, use a different browser and do not log in to your personal account. Otherwise, when searching for the same direction, the price may increase for you, taking into account your interest.
16. Make Couchsurfing as Part of Your Travel and Save on Accommodation
Did you know that on travel you can save on accommodation by staying at the local people for free? This way of traveling is especially popular with young people. For this you need to register on couchsurfing.com, there you can find all the necessary information. The fact is that you can choose the person whom you would like to stay at in the place of your trip. This is a good way to get to know the local people and feel the atmosphere of the place of your stay. The locals also are eager to help, they can always tell you which places are best to visit, including non-tourist ones. Of course, it's better not to stop at someone for 2-3 weeks, but a few days at the couchsurfer can become a memorable part of the trip.