Tips and Travel Hacks to Spend Less on a Nice Vaca

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a friend who books refundable hotel rooms far in advance and then switches to (cheaper) refundable rooms a day or two before if they are still available and cancels the refundable room.

I do the same. Usually a week out.

Sure but in a hot destination, the non refundable price is usually higher by then or the place is booked.

Exactly. This only works in off season or less popular properties.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a friend who books refundable hotel rooms far in advance and then switches to (cheaper) refundable rooms a day or two before if they are still available and cancels the refundable room.

I do the same. Usually a week out.

But the price often goes up for that close to date.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Set up a google flight alert for your destination and pounce if a good price pops up. (You can cancel within 24 hrs if you get cold feet. Or book refundable if it’s not much more.)

Be sure any accommodations you book are refundable and very flexible. It’s like having travel insurance built into the price. I like to book early and have more choices - then I might re-check a few days before to make sure nothing better pops up.

Sometimes hotels offer very nice last minute rates!

If you use the booking.com app, some places offer 10%+ discounts. Filter for free cancellation.

Never let hotels or ATMs convert from local currency to USD. That always leads to a bad rate for you; use local currency always.

I read once to avoid places that offer menus with many flags and translations. Tourist traps.

For the bolded above, how do you find these “last minute rates”? Do you have to go to the hotel websites or can you find these on travel websites like Expedia or Hotels.com?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Set up a google flight alert for your destination and pounce if a good price pops up. (You can cancel within 24 hrs if you get cold feet. Or book refundable if it’s not much more.)

Be sure any accommodations you book are refundable and very flexible. It’s like having travel insurance built into the price. I like to book early and have more choices - then I might re-check a few days before to make sure nothing better pops up.

Sometimes hotels offer very nice last minute rates!

If you use the booking.com app, some places offer 10%+ discounts. Filter for free cancellation.

Never let hotels or ATMs convert from local currency to USD. That always leads to a bad rate for you; use local currency always.

I read once to avoid places that offer menus with many flags and translations. Tourist traps.

For the bolded above, how do you find these “last minute rates”? Do you have to go to the hotel websites or can you find these on travel websites like Expedia or Hotels.com?

I like to use google maps + hotels. Open your search area, select your dates, and search for hotels. Recently we went to NYC and a few weeks prior, I booked a basic hotel room for about $400 per night. Two days before we left, I did some research and booked the same room at the same hotel, plus breakfast, for $250 per night.

This won’t work for peak travel dates but I’ve found that hotels (and airbnb) will reduce rates for last minute travel.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Set up a google flight alert for your destination and pounce if a good price pops up. (You can cancel within 24 hrs if you get cold feet. Or book refundable if it’s not much more.)

Be sure any accommodations you book are refundable and very flexible. It’s like having travel insurance built into the price. I like to book early and have more choices - then I might re-check a few days before to make sure nothing better pops up.

Sometimes hotels offer very nice last minute rates!

If you use the booking.com app, some places offer 10%+ discounts. Filter for free cancellation.

Never let hotels or ATMs convert from local currency to USD. That always leads to a bad rate for you; use local currency always.

I read once to avoid places that offer menus with many flags and translations. Tourist traps.

For the bolded above, how do you find these “last minute rates”? Do you have to go to the hotel websites or can you find these on travel websites like Expedia or Hotels.com?

I like to use google maps + hotels. Open your search area, select your dates, and search for hotels. Recently we went to NYC and a few weeks prior, I booked a basic hotel room for about $400 per night. Two days before we left, I did some research and booked the same room at the same hotel, plus breakfast, for $250 per night.

This won’t work for peak travel dates but I’ve found that hotels (and airbnb) will reduce rates for last minute travel.

Hmm, interesting. Thanks for the info PP!

[Anonymous]

Stay in an apartment. Almost always cheaper than a hotel and you can fix your own meals and snacks.

[Anonymous]

Have a wealthy friend with a private jet fly you to your vacation location…..

[Anonymous]

Best and easiest way to save is to travel to popular places and stay in high end accommodations in the shoulder seasons. Not the off seasons (as I’ve been burned and learned the hard way that they’re Off seasons for a reason).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have a wealthy friend with a private jet fly you to your vacation location…..

All you have to do is get yourself appointed to the Supreme Court!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Set up a google flight alert for your destination and pounce if a good price pops up. (You can cancel within 24 hrs if you get cold feet. Or book refundable if it’s not much more.)

Be sure any accommodations you book are refundable and very flexible. It’s like having travel insurance built into the price. I like to book early and have more choices - then I might re-check a few days before to make sure nothing better pops up.

Sometimes hotels offer very nice last minute rates!

If you use the booking.com app, some places offer 10%+ discounts. Filter for free cancellation.

Never let hotels or ATMs convert from local currency to USD. That always leads to a bad rate for you; use local currency always.

I read once to avoid places that offer menus with many flags and translations. Tourist traps.

For the bolded above, how do you find these “last minute rates”? Do you have to go to the hotel websites or can you find these on travel websites like Expedia or Hotels.com?

On the hotels on website. That’s the only place these crazy deals will be. Never booked through Expedia or third-party service for anything high-end.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A nice cow?

I also can't get over this no matter how many times I've seen it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a friend who books refundable hotel rooms far in advance and then switches to (cheaper) refundable rooms a day or two before if they are still available and cancels the refundable room.

I do the same. Usually a week out.

I found many nicer hotels on my European trip were nonrefundable this past summer. I don't know if that is the start of a trend; hope not.

[Anonymous]

Travel during offseason.
Points & miles for hotels & flights

Never eat @ the chain hotels.
Ask your cab driver for local joints

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a friend who books refundable hotel rooms far in advance and then switches to (cheaper) refundable rooms a day or two before if they are still available and cancels the refundable room.

I do the same. Usually a week out.

I found many nicer hotels on my European trip were nonrefundable this past summer. I don't know if that is the start of a trend; hope not.

Yeah, the hotels are onto this game.