Vent: I used to book hotels months ahead, thinking I was saving money.

After a trip to Lisbon last fall where I saw prices drop 40% two weeks out, I switched to last-minute apps. Has anyone else found booking closer to the date actually cheaper?

3 comments

3 Comments

wood.uma16d ago

Yeah, I was totally in that camp too, always planning way ahead. Seeing those prices fall off a cliff right before a trip really flipped a switch for me. Now I check the apps a week or two out and just roll the dice, it's saved me a bunch. Feels like the old rules for travel just don't apply anymore.

jordan_hill15d ago

Ever think about how this depends on the city's main industry? Like @wood.uma said, the old rules are dead. I've noticed if a place relies on big conventions or business travel, hotels panic and slash prices when those rooms don't fill. But in a pure tourist spot with steady vacation crowds, waiting might backfire. You gotta know what's driving demand before you gamble on a last-minute deal.

eric_adams1115d ago

Remember my buddy who waited for a Vegas hotel deal during a canceled convention? He got a suite for half price, but that trick never works on his family trips to the beach.