Friday, January 25, 2008

Last Minute Hotel Deals

Budget Travel With Last Minute Hotel Deals

Saving money on last minute hotel deals can help you get your dream vacation.

Planning

If you think you can't plan your vacation in advance if you take advantage of a last minute hotel deal, you are mistaken. Some rates that are last minute hotel deals are available for up to six weeks – plenty of time for most travelers to plan.

Most last minute hotel deals are for weekends, when business travelers are few and far between, and hotels need to find guests to fill the rooms, even at reduced rates. Plan to stay from a Thursday through Monday, or Friday through Tuesday to save the most money.

How To Find The Lowest 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 exception to this formula is travel to Las Vegas. If you are taking advantage of last minute deals in Las Vegas, your best rates will be mid-week, so plan to arrive on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday.

Book Online

One way hotels save money that they pass along to their customers is by using an online booking service, so no human beings have to assist you with your reservations. Computer savvy travelers, therefore, will save more money than travelers who have to book by phone.

Set up an online account with services like hotwire.com, expedia.com, hotels.com, cheaptickets.com, and Travelocity so you can jump right on a last minute hotel deal as soon as it opens up, and you won't have to take the time to set up your new account, and so forth.

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.

Protect Yourself

When you make travel reservations online, protect yourself against computer problems by printing out all of your documentation and carrying a paper trail with you when you travel. That way, if an airline or hotel doesn't want to honor the great deal you got online, you have your proof right there with you, and the argument will be over.

Enjoy traveling on your last minute hotel deals.

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