Wait until 4 p.m. for the best last-minute hotel deals. Getty Looking for a rock-bottom hotel rate? Waiting until the very last minute to book can really pay off. While airfares tend to rise as your travel date approaches, it’s the opposite with hotel prices.
Since hotels are always aiming to maximize their occupancy rate, many will decrease their rates if they aren’t meeting their expected targets. That’s why you’ll often see hotels dropping their prices a few days before a check-in date or on the day of arrival. “There’s a misconception that hotels will sell out and, if you don’t book early, you’re going to spend a fortune,” says Sam Shank, co-founder and CEO of HotelTonight, a website and app (available in the Apple and Google Play stores) that has been finding travelers last-minute deep hotel discounts since 2010.
“Actually, hotel prices decline the longer you wait,” says Shank, “so if you haven’t made plans yet, you can be rewarded for that with a better deal.” Same-day rates on HotelTonight are, on average, 10 percent less than if you book the day before, according to Shank.
- Be willing to live on the edge.
- For the most serious of bargain hunters, there is a magic time when rates bottom out.
- Throughout the day of check-in, prices keep decreasing,” says Shank.
- If there are still these empty rooms by 4 p.m.
- The day of arrival, the hotel will have a lot of certainty that they are not going to get filled otherwise.
That’s when they’re really willing to put a really, super good deal on it.” Be ready to pounce. A few months ago, HotelTonight launched the Daily Drop, which is available just once a day. “That deal is often 30 percent off of what you’d normally pay on HotelTonight, which are already really great rates, so it’s always a super good deal,” explains Shank.
The twist is that you have 15 minutes to book it. “It’s what we call an ephemeral deal,” says Shank, “and that’s why the hotel feels comfortable with offering this super, super deep discount.” Be a tourist in your own hometown. If you like to be spontaneous, Shank recommends a staycation as an easy way to upgrade your weekend.
“It’s a really under-utilized way of seeing the city that you live in or one that’s nearby,” he says. “I’m a huge hotel geek, and I get an endorphin rush every time I stay in a new hotel. It can be just as fun to do it where you live, without a lot of the costs and time of traveling.” It’s also a great fallback if your weekend plans fall through, says Shank.
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Is booking hotels last minute a good idea?
If you’re debating when to book your hotel – Unless you’ve got your eyes on lavish lodging that otherwise has a fickle cancellation policy, you don’t save a whole lot by holding out in hopes of a better deal. On average, properties are about 13% cheaper when booked 15 days out versus four months out.
The biggest difference in pricing comes from high-end hotels, which average nearly 22% cheaper. But since budget properties are only 5% less expensive, no-frills travelers have little reason to procrastinate on booking hotel rooms. Double-check the fine print because there’s a good chance you can book and lock in a rate now, then cancel and rebook later if the rate drops.
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What time of day is best to book cheap hotels?
Best Time to Book Hotel for Lowest Price – If you are booking your hotel in advance, there isn’t a particular time of day that will lower or increase the price of a given room. However, if you are trying to find last minute hotel deals, the best time to book a hotel is after 4pm.
Is it cheaper to get a hotel room the day of?
This is the best time to book a hotel room – If it’s feasible, wait until the day you need the hotel room to book it. The later in the day, the better. After 4 p.m., hotels know the odds of selling a room are pretty slim, so you’re more likely to get an even lower rate.
- On average, the same-day rate of a hotel room is 10% cheaper than booking in advance.
- But this comes with a caveat.
- Don’t rely on this strategy if you’re traveling to a busy tourist city or a town where a large event is happening.
- You might be fortunate, but most people book rooms well in advance.
- In a pinch, sites like Hotel Tonight can help with last-minute bookings.
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What is the cheapest day to book on booking?
Cheapest day of the week to book a flight – So, what is the cheapest day to book a flight? In order to find out, Expedia used data compiled by the (ARC), which has information on 15 billion flights across 490 airlines. While the cheapest day to actually pay for airfare can vary from one week to the next, Expedia data shows consumers who book airfare on Sundays instead of Fridays tend to save approximately 5 percent on domestic flights and 15 percent on international airfare.
Expedia also notes that Sunday was the cheapest day to book flights in 2021 and 2022, but that travelers saved 5 percent more when booking on Sundays in 2022 compared to the previous year. If you want to save more, data shows you should book at least one month before travel for domestic departures to save approximately 10 percent.
“The sweet spot for snagging the best price on domestic flights falls between 28 – 35 days before departure — so about a month in advance of travel,” noted Expedia in its, Meanwhile, booking international airfare six months out tends to yield the best results.
What is considered a last minute booking?
What is a Last Minute Booking? – A last minute booking is generally defined as a booking made within 14 days of check in. There is variability even within this narrow band with travelers booking 1-2 weeks time having more time and leeway in planning their itinerary vs those looking to check in the next day.
Should I finish a book in one day?
Start slowly – You don’t have to finish a book every day, but if you are keen to significantly improve how you read, start slowly. Don’t be too harsh on yourself if you can’t read an entire book in a single day. It takes practice. Pick up something you can relate to or enjoy, and then explore and experiment.
Is it possible to book a hotel room for a day?
Hotels by day 
– This is slightly different in that they offer hotels for longer stays as well and some hotels require advance payment. You can sort between ones that require pre-payment and those that can be paid at the hotel to make it easier. Rooms that are pay at the hotel can be cancelled up until the day.
The company offers hotel rooms for 3 to 12+ hours with early morning or late evening check-in, early or late afternoon check-out. Day stays can be booked on their website or app in such countries as the United Arab Emirates, USA, United Kingdom, Canada, India, Australia, and more. It asks that you show up with proof of booking, ID and the credit card you used to book, although I wonder whether they would need that in reality at the hotel.
You can find their website here.
How much money should you leave in a hotel room?
How much to tip hotel housekeeping – You can find tipping guides for housekeeping and other hotel services from organizations like the American Hotel and Lodging Association and Fair Hotel, A general rule of thumb is $3 to $5 per night for budget and midrange hotels, and up to $10 a night for luxury hotels and resorts (or more if the service is really high end).
- Families don’t automatically need to tip more than single travelers or couples.
- But keep in mind the kind of impact lots of little ones might have on a room or the extras you might need from housekeeping (more clean towels and shampoo, for example).
- If you’re leaving behind a field of crushed crackers in the carpets, consider a sincere thank you note and larger tip!” said Ten Eyck.
BRING THE DOG: Top 10 pet-friendly resorts and hotels in the U.S. And if the requests start adding up, so should your tip. “If you ask for extra towels or a blow dryer or more ice, you’re going to tip the housekeeper accordingly,” said Diane Gottsman, an etiquette expert and the founder of The Protocol School of Texas.
How much should I leave for a hotel room?
The recommended tipping range – The American Hotel & Lodging Association suggests leaving a $1-to-$5 tip per day for the housekeeping staff. The tipping range is helpful when estimating your trip budget, but how much you should ultimately tip depends on a few factors (more on this later).
What is considered a last minute booking?
What is a Last Minute Booking? – A last minute booking is generally defined as a booking made within 14 days of check in. There is variability even within this narrow band with travelers booking 1-2 weeks time having more time and leeway in planning their itinerary vs those looking to check in the next day.
Is it cheaper to book a hotel on a certain day of the week?
What time of year should I avoid hotel stays? – If your main goal is to save money, booking a hotel off-season is the way to go. That means avoiding popular domestic or European destinations in the summer and opting for spring or fall instead. Likewise, you won’t find many deals in Palm Springs, Mexico, or the Caribbean in winter.
- While some holiday gatherings and special events have been on hold due to the pandemic, typically around these times (and if the events are actually going ahead) you will see hotel rates shoot up as well—think Christmas in Hawai‘i, New Year’s Eve in New York City, or Mardi Gras in New Orleans,
- In short, remember that getting the best deal on a hotel room comes down to a few basic rules: Make your bookings on a more favorable day of the week (try Tuesday or the weekend), try for last minute if you can, travel off-season whenever possible, and avoid checking in on Friday.
This story originally appeared in 2019, and has been updated to include current information. Deb Hopewell is a freelance lifestyle and travel journalist who spent nearly two decades working at newspapers like San Jose’s The Mercury News before becoming the editor of Yahoo Travel for six years.