Promotions And Opportunities

sunflogun

sunflogun

Community Member
Jul 28, 2015
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Any travel lover knows that (unless we are rich! :D) to travel many times we need to pay attention to the promotions available. So what I want to ask here is, where do you look for the best available prices and programs available. Do you just check booking.com, airbnb or what are your sources?
 
My main source is booking.com or hotels.com if I'm booking accommodation - sometimes once I get a price on those and get a reasonable estimate for costs, I like to check the hotel website directly and see if there's anything cheaper for booking directly through the hotel.

When I've booked through booking.com, I've had a couple of times where not long after I've found a cheaper deal. They have a price guarantee where they will price match (with certain timeframe restrictions, I can't remember exactly what all the terms were) but it's always nice knowing that they will price match if you do find a better deal out there.
 
Italy is different in that many towns don't always have chain hotels, but small pensiones or family run hotels. Many will have their own websites or be listed under Italian travel sites so I tend to check Trip Advisor or a regional website. Some may have offers, but it's more about location and availability in less touristy places.

You tend to only get offers if you stay a long time or book very early, so planning can work out cheaper especially in the cities where it will be harder to find a last minute bargain.
 
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When I'm travelling I always try to book in advance and make sure that as soon as I land, everything is taken care of, from the transport to the hotel from the airport, and the accommodation is booked for the length of the stay.

I do know some that just book the flights and sort out the accommodation when they get there, as they say you can get good deals, but it's too risky for me, and knowing my luck I'd end up on a park bench for the night.
 
pwarbi said:
When I'm travelling I always try to book in advance and make sure that as soon as I land, everything is taken care of, from the transport to the hotel from the airport, and the accommodation is booked for the length of the stay.

I do know some that just book the flights and sort out the accommodation when they get there, as they say you can get good deals, but it's too risky for me, and knowing my luck I'd end up on a park bench for the night.
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Agree with you - don't get me wrong, there's plenty of things on vacation that I'm fine with winging - but accommodation isn't one of those! I like knowing where I'm going to be sleeping at night, even if none of my activities are planned!
 
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Definitely, the hotel is usually the ONLY thing that is planned though as we like just doing whatever we want, when we want seeing as we're on holiday after all.

As long as we know we have a bed and a roof over our heads at the end of the day that's the most important thing.
 
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I do know (and I have tried this) by paying in cash in smaller places does result in a discount (sconti). So you can book a few days and if you choose to stay longer and charm the owner you can get a discount. I met a hotel owner on a ferry going to Lipari and made friends with her and she gave me a huge discount on staying in the hotel and a free room to use on the day I was leaving, plus a lift back to the ferry port. You never know who you will meet. It was one of the best hotels on the island too.
 
When your travelling alone or maybe just as a couple it might not be too bad and I'm sure that there are discount to be had by just turning up, but when you've got a couple of children in tow as well, it's just a risk you can't take.

Everything else can be arranged as and when, but the accommodation needs to be guaranteed really for us.
 
pwarbi said:
When your travelling alone or maybe just as a couple it might not be too bad and I'm sure that there are discount to be had by just turning up, but when you've got a couple of children in tow as well, it's just a risk you can't take.

Everything else can be arranged as and when, but the accommodation needs to be guaranteed really for us.
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That would worry me too, with little ones it would be even more reason not to risk it. It's one thing if you're a young backpacker who would theoretically sleep on a park bench if there were no other options, or even as a couple without kids - but when you have little ones and have to consider them first and foremost it's not worth the stress and potential drama of not having something sorted out.
 
There's also the insurance aspect as well, and if you book a room in advance and its paid for upfront, you'll often find that insurance is included if anything untoward does happen, and you'll be able to rely on them to sort out any problems.

Just booking as and when you get there you won't have that safety net to fall back on, and if you're not happy then it's either a case of finding another place pretty quickly, or putting up with what you've got. Both of which could spoil a holiday before it's even begun.
 
pwarbi said:
There's also the insurance aspect as well, and if you book a room in advance and its paid for upfront, you'll often find that insurance is included if anything untoward does happen, and you'll be able to rely on them to sort out any problems.

Just booking as and when you get there you won't have that safety net to fall back on, and if you're not happy then it's either a case of finding another place pretty quickly, or putting up with what you've got. Both of which could spoil a holiday before it's even begun.
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I'm sure that is applicable in some cases if you take out insurance, but most places don't even if you have paid upfront. If you read the small print they can move you to another hotel, because hotels always overbook because they expect cancellations.

The best thing to do is reconfirm the night before on the morning so they know you won't be a no show. Even if you have paid upfront it doesn't guarantee a room if you read the small print. Yes, they may help you find somewhere else, and can easily refund the cost paid. In Italy small hotels don't operate like that and won't take payment even if you offer it so they aren't obliged to give you a room. Some won't even take a deposit. It's a very different world booking a room in some parts of Italy.
 
If your booking a package holiday through a reputable company they will have to be registered with ABTA here in the UK.

Any hotel that is reserved and paid for as part of the deal have to provide the customer with the room advertised and for the duration it was booked for, unless there's extreme circumstances, like the roof as fallen off.
 
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