Finding the Right Accomodation

05-Sep-2011 Finding the Right Accommodation

Searching for the perfect accommodation when planning a trip? Don`t leave your choice to chance. Planning is essential if you`re keen to pick the best bargains for your holiday hotels or apartments.

There are a great deal of accommodation choices available for holidays with everything from lavish, all-inclusive beach resorts through to boutique hotels and spas, self catering villas, luxury camping sites and small family-run B&Bs. Unless you have the luck of obtaining a fantastic word of mouth recommendation (and it is ideal if you do), the best deals for holiday accommodation are usually to be found online. Most high street travel brands have an online presence and there are a large number of other internet-only holiday providers and travel sites to help you get a great offer.

Early bird deals are great for families and groups who need to get organised and booked in advance and who need the certainty of booked accommodation and secure plans. Particularly with travel agents and group holiday providers, early booking discounts can result in real savings for loyal customers, particularly if you book at low-peak times after key holiday periods. Negotiate on price in these difficult times and you may find your provider is willing to offer an additional discount or an upgrade to better accommodation. Now is the time to lose British reserve and haggle like crazy if you want a good deal!

When looking for accommodation deals online, don`t simply be swayed by good photography and write-ups. The important thing to look for is customer reviews, which tend to be more frank, full and unbiased. Even the cheapest hotel will seem like a poor choice if it doesn`t match up to expectations. Find out what other customers have said via travel forums rather than simply relying on the official hotel quality rating. Understand what you`re looking for too. A two star hotel may actually be more suitable for your needs than four-star accommodation. Be clear about what you need and value and make decisions accordingly. For example, without a car, a smaller hotel within walking distance of a city centre may be more suitable for you than a large and lavish hotel past the city limits. Equally, if location is less important and you`re planning to simply indulge yourself with spa treatments and relax on the premises, you may be happy with a good quality hotel in a quieter, less popular spot.

For those who can be flexible, or who are looking to book a spontaneous short break or weekend away, nerves of steel for a last-minute booking can reap rewards. Various websites offer last minute deals and offers for guests with short-notice availability. The savings can be tremendous, often up to 70% off usual prices. Alternatively, group purchase schemes offer excellent discounts by selling short notice deals to large numbers of customers for a very limited period. Again, the deals can be excellent, up to around 80% off, although you must take care to book before the closing period (usually midnight of the same day). With some forward planning and the benefits of Groupon for a mix of local and international accommodation, everything is possible including luxury spa hotels, holiday villas and gourmet foodie breaks.

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