When travel plans change or a spontaneous trip arises, last minute accommodation deals can be a lifesaver. These sites and apps offer discount rates to fill empty rooms, helping both travelers and hotels save money and time. The key is to be flexible and prepared to sacrifice some amenities in order to get a deal.
Keep in mind, however, that these discounts are often nonrefundable or might be at a different hotel than what you had originally booked. So before you hit the road, make sure to check the fine print and read user reviews. Also, be prepared to be able to stay for a different amount of nights than what you had originally planned.
The Joy of Spontaneity: Last-Minute Hotel Adventures
Several travel apps, including Hotel Tonight and One Night, are geared toward last-minute bookings and have their own unique ways of scouring the market for hotel rooms. Essentially, these apps search for rooms on the day of your trip and display them as a list or map. If you want to try Hotel Tonight, just type in your destination and tap “hotels.” You’ll be shown a list of discounted hotels that are available to book that night.
For businesses, Hotel Engine offers a way to save even more time on these last-minute bookings by allowing you to set tiered travel policies for your team members. This will ensure that they are only booking hotel rooms within your approved budget and can help reduce the need for credit card authorization forms at check-in.