MoneySavingExpert (MSE), the consumer advice website founded by Martin Lewis, has shared a money-saving travel tip that could help holidaymakers secure the best deals on hotel and rental car bookings. In a social media post on X, MSE urged travellers to choose bookings with free cancellation, allowing them to cancel and rebook if prices drop.
How the strategy works
MSE wrote: "Top travel tip: Try to book a hotel or car hire with free cancellation. Why? Because if the price drops, you can simply cancel and rebook at this cheaper rate!" The post also asked users to share their experiences, prompting numerous success stories.
Real savings from MSE fans
A commenter named Kathryn said: "I've done this with a hotel. Got a much better grade room and saved about £50 on the price the original room would have cost! I usually try to do this now. I book the new room first though before cancelling the existing one... Just in case!"
Another user reported saving on a hotel booking but noted a trade-off: "I’ve done this for a hotel booking. Made a great saving on original booking price but found my room was at the furthest point away from the reception / dining areas. A good trade off in that situation."
One traveller saved £80 on a car hire in Portugal, reducing the cost from £160 to £80. Another fan shared a dramatic reduction on a rental car: "Pre-Christmas price over £300. 1st booking March £285. 2nd booking £185 early May. 3rd time mid-May £121." They added: "Refunded each time within four days. Result!"
A holidaymaker claimed to save £400 on a trip to New York, commenting: "£400 saved on a trip to NYC. Free cancellation costs more but the flexibility makes it worth it."
MSE's official advice
According to the MSE website: "Most booking sites and hotel websites give you a non-refundable and a free cancellation option for each room type. Non-refundable rooms tend to be cheaper, so you'll need to weigh up if paying more for free cancellation is worth it."
