A savvy traveller has revealed a remarkably simple strategy that allowed them to save more than £100 on a hotel booking, demonstrating that significant travel savings can be achieved with minimal effort. The holidaymaker secured these impressive savings on a three-night break in Lisbon, Portugal, by employing a straightforward approach involving flexible booking options and periodic price checks.
The Lisbon Booking Success Story
Reddit user @the_guide_1 shared their experience in detail, explaining how they initially booked three nights in Lisbon approximately six weeks before their trip. The original total came to around $780, equivalent to approximately £577. Crucially, they selected the free cancellation option when making the reservation, providing essential flexibility should their plans change unexpectedly.
A few weeks after the initial booking, they decided to randomly check the same hotel again for identical dates and room type. To their surprise, the total price had decreased to about $690, or roughly £510. Acting quickly, they cancelled their original reservation and rebooked at the lower rate.
Further Savings Before Deadline
The traveller didn't stop there. Several days before the cancellation deadline expired, they conducted one final check and discovered the price had dropped again, this time to $642, approximately £474. By following this simple process of monitoring and rebooking, they ultimately saved around $140, equating to roughly £103, for what they estimated was just five minutes of checking time.
@the_guide_1 commented: 'I think a lot of people assume once you book, the price is locked in and that is that. There are plenty of booking hacks that could save you lots of money on hotels.' They added: 'Hotel prices seem to move around a lot based on demand and cancellations. Now I always book refundable rates and check at least once or twice before the free cancellation window closes.'
Community Response and Additional Tips
The Reddit post attracted considerable attention, with numerous users flocking to the comments section to share their thoughts and similar experiences. Many expressed appreciation for the practical advice, while others contributed additional insights and methods for maximizing travel savings.
One impressed commenter wrote: 'Good tip, thanks for sharing.' Another added: 'Fantastic tip - thank you, I always thought rates went up. I have an upcoming trip to a few cities so I’m definitely going to try this!'
Real-World Success Stories
Several users reported their own successful applications of similar strategies. One traveller revealed: 'I just did this for an upcoming trip to Jordan and saved $280 (£207)! I’ve been able to rebook past hotels for cheaper as well so I totally agree it’s worth the time to check as it adds up if it’s multiple hotels on a trip.'
Another experienced traveller offered valuable advice about automation tools: 'Awesome! I have been doing it for years, until I came across hotelpricetrack.com, it tracks it for me and alerts if there is a price change. And it’s free. Easy peasy.' They further explained: 'By choosing refundable rates, you could find yourself making impressive savings. Bonus section: most of the time a few days before the reservation you can cancel and rebook in the non-refundable rate (way lower), the site I listed gives you a reminder to do that too.'
Beyond Hotel Bookings
The discussion expanded beyond hotel reservations, with one Reddit user noting: 'I do this with airplane tickets as well!' This suggests the price monitoring strategy might be applicable across various travel booking categories.
Another user highlighted the minimal time investment required: 'I know a lot of people don’t want to spend the time, but I’m going to sit and scroll anyways, I can look at the price difference of upcoming hotels to see if we can save money.' They concluded: 'This is part of why I am the person who books things in my household and every friend group I travel with.'
The Psychology of Travel Booking
The original poster's experience challenges common assumptions about travel pricing. Many consumers believe that once a booking is confirmed, the price becomes fixed and immutable. However, as demonstrated, hotel rates frequently fluctuate based on numerous factors including demand patterns, cancellation rates, seasonal variations, and inventory management strategies employed by hotels and booking platforms.
This simple yet effective approach underscores the importance of maintaining flexibility in travel planning. By opting for refundable rates and dedicating minimal time to periodic price checks, travellers can potentially achieve substantial savings without compromising their travel plans or experiencing significant inconvenience.
