Posted by Mike in Life, Money | 0 comments
Booking A Holiday Online
Booking a holiday online is normally more of a mission than you first anticipate. This year, Rich and I decided to leave the British rain behind and fly abroad in search of some sun. But that, of course, was easier said than done. After four cups of tea, a packet of biscuits and a jean-size later, we’d finally found our perfect destination. So to help you on your way, here are four tips to booking a holiday online…
Research Your Holiday
The trick to booking a holiday online is doing your research first. There’s little point seeing the first on the list and going for it, unless all you’re interested in is drinking the whole holiday – then I guess you wouldn’t remember much anyway! Our first tip is to choose the country and area you want to go and then find the top five hotels reviewed by other holiday makers. There are loads of websites that do this but I’ve always found TripAdvisor to be a good one. Use it as a guide, reading reviews until you’re happy the place is for you. Just remember that reviews are a matter of opinion, so don’t let the odd bad review deter you from a hotel, if it’s a mass slating then I think it’s a safe bet not to stay there.
Save Money Online
Drag yourself away from buying package holidays all on one site, it usually costs so much more than if you book the flight, hotel and transfer separately. The price of the holiday we just booked online halved when we arranged everything individually. Check out the latest budget airline deals to where you want to go; they are often a lot cheaper than flights bundled into packages. Remember to pre-book airport transfers, and any tickets for events and attractions throughout your holiday to really make the most of saving money.
Talk Before Booking
Presuming you are friends with people you share interests with, talking with friends about their past holidays is a great way to discover great places. Not only can you pick up some ideas, you can also learn from any mistakes they have made. Don’t just stop at friends, start talking with family, work colleagues, your boss – even people in the street. It’s a great way to find your dream holiday.
Time Of Year
Don’t forget to consider the time of year when booking a holiday. If you don’t have children then it would be wise to find out when the school holidays are in your home country and your destination. That way you’ll be able to avoid the unecessary high prices that are charged during the school breaks. It’s the little things, like Australia’s December summer or Atlantic hurricane season between June and November that if forgotten, could potentially ruin any holiday expectations.
Conclusion
Booking a holiday online can be a bit of a mission, but if you’re willing to take the time and do some research you’ll almost certainly find what you’re looking for. Spending a lot of money and going for a higher star rating isn’t always the best approach.
Good luck booking a holiday online!
