What to Look for When Booking Your Vacation

Vacations can be costly if you are not careful during the booking process.  There are many things that you should look for to keep your costs down without sacrificing any of your fun.

Here are 5 things to look for when booking your vacation:

  1. Deals

Deals can be found for almost any destination around the world, but these deals will not be available all year round.  You may find that you can score deals for a beach vacation during the cooler seasons or an amazing deal for a trip to the mountains during the early spring.  That doesn’t mean that deals cannot be found for a location of your dreams at the time that you want to go, it just means that you will need to look harder for them.

It is important that you also remember that something is not a deal if it doesn’t align with your goals for your vacation.  There is no point in booking a trip that includes a rental vehicle if you do not plan on driving once you get to your destination.  The same thing applies to purchasing a deal that includes admission into numerous attractions that you really do not want to see.

  1. Amenities

When you book your accommodations, you will want to look carefully at the amenities that are offered.  A cheaper hotel is not going to be what you want if it doesn’t have any of the amenities that you want or need.  For example, if you want to work out on your vacation, you will want to look for a hotel that has a fitness facility on-site.  You may even need to research what is available at the fitness facilities of hotels that you are considering, because some offer so much more than others.  If you are looking for top of the line fitness areas, you will not want to book a hotel that offers an old treadmill and exercise bike as the only equipment in the space.

The top amenities that people normally look for in a hotel, in addition to the fitness facility, are swimming pools, breakfast that is included, on-site restaurants, and occasionally spas.  No low price is going to be enough to go without these amenities during your vacation, no matter how much you try to convince yourself otherwise.

  1. Attractions

Visiting attractions is part of every vacation, so yours will probably not be any different.  Searching for attractions before you leave on a trip is a great way to determine exactly what you want to see and allow you to create an itinerary for your trip.  You can save some money on certain attractions by purchasing your tickets online ahead of time.  Another great way to save money is to purchase a City Pass or other saving’s package that many areas offer.  These passes can save you a little bit of money if you are planning on visiting quite a few attractions that are included on their list.

  1. Savings

There are savings everywhere for many vacations, and if you spend some time doing research, you will be able to find multiple options.  Deals are one way to save money as is purchasing tickets to attractions ahead of time or purchasing a combination ticket for multiple attractions.  You can also save money by finding and using coupon codes for many things that you can reserve online.  To save money on dining out, you can look for coupons or go to a restaurant that offers daily deals.  Some popular deals that restaurants are offering right now include kids eat free with the purchase of an adult entrée, half price appetizers, and the burger and a beer or other drink combo.

A great place to look for coupons is the lobby of your hotel or you can ask at the front desk or concierge desk as well.  You can also determine where you plan to eat ahead of time and then sign up for those restaurants’ emails and loyalty programs.  You will be notified of any deals that are going on at those restaurants and may receive coupons for a specific amount off or a free entrée with your purchase.

  1. Loyalty Rewards

If you are loyal to certain hotels or airlines, then you should consider signing up for those loyalty reward programs.  These are great for earning points for free flights and free hotel stays.  You might not earn enough with your first vacation to redeem right away, but you can use them for future vacations.

These are things that you should look for every time you are planning and booking a vacation.  You can save a lot of money by doing these five things every time, plus they will all help you create the perfect vacation that you want.

Do you have any tips to add?

 

Comments

  1. I always try to book a hotel through the same company for the points. We have gotten quite a few free or discounted stays as a result. I also always look for a free breakfast.

  2. Free wifi is a must (room and property-wide). And free airport transfers! Those things can add up. We also always try to get upgraded lol.

  3. Since I have a pretty flexible schedule, I try to book flights on cheaper days on the week… it can save a lot of money to travel mid-week as opposed to on the weekends!

  4. I love a good deal when checking on hotels and flights. We like to check reviews for restaurants and places to visit before hand. Coupons are one of thing that helps us save some money.

  5. We book through the same websites so we can rack up the rewards. It can seem luring to save a dollar or two on another website, but in the end our loyalty is rewarded.

  6. We just had spring break but I’m already ready for summer vacation! This is making me want to start brainstorming our summer travel. The most important thing to the kids is a hotel pool!

  7. I need to take the trio on a vacation, thankful for your tips. I had no idea that there were loyalty rewards for places to vacation at, going to check that out!

  8. Deals and savings are definitely on my top watch when planning a vacation. I couldn’t afford one otherwise.

  9. These are such great tips for traveling planning. I will admit I think of none of this and will have to start!

  10. These are definitely great tips while traveling for sure. We buy gift cards for restaurants to save on dining costs.

  11. These are some really great tips! Last year I was in charge of booking our trip to QC. It was fun and a bit scary lol I was in charge of booking hotels and finding things to do while there. It’s good to book early and to also check deals sites.

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