Five ways to save money on your summer holiday

by Fulvia Montresor on 04 July 2011  |  4 comments
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If you're off on holiday soon, check out these top tips for keeping the costs down...

We are going to be taking more holidays this year, but most of us will go on shorter city breaks rather than one long holiday. These are some of the findings of a recent survey of 2,000 UK holidaymakers conducted by discount travel website, Hotwire.com.

So, how can we keep the costs down when booking holidays this summer? We’ve put together five top tips to help you enjoy the sun without worrying too much about your bank account.

1. Be flexible

Keep in mind you can get a similar experience in many different destinations. Focus on the type of holiday you want (beach, city, nature, etc.) and look at a variety of locations to find the best deals.

You may have your heart set on a romantic trip to Paris, but don’t discount cities such as Prague and Berlin; you can stroll down the famously romantic Charles Bridge in Prague or the gardens (and palace) of Schloss Charlottenburg in Berlin all for a fraction of the cost.

You’ll be pleasantly surprised how many cities have a plethora of romantic hot spots that offer good value for money.

2. Stay on top of the latest deals and travel tools to help you save

Take advantage of sites such as Trip Advisor, Facebook and Twitter to view the latest customer reviews and real-time travel offers. These sites offer unique tools that point you to the destination where you can save the most, sometimes with exclusive offers.

You can also review Hotwire’s monthly Worldwide Travel Savings Indicator that highlights where travellers can score the best deals.

3. Consider different forms of transportation

Don’t limit yourself to one mode of transportation; instead search widely – rail, air, sea and car. The price of a trip can easily go up or down depending on how you plan to get to your destination.

Additionally, you may be surprised that a train or car ride can be quicker than a plane flight when factoring in the time it takes to get to the airport, go through security and load the plane.

Also, once you arrive at your chosen city, be sure to research the best way to get around. Cities such as London, Paris and New York have excellent public transport, so renting a car in these places may not be a necessary expenditure. If you do need to hire a car, it’s often cheaper to consider off-airport versus on-airport locations.

4. Check for fees before booking from every travel provider

What does the airline charge for checking in bags? What does the hotel charge for parking? What about a resort fee? Are there internet charges? Add all of these fees up to know what you’re really paying.

Remember that many low cost carriers allow only one piece of hand luggage and have strict rules on the dimensions of your luggage to avoid paying extra fees. Also, make sure your carry-on liquids are under 100ml to avoid having to repurchase toiletries/perfume.

5. Try alternative booking models this summer

Ever wondered what happens to the 40% of hotel rooms that go unsold every night? A lot of these rooms are now being offered at a big discount through travel websites like Hotwire.com.

The participating hotels offer up to 50% off, but don’t disclose the brand name of the hotel until the booking is completed. If you choose this model, you’ll know everything else about the hotel from reviews, to its star rating, amenities and the approximate location.

This popular US phenomenon has hit UK shores recently and is already proving quite popular with Brits who generally don’t care about the hotel brand.

Tell us how you saved

What are your top five tips? How are you saving money on travel this summer?