To not book the hotel till the day before or even on the day?

[NickiFury]

I'm going on holiday in September, long haul. I've provisionally booked a hotel, pay on arrival. However I have been doing a lot of research, every day in fact and many really nice hotels in this city drop their prices substantially the day before, even more actually on the day. For the past three months there's never not been a hotel that would suit us available on these sites. I really want to just wait and then book somewhere on arrival through one of the late booking sites and pay a lot less. Only need it for one night.

Would you do this? Have you? Did it work out ok?

Thanks

So you'll be intentionally leaving the other hotel in the lurch

Most hotels have a 48h cancellation policy so you would more than likely get charged by your original hotel.

No because I will cancel it well before. In the next day or two. It's through booking.com and you have until the day before to cancel, so no one being left in the lurch, no.

Hotels are businesses so I suppose they know some people will cancel. It just seems a bit mean to book knowing you will cancel.

I have turned up places without somewhere to stay. Of course check it's not a festival or holiday but I've never had to sleep in the bus station!

You say you'll cancel the original booking well before - how 'well before'?

Wait I'm confused. Are you planning to cancel your booked hotel within the next few days (and it's for sept so def with reasonable notice) and wait until you arrive in sept to find a place to stay?

I can't agree that it's "mean" sorry. It's the policy of booking sites that you can book and cancel shortly before. The prices go up and down. Would you say it's "mean" to look on another day, see that it is cheaper, cancel your original booking and re-book to get the cheaper price? It's just how it's done.

Yes.

I like to stay in small, local hotels so yes, I think it's mean. If it was the Hilton; fuck 'em.

Mean?
It's a business , if they choose to offer a cancellation policy where you can cancel up to the day with no penalty (as many do as they realise travel plans are often fluid ) then mean has nothing to do with it lol

Agree trafalger.

No it's a part of a chain the one I have booked, rest easy

Yes do it, you'll probably save money. Top tip - phone or email the hotels direct, it may be even cheaper and they won't have to pay the agency fee.

We use the app "hotel tonight" all the time.

There's nothing mean about cancelling a Booking.com reservation. They use the fact that you can do that up to 24hrs before as a selling point. I routinely use them as 'insurance' reservations. If I find a better deal nearer the time, I cancel. Sometimes the better deal is with Booking.com, sometimes it isn't. If you cancel, it goes back on their site at a higher rate if it's nearer the time and they have fewer available rooms. It's how they operate, no need to feel guilty about it!

Oh, cross posting there. Glad we have debunked that theory between us

Remember booking.com doesn't include taxes/fees, sometimes the other websites are cheaper. Try trivago.

I had a shite experience with booking.com when I turned up to my hotel to find they had no record of my booking. They went ahh booking.com? Yeah they are bad for this. Luckily the hotel themselves were bloody awesome.

So I say fuck booking.com cancel and rebook through Expedia. Much cheaper and very reliable in my experience. I've booked 8 hotels in 6 different states and had no issues. Some booked weeks in advance some just hours in advance. I also had to change the dates of one and cancel another. Can't recommend enough.

sure

Sure good idea I hope you like al fresco sleeping!

If you contact the place on Booking.com direct they will normally price match at the very least. The fees are pretty huge, and the penalties are draconian for owners.

If it's long haul you may HAVE to have it booked in advance by at least a few days depending on the country. For US I had to have a hotel booked in advance as details were needed for the visas and the airline a few days before departure.

Never booked and had some amazing deals but. Just turned up however its a risk..if hotel is full. If you can cope with that risk of not getting your choosen hotel and flexiable dont book but also be aware supply and demand hotels have also pushed price up on last room. (Remembers pil story of their 2am drive to hotel middle of no where when they couldnt find somewhere)

You may save money - but you take the risk of the hotel being full and not getting a room. Hard to know whether there is an event or a conference in town

pluck you really are the most typical "I am here to piss on your chips" AIBU poster I have come across in a while, not so much the content as your style of delivery.

Hmm, it is the U.S and I forgot about having to provide the address, despite having done it a number of times in the past few weeks so thanks very much for that reminder. I would really likely have gone ahead and done it, I like a little risk and could have ended up somewhere totally fab. Oh well.

Considering that big hotels overbooked in the knowledge some people won't turn up I would have no guilt in cancelling within the time scale in their conditions.