Does anyone do last minute holidays?

[MeganChips]

I really fancied Lake Garda this year but due to some unexpected and hefty bills, didn't have the available funds.

Everything is getting booked solid now and by the time I have the cash to pay for it, I doubt there will be much left so I'm considering booking the time off work then getting us something last minute.

Has anyone done this? I assume we have to be pretty flexible about when and where we go. I don't really mind where it is as long as it's warm with plenty to see and do. I'm not doing Wales in a caravan again as we always pick the worst week for weather!

Any tips?

outside of school holidays yes. in school holidays not a chance. the only places left then are the ones no one else wants and I would sooner stay at home than waste money on a crap place to stay. narrow down where you want to go and start looking at possible costs now on a spreadsheet so if a genuine bargain comes up you will spot it straightaway. you need to do lots of deciding and lots of research and you should come up trumps

Ah thank you. That's good advice, I love a good spreadsheet!

I suppose with supply and demand being what it is in the holidays there isn't much chance of a last minute bargain. I didn't really consider that.

The massive school holiday price increases pretty much only apply to package deals though and prime tourist beach locations.
We book flights or Eurotunnel for August in early July and they aren't much more expensive thanks any other month for lots of places. Then we just book a hotel. Total myth that there won't be any good places left...there are stacks of them.
If you want Italy thent he first weeks of August are really cheap if you want a nice hotel with a pool in a city, Florence or Rome...the Italians are all down at the beach.. It's boiling too, just the way I like it!
We booked last minute at booking.com all across Europe and there were lots of nice places we'd never heard of let alone considered for a holiday. Are night before bookings also got us some of the best meals we'd ever had.
Don't do resorts, pick something different to everyone else and enjoy!