theswisscheeseth The thrill of spontaneity is a big draw for many travelers. However, planning a trip at the drop of a hat isn’t always easy, especially when it comes to finding lodging. Last minute hotel deals can be found at a lower rate than booking well in advance, thanks to cancellations that free up rooms.
Apps like HotelTonight specialize in booking rooms on a tight schedule and offer a handy way to save time. They display available hotels at a glance, plotted on a map, and in search results. HotelTonight also lets you know which hotels have free WiFi and the ability to add a crib for an additional charge.
Your Ultimate Guide to Finding Last-Minute Hotel Bargains
More generalized apps, such as KAYAK and Skyscanner, can also offer bargains at short notice. Both allow you to set a price range and a location and can reveal cheap hotels that aren’t publicly advertised. Some of these are referred to as Secret Prices, and may have some restrictions (e.g. one king bed instead of two) but offer a significant saving on standard rates.
Business travel managers can also save a lot of time, and reduce the stress on their teams, by allowing their employees to book rooms through an app or portal that automatically creates corporate rates. This means they can avoid having to ask for credit card authorization forms every time, and can remove the risk of a last-minute cancellation by locking down a room before an employee is even on the road.