Booking Hotel Accommodation before the Trip.

[Ozjohnno]

A question for all you experienced travellers. How far in advance do you book your hotel accommodation? We will be in Europe in September 2011 on our Amsterdam to Budapest cruise and we want to book hotel accommodation in Paris before the trip and in Rome after the trip. We've used tripadvisor extensively in the past and have selected our first choice hotels in both cities but are very unsure how long we should wait before making booking enquiries. Your opinions would be much appreciated.

 

Rod

[Talisker92]

Now! We book as much in advance as we can

[GraNanny]

I'm traveling in May 2011, and so far, my first choices in hotels are completely booked in three of the cities I'm visiting. I would make the reservation as soon as you are sure about where you want to stay.

[gnome12]

In most cases you can cancel without penalty a number of days in advance, so there is nothing to lose. Prices aren't likely to come down at small intimate places; in larger places if they do cancel and rebook.

[franski]

For the last year or so I have usually gone on line and checked the prices on tripadvisor or expedia - and then contacted the hotel directly to ask them to match the price. Usually - if you book directly - the cancellation policies are reasonable. On one occasion, they asked me to print the page and bring it with me --> so that they could confirm what the posted rate was on the day that I booked.

 

I booked in June for next April (in Amsterdam) - only to have the dates of my cruise booked. The hotel was very good about moving my reservation. After hearing about some of the challenges that people have had booking in Amsterdam, I am glad that I booked early.

[Ine]

A question for all you experienced travellers. How far in advance do you book your hotel accommodation? We will be in Europe in September 2011 on our Amsterdam to Budapest cruise and we want to book hotel accommodation in Paris before the trip and in Rome after the trip. We've used tripadvisor extensively in the past and have selected our first choice hotels in both cities but are very unsure how long we should wait before making booking enquiries. Your opinions would be much appreciated.

 

Rod

 

Check this link in case you need hotelaccommodation in Amsterdam beginning of September !!!!!!!!!!!!

Almost impossible to find a room during the time mentioned.

[caviargal]

I am already booked for Paris and Bruges for our November 2011 trip. I always book well in advance with a reservation policy that is lenient and then continue to shop for price.

[Ine]

Check this link in case you need hotelaccommodation in Amsterdam beginning of September !!!!!!!!!!!!

Almost impossible to find a room during the time mentioned.

 

Sorry forgot to include the link:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1297778

[Ozjohnno]

Thank you all for your prompt and very good advice. We will be booking our accommodation today and as you all suggested the current cancellation policies are very lenient up to 48 hours to the arrival date. Once again CC members have shown just how friendly and informative you can be to perfect strangers.

 

Rod

[gnome12]

Just make sure that you don't book a rate that requires you to pay now, because that isn't as easily cancelled. You should just need a credit card to hold the reservation.

[Ozjohnno]

Just under 10 months to go and we've now booked all our first choice Hotels at very reasonable rates and all with 48hr cancellation policies. Again thank you all for your superb advice.

 

Rod

[caviargal]

Just make sure that you don't book a rate that requires you to pay now, because that isn't as easily cancelled. You should just need a credit card to hold the reservation.

 

I disagee and most often use pre pay rates, prefer them in fact, and there are many with no or very low cancel fees. Otel.com, hotels.com, hotelclub.net are just a few that have no to very low service fees to cancel reservations. I have my hotels paid for ahead of time, get great rates and am not concerned about currency fluctuations. My preference for hotels in Europe.