How far do you book accommodation in advance?

[kirstyfly]

Hi Everyone

Having our first Family trip in October cancelled on us due to our airline not flying that route at that particular date anymore and due to Covid-19 we are looking at rebooking for October next year.

How far in advance do you guys usually book? I have looked at some places online and they have October 2021 dates open to book and others don't.

Is it to early to book? I guess I'm scared if i book more than a year out they may forget about us.

I also know that they may book up as well and we miss out as October is a popular month.

 

[22Tink]

Hi Everyone

Having our first Family trip in October cancelled on us due to our airline not flying that route at that particular date anymore and due to Covid-19 we are looking at rebooking for October next year.

How far in advance do you guys usually book? I have looked at some places online and they have October 2021 dates open to book and others don't.

Is it to early to book? I guess I'm scared if i book more than a year out they may forget about us.

I also know that they may book up as well and we miss out as October is a popular month.

I book as soon as I know my dates. That’s ranged from over 8 months out right up to only a couple of weeks out. I’ve never had a hotel booking be lost because I’ve booked too early. If their system is open for booking, you’re good to go! We’re likely having to reschedule our planned August trip and I’ll book the new hotel as soon as we’ve chosen dates, probably either spring break or August 2021.

 

[gelatoni fan]

For hotels, I usually book as soon as I'm even considering going. Most hotels have rates that allow full refunds in the event of a cancellation so there's no real risk in booking too early. I don't usually book flights till much closer to my travel date and I can guarantee being able to go though.

If you book a hotel through their website directly, they won't forget about you because it's already in the system. That only really happens if you use a very bad travel agent to book for you.

 

[StarWarsNerd24]

I will echo the previous posters in saying if the booking window is open then go head and book (as long as there is no penalty for cancellation). Our cancelled May 1-9 (glares and growls at covid-19) was booked last June and no they won't forget about your rezzies .

That only really happens if you use a very bad travel agent to book for you.

Its a funny story that 2 years ago My wife and I had made rezzies in Whistler BC and somehow we lost both the confirmation and reminder emails and neither my wife or myself could remember what hotel we booked. I ended up phoning all the possible hotels till I found out which place we had booked, so I think the bad travel agent that would lose a rezzie is ME lol not the hotel.

 

[kirstyfly]

Well that was a waste of my time i just went to book a room for October 2021 as it showing on the calendar and has the price. I went to reserve the room and it said' Best Western accepts reservations up to 50 Weeks in advance. Please select a date within a 50-week window '.

so though it maybe showing as able to book with rates and all on the websites you may not be able to book so far out. I guess I will wait till later to start looking.

 

[StarWarsNerd24]

I have been having nothing but trouble with the Best Western website, so it could be on there end.

 

[mentos]

I book fully refundable hotels as far as I can (even if my dates are speculative) and check every few weeks and cancel/rebook as prices go down.

i keep the cancellation deadlines on my google calendar and set up alerts so I don’t blow past them.

 

[ParkHopper1]

I book asap and always book direct with properties vs third party apps or packages. Direct room only reservations often has a lot more liberal cancellation policy should plans or rates drop

 

[mentos]

I book asap and always book direct with properties vs third party apps or packages. Direct room only reservations often has a lot more liberal cancellation policy should plans or rates drop

i agree with this advice but I have an exception for hotels.com for the effective 10% rebate and the ability to book with a crystal clear cancellation policy.

but I always check multiple sites, google does a good job within the search engine itself

 

[Pamela M]

If staying off-site I book about 6 months in advance and I continue to look and change accommodations as the prices fluctuate. I find the best rates 3- 4 months in advance.

Though I did book an onsite trip for November in February.

 

[taaren]

I book 11 months in advance, because with DVC, especially VGC, you have to. Since you are planning so far ahead, you might be able to find a VGC owner who is willing to rent their 2021 points on the DVC rental board.
That being said, I book as soon as I know what my dates are which we sometimes add non-DVC trips 6 months out or shorter. As others have mentioned, you can always revise your reservation later if its cancel-able, and I often do if discounts come out at the property I'm booked at or a comparable one.

 

[KateDrake]

I usually start looking as soon as I know my dates, and then book as soon as I see a good price at a hotel I like. But then I keep checking for several weeks (if we've scheduled that far in advance) and often re-book if I get a better deal!

 

[CastAStone]

Generally speaking the major hotel chains require their member hotels to provide availability by 366 days out. Some like Marriott and Hyatt have hotels that do open even earlier than that. The independents can do whatever they want. I’d start checking at 11 months if you’re nervous about missing out.

 

[AndrewC]

I usually book Disneyland hotels about six months out (I usually travel in October) but often will cancel and rebook at least once or twice. My trip always is based around Halloween activities at a few different parks; Disney, Universal, and Knott’s (occasionally WB if they join in on the Halloween fun that year). Disney is usually first out with party dates but Knott’s and Universal are much slower and often don’t release dates until July. I can pretty much estimate which days I need to be there to fit everything in, but occasionally I need to adjust the hotels a little.

By late summer the Disneyland Hotel can start to become hit or miss but I’ll still keep checking if s discount comes out. Usually announced late September sometimes I can rebook and score 15-25% discount.

Hilton (where I also stay for Halloween Horror night days) I’ll check all the way up till about a week before. Usually prices just increase 45 days or so out until check in, but every now and then I’ll see really discounted prices like two weeks before check in.

 

[tobikaye]

As others have said, as long as the rate is refundable, I book as soon as I know when my trip is. For DLR in 2019, I booked a hotel about 10 months out when I knew my dates. Then about 3 months before the trip, I did book elsewhere as it worked better. I am hoping to go again next year and will book as soon as I know dates.

 

[GenGen22]

I usually book about 8 months out for the best rate. The farther out the better but each hotel releases dates at different time.