Each time that we travel abroad as tourists, not to stay with family, we have to decide where to stay; Should we look for one central point from which we can go back and forth? Or perhaps we should sleep every night in a different place, and then we’ll be a bit like gypsies? As opposed to flights, where the price range is quite clear, accommodation rates vary immensely – whether you prefer an expensive hotel, a budget one, a bed and breakfast or a room at Airbnb?
Of course, the preference between hotels and other forms of accommodation is very personal, but this post focuses on hotels. Planning our trip to New York, in September, I looked at theater tickets, tours, exhibitions and hotels’ prices, and it took my breath away. Everything was extremely expensive! I think it’s expensive for American eyes too, not just us, who have to double everything four times to get our real cost. Then, I guessed that it might be the “too early booking” syndrome, that I’ve already met in the past.
About two months ahead of our planned trip date, I checked again hotel prices and to my surprise, I found that the prices had dropped dramatically. I canceled the “ghost hotel” and reserved another one in a better place at a lower price.
This experience taught me that there is a pattern in hotel prices’ “life cycle”. Really low prices show at the last-minute, and if you reserve a long time ahead of your stay prices are very high. In order to find low prices, you must have nerves of steel and a willingness to compromise. And what if prices did not fall? Will you panic? Therefore, in my opinion, it is wise to go for the “reasonable price” rather than cheapest.
Two months before our visit, I discovered that prices were just going up. I started worrying and searched the web to find out what was so exceptional about these dates. I learned from the search results that the peak of the annual Fantasy Festival is celebrated that weekend, so prices have skyrocketed. (To be continued)
The last word: Choosing a place to sleep is not only a personal inclination but also a matter of timing.