Have you just decided to book a last-minute getaway? Perhaps you have a few days of annual leave you are eager to use up, or you simply happen to be the spontaneous type. Whatever your reasons for springing a surprise trip on yourself, organizing it is likely to cause you a lot of stress.
Fortunately, though, there are subtle, clever ways to strip some of the stress – and cost – from the whole process, as reflected in these tips.
Don’t be too fussy about exactly where you go
There probably aren’t too many destination options available to you at this late hour anyway. However, look at the bright side: this could be an exciting opportunity for you to explore somewhere completely new, somewhere you might never have considered otherwise.
When trying to settle on a destination, allow yourself to be guided by last-minute deals – such as those an airline might be running if it is trying to fill seats.
Don’t completely neglect the research
You are probably going to be pressed for time on the research front – but there are many things you really must look into, such as what flights and hotels you should book.
Your choice of one thing could – or should – affect your choice of another. For example, you should try to book a flight that won’t land you too far away from a hotel that isn’t currently fully booked.
Go with the flow
In other words, while you certainly need a concrete plan, you shouldn’t worry too much about whether everything will go to that plan. TheTravel insists: “As long as you make it to your destination that is all that really needs to go to plan.”
You could even have fun coming up with creative workarounds if one thing or another you had originally intended to do has to be abruptly ruled out.
Keep up app-earances
Check the App Store or Google Play on your phone to see what travel-specific apps are available and could be useful to you during your getaway.
Google Translate, for example, could make it easier for you to communicate with locals abroad, while apps like Uber or Lyft let you book a personal cab as and when you need it.
Ask friends for advice
You could be pleasantly surprised by what advice these friends are in a position to give you about your intended travels – especially if those friends have visited the places you are now yourself considering.
You might have had your eye on Paris, but not realised how expensive the hotels there can be, as Smarter Travel warns. A friend could, for your benefit, point out pitfalls like these.
Don’t get caught out by expensive deals
When you’re in a hurry, it’s too easy to get duped by a deal that ultimately proves too good to be true. Be careful to research the little details – like how close a hotel is to an airport. The Dorsett Hotel, City of London is, as the hotel’s website specifies, just a 22-minute drive from London City Airport.
