There's a lot to think about when booking last-minute travel and hotels. We're going to try to keep our wits about us. Our mission is to keep several doors open to different destinations. Last minute is an expression that doesn't mean the same thing today as it did in the past, because no one can buy a ticket at the airport. However, you can buy a ticket one to three days in advance for a very good price. We look at travel and hotel bookings. Stay tuned!
Table of contents
FREEDOMtravel tries!
We are entering the most difficult time to get away somewhere. We were thinking of 3-4 days around Christmas and a week over New Year's to different destinations, and there are many factors to consider. It doesn't have to be hot, but it has to be an exciting destination.
For us, holidays are about discovering and writing, otherwise we might as well stay at home. Everything is paid for with what we have, so there are no instalments or credit cards, so it's all about smart solutions and keeping the price down.
Christmas
We are watching Dublin or Minsk around Christmas and we think it is still very expensive. To Dublin it costs today 5000 for both T&R with Wizzair and Ryanair and to Minsk it costs 6000 SEK. We will be away 4 nights and hotels in Dublin will be more expensive than in Minsk, and as it looks today, we end up at around 8000 on both.
Add to this the cost of travelling to and from the airport and all the food we have to eat. If we are realistic, we end up with around 14,000 SEK, which I think is a lot. What has also attracted us is Georgia, but it is far too expensive, 10,000 just for the flight, and Bucharest, which is exciting. We will try to wait as long as possible and see where we end up?
New Year
Here we are watching southern Spain or the Canary Islands, which are really too boring for us. If we are lucky, we can go very cheaply because there are plenty of trips to these destinations. We are not there to lie on a beach, but more to rent a car on the first day and get around and find all the best that the surroundings can offer, or maybe an exciting boat trip.
We love exploring and writing and we'll see if we can get away, and we'll wait for the prices as long as we can until "almost" the last minute. We might end up in Moscow, because you never know with us, haha.
Last minute travel and hotel bookings
If we go with a charter, we have hotels, but if we go to Minsk, for example, there is a lot to consider. The hotels also go down the closer we get, but if you are in an eastern country, it is difficult to know the quality of the hotels. Here it is important to read reviews and pick out the most important.
Now, we know that reviews aren't always reliable on these sites, but we prefer to see that the wallpaper isn't the best rather than that the shower works poorly. Reading about the staff being friendly and knowing some English makes everything a bit easier and staying in a central location. We can pack and leave in a few hours, and it will be an exciting resolution.
pilla says:
I almost always book, in 9 cases out of 10 I get something good. Sometimes I even book a hotel when I sit at the arrival airport and it has happened that I have also done it in-flight on wifi flights. Good luck will surely be a great trip 🙂.
16 December 2017 - 8:55
Helena says:
Great to hear how you do it! We have also booked a hotel at the arrival airport sometime 😉.
16 December 2017 - 18:14
Mr Frank Olsen says:
Yes, it will be exciting to see where the trips go 🙂 .
Good luck!
16 December 2017 - 9:30
Helena says:
We think so too 😉 Thank you!
16 December 2017 - 18:14
Ditte says:
Good to have ice in your stomach! In addition to price, it is an advantage to have "good" departure times so that the arrival day can also be utilised. And preferably return home an early evening. As for hotels, if you buy an unspecified trip, it is often possible to change at extra cost. But of course, a big date holiday often goes up in price ...
Good luck!
16 December 2017 - 10:03
Helena says:
Agree that flight times matter! And yes, it's easy for big city holidays to go up in price ... then you want to do things on site too 😉.
16 December 2017 - 18:15
Alexandra says:
Exciting to see where you end up! Ryanair was well in trouble with the union and risked a strike around Christmas... may be worth keeping in mind.
In the Canary Islands you can mountain bike in the mountains, sail, try different kinds of surfing activities, hike, dive, go fishing, see volcanoes... so you don't have to be bored there. Then it differs quite a lot between the different islands too...
16 December 2017 - 10:13
Helena says:
Ok good, will think about it with Ryanair! I also think that there may be a lot to do in the Canary Islands. Peter has been a little hesitant, but we are thinking back and forth 🙂 .
16 December 2017 - 18:16
Nils-Åke says:
It was to London if we were to start as you did.
16 December 2017 - 18:39
Helena says:
I haven't actually been to London since I was 14...!
17 December 2017 - 7:15
Emelie says:
It's great that more people are too keen to travel to avoid it. ?
For us, after much deliberation, it was the Canary Islands.
A true charter with the whole package.
In the end, the price was the deciding factor, we tried price checking at other destinations but there was no comparison.
Since it's all about a change of scenery, socialising and resting after an overly stressful autumn, he'll just have to make do with what he has...
Will the children be overjoyed on Christmas Eve when the secret is revealed?
Good luck in your search
16 December 2017 - 20:03
Helena says:
I understand exactly what you are thinking Emelie! The Canary Islands have several advantages as a destination this time of year, there is no getting away from that. Maybe we also end up there 😉
17 December 2017 - 7:17
BP says:
I hate to say "it used to be better". But last minute travel was definitely better and cheaper in the past, like ten to twenty years ago. Back then it was no problem at all to find a two-week trip to Southern Europe for two weeks.
max 2 500 SEK per person, including flights and hotels.
Think that SEK 14,000 is skinlessly expensive, especially considering the destinations you have checked. Over my dead body as well;-)
Wishing you good luck in your search for a so-called last minute trip.
PS. Why don't you take a cheap flight and book via booking.com, Rentalia or Expedia. I understand that it is cheaper to go directly through them. DS.
16 December 2017 - 23:09
Helena says:
Some destinations look reasonably cheap, such as the Canary Islands. So maybe we'll end up there! We have looked at a few different sites, including Destination and Momondo. But thanks for the tips, it may be worth looking at more places!
17 December 2017 - 7:19
Christine - 29°. says:
Exciting to see where it goes. 🙂
18 December 2017 - 13:27
Helena says:
We think so too! 🙂
18 December 2017 - 18:54