There are two kinds of people in the world: those who have a spreadsheet with their summer holiday route planned since November of last year, and those who, on a Wednesday night, realise they have a week off starting next Monday and have no idea where they’re going.
If you’re in the second group, don’t panic. Booking a last-minute holiday doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll have to take out a bank loan or end up in a dodgy hostel.
Martin is an expert in improvising and has gathered the 4 golden rules to save your holiday (and your wallet) in 24 hours:
1. Be Flexible With the Destination (Skyscanner Is Your Best Friend) ✈️
The biggest mistake with last-minute bookings is trying to force a specific destination. If you set your heart on Rome tomorrow, you’ll pay through the nose.
Open Skyscanner, set your departure airport, pick your dates and in the destination box type “Anywhere”. The site will give you a list of the cheapest flights available for those dates. You might end up in Warsaw instead of Rome, but the adventure is guaranteed (and a lot cheaper).
2. Forget Hotels, Bet on Local Stays 🏨
24 hours before departure, the good hotels are sold out and the ones left charge triple. Go straight to Airbnb or Booking.
Look for whole apartments managed by individuals. Often, hosts prefer to drop the price at the last minute (the so-called “Last Minute Discounts”) rather than leave the place empty. It’s your chance to stay somewhere amazing for half the price.
3. Travel With Cabin Bag Only (The Golden Rule) 🎒
If you want to save money and time on a flight booked yesterday, you can’t pay €50 to check in a hold bag.
Challenge yourself to take just a cabin bag or a big backpack. Use the rolling-clothes technique instead of folding, take toiletries in small bottles and wear your heaviest trainers on the flight. Besides saving money, you walk off the plane and don’t have to wait half an hour at the baggage belt.
4. Avoid Tourist Traps at the Destination 🍕
Since you didn’t have time to research where to eat, the odds of falling into a tourist trap (those restaurants with photos of the food at the door) are high.
Use Google Maps to check the reviews and always avoid the main streets. Walk two or three streets away and look for restaurants where the menu is only in the local language. That’s where you’ll eat better and cheaper.
Last-Minute Holiday? Multipark Improvises With You Too!
You booked the flight. You found the place to stay. You packed the bag. Your heart is racing with the adrenaline of improvising.
But wait… what about the car? You can’t just leave it at the airport without a reservation, unless you want to pay a fortune at the official car park on the day of departure.
This is where Multipark shines. We know life happens and that the best trips sometimes aren’t planned.
Our Valet Parking service accepts last-minute bookings! Even if your flight is tomorrow morning, you can grab your car and head calmly to the airport. You drive to Departures and one of our drivers will be there to take your key.
No stress hunting for a space, no dragging the bag in a rush so you don’t miss the flight. Your car stays in our secure car park and you can focus on enjoying your improvised trip.
Life is too short to plan everything 6 months in advance. Make your last-minute booking on the Multipark website and have a great trip!
