I'd like your hotel rebooking success stories

MSE_Laura_F

I'd love to hear from anyone who has made a saving on their hotel through the 'rebook trick'. That means booking a hotel with cancellation included, then if the price drops later on, cancelling for free and rebooking at the lower price. Or perhaps you paid to cancel, but it was worth it because the new price was that much cheaper?

Please do let me know the details.

Many thanks,

MSE Laura F

MasterG83

I have done this a number of times as a signed up user of Booking.com. I always make the second booking first, after having checked the cancellation clauses again then I just cancel the original booking.

MyRealNameToo

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6674321/id-like-your-hotel-rebooking-success-stories

Surely you would need the person to also remember the non-cancelable rate originally available to know if it did really work or if they'd have gotten it cheaper by committing in the first place.

MSE_Laura_F

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82052012#Comment_82052012

Hey there, thanks for this.
I'm keen for the 'free-to-cancel stories' too!
And in the case of those who paid for flexibility, I was hoping to hear of successes where people saved an amount so substantial it easily dwarfs any possible cancellation fee. We often hear of people saving hundreds of pounds, so I was hoping I might fish out some similar stories here.

MSE_Laura_F

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82051889#Comment_82051889

Thanks MasterG83. That's an important point about making the booking first before cancelling the original, cheers.
Do you happen to remember how much you saved on any of those occasions? No worries if not.

MyRealNameToo

I've done it once but I cant say if I saved overall because I cant remember how much the non-cancelable rate was and the hotel is variable on what discount they give for having a non-cancellable rate.

In that case there was a doubt we would travel so actually wanted the non-cancellable rate irrespective. Saving wasnt massive as it wasnt a long stay but it covered an evenings food.

Im often procrastinating around hotel rates as I have various routes to getting perks and so weighing up the book direct/via premium agent and get all the bells and whistles or book via another agent, get a lower nightly rate but lose some or all of the perks. Free breakfast, £100 consumables credits are easier to bake in but "free upgrade" or early check in etc are more difficult as they're not guaranteed

MasterG83

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82052048#Comment_82052048

It wasnt a huge amount, IIRC it was around £25 a night over a long weekend.

whimsicalilk

This is something I only got into doing a couple of years ago, and it's gutting to think how much I could have saved had I started earlier! For years I just assumed that the earlier you book the lower the price, so didn't even consider checking back just in case.

Last year I initially booked three nights in Times Square, New York at £869.34 which even divided by two of us felt brutally expensive - it was fairly high season I think with lots of events taking place. Checked back every few days and eventually was able to get it down to £786.87 - not a massive amount difference but a significant drop none the less.

After that it went well above £1,000 for the same room type whenever I checked again, so I was very relieved I booked when I did.

Maegi

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82053105#Comment_82053105

I always try to book flexible (directly with the hotel website) when staying in NYC and then check the hotel and Priceline shortly before the cancellation window.

Have mostly saved or got an upgrade for similar cost. There has also been instances of a 3 for 2 offer from the hotel brand or just kept my existing booking as there has been some local event limiting availability.