I dislike making last-minute travel plans. I find it better to lock in our reservations well in advance. However, there are instances where we have to make last-minute reservations. For instance, Sharon enjoys going deep-sea fishing from Port Canaveral. The boat leaves early in the morning, so it’s more convenient for her to stay near the port the night before. Although it’s only an hour drive, it’s a significant difference when it comes to waking up at 4am (if she drives to the boat from home that morning) vs. 5am (if she drives there the night before and stays at a hotel).
There are variables that can impact whether the fishing boat will leave the next day. If there’s a forecast of rough seas, the trip will be canceled because no one wants to be out fishing with huge waves when every guest will get seasick (Note from Sharon: That should be *almost* every guest. I’ve been on some rough seas and have never, ever gotten seasick). In addition, the trip won’t happen if there aren’t enough passengers.
When we want to book a hotel, it’s problematic as the trip can be canceled as late as 5 PM the day before. This is past the cancellation guidelines for almost every hotel chain. To be safe, we have to wait until we know for sure that the fishing boat is definitely leaving the next morning before making a reservation.
While I’m using a fishing trip as an example, the same goes for any event or activity that can be canceled at the last minute.
Experience booking last-minute hotel rooms
Fortunately, we’ve had positive experiences booking last-minute hotel rooms. As long as we’re not booking during peak season, we’ve had no problems with booking same-day award stays.
My typical plan is to check availability a few days in advance. If award rooms are available 3 days out, they’re likely to remain at 1 day out, as that’s within most hotels’ respective cancellation policies. When you make a next-day or same-day reservation, you’ll lose your points or money if you’re a no-show. Unless you’re visiting during an event or during peak season, rooms in this time frame usually remain unsold.
In our most recent experiences, I’ve been able to book same-day rooms for Sharon with Marriott, IHG and Hilton. In each instance, I didn’t make the reservation until after the fishing charter confirmed they’d go out tomorrow. That’s quite the accomplishment as I’m booking at Cape Canaveral, home to several cruise lines.
Cancellation Policies
I was going to list the cancellation policies of the big hotel chains in this section. However, I discovered that each chain doesn’t have a specific policy. Instead, each property makes its own rules about canceling a reservation and whether or not you’ll get back your points and/or money. Some hotels put the cancellation policy in the confirmation email. Others make it more difficult, like Hilton, which makes you jump through several hoops to find out when you’re able to cancel.
Location, location, location
This method depends on where and when you’re looking for a hotel room. If you’re looking for a peak season or dates when hotel rooms are at a premium, like a college bowl game, a solar eclipse, or the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, I wouldn’t plan on getting last-minute availability.
But for a less popular location or time of year, it might make sense to wait to book a room if there’s a chance that your event might be canceled at the last minute.
Final Thought
Booking a hotel with points, at the last minute, can be tricky. Most cancellation policies prevent you from getting your points back when canceling within 24 to 48 hours of your stay. If the reason for your trip is an event that can be canceled up until the day before, it makes sense to wait before booking an award stay. I’ve had positive experiences booking same-day award stays with Marriott, IHG, and Hilton, but you must be cautious during peak season or high-demand events. The key is to wait until the event is 100% confirmed before booking a hotel reservation to minimize the risk of losing money or points.
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