Last Minute Travel Websites

Last minute planning: The best websites for travellers

Too late to find a holiday for the end of August or the week-end on the day of work? Luckily, there are many ressources, from conventional travel agencies to "opaque" hoteliers like Hotwire () and Priceline () and blur ry pages like Jetsetter () and LivingSocial () that can offer you alternative options.

in Brentwood, California. specialises in luxurious travel and says that the agent deals with spontaneous enquiries on a routine basis. Don't be afraid if a motel or cruising website shows that everything is out of stock, says Small, because the travel industry, like most others, is about people.

"Often we go directly to our contact at the hotels and are able to evacuate premises or are the first to be informed of a cancellation due to our relationship," says Small. And there are a lot of hotels out there. Little points on the Great Island of Hawaii, where Four Seasons Resort Hualalai offers a second room in the same 50% class, and Anguilla, where Viceroy Anguilla offers a free overnight stay for each of the nights reserved at our regular prices.

If you are considering a last-minute holiday, there is no harm in taking a contrary approach and staying away from the most favoured areas. She says Small will review the forecast on possible storms, suggest travel insurances and suggest to customers that they consider a holiday in the next few week as air fares are sensible.

Non-transparent travel pages, such as Priceline, Hotwire and LastMinuteTravel.com (), where you don't know the hotel's identities until after booking, can be an appealing option for holidaymakers if you can endure a little insecurity. In general, you associate these pages with well-known brand names at high discount rates, according to need and available in the respective destinations.

Travel-Ticker.com (), which is part of the Hotwire Group, also discloses the name of the hotels in advance. Travel-Ticker, for example, offered a $100 per nights stop at Myrtle Beach's Boardwalk Beach Resort, but with the third nights free. Holidays had to be reserved by 21 August for the trip 21 August to 24 September.

And then there are "Flash Sales" pages like Jetsetter, LivingSocial Escapes by and Groupon Meetings with Expedia by and ;-), which can be enticing alternative for you. On these pages you become a free member and then have a restricted number of working day to make the booking with your promise of great discount.

While you can take some great discount holidays on shopping websites, you should do your homework, review other websites and make sure that the "business" is really a business. So, if coupons for the same sale are bought by hundred of other customers, will the hotels tell you that there are no last-minute rooms for your holiday?

"Jetsetter lets members make free reservations so they don't run the risks of paying for a holiday that doesn't match your travel preferences," says spokesperson Kellie Pelletier, and adds that no coupons are included. There are still many offers on the websites of airlines and hotels. As North America Editor of Tnooz (), Dennis Schaal is responsible for travel technology and co-author of the Digital Traveler article for USA Today.