How I save hundreds and make every holiday luxury on a modest budget

Part One

(Average savings of ~£550-£1550 per couple/family on 7nt European luxury stays)

1 - Think in experiences, not nights

Average saving £300 - £1000+

Which days will you actually be in the hotel?

Days you’ll wake up slow, enjoy the view, or recover -> Design hotel, luxe boutique or luxury resort

Activity or sightseeing days -> Book small, renovated boutique hotels in ‘old town’ or cute villages amongst bustling streets, so you come back to great restaurants on your doorstep and its still an

authentic premium experence

My rule: chill - activity - chill

5 day trip : 3nts of sights | 2nts lux chill

7 day trip : 2nts chill with short trips | 3nts of sights | 2nts lux chill

I like premium all inclusive cabana beach days and climbing mountain days (you don’t have to be one type or the other!)

2 - Get the best price, layer discounts

Average saving £80 - £280+

Ritually layer loyalty schemes and cashback sites

Step 1 - Check with a price comparison site Tripadvisor, Google Hotels

Step 2 - Loyalty schemes are really paying off right now (eg. Expedia One Key & Booking Genius) that typically offer 10-20% savings the higher up the tiers. Apx 25% of all hotels participate in them. Booking.com also occasionally email a cashback code when booking within a window.

Step 3 - Rem to check the hotels own website once you’ve found your hotel and room. They often offer best rate guarantee and free sign-up member discounts

Step 4 - Get cashback If possible always click through from a cashback website which often offer 5-8.5% cashback on top of your discounted rate. I cash out hundreds a year from cashback sites largely from travel (usually TopCashback & Quidco). Even smaller hotel chains offer cashback through these sites.

3 - Use free cancellation as a strategy, not a backup

This is how you lock in value without stress

Book early and free cancellation is only a small amount above the non-refundable rate

Rebook if they drop. Hotelhops.com will do this for you for free.

For bucket list hotels you think you can never afford, monitor prices with Google Hotels & Trip.com that alert you. I recently got a £450/nt room for £220 by doing this.

4 - Travel Light

Average saving ~£180-£260

Save money and stress

Carry-on only = less hassle + flexibility

Checked luggage is often £45-£60pp each way in Europe

Less stuff = easier to move between stays

When comparing flight costs some legacy carriers include checked/extra hand luggage e.g. British Airways, Turkish Airlines)

Check out my Cute Kits that help you travel light and make great gifts for everyone. I travel with free cabin and hand luggage allowances without compromising on style or essentials - check out my other posts and bio links on how I do it.

Same budget. Better trips. Save this for when you start planning your next holiday