Join Simon Calder’s complimentary email newsletter for professional tips and cost-effective deals on travel.
Get Simon Calder’s Travel email
Vrbo, a booking platform, has shared the optimal booking times for peak season vacations, including Easter, bank holidays, and summer trips, as rental home reservations are increasing.
The holiday rental website has pinpointed specific dates before popular holiday times when demand either increases or decreases. This serves as a guide for customers to know the optimal booking times for a wider selection of options.
For the upcoming Easter holidays, the recommended booking period has already passed according to Vrbo. However, for those planning a trip during the May bank holiday, there is still time to book – by March 29 for the May 6 holiday and April 8 for the May 27 holiday.
To ensure the best options for summer vacation, including cottages, villas, and self-catered beach houses, it is recommended to book before 8 June. For those planning a holiday rental for the October half-term, it is advised to book by 26 August. As for Christmas 2024, it is recommended to have all arrangements made by 11 November.
Vrbo also provided suggestions on utilizing rental platforms to achieve optimal outcomes when reserving a vacation rental, in addition to recommended booking deadlines for a more extensive range of options.
The suggestion is to explore lesser-known destinations that may have more options for longer stays and closer dates. It is also recommended to take advantage of flexible cancellation policies, some of which allow changes or cancellations up to 14 days before arrival. Additionally, consider using advanced search options to find the ideal property by filtering results based on price, features, amenities, and location.
According to a representative from Vrbo, many of us have been let down when trying to book the ideal vacation rental for our family or friends, only to discover that it is already reserved for the dates we want to travel.
“To prevent this, we suggest that travelers mark Vrbo’s booking dates for 2024 in their calendars to secure the ideal vacation rental for their upcoming trips.”
The important dates for reserving vacation rentals:
-
Book your Easter holiday by 13 February at the latest.
-
The deadline for booking the Early May Bank Holiday is March 29th.
-
The final date to book for the May bank holiday is April 8th.
-
Book your summer vacation by June 8th at the latest.
-
Reserve your autumn half-term vacation by August 26th.
-
The deadline to book for Christmas holidays is 11 November.
Source: independent.co.uk
