Now that the Government has set out its road map for the country hopefully returning to normal this summer, UK holiday bookings have surged. With the majority of over 50’s predicted to have received their first vaccination by May, there’s a lot of confidence about people being able to get away.
But with some commenting that booking a holiday is like getting tickets for Glastonbury, you may be wondering what options you have available for your UK holiday. In this article we outline some tips and trick to help you find a great break away.
Don’t wait
If there’s a cancellation policy with flexibility to change dates or offer a refund guarantee, accommodation providers and booking sites are advising consumers to get something booked in now rather than later, due to the risk of holidays selling out.
But beware price hikes
It’s been reported that in the days following Boris Johnson’s announcement, due to the increase in demand, a number of UK holiday accommodation prices have increased. Some accommodation providers or booking websites have come under fire for the steep increases. A quick google search will help you identify those that have been criticised for their price hikes – so maybe ones to avoid.
Be flexible
CoolCamping analysed trends on their booking website and have highlighted that Cornwall, Devon, North Yorkshire, Dorset, Somerset, Cumbria, Gwynedd (North Wales) and Norfolk are amongst the most popular destinations for campsite bookings. So, if these are on your list – book early. But our advice is to be flexible on where you book. There are so many wonderful places to visit across the UK, that it might be nice to try to book somewhere different and a little less popular.
And if you can, be flexible with your dates. Prices over the summer and during school holidays will be higher, so if you can book at a time that’s less popular, you’ll have more chance of securing your dates. At the time of looking, AirBNB still had plenty of accommodation available across the country for an August trip away, but prices are inevitably higher.
Try booking direct with the property owner
If you’re searching online and the prices seem to have shot up, try googling the accommodation to see if the property owner has their own website or contact details. You might be able to negotiate a better deal than through the booking website that the property owner uses.
Try different booking websites
We all tend to use familiar booking sites, or those that pop up on page one of Google, but flick to pages two and three and you might find yourself a gem. Of course AirBnB, Booking.com, Trivago are useful sites, but we found hundredrooms – what we love about this site is that you can search for holiday homes, apartments, hotels, B&B’s and camping or holiday villages. Whilst AirBnb is great for holiday cottages, bungalows etc, hundredrooms appear to have a much broader range for those looking for getaways in a static caravan or glamping options such as Yurts, Tippees, shepherds huts as well as holiday homes and cottages.
Try something new
If you typically book a week away at Centre Parcs or a holiday cottage down in Cornwall, you might fancy trying something different. How about a few nights in a Yurt, or hiring a campervan or motorhome. Check out goboony.co.uk for a range of campervan or motorhomes to hire near you. But don’t forget, you’ll need to factor in the cost of the campsite as well as the hire of vehicle.