Just recently I have been working on a quote for 5 Adults (all singles) for a hotel in Sydney Australia over New Year’s, I believe this has been one of the most challenging things I have done to date. We are still 6 months away but trying to find suitable accommodations has been difficult. However I did manage to come up with some options for my client.
So I am here to offer some suggestions while travelling over these times especially if you want to go to a major city like Sydney, Australia which is known for its iconic New Year’s fireworks over Sydney Harbour Bridge.
1st. Plan early! Six months earlier may be too late especially if you want to be at a certain hotel in a certain area and especially if there are more than 2 of you.
2nd. If you are travelling with more than two, as a couple or singles, be prepared to pay for more than one room or look for a suite, especially if it is outside of North America. Most hotels in Australia for instance only have one bed and have a max occupancy of 2-3 per room, so if you are travelling with a family of four your choices are limited as rooms with 2 beds are not as common. This is often true in Europe as well, were the 2 queen or double beds is not the standard like here in Canada.
3rd. Decide what is most important to you, ie. the accommodation or the location? Keep in mind that getting around in a major city during New Years’ can be a very busy so choosing a hotel that is within walking distance of where you want to be for New Year’s Eve is important. This would also apply if you are travelling while there were any special events happening in that particular city, ie. Rugby World Cup in New Zealand this year.
4th. Be prepared to stay for at least 3 nights or even up to 5 nights as most hotels over the Christmas and New Year’s have a minimum stay requirement. You may only need 2 nights but may have to pay for 3, 4 or 5 nights depending on the hotel policy.
5th. Be prepared to pay up front! The booking terms and conditions may change over the holidays, you may have to pay the whole shot upon reserving and it may be 100% non-refundable if you had to cancel. This brings me to another point, buy travel insurance to cover cancellation/interruption and medical coverage if you do not already have it. At least if you have to cancel for a covered reason you will get your money back.
6th. Use a travel agent that specializes in the destination you are going to! They can often sort out what hotel suit your needs and may have direct contacts with the desired hotels. Let them handle the research that is what they specialize in!
“Failing to plan is planning to fail.” Alan Lakein
Denise Gushue
Aussie Specialist, Kiwi Specialist, Peru and Ireland Specialist.