Book your holiday in advance, or last minute. Which is best?

Why book your family holiday early?

1. Best choice of rooms
Family rooms, interconnecting rooms and villas with private pools are always the first to go, especially in school holidays. Booking early gives you the best chance of:

• The right layout for your family (no one on a camp bed in the corner)
• Better locations in the hotel, like near the pool or beach
• Securing cots, extra beds and accessible rooms

2. Less stress, more excitement
Booking in advance means you can:

• Spread payments and plan your budget
• Sort airport parking, lounges and transfers in good time
• Pre‑book kids’ clubs and popular activities
  Instead of weeks of scrolling and second‑guessing, you can relax and enjoy the countdown.

3. School holiday security
If you are tied to half term or summer holidays, demand is huge. Early booking helps you:

• Choose more civilised flight times
• Get seats together as a family
• Avoid having to compromise on dates or destinations later

4. Early booking value
Hotels often reward early planners with:

• Early booking discounts
• Better child prices or free child places
• Board or room upgrades that are rarely available last minute

Why consider a last‑minute family holiday?

1. Possible savings (if you are flexible)
If you can be relaxed on where and when you go, you might:

• Snag a reduction on remaining rooms
• “Trade up” to a nicer room type for a similar budget
  This works best outside peak school holiday weeks and for families who can travel at short notice.

2. Booking with the “here and now” in mind
Closer to departure, you can:

• Check more recent weather patterns
• Avoid destinations affected by current events or disruption
• Jump on new routes or seasonal opportunities

3. Good if life is unpredictable
If work, health or caring commitments make it hard to plan ahead, last minute can feel more comfortable than committing a year in advance.

The big catches with going last minute as a family

This is where it gets real:

• Choice is limited in school holidays: the best family rooms and direct flights are often long gone.
• Flight times can be awkward: think late‑night arrivals, very early starts or long layovers.
• Sitting together is harder: limited blocks of seats left together, so you may face extra fees or seat shuffles on the day.
• Kids’ clubs and activities fill up: the most popular clubs and experiences often have waiting lists by the time you arrive.
• Last‑minute hunting is stressful: endless searching under time pressure is not everyone’s idea of fun.

For many families, especially with school‑age children, that stress and compromise can outweigh any saving.

So what is the best approach?

It really comes down to your family:

• School‑age kids and fixed dates?
  Booking early usually wins: you get the right hotel, the right room and decent flights.
• Pre‑schoolers or flexible dates?
  You may have more freedom to be spontaneous, especially outside peak weeks.
• Big family groups or something very specific in mind?
  Early is best if you want villas, swim‑up suites or special celebrations.

Plenty of families find a balance:
Book the main summer or Easter holiday early, then stay open to a shorter, spontaneous break if the right last‑minute opportunity pops up.

How I can help your family

As your personal Travel Counsellor, I get to know your dates, budget and wish list, then guide you through what will work best for your family. I will:

• Help you decide whether early booking or last‑minute suits you
• Find family‑friendly resorts that match your children’s ages and interests
• Take care of flights, transfers, room choices and little extras
• Package and protect your holiday by booking everything for you

You get one point of contact, expert advice and a holiday that feels made‑to‑measure, not off‑the‑shelf.

If you would like to chat through ideas for your next family escape, contact me today and we will start planning together.