Met a traveler in Lisbon who swore by only booking hostels after 10pm for same-day discounts, but I think that's a great way to end up sleeping in a park.

He told me, 'Just show up at the front desk after 10, they'll always have a cheap bed,' but my one attempt at that in Porto left me paying triple for a last-minute hotel at 11:30pm when everything was full.

3 comments

3 Comments

sarahpark13d ago

Oh man, that's playing with fire. I got stuck in Prague once trying the same thing, convinced I'd find a deal. Ended up on a bench in the train station until 5am because even the sketchy places were sold out. Some traveler tips are just ways to make a bad story later. Never again.

wilson.olivia13d ago

Yeah, I read a blog post once that called that "travel roulette." The writer said it works maybe 60% of the time in big cities, but that other 40% is pure panic. They argued the stress and lost sleep just isn't worth the small amount you might save. After hearing stories like yours, I'm totally with them. I'd rather pay a bit more to know I have a real bed waiting.

jason_stone5913d ago

Yikes, Sarah, that sounds awful. @wilson.olivia, what's the worst "roulette" story you've heard?