Booking a last-minute Florida vacation may save the family budget and your sanity. When getting away and a lack of travel funds collide, consider checking last-minute opportunities across the country. Sometimes you have to toss the dice and pray for a nice hotel at a good bargain but, in the long run, the rewards make impromptu travel worthwhile. Even travelers with money to spare will learn how to create a great Florida getaway with little planning.
Check travel websites daily when you are looking for the perfect last-minute Florida vacation. Budget Travel's website, budgettravel.com, offers daily deals in the "Real Deals" section. Travel deals to Florida's coast or amusement parks usually are limited in number and sell out quickly. One bargain included round-trip airfare, five nights at a hotel near Disney World, six-day car rental and daily breakfast for $449 per person. Read the fine print, however, on any last-minute travel packages. For the above package, the rates were based on a Monday through Friday reservation and taxes were not included. Still, a similar package booked directly from Disney World came to more than $6,300 for the same dates at a moderate Disney hotel (as of March 2010).
Consider hotel packages when your vacation has a loose budget. Many hotels offer hotel and flight packages that include transportation back and forth to the airport. These packages do the planning for you. The Waldorf Astoria Grande Resort in Naples, for instance, starts at $309 per night for the bed-and-breakfast package that provide a daily breakfast buffet for two people, gulf-view room, beach access, flat-screen TV, private balcony, one king-size bed, sitting area, a granite and marble bathroom, separate glass-enclosed shower and an oversize tub (as of March 2010). The Waldorf-Astoria, part of the Hilton Hotels chain, also allows guests to book flights and rental cars from the hotel's website. In addition, many hotels (and vacation rental companies) offer last-minute deals to offset any cancellations. Call a few days before departure and ask for any cancellation deals.
Waldorf-Astoria
475 Seagate Drive
Naples, Florida 34103
239-597-3232
naplesgranderesort.com
Expect a big savings with priceline.com, but remember some ground rules. This travel auction website allows customers to bid on flights and hotels. The situation seems perfect if flexible travel plans don't bother you. Flights may take place at strange hours and you can't pick your room. Priceline offers bare-bones travel and states, up front, that customers rarely receive refunds. Great deals, though, make this option worth considering. In one offer, $1,622 would pay for two people to fly nonstop, round-trip to the Renaissance Fort Lauderdale Plantation for a six-night stay (as of March 2010). The hotel receives four stars from Priceline.com customers and includes beach access, pool and plenty of nearby restaurants and shopping.
