Go away on an impulse, because you feel like it or the opportunity arises
You’re behind schedule, you didn’t have time to reserve, and just a few days before your holiday, you still don’t know what you’ll be doing. And you’ve only just found out about your holiday dates, too, and you’re behind schedule there, too. The weather’s fine, you have a long weekend and you really want to get away. Lastly, you always prefer to wait until the last minute to reserve. All reasons to explain the big increase in last-minute reservations.
Have your cake and eat it...
A last-minute reservation is worthwhile, of course, because it saves money. For example, it means you can book at the campsite of your choice at a bargain price. It’s also a way to take advantage of special offers – even in high season, in some cases. But even more worthwhile is that a last-minute reservation can give you more for your money.
In other words, it may be a chance to enjoy an “upmarket” stay in top-of-the-range accommodation with services of the same standard and for the same budget you would have paid for “regular” accommodation.
Where?
Firstly, the site CampingFrancce.com offers a selection of good deals from campsites, many of which publish last minute offers.
An other method is to pay a visit to a well-known search engine and type in “Last minute camping reservation”. The good news is that among the hundreds of answers, you are sure to find what you’re looking for. The bad news is that unless you have some idea what you’re looking for (destination, type of campsite, etc.), you will probably spend long evenings in front of your computer screen.
To avoid straining your eyes, try to narrow down the search by looking at tour operator or online travel agency websites. Another good idea is to look at the camping chain websites (Flower, Yelloh Village, Sites et Paysages, etc.). The names, promotions and special offers may change, but everything can be found in one place.
This is also a way to choose your destination. Some campsites have special offers on their websites for certain times of year to make sure their rental accommodation is fully booked (out of season, long weekends in spring, in particular), or later in the season to make up for cancellations. The offers are only valid for a short time, so they’re perfect if you want to go away… right away!
Last-minute reservations can meet a one-off need or become a regular approach to holidays. In this case, it means you’ll always be on the alert, visiting a relatively small number of sites regularly, signing up for the campsite chain or reservation services’ newsletters.