From CNBC.com…
When it comes to reserving hotel stays, Aesop and his fabled ants might have gotten it backwards — it can actually pay to wait till the last minute to book.
While conventional wisdom holds that travelers get better rates for accommodations, air and other vacation components by reserving early, research from NerdWallet found that 66% of the time they’d save more by waiting to book a hotel room until 15 days before arrival, compared to four months out.
The idea that booking early is better has actually always been more about choice, said Sally French, a travel expert at NerdWallet.
“It’s less about ‘buy earlier for better deals’ and more about the opportunity cost of not booking early — you could severely limit your options by waiting,” she said. “Booking in advance means you have more choice to book the hotel that’s truly in your budget.”
