Flex of off-season travel is gaining traction throughout the world. With quieter destinations, shorter waits, and affordable flights, you can avoid the worst that peak season travel has to offer and skip right to vacation bliss. There’s something special about a quiet town in the autumn or a vacation spot in the spring that isn’t overrun with tourists. Finding the right type of accommodations can make or break your shoulder season getaway.
Different accommodations offer varying levels of flexibility. True flexibility comes with a self-catering vacation. This can be an apartment or cottage. Self-catering vacation accommodations allow guests the ability to come and go as they please, prepare their own food, and give guests freedom from the constraints of a rigid itinerary. If you will be outside of peak season, you will appreciate the vacation rental more for its kitchen and living accommodations, as some local dining and activities will have more limited hours.
For travelers who want even less to worry about, a guest house or small hotel is the way to go. Many smaller guest houses offer improved services during more off the beaten path travel times, as the staff has more flexibility to run the day to day services during these less hectic times.
It is smart to find out in advance if your accommodations include breakfast or other meals since some smaller places will change what they offer based on demand.
The location of your accommodations is important in the shoulder season, and may be more important than in the summer months. A location that is close to amenities and transit will be helpful in the shoulder season because it may mean you do not need to drive to each destination to reach amenities if you do not wish to do so. If you will be traveling to a beach or other outdoor area, think about the distance of the accommodations to those areas. The calm weather in the off season may make the weather good for walking, where as the warm weather of summer might not make walking as enjoyable.
Flexibility in booking is very helpful when you don’t know when you will be traveling. The off-peak weeks will have more flexible booking so if you have to change the dates to fit your family or work obligations, the accommodations you book may not penalise you for doing so.
Accommodations can be much cheaper off-peak, so people book during this time to save money, and the price will vary depending on the specific location. Prices can even change by booking a week or two on either side of a peak season.
Comparing different options rather than booking the first resort is normally beneficial. You should also check to see if the price includes utilities, parking or any extra guest fees.
What do you want to get out of this trip? A shoulder-season break is perfect for travelers who like to take it slow, and don’t want to deal with the summer crowds. This is also good for travelers who just want a change of scenery before or after the summer frenzy. The choice of your accommodations should reflect this. Whether you choose a cottage, an apartment, or a small guest house, your accommodations can provide you with what you need to relax. Researching locations, flexible dates, and booking terms will result in you getting a great deal on travel that will be less stressful than summer travel.