youll

A travel enthusiast and On the Beach worker shared the cheapest time to book flights and hotels

People hoping to get the best deal on their summer holiday might need to set an early alarm. A travel influencer claims he knows the ‘cheapest time’ for booking flights and hotels – and it’s bad news if you like to sleep in.

The tip was shared on social media by Rob Brooks, a travel enthusiast and influencer with the travel company On The Beach. He is well-known online for providing budget-friendly travel advice, hotel reviews, and holiday tips, which has helped him amass a significant following on social media, especially on TikTok where he goes by the username @Robonthebeach.

In a recent video, Rob shared ‘three bad holiday booking habits that could be costing you £100s’ and explained how the timing of your holiday booking can affect the price. Introducing the three tips, Rob said: “I look through holiday bookings every single day, and I see these mistakes all the time.”

For his first point, Rob suggested that people shouldn’t book their holidays in the morning unless they get up early. “Your first bad booking habit is booking holidays in the morning,” he claimed.

“We see so many people book holidays between 7am and 10am in the morning. Often, that’s people booking just before work, on the commute, or even at the desk with their first coffee. And I get it, it feels like you’re being really productive and taking off something big right at the beginning of the day.

“But not many people know it’s actually one of the most expensive windows to book, because you’ve got loads of people searching at the same time. Everyone’s had the same idea, which means demand spikes, flight prices spike too, and then package prices follow.”

Rob continued: “The best times to book are statistically in the evening, between 8pm and 10pm. And actually the very cheapest time to book is first thing in the morning, between 4am and 5am. But no one’s setting their alarm for that habit.”

Continuing his video, Rob shared two more mistakes that he said holidaymakers should be wary of. In his second tip, he suggested people shouldn’t wait when they find the right deal for them.

“Don’t forget, when you find a really good deal, it’s very likely that someone else has found the same deal too. So waiting doesn’t protect you; it usually just means that the best price then disappears. So I would say this: when you find a holiday that you think is a really good price and you’ve checked it against other people, don’t wait, just get it booked,” he advised.

Finally, the travel influencer warned people against being ‘super rigid’ with their holiday dates. Rob pointed out that switching your holiday from seven days to six days, for example, could make a big difference to the price.

Jasmine Harman, who has been presenting Channel 4’s A Place in the Sun since 2004, has shared a top tip for holidaymakers who are looking to save money on their next trip

While it’s barely late January and summer appears distant, numerous Brits are seizing the chance to organise their getaways, as rates tend to be more affordable during this period.

With that in mind, travel guru and Channel 4‘s A Place in the Sun presenter Jasmine Harman has revealed a savvy money-saving tip for holidaymakers to consider.

Chatting to The Sun’s TV Mag, the telly favourite disclosed that selecting a particular device for booking could massively enhance the bargains available.

She revealed: “The device you book flights on also has an effect on the prices you can get. If you’re using a laptop compared to a phone, you’ll get a different price.

“It’s so much easier to do it on your laptop, but you’ll get a better price on your phone! I think a lot of people will be impressed by the destination dupes too – where if you want one type of holiday but don’t have the budget, there are alternative places to try.”

Jasmine’s guidance might catch some off guard, however, last year, a Which? travel specialist also clarified why opting for the compact gadget in your pocket beats the larger one sat on your desk.

Speaking on Which?‘s official TikTok page, the expert said: “I would never book a hotel on a computer without checking the price on my mobile phone first.

“We slashed £270 off the price of an apartment in Amsterdam on Booking.com, and we saved almost £100 on a weekend in Florence with Expedia, just by booking a mobile exclusive.”

Additionally, the travel expert advised against booking flights through online travel agents without first comparing prices directly with the airline.

She stated: “Although online travel agents appear to be cheaper, they tend to whack up the prices of extras, such as bags and seats. If you need those, it might be cheaper just to go with the airline directly.”

However, whilst booking holidays via mobile phone might seem convenient, Which? has warned this approach could catch people out.

On Which?’s website, senior researcher and writer Trevor Baker cautioned: “However, beware when trying to book other kinds of travel by phone, such as flights and some cottage stays – as you could be hit with an unexpected fee of up to £50. It’s a charge that’s likely to particularly affect people who are less able to book online, such as blind or older travellers.

“If there is a fee for booking by phone, then always ask the call handler if that can be removed. In the case of a disabled person who’s not able to book online, we think removing the fee should be a legal obligation.”

After uprooting himself from the UK, expat Mark Danby has revealed that there has been one surprising upside of moving from Britain to the Costa del Sol in Spain

As Storm Chandra batters the UK with fierce winds and heavy downpours, many Brits will find themselves fantasising about relocating to warmer climes. One Briton who made the move is Mark Danby, who left his home in the UK and moved to Spain’s Costa del Sol.

However, it wasn’t the holiday destination’s blistering summers that drew Mark in, but rather its gentle, temperate winters. On his Tapas Guy channel on YouTube, he reveals that winter on the Costa del Sol is when he feels most content as an expat.

He explains: “You may be surprised to know that I moved to the Costa Del Sol because of the winter, not because of the summer.

“Winter here is when a place actually reveals whether it’s the right place to live or not, or whether it’s just a place to come for your summer holidays. Before I came here, winter meant something very, very different to me. It meant short, dark days, and cold, wet mornings.”

The milder climate in southern Spain allows Mark to genuinely savour a complete day, wandering in the winter sunshine instead of sheltering indoors from the rain. “My first winter here felt somewhat unfamiliar,” he recalled. “The beaches were quiet. Evenings were calm. For the first time in a long time, my winter days weren’t dictated by weather extremes. I didn’t realise how much I needed that until I had it.”

Mark reveals that his relocation from the UK to Spain has had an unexpectedly positive impact on his mental health. He shares: “Here in the winter, mornings can start with a walk or a drink outside, even in January.”

He elaborates: “Physically and mentally, winter has changed things for me. I get out more. I walk more. I spend more time outside. And as a result of that, I do feel generally less stressed.”

He also notes that his improved mood has boosted his productivity. However, he points out that life isn’t just easier during the Spanish winter, it’s also more affordable.

“The winter in the Costa del Sol is when it becomes financially honest,” he says. “There’s no tourists. Rents drop, sometimes significantly. Leases become available and eating out feels sustainable not just like a luxury.”

Mark admits that some eateries and pubs do shut down during the winter, resulting in slightly fewer dining options.

On the other hand, he observes, the Spanish summer also brings everything to a halt. He adds: “It becomes too hot, everything shuts down and it takes even longer to get things done.”

The rhythm of life, Mark explains, is generally more laid-back throughout the year.

Yet it’s the winter season that holds a special charm. He concludes: “The mild climate removes friction from your daily life. You don’t have to fight the weather like you do in the summer. You can actually live with it.

“When you stay through winter, something changes. You stop being a visitor. You become part of the rhythm.”