How far ahead do YOU book hotels for travel to Europe?
 

This October we are off to Paris and my husband waited too long to book and thus we did not get our favourite hotel. Since we want to go back next September I am already inquiring as to when we can start booking. Just wondered what the rest of you do. I know there are always those last minute trips but I'm referring to the trips planned out months before.

I book up to year ahead if there's a place I really know I want to stay. In fact I've had to rearrange my itinerary slightly to allow staying in a couple of places which were booked for my dates 8 to 10 months out.
The only problem is you really need to touch base with them again closer to the time you go. My favorite was the place in Amboise which didn't have our reservation. When I proudly pulled out a copy of the email, they looked at the date on the confirmation and said "Oh, that's it, this was made too long ago. We don't keep our records that long." Duh? Then why would they have confirmed it that far ahead.

since we're traveling during the holiday season (which is high season) I booked my Paris and Italy hotels in march and April for December.

We usually attempt to book as soon as we know where we want to stay, sometimes close to a year ahead. We always reconfirm closer to our trip, however.

I book when I really know I'm going for sure. Usually that's around six months in advance.

Yeah, you really brought up a good point. Paris (and other cities) have high season periods. October is definitely high season in Paris due to trade shows, etc. and you need to be aware of that kind of thing. It's hard to book a room if you wait a month or two before your arrival when it's high season.

and if you don't check to see when the next IBC conference is happening in Amsterdam (Sept) you will be SOL trying to get an affordable room, or any room at all!

I booked the hotels for a trip to France, Spain, etc. next July-August in July..fortunately got into the Parador at the Alhambra (somebody here told me they couldn't do so and they had tried nine months out). Today I got the frequent flyer seat reservations for the trip as well.

I agree that when there are particular places you want to stay you book them and I always take their confirmatory e-mails with me just in case.

It really depends on the time period. For a peak season like that (Paris in October), or other trips I've booked in peak season (Semana Santa in Seville, Prague during Interional Music Festival), Provence in summer, etc., I book about 4-5 months ahead of time. I do care about the hotel I stay it, and research it ahead of time. The best hotels in the best locations, at decent rates, are always the ones booked way ahead, of course.

I also like it when I have my reservations, so I can just forget about that and think about other things and plan what I want to do. It's a lot more relaxing when I have things booked up (air and hotel).

For September in Paris, I'd probably book six months ahead if you have some particular hotel in mind.

I booked 6 months in advance, but then again, my friend seems to wait until the last minute (at least as far I'm concerned) she's sometimes booked just 1 month or 2 weeks in advance and always seems to get what she wants. Maybe she's very lucky? I personally couldn't handle waiting that close to my trip, I'd be a nervous wreck.

I make "provisional" reservations for hotels as soon as I have tickets. These are reservations that I can cancel without penalty. I often end up using them, but it also leaves the door open for changes and that sometimes happens.

Cyprus has a lot of hotels and villas available at present as the main season is easing, special offers and discounts are also available just ask the hotel/villa company,if you are looking to arive in the high season I would suggest booking up in advance which is highly recommended to prevent disappointment also the filghts become booked up in high season so check them first before booking your hotel/villa.
I would also suggest www.dreamlivescyprus.com as a good place to find more information.