My Ultimate Travel Resources
I know well that it can be a minefield to wade through different apps and websites to find the best deals and the most flexible booking conditions when planning your trip.
Below, I have listed the preferred travel resources that I regularly use when planning my trips. My goal, as always, is to make travel planning just that bit easier for you.
Accommodation Booking Tools
🏨 Booking.com – This is my favourite site for booking accommodation as I find the booking rates and conditions super clear and flexible. Their cancellation policy is very transparent and more often than not allows for free cancellation within a reasonable time frame.
🏨 Hotels.com – Another tried and tested favourite for booking hotels – they sometimes list hotels that you cannot find on booking.com
🏡 Vrbo – I prefer Vrbo for booking private accommodation as I feel that their fees are slightly lower than Airbnb – I got fed up of getting excited by Airbnb prices only to find that admin fees and cleaning fees added up significantly from the advertised price. Vrbo list the total price whilst browsing which I find much clearer.
Transport Booking & Itinerary Management
🚘 Auto Europe – I have been using Auto Europe as my ‘go to’ car hire comparison site for over 15 years. I like how you can filter their searches with a non-deductible option – there is nothing I dislike more than having a huge block placed on my credit card in case of damages.
🚕 Welcome Pickups – This is a great service that takes the stress away from worrying about airport transfers when you arrive somewhere new. Prices are very reasonable and the booking process simple. Book with ease of mind knowing that your ride onwards from the airport is taken care of!
Travel Tools
📱 Airalo – I came across Airalo for the first time last year. I was getting fed up of buying new SIM cards with a data package every time I went to a new country. Airalo offer Local, Regional or Global e-Sims at very reasonable rates, without the need to get a new e-Sim on arrival somewhere new. Download yours today!
🥂 Priority Pass – If, like me, you love hanging around at the airport and perhaps a glass of bubbles before your flight, Priority Pass is the best option for Executive Lounge Access globally. Choose from over 1700 lounges across the world, and relax in style before your flight.
📋 Tripit – I love this app. I have been a ‘Pro’ subscriber for a few years now. Simply, it is the best travel management tool out there. Forward on all your booking emails to a pre provided email address (flights, hotels, car hire, restaurant bookings, Viator bookings etc) and Tripit will automatically populate it all into an easy to follow daily itinerary for you. You can attach PDFs of bookings for the trip, screen shots of QR codes; everything to manage your trip, all in one place. You will even get live updates on your flight departures including gate changes and delays (often before the airline informs you)!
✈️ Flighty – For flight and plane nerds, like me, this app is fantastic. Collate stats of flights taken, upcoming flights as well as logging registration numbers of aircraft flown. My link above gives access to Flighty Pro for one free flight which will give you live updates of gate and flight status. According to my 2024 Flighty Passport I flew almost 3 times around the world – I love knowing that 🤓
Experiences Whilst Away
Viator.com – The range of experiences available on Viator is staggering. Whether you simply want a guided walking tour through a new part of Dubai or Nice, or are looking for something more exhilarating such as Paragliding from Lion’s Head in Cape Town, you will find it here!
Get Your Guide – Another great resource for travel experiences whilst overseas. I have used Get Your Guide on a number of occasions.
Luggage Storage
🧳 Radical Storage – This is a great app for storing luggage whilst away. I used this service in central London last year and was able to locate a convenient location just metres away from my location. All managed and paid for through their app.