Just booked 4 nights in a hostel dorm for $28 total using a trick I never tried before

I always assumed booking directly on hostel websites was the cheapest option, but last month I checked the booking app at 3 AM local time for a place in Lisbon. The price dropped from $12 a night to $7 because someone cancelled last minute. I snagged the spot and ended up in a quiet 6-bed dorm with actual working WiFi and free breakfast. The hostel manager said they release cancelled slots at random times to fill beds fast. I saved $20 just by staying up late and refreshing the page. Has anyone else found a weird time window for booking cheap rooms?

3 comments

3 Comments

ninaowens1mo agoTop Commenter

Sounds like a lot of work for $20 honestly...

keith9001mo ago

Yeah, I've done similar stuff. For me it's usually around 2-4 AM local time when the night audit person adjusts inventory. Actually saved like $35 on a room in Barcelona that way once.

tarabell1mo ago

@ninaowens it's not that hard, my friend snagged a 10 euro room in Rome at 4am once and it had a private bathroom.