Okay, so I just finished planning this big trip to Lisbon next month, and figuring out flights and places to stay was… honestly, kind of a pain at first. I remember feeling super overwhelmed staring at all those websites popping up. Anyway, here’s exactly how I tackled it, step-by-step.
First Thing Was Flights
I fired up Google Flights – seriously, that thing’s pretty solid as a starting point. Just dumped in my home airport, Lisbon, and the rough dates. Didn’t lock anything in yet. What I really paid attention to was the little calendar view they have, showing which days are cheaper to fly. Huge difference! Like, flying out on a Wednesday instead of Friday saved me almost two hundred bucks. Wrote those dates down.
Then The Hotel Hunt Started
Took my fresh dates over to Google Hotels. Searched for Lisbon, dropped in my travel dates. My focus? Finding a decent area without breaking the bank. I sorted by price first – no shame – but always looked at the neighborhood link underneath each cheap listing. Saw a couple crazy deals… but they were basically out by the airport. No thanks! Kept adjusting the map and filters until stuff popped up around like, Bairro Alto and Alfama – you know, where you actually wanna be.
- Made sure I ticked “Free WiFi” and “Breakfast Included”. Ain’t trying to hunt coffee shops at 7 AM.
- Read like, three reviews minimum for any place that looked okay. Pictures lie! Learned that lesson ages ago in Paris.
- Saved a couple contenders: one budget spot that got rave reviews for location, and a slightly fancier option with a rooftop terrace that my wife would love.
Flipping Back To Flights
Went back to Google Flights with the exact dates now. Found a decent airline, okay times… was ready to hit book. But then I remembered! Searched that exact airline + flight number separately to see if booking directly on the airline’s site was cheaper. Lo and behold… it was slightly cheaper, and way better if something goes wrong. No brainer. Booked it then and there.
Final Hotel Call
Armed with the confirmed flights and prices, I revisited those saved hotels. Suddenly that slightly pricier option with the terrace… seemed more manageable knowing the flight savings. Did a quick double-check on like, two other hotel sites to confirm I wasn’t getting screwed on price. They matched. Went for the terrace spot – figured the extra comfort after travel days would be worth it. Boom. Booked.
Whole process took maybe… 90 minutes? Biggest thing I realized? Do flights first for the date flex, then hotel area/location. Booking separately almost always gave a better deal, despite what those package deal ads scream. And always, ALWAYS check the airline direct. Saved about $270 total doing it this way.
