How to Maximize Last-Minute Summer Bookings in 2025

If your hotel isn’t set up to capture spontaneous summer travelers, you could be missing out on bookings that are ready to happen right now. Last-minute guests aren’t rare anymore—they’re the new normal. The good news? A few changes can make all the difference.

What Are Last-Minute Bookings?

They’re the guests who book their stay just a few days—or even hours—in advance. For example:

Weekend getaways booked on a Thursday
Urban escapees looking for something tonight
Families making spontaneous detours

These travelers are fast, mobile, and looking for value—but they still want quality.

Why this Matters

The trend is growing. More travelers are skipping advance planning and booking within 72 hours—especially in summer.
They’re high-intent. If someone is looking last minute, they’re probably ready to book now.
Your competitors are catching on. Hotels with optimized last-minute offers are scooping up bookings before your site even loads.
It boosts revenue without big discounts. You don’t always need to drop prices—just highlight availability, perks, and convenience.

Quick Fixes You Can Do Today

Add a Last-Minute Rate Section to Your Website. Create a “Last-Minute Offers” page or banner so it’s easy to spot and book right away.
Make Your Mobile Booking Flow Seamless. Most spontaneous guests are on their phones. Make sure they can book in under a minute.
Offer Simple, Time-Sensitive Perks. Things like:
- Free parking or breakfast for tonight-only stays
- Early check-in/late check-out for weekend arrivals
- Two-night bundles with a complimentary room upgrade
Highlight Flexibility. Ease anxiety by offering:
- Free cancellation
- Book now, pay later options
Geo-Target Nearby Travelers. Use paid social or Google Ads to target users within a 1–3 hour drive of your property.

Last-Minute Travel Is the New Norm

Last-minute bookings aren’t the exception—they’re the habit.

These guests are ready. They’re not just browsing—they’re looking to click and travel. They’re out there right now, searching for availability, value, and a stay that feels effortless to book.

If your hotel isn’t showing up with the right message, offer, and user experience, you’re invisible to this high-intent crowd.

In opensmjle we can help you change that!

Contact us now.

About opensmjle

Everything starts with an opensmjle.

opensmjle, Cologne-based digital agency, stands for all things digital and has been looking for new and innovative approaches to the requirements of the hospitality industry since 2013, specializing not only in the hotel and catering industry, but also in the associated technology providers.

In addition to our digital agents, we offer website design and programming in monthly packages so that companies can invest more budget in their customers’ stay experience. To perfect the customer journey, we take care of the storytelling – as a holistic concept or for specific topics.

Ready to take your guests’ stay experience and your customers’ customer journey to the next level?

Then let’s get to know each other better now:

www.opensmjle.com
hej@opensmjle.com
+4922198867761