I found a way to get hostels to hold beds without paying upfront

I was booking a trip to Portland last spring and got stuck because most hostels wanted a 10% deposit just to reserve a bed. I called three places and asked if they could hold it with just my credit card number instead of charging me. Two of them said yes, no problem. Saved about $40 in booking fees that I would have lost if plans changed. Has anyone else tried just calling instead of booking online and gotten a better deal?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_beth1d ago

You really saved a whole $40 and made it sound like a life hack.

evan_stone1d ago

I stayed at a hostel in Seattle last fall and did the same thing. Called the front desk, gave them my card number, and they held the bed for 48 hours with no deposit. It's worth a shot if you can actually make the phone call most people skip.