Noticed a big shift in hostel prices between Tuesday and Thursday in Lisbon

I was planning a week in Lisbon last month and checked hostel prices every day for two weeks. The same 8-bed dorm room was 18 euros on a Tuesday and jumped to 34 euros by Thursday. Looked at a few other hostels and saw the same pattern, weekend rates were almost double. I think it's because of all the European tourists who fly in for short trips. Now I always try to book my stays around Tuesday to Wednesday in any city that gets weekend visitors. Has anyone else found that weekdays in the middle are the sweet spot for saving?

2 comments

2 Comments

kim_patel8926d ago

lol "locals from the suburbs book those beds" - here I was thinking I was being clever avoiding the weekend crowd, turns out I was just dodging a bunch of Sintra locals on a bender too. I guess my genius travel hack is just avoiding everyone's party weekend, including me now apparently lmao.

rose_grant7826d ago

I stayed at the Yes Hostel in Lisbon last spring and noticed the same thing, but I think the real story is something most people miss. The weekend price jump is not just about tourists flying in, it is also because locals from the suburbs book those beds when they come into town for nightlife and events. I talked to a guy at the front desk who told me they actually raise prices on Thursday because so many Portuguese people from places like Sintra reserve rooms for Friday and Saturday. That changes the whole supply picture, since the hostels fill up with a mix of locals and visitors instead of just travelers passing through. If you book Tuesday and Wednesday, you are avoiding that local demand too, not just the weekend flights. That makes the Tuesday to Wednesday sweet spot even more important than I first thought.