Guides

What is worth knowing after you book a stay — from rebooking a free-cancellation hotel for less to checking your confirmation email.

• How to rebook a free-cancellation hotel when the price dropsThe order to switch in, so you keep the room and are not caught out by a brief double charge.
• Why hotel prices keep changing after you bookWhy the same room goes up and down, and how not to miss the drop.
• Free cancellation or non-refundable: which rate to pickWhat the slightly higher free-cancellation price buys you, with a worked example.
• Five things to check in your booking confirmationLook at these right after booking, not at the check-in desk.