How I Managed to Cut Travel Costs on a Last-Minute Trip to Pune with My Toddler

As you know, I am a travel geek, but traveling with a toddler I never thought would be so challenging. I cherish all my memories with my little one, and I wish to keep the pace by taking him to places, cities, and even countries so he loves and admires the beauty of nature as his mumma. But the real challenge is the process of flight booking and finding the right kid-friendly hotel. While he doesn’t get overwhelmed, I must ensure the whole process is smooth. While I say this, I was mentally prepared to pay extra as my child’s comfort comes first.

So, after I put him to bed, I started checking for flight tickets; the prices were unbelievable. The rates had surged, so the available flights were expensive or had inconvenient layovers, which is unsuitable for a 4-year-old. 

The same challenge I witnessed while booking a hotel in Pune: I wanted a hotel close to the event place. A place that is lively so my son doesn’t get bored. But again, I wanted a clean hotel with ample space and a buffet breakfast. ‘Cause a note to all the new mothers from me is that getting your toddler to eat at home or a new place is a challenge.

Just as I was browsing through various platforms to compare flight tickets, I remember my husband was checking the price for the flight tickets on Ixigo on his laptop; it was when one of his friends sent us a website Whatsapp and asked us to check it out before we booked the ticket. So we opened the website and were stumped to see that it curates all the best coupons and discounts on flight tickets and hotel bookings in one place. It sounded too good to be true, and there was nothing to lose, so I tried it. Well, did I save? I saved a lot on both the flight booking and the hotel booking.

While browsing this website, I saw many offers on flights and hotels, as there is a section on the homepage called Travel. So I spent some time going through the page and comparing the prices, and to my surprise, there was a coupon code for Make My Trip that offered INR 2500 off on domestic flights. I was checking it out, and I applied for the coupon, and just like that, my flight ticket became much more reasonable to me.

So, I didn’t stop there. I looked for hotels in Pune close to where the event was taking place. So I found a discount deal on this website for Agoda, which also gave me INR 3000 off, suitable for a well-rated hotel in Pune. I ensured that I checked for a spacious room; it was clean and tidy, had a breakfast buffet, and was kid-friendly. So, I booked it immediately before the offer ran out.

In this entire process, what surprised me was that a particular brand understands consumer needs and helps us save a considerable chunk of money by providing discounts and coupons. The best part about this whole process was that I could save a significant chunk of money thanks to the website my friend sent me. In less than 10 minutes, I booked a hotel and flights and saved money.

For a busy mother like me, I ensure I give my child the next experience while valuing money. After all, the child learns from their parents. My savings on the hotel and flight meant I could have an extra day at an amusement park or game zone in small Pune. For me, my son’s every trip should be as unique as he is to me.

As someone who loves spontaneous plans but now as a mother who will turn the world around for her son, I want to make sure his comfort comes first for me, and there is no way I will compromise on this. After which, when I took my son to Pune, he had a fun experience and loved the city, as I must say. 

As a mother, I was happy to have a spacious, kid-friendly hotel with a breakfast buffet. So we landed in Pune on Friday evening. I put my son to bed after his dinner. I was tired but wanted to watch a web series or movies. So my husband and I called in for room service, and binged on The Office, and then went to bed to get ready for the event the next morning, which was in the afternoon. The next day was fun, as my son liked the place of the event; it had a huge park, and he also made some friends. Nothing like seeing your child happy and having a comfortable experience, no matter which city or place. 

We returned to our hotel at 8 pm; after the event, my son was tired after all the playing, so he went straight to bed. I did my skincare, opted for a hotel spa, and went for a massage while my husband was with my son. It was indeed a good and relaxing experience at the hotel. 

My son still holds an experience and fond memory and asks me when we are going to Pune again. I want to plan one more trip for my son shortly, but again, during the summer, I am thinking of going to a hilly area to avoid the heat while making sure my son doesn’t catch a cold. I will soon plan a trip for him and tell him about his experience in my next blog. So, should I say stay tuned for Baby’s Day out Part 2?