Want to travel on your own before or after your tour? Reach out to our team to discuss adding additional hotel nights to your trip. These are often referred to as pre-stays and post-stays. If you’ve added our airfare package, we'll book flights for your customized travel dates (additional costs may apply). This is a great option if you're looking to conquer jet lag before your tour begins or fit in a few more spots before heading home.
What Go Ahead can and can't accommodate
Hotel locations
We can accommodate requests to add extra nights in the same location where your tour starts or ends. This also applies if you want to add additional nights after your tour's extension.
On some tours, you may fly into a city that's different from your tour's first overnight location. When this occurs, you can choose if you want us to book your extra nights in what we refer to as the "airport city" or in your first overnight location. For example, travelers fly into Milan on our Grand Tour of Italy, but the first hotel location is the Lake Como region. You could choose to add extra nights in Milan or the Lake Como region.
If you wish to extend your stay in a different location from where your tour begins or ends, those accommodations must be booked independently. For example, your tour begins in Berlin, but you want to visit Munich before your tour begins. Go Ahead would only be able to assist with extra nights in Berlin.
Airport transfers
Go Ahead can only arrange airport transfers for travelers arriving and departing on the standard start and end dates of a tour. Travelers who add a pre- or post-stay are responsible for arranging their own transfers to and from the airport. Learn more about airport transfers.
In the "airport city" example above, travelers spending extra nights in the Lake Como region would be responsible for getting themselves from the Milan airport to the hotel in Lake Como. However, if travelers choose to spend extra nights in Milan instead, Go Ahead could still transfer them from Milan to Lake Como on the standard tour arrival date.
For this to work, travelers would be responsible for getting themselves from the Milan airport to their hotel in Milan the day they land. Then, on the standard arrival day they must return to the airport at a similar time when other travelers will be landing. Everyone will meet their Tour Director or Go Ahead representative in the airport's arrival hall, then transfer to the Lake Como region together. We refer to this as a "Meet your Tour Director" transfer, and these always need to be requested. Learn more about arriving on tour.
Pre-stay and post-stay policies
Hotel availability
Nine times out of ten, pre- and post-stay accommodations will be booked at the same hotels as the main tour. Sometimes additional nights can only be confirmed at different hotels based on availability, location, and local events. If we can't secure a reservation at the main hotel, we'll let you know in advance and present an alternative hotel option. You can either accept the other option or remove your pre- or post-stay and book your extra nights independently.
Deadline to request extra nights
Pre- and post-stays must be requested before the Tour Finalization Date (the sooner the better). This is either 70 or 90 days before your departure and the exact date can be found in your online account and mobile app.
Pricing
The cost of pre- and post-stays depends on room type, duration, and location. We'll review pricing with you before confirming extra nights.
What to expect
Pre- and post-stays are designed for independent travel plans. During this time, Go Ahead is unable to arrange outside reservations, activities, local guides, and your Tour Director will only be present during the main dates of the tour.
Cancellation policies for pre- and post-stays can be found in our Terms & Conditions.