It's time to book your Easter holiday home - or risk being disappointed

If you want to book a holiday home over the Easter long weekend, you'd better book now to avoid disappointment.

This is the message from Stayz travel expert Sarah King who said holiday homes aren't like hotels - there's much more competition for less rooms so you'd better get in early or come to terms with missing out.

The Easter holiday period, from Friday, April 18 to Monday, April 21, is one of the two most competitive periods on the 2025 calendar, Stayz said.

They recommended booking by early March when less than 30 per cent of properties on their books will be available for the break.

"It's a mistake to treat holiday homes like hotels. With space for only one group at a time, there's more competition to book homes, especially those with standout amenities in top locations," Ms King said.

"When you find that dream house - beachfront, game room, bunk beds, and a pool steps from the ocean - don't wait. A week or two can make the difference between being just steps from the beach or on the other side of town."

Some of the most popular destinations for Easter are tried and true locations Forster and Port Macquarie in NSW, Margaret River in WA and the Gold Coast in Queensland, according to Stayz. They recommended staying in less popular locales like Ulladulla in NSW or Phillip Island and Geelong in Victoria.

Can you guess which other period is the most competitive throughout the year? You guessed it, Christmas.

Stayz said you should really have your silly season plans wrapped up and booked in by August 21. They said the last week of 2025 would be the busiest of the year and recommended travelling in mid-January for more choice.

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Some top destinations for Christmas include Gold Coast and Noosa in Queensland, Jervis Bay in NSW and Sorrento and Rye in Victoria.

By mid-June, nearly 50 per cent of Stayz holiday homes are expected to be booked for the Christmas season, seriously limiting your choice.

Stayz' hottest holiday destinations for 2025 are:

Easter: Noosa in QLD; Batemans Bay and Jervis Bay in NSW.

If a hotel is more your style, Choice recommended looking at several websites to compare pricing.

"Once you find a good price, contact the hotel directly to ask if they can beat it, rather than going through the booking website," Choice journalist, Liam Kennedy, said.

"We also suggest filtering your searches when looking for accommodation to providers that offer free cancellation. Then, if something comes up or you find a better deal your finances won't be impacted."