Once you've booked a cheap last minute flight and hotel, then there's the matter of all the problems that can come up - and they're often worse than usual with these kinds of deals. If you're prepared, though, then it won't be so easy for little hiccups to ruin your holiday, so have a little read through this survival guide before you set off.

A very important point is to take something with you that you can do if your flight is delayed, or you have to wait around for a long time for some other reason - whether it's a book, a newspaper, a Game Boy, or a whole load of Sudoku puzzles, just make sure that you're not caught with nothing to do and nowhere to go, as there are few things worse. If you have kids, make sure to bring a selection of things to entertain them with, as if you only bring one they are likely to get bored of it very quickly.

Another piece of advice is to travel light - dragging around heavy suitcases will just annoy you at the start of your holiday. If you booked this last minute, the chances are that you're an impulsive person, and that you're only going for a short period of time. Don't feel the need to take every outfit you own - instead, make it a challenge to see how little you actually need.

Once you get to the hotel, make sure to check in quickly before you do anything else - it can be tempting to go for a wander around first, but it might cause problems for you later on if you get there too late. You should also make sure that you have all the letters and emails you were sent and any other relevant documentation, to avoid the situation where a booking number is needed and there's some lengthy process full of broken English before you can reclaim it.