1 Press the panic button

Only got a month to organise your honeymoon? Forgot to book the family holiday this year? Fear not. Tour operator Black Tomato has launched a "panic button" on its website. Just type in what you're looking for and a friendly travel expert will call you back with suggestions. And no, they don't charge a premium - it's free. blacktomato.co.uk.

2 Stay in London for £1

The catch? There isn't one. The Hoxton hotel, which opens on September 1, will be offering five rooms for £1 every day for the first three months. If you don't manage to bag the £1-a-night room, there'll be a special £59 deal on offer, too. The booking site goes live mid-August at hoxtonhotels.com.

3 Bag a bargain flight

For the best deals on flights, book low-cost flights early but charters late (no more than four weeks before travel). Lowcostseats.co.uk, which is part of lowcosttravelgroup.co.uk, has a database of 35 airlines. A return flight to Palma for seven nights, departing August 17, costs £72 inc taxes.

4 Find the perfect bikini

It's the most revealing thing we wear, yet most of us just grab a bikini off the peg and hope for the best. For a proper fit, book a free consultation with a bikini matchmaker at John Lewis - she'll measure you, find the best shape for your body and make sure you have the style and accessories (wraps, sarongs etc) to hide the blobby bits and flaunt your assets. And remember, a high cut bikini lengthens the leg.

Book an appointment at 0845 604 9049. Available until the end of August at all stores except High Wycombe.

5 Meet like-minded travellers

With the rise and rise of MySpace, it was only a matter of time before online social networking sites dedicated to travel came along. The newest is the American site gusto.com. Older, and therefore more comprehensive, is Where are you now? (wayn.com) which allows you to log your travels, meet new people abroad, use chatboards and share experiences, photos and journals.