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Original poster

Does anyone else lose the plot trying to book a holiday?

99 replies

TimeforaHol · 13/04/2023 17:22

First world privilege problem I know. Been trying to book a holiday for me, DH & DS (3) for end of August into September . 2-weeks ideally Balearics / med.

I'm finding it a nightmare and have wasted 3 valuable hours googling today! (Self employed 😫).

I'm feeling drained from all the search engines and have found nothing suitable!!!

Does anyone else get a bit control freakish when trying to search for holidays? I find I have a fear of booking something that will turn out to be disappointing (considering the costs involved) so end up scrolling through reviews and checking things on the map to find out everything I can about a place before ruling it out because one aspect doesn't look quite suitable.

I'm shattered and have got precisely nowhere! I'm also frustrated I left it so late to book!

Any tips for more efficient holiday finding?

OP posts:
Ooolaaaala · 13/04/2023 20:22

I love planning road trips and off the beaten track holidays. Get bored with the monotony and overwhelm of fly and flop apartments etc - find it impossible to choose - that’s why we always went back to same accommodation and resort when we were doing this type of holiday when the DC were young.

I was thinking about last summer and 40 heat here and wondering why anyone would bother going to Greece or Turkey in August if it’s so hot here - it must be intolerable there. But a bit of winter sun in the canaries is a treat.

TheFairyCaravan · 13/04/2023 20:25

Go to Menorca, you won’t find anywhere better than that for a little one. Avoid the Talayot Apts, though, unless you want basic, dated and cheap and cheerful. Me and DH got a very cheap deal there, just before Covid. We spent hardly any time in the Apartment, we went to the beach most days.

Any resort in Menorca is great. The beaches are safe and the sea is clean and shallow. What do you want from a holiday? All Inclusive with a kids club or Self Catering?

Thehonestybox · 13/04/2023 20:27

Yeah I get like this too, wasted way more than 3 hours as well. OH always has to take over and books a package holiday in two minutes and we've never had a bad holiday.

Seriously, just try to not care and pick somewhere an don't think about it. You'll have a great time, and even with careful over planning you can end up arriving at a misadvertised hotel.

RE Balearics though - we just did a Villaplus villa in Majorca which was amazing.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Holidays
TheFairyCaravan · 13/04/2023 20:31

MrsBlondie · 13/04/2023 20:22

Check zafiro hotels. Amazing.

We went to Zafiro Menorca years ago with our children. It was amazing.

iloveyankeecandle · 13/04/2023 20:50

@SummerSazz were they cheaper??

mysparkleismissing · 13/04/2023 21:07

Also no help here as I'm on a standoff with hubbie. We've got the week off booked in August but nothing is booked... waiting for him to take the lead (for once) good luck

Plump82 · 13/04/2023 21:48

Drywhitefruitycidergin · 13/04/2023 20:19

Good to hear - after my mammoth search that's where I chose! We're going in August though eeeeekkk
I think that was also not helping me, the fact that my last overseas hols were pre school aged kids....I think August might be a culture shock

Show quote history

Hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
If we could buy a place there, we'd do it in a heartbeat.

Meandfour · 13/04/2023 21:50

Drywhitefruitycidergin · 13/04/2023 20:19

Good to hear - after my mammoth search that's where I chose! We're going in August though eeeeekkk
I think that was also not helping me, the fact that my last overseas hols were pre school aged kids....I think August might be a culture shock

Show quote history

Why are you worried about august?

Chattycathydoll · 13/04/2023 21:54

I had a lot of mega stress holidays with ex & his family, so after we split I decided I just wouldn’t.

Plus working 0 hours contracts for a good while, lol.

Instead I look on lastminute.com when I feel like we need a getaway. Usually English coastal somewhere. Cheap
rooms, and phrase it to DD as an adventure. Throw everything we need in a bag and get on with it.

Writing this from our room in a b&b, had a whale of a time so far this hols!

Drywhitefruitycidergin · 13/04/2023 21:59

Just volume of people in the school holidays - I've never been in a rush to put towels on sunbeds type place & I'm not very assertive

Original poster
TimeforaHol · 13/04/2023 22:00

See I'd never heard of Zafiro hotels and now I've just spent an hour and a half comparing them all!! 🙈

OP posts:
Meandfour · 13/04/2023 22:01

Drywhitefruitycidergin · 13/04/2023 21:59

Just volume of people in the school holidays - I've never been in a rush to put towels on sunbeds type place & I'm not very assertive

Don’t worry too much. IME the canaries tend to be more populated in spring, autumn & winter. There are so many hot places in the summer people have much more choice. We’ve been to Lanzarote in May & in August and May was much busier. Not as many short haul places with warm weather in May to choose from.

Original poster
TimeforaHol · 13/04/2023 22:20

Uh now I'm reading Tripadvisor and seeing how busy Balearic hotels are in August and wondering if France would be better...!

OP posts:
minipie · 13/04/2023 22:29

I was thinking about last summer and 40 heat here and wondering why anyone would bother going to Greece or Turkey in August if it’s so hot here - it must be intolerable there.

We were in Greece (Corfu) last summer when it was 40 plus here. It was mid 30s there and unlike here there was air con, a pool, the sea and a sea breeze.

Drywhitefruitycidergin · 13/04/2023 22:33

@Meandfour fingers crossed. If we don't like it we'll go to the beach & do something different next year.
Already trying to work out optimum ages for our inter-railing summer 😀

Thriwit · 14/04/2023 00:02

I dread having to book holidays, can never decide where to go. But then I hate actually going on holiday too 😅. The entire thing is just incredibly stressful. I only go because I feel bad if I don’t take the kids away somewhere.

Plump82 · 14/04/2023 06:18

Drywhitefruitycidergin · 13/04/2023 21:59

Just volume of people in the school holidays - I've never been in a rush to put towels on sunbeds type place & I'm not very assertive

What hotel have you booked?

jellycakeandicecream · 14/04/2023 06:31

I love holiday planning - but appreciate for everyone.

pre DC - oh how naive I was (in so many ways) I always thought people who went back to the same place were, well a bit weird - it’s a big wide world out there, why go back to the same place over and over again?

Now I’m off to the wonderful El Dorado in July again and can’t wait!

https://www.jet2holidays.com/spain/costa-dorada/cambrils/estival-el-dorado-resort

MrsBlondie · 14/04/2023 10:59

TimeforaHol · 13/04/2023 22:00

See I'd never heard of Zafiro hotels and now I've just spent an hour and a half comparing them all!! 🙈

We stayed at Zafiro Palmanova last July and it was lovely.
More for younger kids so we are now moving on from them.

Palmanova is also AMAZING and would totally recommend a holiday here.

diflasu · 14/04/2023 11:25

Yes - but we had some restrictions 3 teens and ages some treat as adults other places don't, hemmed in with GCSE and A-level results and aftermath ie college orientation days and uni stuff and term time for youngest, 5 of us and we don't drive and DH left it fairly late again and the price increases.

We gave up and book a place in London and cross of things to do there instead it will probably cost more but everyone's excited .

GreenBirdy · 14/04/2023 12:48

Some lovely places linked to on here!

I get overwhelmed as I find nice places that say they offer kids clubs, only to find they don't offer them to toddlers. Anyone suggest good sites / a way to filter results on those with kids clubs or creche for 2 year old? Or a great place they have been!?!

Scalottia · 14/04/2023 13:00

This is what travel agents are for. However, I love planning holidays, it really isn't that difficult.

Original poster
TimeforaHol · 14/04/2023 13:42

My issue is that husband's job means we are stuck in last week of august. Suitable villas all gone and reviews of even 5* Zafiro Balearic beach locations make it sound like hell - beaches and pool packed like sardines. Trying to visualise this with a toddler who likes to bolt. Not very calming.

Wondering if a rural France farm type holiday would be better and at least allow toddler freedom to run about. Though I expect everywhere will be fully booked! 🙈🙈

OP posts:
Lovetotravel123 · 14/04/2023 13:56

You could try booking through Travel Counsellors. They do all the work for you.

Original poster
TimeforaHol · 14/04/2023 14:02

How much do these travel agents cost? And what if you don't like what they suggest? Do you still have to pay them?

OP posts: