Post A Level Holiday

[Whatawardrobe]

My son and 4 friends are trying to book a holiday for the start of July for 5 /7 days.

They are keen to go to Turkey and are also wanting to stay in a villa rather than a hotel. They want to have a pool and to be close to a beach and nightlife

Has anyone had experience of young people being able to book this type of accommodation or if something similar that would suit them?

I would personally prefer them to book a hotel for their first trip away without parents, but they aren’t keen! I can’t imagine many places would accept a bunch of 18 year olds, but they seem to think it’s possible.

Any advice is welcome.

I can’t imagine many villa owners on air bnb or villa companies would want to rent a villa to a group of 18 year olds.

My feelings exactly.
Any ideas for a safe alternative option?

Book one through TUi or Jet2 if any of them will be 18 so can be lead passenger. Otherwise they can book separately but it’s not what I would want mine to fob for a first holiday overseas.

Mine booked with love holidays. They went to hotel aimed at young & lively. They were 18.

Youth hostel

Most post-a-levels here go to Zante, Ibiza, Ayia napa, albuferia, corfu maybe…
all in the EU which should make things easier…I love turkey but would be concerned at how easily things could go wrong for 18yr old lads…and would say definitely a hotel not a villa for ease of access etc

DD booked self catering apartment in Malia (Corfu) through Tui with 6 friends last summer after A levels. 2 rooms of 3. The booking was for all of them with one lead booker. All were 18. The apartments were part of the TUI “Scene” party accommodation.

Can’t imagine that villa companies will want to rent to a group of 18 ye old lads. Also means they will have to book flights separately. Isn’t it just easier to book a package holiday aimed at young adults?

My son and his mates (total 6) booked a nice spacious rooftop villa in Marrakesh through Airbnb with a private pool and had a fab time. I was surprised they got the booking but seems some allow that age group of lads to rent!

Some places won’t book groups of young friends. Mine went to fun hotels.

Some AirBnBs will take groups of 18-yr-olds - DC1 and friends stayed in them post GCSEs and different ones post A-levels. They did have some places say they wouldn't be happy with a young group but there was no shortage of others that were happy to accept their booking. The key is to be honest about the make up of the group so the owner can decide. The group will also need to be realistic about the likelihood of them being able to clean up to a standard that is high enough for the owner - some are definitely more fussy than others.

DD and a few friends have booked 4 nights in Spain through TUI. They did look at AirBnB but couldn’t find a group-friendly one they could agree on, they were all a bit tatty in their price range.

Dd (now 20) and ds (18) have done lots of holidays with friends - in Morocco,Tunisia, Croatia,Spain etc - and used AirBnB every time. There doesn't seem to be an issue with their age?

My DS booked a villa in Portugal with friends through AirBNB post A levels. They were eight 18yo boys! The listing didn’t state any restrictions on teenagers or single sex bookings, but I was still completely panicking that they would turn up and the agent not be happy to give them the key. I spent ages researching alternative accommodation ‘just in case’. But as it happens all was completely fine, and they had a grand old time. It probably helped that on the whole they are (reasonably) sensible, and didn’t go to a big ‘party’ resort.

DS2 has recently booked his post A levels holiday with 4 friends.
Apparently, it’s only classed as a “party” (think Inbetweeners) booking if there are 9+, same sex guests, using 3+ rooms.
They are going to Portugal and all seem quite sensible 🤨

I turned up on islands in Greece and we asked the people in the docks where there was space.