How do you decide where to go on holiday?

[purpleprincess]

I'm not the most decisive of people (can you tell ) and there is so much choice out there that I struggle every year. Last year we had some BA Air miles so worked out where we could afford to go and that made it a bit easier and we hadn't flown with the kids before. I know should set a budget which would make it a bit easier but even then still tricky. We have gone from staying in this country, driving over to France and doing the campsite thing as DCs still young enough to enjoy this kind of thing (9 & 6) to flying somewhere Mediterranean so can guarantee warm weather but think left a bit late now to get cheap flights....

Anyway just wanted to share a bit of my madness with you all and see if anyne else has the same problem. I suppose I should add that we are lucky we can afford to go on holiday but it will involve dipping into some savings at the very least. Part of the problem is I can't bear the thought of spending vast sums of money on going on holiday (partly because we don't have it).

Sorry am wittering now....

The holidays I plan depend very much on budget and whether there is enough facilities/activities/places of interest to make everyone happy.

I tend to go to places fairly near cities so that you can take a day trip and get some culture in (i.e. Lake Vinuela, Andalucia and visited Malaga, Lido di Jesolo and visited Venice and Waasenar, Holland and visited Amsterdam for example).

Given that I need a new kitchen and carpets throughout,there is no way I would spend £5K+ on a holiday for the 5 of us so my holidays tend to be either last minute or camping type holidays or staying with friends.

I always do a lot of research on tripadvisor.com and holidays-uncovered.com before I book anything.

As we live in Mainland Europe we always drive somewhere - and take 3 weeks off. I usually book 10 days or so in a Mobile home with Kids club/pool which suits dd and lets us chill out, then we make a bit of a trip out of the journey each way. I have a list of final destinations that I'd like to do, so I just check to see what prices and availability is like then pick one.

Last year we drove to Parc Albatros on the Tuscan coast, and stopped one night in a b&b in the Rhein valley, 2 nts with friends in Bavaria, 1 nt in a lovely agriturismo place in Valpolicella on the way out. On the way back we spent 3 nights in Lake Como and 3 nts in Brienz in Switzerland. I think it was about 3000km return journey.

This year we are heading to La Carabasse in Languedoc for 12 nights, stopping in Chambre D'Hotes near to Macon and Nimes on the way out, then staying in a tiny cottage near Cognac for a week on the "way" back.

We are having trouble deciding where to go too this year. We normally go to Turkey but fancy a change. As you say there is so much choice and I don't know where to start. I have been looking at Italy, Portugal and even Djerba, off Tunisia, although DH isn't too keen on that idea.

I really like the idea of Italy but again, there are so many places I am having trouble deciding where.

We generally choose places we haven't been to before. I refuse to go to the US until my passport is renewed as I don't have a chip and pin.
We are considering either Oman or India for our summer break. DD was born in Oman and can't remember it and me and DH would like to go back to India.

Thanks for all your messages. (what do you mean about the chip and pin thing in the US kreecher?).

I need to have a rant now so hope you don't mind .... Got a brochure from a travel agent just to get some ideas (not necessarily to go on package holiday but you never know). I can't believe the travel industry make it so difficult for people with families to work out the costs and the whole under occupancy thing drives me mad. Children don't count as full occupancy and I guess this is OK if you want them to sleep on a camp bed for two weeks or if you want a studio appartment and sleep on a sofa bed. However if you want to stay in different or adjoining rooms this seems impossible and if you want a two bedroom appartment this seems quite difficult as well as you get charged under occupancy. Grrrrrrr. yes I know that you can book a villa or similar (with owners direct etc) and just pay for the cost of the accommodation but what if you dont want to go self catering or want things for the children to do etc. It just seems that the travel industry is totally geared round adults. even on the pages of the brochure that are family hotels with kids clubs etc the standard charge is for two adults. It must be even more difficult for single parents or those with large families etc

I would be interested in the opinion of anyone who works in travel. I am inclined not to book a holiday with any of these types of places on principle. Looks like we might do a mobile home on a park again as my kids are still of the age where they want to do these things although the idea of going somewhere catered/inclusive kind of appeals but you never know what the food is going to be like. Sorry rant over for the timebeing!!

Thanks for reading (if you got this far).

purple - you should try booking a standard package for a family of five. its almost impossible - so we do DIY