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Original poster

Booking via onthebeach - taking a risk or are they ok?

23 replies

monkeynumberthree · 19/05/2015 11:42

I've found a short-haul summer holiday that I really like the look of. I've been to the travel agent today and they have exactly the same holiday, but for almost Â£900 more. When I said that I'd seen it for considerably less on the onthebeach website she then told me how terrible they are and how we'd be taking a massive risk of having a nightmare holiday. I think that this was just that she wanted the booking, but I'm fretting now! Has anyone used onthebeach and if so, are they ok? This will be our first holiday for many years and obviously I want it to be perfect (but I can't afford an extra Â£900!)

OP posts:

Original poster

monkeynumberthree · 19/05/2015 20:10

Bump

OP posts:

mrsbob · 19/05/2015 20:55

We've used them several times now and not had any issues. You don't get a rep at the hotel in the same way as other holiday companies do but we don't tend to book anything through the rep anyway. We will definitely use them again ??

MrsTrelis · 19/05/2015 21:01

We went to Mallorca with onthebeach. We had to add transfers, and there wasn't any rep, but we had a great time!

Original poster

monkeynumberthree · 19/05/2015 21:04

Thank you, that's reassuring

OP posts:

AlphaBravoHenryFoxtons · 19/05/2015 22:18

I've used them twice before and excellent both times.

AliceMum09 · 20/05/2015 08:21

Some friends of ours went to Menorca last year on a 'package-type' holiday booked through onthebeach and they had no problems.

I don't know how it compares, but we have booked to go to Majorca on Friday with Alpharooms (although this is for the hotel only, but they do sell all the other package elements too). We've used them before and their offices are about a mile from our house near Sheffield city centre so I know they are a 'real' company.

iwantgin · 20/05/2015 14:35

Have you looked at booking the components separately yourself?

I tend to do that nowadays. Although am taking a package next week, so will see how that pans out.

CountryLovingGirl · 20/05/2015 20:13

Hi,

We went to Malta a couple of years ago and booked with OTB. They were fine, no problems at all.

LimeFizz · 20/05/2015 20:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

imnottoofussed · 20/05/2015 20:24

Same as others have said no rep but didn't need one. booked with otb to Turkey in 2013 no problems at all.

HiawathaDidntBotherTooMuch · 20/05/2015 20:26

We've used them twice for holidays in the canaries. No rep. All great. They were much cheaper than other holiday companies for the same hotels and transfers.

funnyface31 · 20/05/2015 20:27

We have used them a few times for package and just hotel.

However, the flights are not 'at real time' and therefore if you speak to a real person you will get the correct price of flight.

I thought I had a bargain a few months back with flights and when they called back to confirm they had jumped up considerable. I was annoyed and cancelled it.

Original poster

monkeynumberthree · 20/05/2015 23:03

Thank you everyone!

Funnyface, thanks for the warning - I need to speak to them to find out about whether or not they provide car seats for the transfers for my youngest, so I'll double check the flight prices then.

OP posts:

Itsallaboutme3 · 21/05/2015 20:57

I have used them twice before and just booked with them again. I have always found them good, and prices cheaper than anywhere else. I have had to call them once and they were easy to contact and really helpful

IgnoreMeEveryOtherReindeerDoes · 21/05/2015 21:02

Glad to read this thread as my DD booked holiday with them, going next month

ginmakesitallok · 21/05/2015 21:03

We've booked with them this year. Originally booked apartment in hotel for us and 2 dc, after googling I realised hotel was adult only, then noticed the name of apartments didn't match the one we'd booked. Took quite a few emails/telephone calls for them finally to admit their system had made a mistake. All I wanted was to change our accommodation without having to pay the admin charge. They asked us to chose new hotel, and we've now got new hotel which should have been about £600 dearer for our original price.

Fingers crossed it goes smoothly!

My tip? Double check your hotel voucher!

Figster · 23/05/2015 15:47

This is really helpful I'm looking at turkey in august and saw on the beach much cheaper than others but had read some bad things from few years back and wasn't sure what to do. Might have another look at their site!!

Anyone here used easyjet holidays? I expect they are the same risk as to whether all goes smoothly or not

VirginiaTonic · 24/05/2015 10:10

We booked with them last year and cancelled as the following day they emailed to say the price we had reserved the holiday at had increased by several hundred pounds, and we could pay more or get a refund! Not helpful at all!

thereinmadnesslies · 24/05/2015 10:28

We used them twice. First time fine, second time we had a massive problem with the hotel (air con broken for 4 days, on day 5 maintenance chap burst a pipe repairing the air con flooding our room and soaking all our clothes) and it would have been useful to have a rep. However, it meant we could argue with the hotel direct rather than getting fobbed off with a rep so it turned out ok. I guess it depends how much you like the reassurance of a rep.

waddleandtoddle · 24/05/2015 10:36

I used Easyjet holidays and it was so easy! I went to Portugal and when i met the transfer company, they had plentry of car seats and booster seats for use. Completely seamless - who needs a rep? :-)

Buttercupsandaisies · 24/05/2015 16:34

I'd avoid unless going out of peak school holidays. Most of their contracts with hotels are not direct so when popular hotels get overbooked, it's on the beach that have to cancel and offer an alternative. This has happened to several people i know recently, some just days before departure.

picklesanne · 24/05/2015 16:40

Have used them several times with no problems, would recommend them.

slalomsuki · 27/05/2015 08:02

Best holiday the kids think we ever had was with Easyjet holidays to Portugal. Flights were at a decent time and on time both ways, transfer was smooth and left very quickly after we arrived and the hotel was great and a good bargain.

Have used Easyjet and Jet2holidays without a problem.

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