Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

Have we any hope of a holiday abroad (or if not in UK) for 3 of us with £1000?

78 replies

imaginaryfriend · 25/05/2007 14:32

This is pathetic but dd is nearly 5 and we've never got enough money together to take her on a holiday. This year we've saved up £1000 and were thinking of finding a cottage in the Uk somewhere, but she's so desperate to go on a plane that I can't help dreaming we might manage somewhere for this kind of money. Is it a totally foolish dream?

We would need to go within the school holidays unfortunately.

And if it is do you have any tips for a good UK holiday?

OP posts:
Original poster
imaginaryfriend · 25/05/2007 15:20

Sorry MrsSpoon, just saw your link, going to check it out now.

OP posts:
nappyaddict · 25/05/2007 15:22

what about bulgaria?

Oblomov · 25/05/2007 15:23

Yes £1000 is more than manageable, I know becasue we - dh, ds (3.3) have managed two holidays for similar. We negotiated with the companies direct, having checked out skytravel, thomson, firstchoice. Told them our budget, was amazed at how low they could go, when pushed.

fireflyfairy2 · 25/05/2007 15:24

Mrs Spoon, your place looks fab!!!

nappyaddict · 25/05/2007 15:24

or costa del sol

Original poster
imaginaryfriend · 25/05/2007 15:24

It looks lovely MrsSpoon. Will chat to dp later for sure.

Keep 'em coming, this is brightening my day!

OP posts:
Original poster
imaginaryfriend · 25/05/2007 15:26

Wow, Bulgaria! I don't even know where that is

How about Greece is it more expensive?

OP posts:
Original poster
imaginaryfriend · 25/05/2007 15:26

Out of interest MrsSpoon, how much is your apartment for a week?

OP posts:
nappyaddict · 25/05/2007 15:29

its on the north border of greece and turkey.

nappyaddict · 25/05/2007 15:32

this one is only £300 a week!

Smurfgirl · 25/05/2007 15:38

Olympic do v.cheap holidays to Greece.

Greece is cheap for eating out etc and boiling in summer.

Look on travelcare.com.

Original poster
imaginaryfriend · 25/05/2007 15:38

I'm so surprised at these prices! I'm slightly worried about our not being able to drive though ... I think we would have to be within easy walking distance of everything we wanted to do because dd's not the world's best walker!

OP posts:
puddle · 25/05/2007 15:39

We are going to sw France, atlantic coast, renting a house for two weeks. Going by ferry newhaven to dieppe. It's costing £950 for two weeks.

We got ferry on ferrysavers.com and the house direct from the owners through French Connections.

nappyaddict · 25/05/2007 15:41

could you borrow a buggy for 2 weeks? or get one off freecycle use it for the holiday and then put it back on freecycle.

nappyaddict · 25/05/2007 15:42

you have to be careful when sites say beach within walkin distance. this can often mean a 20 minute walk. would dd cope with a 20 minute walk? if not you need to email the owners and ask how long the walk takes.

slug · 25/05/2007 15:56

Easyjet to Split in Croatia. This will cost something in the 50-70 pound per person per flight area, depending on when you want to go. Then CAT me and I'll send you the details of the guy we hired an appartment from last year. He charged us 44 euros per night. It was in the centre of town, in a back alley so no traffic, 15 minutes walk from the beach, near the port with boats to outlying islands. Self catering=cheap, especially as the market was 5 minutes away.

Original poster
imaginaryfriend · 25/05/2007 16:02

I can't CAT at the moment, slug, but I'll try to sort it out later.

nappyaddict, dd's not an awful walker, she could manage 20 mins but I'm just thinking that on a very hot day being out on a beach the walk there and back might get trying for a small one?

And also wondering what other kinds of things we could do without a car ...

OP posts:
Original poster
imaginaryfriend · 25/05/2007 16:03

puddle that sounds beautiful. I guess you're driving then? Could you do somehting like this by plane you think? And manage without a car?

OP posts:
MrsSpoon · 25/05/2007 16:04

Sorry, had to go to the School.

Imaginaryfriend I have spoken to DH and we are offering a 15% discount off all the listed prices on our website here, if you click on "Availability" the prices are there, it really depends when you want to go. The discount doesn't apply for a last minute booking as we are currently offering 30% off a last minute booking and really couldn't make it any cheaper than that. The prices includes the end of stay clean which is often something you are charged extra for.

Snowwonder, flights are very easy to organise, however the flights for next year have not yet been released by the budget companies, it would be worth finding out which companies fly from your local airport(s) to Murcia and signing up for their newsletter. The flights tend to be cheapest when first released and then cheap again at the last minute, however sometimes they release further cheap flights so there is generally a good chance of getting a cheap one, four of us flew out in April for £440 return and we are going again in October for £350 or so return. If you want to know more drop me a mail using the "Booking form" on the website, let us know the rough dates and remember to tell me you are MNetter and I'm sure we can get something organised.

MrsSpoon · 25/05/2007 16:06

Just noticed you also asked about airport transfers. My letting agent out in the area can organise transfers, or the car hire is very reasonable too.

slug · 25/05/2007 16:14

We managed the whole holiday without a car. The owner of the apartment picked us up from the airport , took us back at the end and offered to drive us to some of the local areas of interest. Nice bloke all round. Everything was within walking distance, dd was excatly the same age as yours when we went and hade a ball. Who needs English when there are sandcastles to be built with the local kids?

puddle · 25/05/2007 16:18

Sorry I missed the fact you didn't drive. We are taking the car - I guess you would need to find somewhere with good transport links then (the house we are renting is v rural).

Original poster
imaginaryfriend · 25/05/2007 16:23

And you travelled from SE London too slug! We could be neighbours ...

I'll get my CAT sorted out, I don't know why but I've never managed to get it to work.

OP posts:
Original poster
imaginaryfriend · 25/05/2007 16:28

CAT-ed you, slug.

OP posts:
Hulababy · 25/05/2007 16:30

Try France. We use Welcome Cottges and Cottages 4 You. Their prices normally include ferry crossing, or you can change to the tunnel (was cheaper last time for us) or upgrade and fly. Or book your flights seperately. If you fly you will need car hire though.

Northern France around Le Touquet is lovely and there is a lot to do in the area.

South of France is much more expensive. We got cheap flights a while back - we go end of July - but the cottage prices were much dearer - well over £1500 for the fortnight.

You could look at places like Eurocamp or Vacance Soleil.