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Holidays

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

Original poster

holiday in spain

27 replies

nailpolish · 06/12/2004 08:58

well i still cant decide for to do for our first holiday abroad as a family. have now found a really brilliant looking holiday camp near barcelona. it has caravans that have all the facilities a house has! and they have 3 bedrooms too. its a huge park with lots of great looking facilities. its about £550 for a holiday in may and i thought we could keep the cost down and get ryanair to gerona airport which is 25 miles from the camp then hire a car. has anyone had a holiday like this? also if you hire a car abroad do you get childseats? dd1 will be 2.5 and dd2 will be 7 mnths

all opinions and advice accepted gratefully!

OP posts:
GeorginaAdventCalendar · 06/12/2004 09:01

We regularly hire cars in Spain at the airport (we fly into Murcia every year) and yes you can get child seats. DO specify carefully the carseat you want and the ages of your children though and double check it along the way. We were almost given a forward facing seat for a 4 month old this year Shock

spikeycat · 06/12/2004 09:01

Sounds ideal! Am looking for something similar myself, we haven't been away as a family on hols yet (ds1 is 2 and ds2 is 8mnths). Any chance you could post the link so I can have a look too?

moondog · 06/12/2004 09:02

Ah, you're still deciding eh Nailpolish!
Don't know about Barcelona, but we travel around a lot and IME the car seat thing is a BIG hassle with hire cars-either aren't there or are crap.
You could take the little seat for the baby couldn't you? Can't remember the age of the older one(3 was it?) How about a little booster thing for her? My dd was fine with one of those from that age, but she is tall.
Hope you have a nice time wherever you go!

moondog · 06/12/2004 09:04

Sorry-should have read your post more carefully!
Yes, you'll need a proper seat for the older one.
Other people seem to have had better experiences. Maybe the car hire people just don't like the look of us and want to give us a hard time (feeling paranoid now..)

Original poster
nailpolish · 06/12/2004 09:14

my pleasure spikeycat

\link{http://www.thomsonalfresco.co.uk/parcdetails.asp?sku=3195&selcntry=parcSpain\thomson holidays}

\link{http://www.siestaholidays.co.uk/holidays/sc/castellmontgri.html\siesta holidays}

the siesta one is coach holidays but there is an option to fly. it gives good description of the park and caravans. a coach to spain would give me nightmares! ryanair fly to gerona and the thomson site gives good details of flights.

OP posts:
Original poster
nailpolish · 06/12/2004 09:17

dont know about car hire cos prob wont use car once we get there! (to the park)

but its an option cos dont know if we would like the public transport! and that seems to much hassle.

can you get baby milk and nappies ok at these places?

sigh. this is so difficult!

OP posts:
tiredemma · 06/12/2004 09:28

nailpolish- yes you can get baby things- even spanish people have babies!!!Wink

Original poster
nailpolish · 06/12/2004 09:31

hi emma hoped youd be around. is it you who works for a travel agency is it?

i know the spanish have babies Blush i just wondered if i would get the same milk for dd2

can you tell me if the £550 price on the thomson website is for 1 or 2 weeks? its not very clear

OP posts:
tiredemma · 06/12/2004 09:43

hang on a min and ill check,
wasnt being patronising about the baby food, its something we get asked all the time, which milkis it by the way?

tiredemma · 06/12/2004 09:52

what date are you looking to go and how many nights would you prefer?
regarding car seats- we use avis and they ask what age your children are for the seats.
tell me what u are looking for and ill have a mooch round.
however, those caravan sites in spain are excelent for young families and the thomsons one is a new thing from last year and there has been loads of good reviews for them.

Original poster
nailpolish · 06/12/2004 10:24

emma you are so lovely!

dd2 is on farleys milk =- i suppose its quite common. by then shell be 7 mths so im not that bothered if i have to change it.

we want to go away in may and would like 10-14 nights. we need to fly from edinburgh, but i suppose glasgow would be ok too.

my childminder goes to this site (castell montgri) every year and she adores it. she gets the coach with 3 kids but there is no way i could do that. i have to fly. i really like the idea now of a caravan cos i dont imagine ill like it being in a hotel or apartment with a baby and a toddler esp i f one is ill

OP posts:
Trifle · 06/12/2004 10:33

I know Castell Montgri very well as I used to work there! It is also in the resort of Estartit where I recently bought an apt specifically because the resort is very child friendly with a fantastic beach. We too fly with Ryanair into Gerona as it is only a 40 minute journey. If you decide to go then book your flights as soon as possible to get the best price. The only thing to bear in mind that the campsite is set on a hill so hopefully you wont get put at the top which might be a bit of a push and a shove with a pram. There is an excellent supermarket fairly near to the campsite and to walk down to the beach would probably take a good 20 minutes. However, if you have a car there is always plenty of parking on the beach itself. A great book to buy on the area is the Rough Guide to the Costa Brava which tells things as they are and recommends some great places to explore locally. Estartit isnt particularly overrun with English type bars and tends not to attract the lager lout type. I'd definitely recommend it.

Original poster
nailpolish · 06/12/2004 10:36

Grin Grin Grin

thanks trifle that was agreat post. bet you had loads of fun working there!

i think its decided then. its more hassle than booking a package holiday but not by much.

2 recommendations cant be bad. now i just need some tips on children abroad! xxx

OP posts:
GoodKingWestCountryLass · 06/12/2004 11:23

Well we go to Spain frequently to stay with my Mum and we also hire a caravan every year in Dorset as well, sounds like your holiday is a combo of the two and I think you will have a fab time!

JanH · 06/12/2004 11:35

You need to know that most supermarkets close for 2 or 3 hours every afternoon, and all day Sunday. However on the plus side they stay open quite late weeknights. (We had a huge one near us recently and going there at about 8pm was an eye-opener - heaving with large family groups!)

You should have a fab time!

SenoraPostrophe lives in Spain with a 2.5 yr old and a 10-11 month old, she will probably have some advice for you.

tiredemma · 06/12/2004 11:57

hi nailpolish-
for 14 nts with ryanair flights from prestwick to gerona on 13 th may
would be

£ 1087 rossini
£1157 for vivaldi (total)

Original poster
nailpolish · 06/12/2004 12:04

thanks for all your lovely posts.

emma, im going to talk to dh about those prices.

can you book for 10 nights or is the price not much cheaper? thats more than i was hoping for, although i suppose its not too bad. havent been on holiday abroad for a long time, the last was an 18-30! Blush thanks xxx

OP posts:
tiredemma · 06/12/2004 12:34

£987 for 10 nts.

Original poster
nailpolish · 06/12/2004 12:36

oh thats maybe better. under a grand always sounds cheaper, dont you think? what the best way to book? Smile

OP posts:
tiredemma · 06/12/2004 12:42

you can book both of them online, seats are with ryanair, accom with thomsons.
i cant book either of them here, thomsons deal with alfresco themselves and ryaniar have thier own site, but if you need any help etc let me know.

Original poster
nailpolish · 06/12/2004 12:52

thanks emma, ill speak to dh xxx

OP posts:
tiredemma · 06/12/2004 13:25

nailpolish- would you consider cala dor in majorca?
ive been there, its excellent for families, have got some accom which would bring you way under 1k for 14 nts? let me know!

Original poster
nailpolish · 06/12/2004 13:27

ill have a look. ive got loads of brochures and i am sure its in one. the only thing about majorca is that dh took his girlfriend before me Blush long story

im sure i would get over it though!

OP posts:
Original poster
nailpolish · 06/12/2004 13:27

what kind of accomodation is it?

OP posts:
tiredemma · 06/12/2004 14:06

theres a couple actually
both from glasgow on 10th may daytime flights-
la mirada ( in a cosmos brochure) £845 total ( 2 bedroomed apt)
also some around a similar price in alcudia