Special, lux 40th birthday hols - generous budget!

[mamato3rascals]

Looking for recommendations for a special 40th birthday trip, kids will be 4, 6, 8. We are planning Florida for the year after as a big family holiday for dad’s 70th so looking at alternatives.

Had been looking at the Emirates Palace Abu Dhabi, but generally looking for recommendations. Max 8 hour flight.

A fairly generous budget as just been promoted and want to celebrate!

Please do share ideas or any direct experiences !

I can currently see the Giza pyramids from my bedroom balcony (I live here) & can vouch for the fact that they're looking pretty good for 4500 years old, thank you very much @Blottum!

If you mean the infrastructure around them, we've got a fantastic new museum (I got to sneak in to see the Solar Boat a few months ago becauseI know one of the architects), & it's all looking bloody amazing.

Sorry to derail OP, but I get a bit tired of people slagging off my lovely adopted country. (Have at Sharm, though, that is indeed a bit of a dump. Go to Dahab).

Bloomin heck…. What a coincidence you joined this thread and we are discussing the pyramids, and you have a view of them from your bedroom!!!!

Emirates Palace is amazing, and if you haven't been to Abu Dhabi before I think you'll like it (especially if you dislike Dubai!), but there are also great hotels on Saadiyat Island.

Fyi I'm not expecting central Sharm to be particularly nice! But it is a good value location for some very nice 5* hotels. The OP's budget would likely cover the Four Seasons there, but other Four Seasons in more desirable locations are much more expensive. It really depends on the OPs priorities for the holiday, how much they like to get out and about, etc.

I visited the pyramids earlier this year. I had to be in Cairo so used a bit of free time to visit the pyramids and they were good to see and rather impressive. The hassling was surprisingly limited to one man who gave up quite quickly. That said, I would not voluntarily return to Cairo. Surprisingly I felt safer than I expected but the place is chaos and the pollution is awful. Most of us, despite being careful with what we ate and not having any water or ice all became ill

It isn’t “slagging off “ your country to say that one particular attraction doesn’t get lots of good reviews and it’s often said to be quite run down.

What time of year? School holidays presumably?

I wouldn't want to derail OP's thread further, given she's not said she's planning an Egypt trip.

I think you're being a bit combative though, & you might not be up to date with the recent updates on the Giza plateau & with the Grand Egyptian Museum.

Although tbh I agree with @StaringAtTheWaterthat if it's pyramids you want, Dahshur is a better experience than the Big Pointy Giza Bois, once you've seen them once. Saqqara arguably better still.

Anyway! It's a sweltering evening here by my pool in Cairo, so I'll leave it there I think, & grab another frozen margarita. 😎🍹

I have said that one attraction in one country gets lots of poor reviews 🤷‍♀️

What time of year?

Thanks for all the replies. Travel Genie and Destination 2 have 5n emirates palace including flights at 8k b&b…!!

I went to place earlier this year. I was very impressed.
this

When?

So your budget is more cos you’ll need to pay for food etc? If you could stretch to £10k then try the Ikos resorts but they will prob be more but they are all inclusive

Sir Bani Yas island off the coast of Abu Dhabi maybe worth looking at?

Just back from Rixos Premium Balek in Turkey. All inclusive. So so good!

Has an amazing kids club. 2 Starbucks on site all included and a Godiva chocolate cafe. 4 a la carte restaurants that you can book once per week. Not too many Brits. No drunken louts. Good quality alcohol.

Pool is so big the waiters get around on roller skates.

Main buffet is huge and amazing. Lunch buffet runs from 12pm to 6pm with freshly cooked pizza and burgers cooked to order.

Free entry to the land of Legends theme park about 15 mins away with regular coach transfers.

We bumped into Joe Wickes quite a few times in the week we were there...take a look at his instagram from videos.

Booked thru TUI

4.5 hr flight

Antalya airport has recently been completely rebuilt and is your normal big international glossy airport (it was an awful dump previously!)