What is the best way to get a cheap package holiday?

[lilibet]

I have never been on a 'package holiday' and other than turning up at a travel agent, I have no idea how to get a good deal. I hear so many stories of people getting fantastic bargains but what is the best way to do it? Should I try and get something now, or wait and risk it at the very last minute. I am very limited as to when I can go and even more limited on budget. Any good ideas? I have to go the last week of the school holidays.

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Unfortunately Lilibet you are unlikely to get a great deal at holiday time. I know the feeling - being a teacher that's when we have to go too. Have you tried the Internet? Or, you could go for something other than a package deal and do it your self. In half term we normally go away and I do it over the net. I book my flights (or ferry/Eurostar) over the net with someone like Ryan Air or BMI Baby. We then do a search for the place we are going and try to book a hotel on-line too. We have done this with France, Belgium, Switzerland, and the UK. It dies work out quite a bit cheaper but means more organisation on your part. Also, don't forget travel insurance.

BTW, don't leave the flights too late as they get dearer again once you get to the last week or two beforehand.

have you tried teletext?

lilibet, I spotted a brief report in the paper yesterday (can't remember which of course...) and that demonstrated that in each of six example "package" destinations, you could save between 20 and 40% on a package price by booking your flight with Ryanair etc and then booking a hotel direct on the web through either local tourist office websites or a big site like e-bookers.com.
I don't think it specified whether you'd make such big savings at peak times, but if you are going the last week of the hols in the UK, it might be well worth booking direct in your destination country. We have found that accommodation prices in France especially suddenly drop in the last half of August - a saving that is not reflected in UK holiday firm's prices...I would have thought this also applied to countries like Spain and Italy.

many thanks, i shall try the web sites.

Yes, the last week of August does not appear to be peak season in France. I looked at some Spanish cottages earlier this year and think it was the same there. Plus you may get the bank holiday in the same week so you can take less leave. Last year and this one, I've booked a holiday for that last week because of that price difference.

I've stayed at a lot of campsites in France, but never a holtel? What are they like? Never stayed in one anywhere other than this country actually!!

Lots of deciding factors on whether you can get a "deal" last minute in peak season:

• How many kids do you have
• how old are they
• will you do self-catering as opposed to hotel
• are you flexible with your dates being flexible with dates is the best way to get a reasonable deal in peak season - if you can't be, then that reduces the chances of getting a good last minute holiday. I've been working in travel for 5 years now and getting good value, and good quality deals in schools hols is really hard, and often a fluke if they do happen. It is also (on a personal note) the bane of this travel agent's life!!

Even low-cost flights are really expensive in the holiday period if you don't book well in advance(eg Return flights to Palma de Mallorca on Easyjet for May Half Term are over £200 - NO discount for kids - hardly low cost!)

Turkey will be best bet for a good last minute deals this year I reckon - and the people are incredibly nice, the cost of living the cheapest in the Med, food is good, and you don't have to go to tacksville to get good value, decent accommodation.

Has anyone seen that Peter Kay video, 'Live at the Tower' I think its called. This thread reminds me of it and has made me chuckle.

Get on that there t'internet.

fancy a brew bobbins ?

Only if you genuinely did do the gesture for that tomps. Otherwise I don't understand