How do you decide where to go and who with???

[purpleprincess]

Looking at holidays - want to go somewhere hot this year (usually holiday in UK) and not to spend too much (@£2000 +) and not particularly got an idea of where or what kind of accomodation. Looked on various websites but so much choice I've no idea of how to narrow it down to holiday company, destination or even type of accomodation. don't mind staying in mobile home as think more reasonable but even then too much choice - driving me (& DH) mad!

any tips on narrowing it down...

TIA

I'd say if you want a very high chance of sunshine go to Spain, Greece, Turkey or Italy. France isn't always reliable even in August for hot weather. Or the Balkans even.

Do you want to fly or drive? A resort with hotel etc included or self-catering? Kids' clubs? Beach or pool or lake? cultural?

if you are looking at mobile homes try looking at Haven's site to find something you like, write the name of the places down and look on their own website-usually a lot cheaper booking directly.

Turkey and Slovakia/Slovenia will be amongst the cheapest if you want a package. Or what about Morocco/Tunisia?

We always look to see where we can fly to from out local airport to avoid going to gatwick or heathrow , and work from there.
We use ownersdirect website and trawl through for one we can afford. Takes ages.
Bring back travel agents I say.

Owners' Direct is good for houses/villas - we've used them a lot. But if this is your first time doing a family holiday overseas then a package company might be good - they will have a rep who will do any sorting/hand-holding needed.

Start with the country - where have you always wanted to go?

How many dcs do you have?

I can recomend the south of france. Cheap flights to Nice airport and loads of mobile home sites. I woudl say you need to drive. We went there a few years ago. 2 DCS both under 3 at the time and the car, flights and accomodation cost less than £1000 for first week of September. With the exception of our honeymoon it was the best holiday. I can dg out the link for the mobil home site if you are interested. We went late in the season (Sep).

I think you need to decide which country first, then you can narrow it down to a particular resort, then sort out accomodation. Don't worry too much about which holiday company as you you could always book flights and accomodation separately.

Why don't you have a look at some of the holiday forums to get some ideas. Holiday Truths and Trip Advisor are probably the best place to start.

Here's my MO. We are 2 adults & 2 children tied to the school holidays. We deliberately take our main holiday of the year during summer half term due to cost and avoiding the masses in August when the whole world seems to be on holiday. We go shorthaul and aim for southern Europe for the weather. We happen to love Italy and it's been our destination of choice for the last 3 yrs - Tuscany, Italian Lakes & Sardinia. We went to Chia (Sardinia) last year and loved it - beautiful white sand & definitely the best beaches that we've seen in Europe. We're thinking of visiting North Sardinia for our main holiday this year although I'm still scouting around and pricing up various other options. We had a very wet week in the Lake District last August so we are so ready for some proper sunshine. The children are clamouring for the sea and sand and as a family, we have been totally seduced by our time there. HTH.

Thanks for your messages....There are 4 of us myself, Dh and DD 5 and DS 8 and we are tied to school hols. Agree it would be cheaper to go during May half-term but like to go away during summer to break it up a bit! Love Italy and would prefer to go there than e.g. Spain, Turkey (not that really gone there!) but know that Italy is probably more expensive. Don't want to go anywhere that is really really hot but just want guaranteed sun. See I am really quite fussy. Would probably prefer to go for a package at the moment as not really done this before with kids.

Yes choosing the country would probably be the best idea! I am just the kind of person that finds any kind of choice really difficult - especially with something like holidays. I do look on TripAdvisor but take some of it with a pinch of salt as everyone has different ideas about what they like and it's all very well if you read loads of really positive reviews and then suddenly come across a negative one. anyway - I'm putting lots of obstacles in the way already (must try harder with my new year's resolution!).

thanks for your help - if anyone has any particular suggestions of resorts that would be great. Looking for something where there is a bit going on for the kids but not manic - not sure if I like the idea of some of these massive campsites with 900 pitches. I've just read this back and realise that I sound really fussy and completely mad.....

Thanks again

you can do Italy quite cheaply if you fly Ryanair! If you book flights when they're at say £2.99 then realistically you end up paying around £300. then add on cheapest car hire - about £300+ for up to two weeks and add on accommodation-tons and tons of campsites on beaches/lakes in the Veneto region which are not massive, have some activities and usually have some mobilehomes and small villas to rent.

Turkey is a lovely place to go, we go all the time and you can get some good deals. It is also pretty cheap when you get there as it isn't part of the Eurozone, certainly a lot cheaper than Italy.

You could easily get a holiday for your budget, any board. We usually go self catering as we enjoy eating out at different places. The apartments are usually spacious and you have a fridge, which is great in the hot weather. They normally all have a swimming poool too.

Turkish people are very friendly and they love children, it is very child friendly.

I lived in Turkey for a few years so if you do fancy going let me knnow a bit more about what kind of resort you want and I will try to help you.

Nefret - thanks for the advice about Turkey. I would be grateful if you could recommend a few resorts as have no knowledge of Turkey at all and it is a huge country. I've heard of Marmaris and that's about it! Would be looking for a resort with a few things going on - nice restaurants etc but not loads of clubs as kids are only 5 and 8!

Thanks a lot

You want to go here then - fantastic place!! Fly to venice and get taxi or bus to site. Can do day trips to venice. Don't need to hire a car. fantastic beach on site and fab pools - entertainment if you want it but not in your face. Small site, lovely restauarant, shop and takaway and loads for kids to do. You can walk into small town - Eraclea Mare and got to restauarants there - take a torch as woalk through pine forest (5 mins) is dark on the way back - kids loved it! Can get a bus from outside the campsite to caorle - nearest big town with a fab water park and a lovely old part. Can't recommend this enough! Probably best to go with Canvas or Select camp for the kids so they would have some other English speaker kids around cos of their ages IYSWIM but it has a great mix of all nationalities. They were moving the pitches aorund for 2010 and I think the canvas ones will be better than select for location but Select will be cheaper!
been there for 2 years running and had lovely sunshine - except for1 very spectacular thunderstorm which the kids loved! We BBQd most nights or went into Eraclea mare!

Hmmm.... lost some of my post!! We went there last 2 years Aug school hols - my first as a single mum with 2 dcs similar ages to yours, and i have to say they were the easiest and best holidasy I have ever had with my dc!! SO chilled out and relaxing! Going to France this year but unless it is fantastically fabulous we will be back to Portofelice next year - without a doubt!

Purple Princess,

I used to live near Bodrum and there are some nice resorts there, depending how livley you want it to be you could look at Gumbet, there a re lots of restaurants, bars and shops there and a nice beach. If you fancied apartments have a look at Tropicana Beach, Siesta Beach or Jasmin Beach they are all, as the names suggest, right on the beach in a quiet part of the resort and they have nice sized apartments, swimming pools etc, they are about 10 minutes to the resort centre. If you prefer the idea of a hotel the look at Parkim Ayaz Hotel, again right on the beach but in the centre of the resort, you can go B&B or half board.

The next resort along is Bitez, it is much quieter and more laid back than Gumbet but is a lovley place to saty with children, everything is set along the sea front and there is no traffic going along, which is great with little ones. The beach is lovely and there are lots of nice restaurants. Have a look at Basri apartments, Meis apartments or if you prefer a hotel then Makumba or Okaliptus hotels are nice.

Hope this helps