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Holidays - Package or DIY ?

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I think I have finally found a great place for us to go to this summer in the Menorcan town of C'ala Galdana,where we have visited before.

 

We normally do a package with Thompsons but this time I am tempted to book the hotel & flights seperately as it will sva about £600.

 

However,its the first time I have done this & wondered if any of you lot do DIY holidays & if they are a success?

 

The downside is this we will fly with Easy Jet, who don't pre book seat & also we will have to arrange a car to be at the airport so we can drive to the resort.

We would normally get a small car,byt will need a bigger one with all the cases & so forth.......

 

What are your thoughts?

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We've not had many family holidays abroad but have usually arranged them ourselves. It's always been successful but we've not had to book flights before (used ferries). This year we are though so I'm a bit nervous too :? . We're doing a cycling holiday in Italy and have booked our own flights, arranged a hotel in Rome first, we then have to make our own way to the start of the cycling and our own way back to Rome afterwards.

 

It can be a bit nervewracking worrying if you've booked everything on the right dates and if it'll all fit together but as long as you're very organised and keep on top of all the different bits, you should be fine.

 

It's worth it if you can save that much money :) .

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I have arranged our previous three holidays myself and was amazed at how easy it all is. Most hotels now have easy online booking facilities -just make sure you input all the info carefuly - dates, names spelt correctly etc - I got CTB to double check everything before I pressed the confirm button ( especially important when booking the flights). The first time I booked a holiday to Las Vegas I couldnt believe how simply so I had to ring them to double check :roll:

When you've booked just print EVERYTHING!!

 

Funnily enough, this will be the first year we are going on holiday booked via a travel agent but we are going to the Maldives and it was complicated lining up flights, sea plane transfers etc.

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We flew with Easy Jet to Salou (nr Barcelona) for a weekend just before Christmas, we only booked on impulse because we got £1 tickets, although by the time we'd added taxes etc we ended up paying approx £19 each return............still not bad :wink:

Actually, overall I was favourably inclined, I was expecting basic, and sure enough we got it, but the flights were on time, the plane was clean and leg room was adequate. Food & drinks are available but you have to pay for them, so I made sandwiches for us all, and we bought coffee which was reasonably priced (I think about £1.20 :? ) and it was drinkable.............but no worse than the coffee that I've been served on other airlines.

I would highly recommend checking in online as far ahead as you can (I think it's around 48 hours, but check on the site), you print out your own boarding pass, and they give you priority boarding, we were actually the first on the plane on the way out, and hubby (who has long legs) just plonked himself down in the very first seats by the door, so we got masses of leg room 8) . There seemed to be absolutely no restriction on who sat where.

You do have to pay for your luggage though, for a weekend we just took hand luggage and were fine, but there is a charge for everything that you put in the hold, so whilst the fares look cheap, they really do offer a no frills service and you have to pay for what you want.

Also, check out the location of the airport..............they often fly out of regional airports which are miles away from your actual intended destination.

We swapped a few years ago from the package deals to the DIY option for holidays, it is more work arranging it all, but overall I prefer it, it means you can set your own agenda and usually save money at the same time :D:D

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Not being that well travelled we've always booked our own trips away

 

The last one going to Belgium on Eurostar I saved us over £115 each! by using nectar points and cash to pay for the train, and booked the same hotel as was offered with a Eurostar package for only £30 a night for three of us :D

 

I've flown once by Easyjet and never had a problem, but I was excited as it was my first flight :lol:

 

A

xx

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We've been to Menorca several times & none of them have been booked through a travel agent.

You'll have no problem, the car hire desks are in the terminal, roads are well sign posted from the airport.

Almost everyone speaks some english so even if you need to phone the hotel to book, it should be straightforward.

Go for it & have a great holiday! :D

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hello,

 

It depends on where we are going. european we tend to book ourselves, as we've done with Oz this year. It just depends on the deals the travel agents can offer, if they are cheaper I book via them, if not I do it myself.

 

easyjet - we flew to Barcelona with them and Hollands, no issues - just get a meal deal in Boots beforehand - a lot cheaper than the food on board!

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Lucky you, we went to Cala Galdana in October but on a Thomson deal as they flew out of Norwich airport. It is lovely place and we will definately go back again. Can't see there would be any problems in DIY but as someone said print copies of everything to be on safe side. Flights and accommodation should be easy enough to book yourself and the only other thing I can think of is transport from the airport and I'm sure you could either book that in advance or pick up a taxi at the airport.

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Ooo - did you Rona?

So,where did you stay - ours is a Thompsons place too,but I have found the Hotels independant website :wink:

 

We have been to Cala Galdana before too & loved it.Such a nice town,not at all rowdy,but with plenty for the girls to do....& safe for them to wander about as well 8)

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We stayed at the Hotel Cala Galdana and had no complaints. Rooms were clean, comfortable and quiet, food was good, varied and plentiful and the staff were friendly and helpful. It is nicely situated with just a short walk under the bridge to the beach and lovely walks up the cliffs and through the woods with some fantastic scenery.

We will definately go back.

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:shock::lol::lol::lol:

 

Well,would you believe it,thats where we are looking at staying too 8)

 

Apparantly there are apartments in the grounds,so we are looking at a 2 bedroom one of those,so the girls can have a room of their own.

Otherwise we would have to arrange 2 double hotel rooms next door to each other , & although the girls are older I am still a bit uncertain about them being that independant :?

 

We stayed further up the hill last time we were there, but fancy being more in the town this time,so the girls can mooch about on their own in the evening if they like :D

 

What a coincidence!

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The apartments are just beside the hotel and from what I can remember are nicely arranged with plenty of greenery and shrubs around them so it is quite pretty. There is a courtyard in the middle of them with shops and pub etc. There wasn't much going on when we were there as it was the end of season but apparently its quite lively in high season. There are two other hotels nearby and they all have some sort of live entertainment in the evenings

 

Hotel Cala Galdana is in the middle of the picture and the apartments are to the left as you look at it. Don't think the ones up the hill are part of the hotel. I think their's are lower down among the trees.

Hotel.jpg

 

The hotel is just showing on the far right of this picture but it gives a better view of the apartments The bridge in the first picture leads to the rock and there is a nice cafe overlooking the beach. Lovely place to sit and enjoy a little drinky.

Beach.jpg

 

Cafe from the beach

IMGP0759.jpg

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Thanks Rona - I have a much clearer picture of the layout now thanks to your photos.

I remeber that cafe - think we went there one evening.

 

Just got to persuade Hubby now.

With the girls being over 12,they are both classed as adults, so have to pay adult fare.And of course we are going in the school holidays,which bums up the price no end :roll:

 

I will make him his favourite cake,pour the wine & get persuasive! :D

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