Another email offering a (not so) great deal.

This morning I received an email offering me a great deal on the perfect holiday for me from a major High Street travel agent.  I clicked on the link so that I could compare their prices with the holiday that I have already booked.

The first issue was that they don't fly from my chosen airport to my destination at the weekend, they only offer one flight per week on a Tuesday evening but as I only wanted to compare prices I let this slide.

The second issue was that they only offered one hotel in the whole resort, and this is a hotel that I will NEVER be staying at again, but again this was just a price comparison exercise.

The package price for two travellers was £493 per person for a week's half board in a 3 star hotel and included flights and transfers, this was for mid June.  Breaking this down, the flight was £198.98 per person, the hotel £276.50 per person and the remaining amount covers the costs of transfers and the rep at resort.

The third issue was that when I searched for 1 person travelling, as you know I always travel alone, the hotel was sold out. Change the search back to 2 people travelling, and the hotel was available again.

Booking separately, the flights work out at around the same price once hold luggage is added, however, the hotel can be booked much more cheaply.  Going to just one of the many comparison sites the same hotel can be booked for the same dates, the same board for £295 for two people, a saving of £258 on the original email offer.  With transfers costing around £20 return this is a good saving.  

You could possibly find even cheaper, this was just the first site I looked at, I usually look at a couple before I book anything.

I've talked before about shopping around, and this is another reason why.

Holidays for singles v holidays by yourself.

I've been travelling by myself since I was 18, admittedly I stick to the well known, and sensibly priced, areas - Spain, Germany and the UK - and once budget airlines were readily available I started booking accommodation and flights separately.

And saved a lot of money, generally a couple of hundred pounds per trip.

Booking directly with a hotel, or at least not using the High Street travel agents, mostly removes the single supplement.

Nowadays, however, more and more companies are advertising singles holidays, but are they worth the high prices?

One particular solo traveller company is offering a week in Calella, Costa Brava, in June next year (2015) for just over £1200 per person

It includes return flights with BA from Gatwick to Barcelona, and 7 nights of unspecified board at the Hotel Garbi.

Now if you book this yourself, the BA flights cost £251 for Business Class or you could do it for about £100 Economy.

The Hotel Garbi can be booked for £41 per night Half Board, this is £287 for 7 nights.

I've not stopped at the Hotel Garbi, but I do pass it on a daily basis when I stay in Calella as it is opposite the beach, and it looks clean and well kept.

So booking separately, this is a total of £538 per person, flying Business Class.  So what is the additional £700 for?

Has anyone ever booked a singles holiday?  Are they worth the additional cost?

An update on my holiday complaint.

I had a reply from ABTA, eventually, advising me that they cannot intervene until I have reached stalemate with the holiday company, so that was a waste of a couple of weeks waiting.  I will be going back to them shortly though as I do feel stalemate has now been reached.

I rejected the £50 goodwill offer made by the travel company as it goes nowhere near compensating me for the difference in price of the hotels, even ignoring all the additional issues.

I had asked the travel company to tell me when they actually sent my booking to the hotel.  At the same time I contacted the hotel to ask the same question.

The travel company have refused to tell me, however the hotel have replied that they received the booking on the 13th May and refused it straight away as they were fully booked.  I have now contacted the travel company to ask why it took a full month for them to notify me of the hotel move.  

Given a month, I could have cancelled and made other arrangements. - including booking the Santa Monica myself for half the price that I had paid for the Maritim.  I wouldn't be having this fight to get my money back then.

The tmeline currently stands as

• 20/04/14 - Accommodation at the Maritim booked and deposit paid.
• 05/05/14 - Outstanding balance of accommodation paid
• 13/05/14 - Booking sent to hotel and immediately rejected.
• 13/06/14 - Notified of hotel move
• 14/06/14 - Date of travel
• 21/06/14 - Date of return and complaint put into writing.

Once I get a response to this query I will be able to go back to ABTA.

Holiday for Yoda it is - A Guest Post

Recently I was invited on holiday, it was my first trip to Spain.

It was still dark when we arrived at the coach station.  Yes, I know I am a Jedi Master, but I am on holiday.

Check in went smoothly, no excess baggage charges to pay.

Apparently it is a tradition that you have to have a pint at the airport, regardless of the time of departure, so full English with a Bulmers all round.

I bumped into some old friends (and enemies) whilst we were waiting to be called to the gate.

Eventually we made it on to the plane.

We caught the train from the airport to resort, I hope the view improves.

We finally arrived at the apartment.

Then it was time to hit the bars.

We had a few drinks

Met some friendly ladies.

And gentlemen.

Got a bit lost on the way to the toilet.

Played Bingo.  Didn't win.

Sang karaoke.

Off to Barcelona

Hard Rock Cafe!  Expensive.

 Time for the beach.

 Don't want to get burnt.

 Getting a bit hot now so off to the beach bar.  Mojito!  It's green, like me!

 It's very strong.

 Some people just want to sleep.

 A final look at the beach.

 And then time to go home.