Today we’re bombarded with holiday ideas, and it can be difficult to decide what you want to do, and how you want to do it. A good way to mix and match ideas is to book each element of your holiday separately.
For the unseasoned traveller, this might sound a little daunting, however you’d be surprised how easy it can be, especially with the help of websites like Sunshine and Travel Republic, which put together separate elements to make your own virtual package deal, with more flexibility than one you would buy together from the Travel Agent. You even have someone on the other end of the phone if you choose to go down this route, as these kind of reputable websites, which are ATOL and ABTA protected, have fantastic customer service advisors to help you with any questions.
Different flight times can be worked around in this case, so you’re not stuck with a certain day and time, and you can tailor make it all to your needs. Then all you need to do is arrange accommodation, choosing from the no doubt hundreds available in your resort, and then book your shuttle transfer. This is a pretty cheap service generally, and I usually book mine through Travel Republic for around £10-£15 on a shuttle bus. Even more money saved.
Once you’ve picked your flight time, which is probably the least flexible part of a holiday, it’s time to choose accommodation, and this is the part I find most stressful, basically because there’s so much choice. Not only do you have location, price range and facilities, but you also have board basis. All inclusive is a great choice for families, as the problem with endless soft drinks is sorted out, and also if you’re wanting to drink alcohol but not venture too far out. Another option for those who want a little more freedom is to go down the self-catering route, because this will give you the chance to not only eat in if you want to save money, but also eat out at different places and explore a bit more.
The options with DIY booking really are endless, and your holiday will be exactly what you tailor-make it to be.
Whilst undertaking your DIY work, don’t forget to book travel insurance. This is often something people either genuinely forget or simply deem as unnecessary, when in fact is the single most important part of any travel plan. If you don’t book it and you find yourself hospitalised, or even needing to go to the doctor or something simple, you’ll find yourself with a nasty bill that’s all on you to pay. Equally, if your luggage is lost through no fault of your own – hello price tag. It’s not expensive if you look carefully and once it’s purchased, you can forget about it.
Doing a DIY holiday booking is actually quite time consuming, but I find it quite exciting. I also like to research my airport too, especially if I’m flying from somewhere different, as it gives me specific information for that airport, such as places to eat etc, but also any differing guidelines, such as check in times and luggage, although this does tend to be set by the airline. I recently flew from Heathrow, and I checked information on Heathrow departures with Holiday Extras, prior to flying, which gave me a wealth of real-time knowledge to enhance my travel plans.
Get creative with your holiday booking and you can really tailor-make a special time away, and a holiday like no other.