Summer Holidays 2023

[Kimbers]

5 hours ago, ChrisJ said:

Try a different company. I found apartments with flight & car hire for less than £1000 pp mid August on Expedia. Villas from £1300/pp

In Cyprus? Specifically has to be Latchi (prob the most expensive place there).

Never used expedia, will take a look.

[ChrisJ]

I only quoted Experia as they will do flights & cars. I think Booking.com also can do this. My usual place for European villas is holidaylettings.co.uk - but they are only accommodation.

I booked all my accommodation in Mexico last year via Booking.com, and have been using Expedia for years, mainly for flights.

[Kimbers]

Found our perfect villa on booking.com and we've stayed there before!!

Now my question to all of you guys is>>>>

Where do you find the best flights?

I've tried sky scanner and the exact flight on there for £420 is on BA for £171, so they are hugely expensive!

Any recommendations? 

 

16 minutes ago, Kimbers said:

Found our perfect villa on booking.com and we've stayed there before!!

Now my question to all of you guys is>>>>

Where do you find the best flights?

I've tried sky scanner and the exact flight on there for £420 is on BA for £171, so they are hugely expensive! But before you say "Well book that then" it doesn't arrive till nearly 9 on the first day by the time we clear and get our car it will be past the time we can book into the villa (23:00)

Any recommendations? 

 

[ChrisJ]

What are your dates?

[Kimbers]

4 minutes ago, ChrisJ said:

What are your dates?

Sept 3rd to 17th. I had to weigh up several issues.

BA were very well priced but arrived after 8.45 in the evening and by the time we would have got out and and picked up a car then driven from Paphos to Latchi we would have been too late to pick up the keys as owners finish at 10.

Several cheaper flights like TUI arrived even later at 10pm or even 11pm and the returns were early in the mornings on the last day so you missed 2 days of your holiday!

Why is it so difficult to find a decent price at a reasonable time arrive and depart! Grrrrr.

Looks like I may bite the bullet on Easyjet. They have a couple of flights that arrive at 2pm and don't leave till 10 at night giving us most of these 2 days.

[Bibs]

If you go a day earlier but arrive late could you book an airport/cheap hotel for the first night as you're getting in late and add a day to the trip?

[ChrisJ]

Try Kiwi.com - got it down to £168, but that is out of LGW, in STN (and not direct)

 

[Kimbers]

I got sick to death of pissing around and booked a flight out of Gatwick at 7 in the morning arriving in Cyprus at 1.45pm, which was the most expensive flight on there!. But managed to save money on the return flight by coming back at 10 at night, plus will spend the day on the beach

It has cost me though. £400pp. But that included seats with extra legroom and 23kg each in the hold. 

I took the route that we have had 2 trips to Cyprus cancelled in 2020 and 2021 plus a trip to Ireland in 2022 so might as well splash out!

[Bibs]

10 minutes ago, Kimbers said:

plus will spend the day on the beach

Pop your accommodation an email to see if you can leave your bags somewhere and use their shower after you've checked out too

[LotusLeftLotusRight]

I’m surprised the Villa owner/manager didn’t just agree to leave the door key in a key safe or under a plant pot until you arrived.

[Kimbers]

41 minutes ago, LotusLeftLotusRight said:

I’m surprised the Villa owner/manager didn’t just agree to leave the door key in a key safe or under a plant pot until you arrived.

They might have done but I hate paying for 14 days holiday and arriving 2 hours before the end of the day means I miss a whole day!

[Kimbers]

Getting closer now.

Villa booked for 2 weeks. 

Flights booked and leave at 7am so get a full day there on the first day! And coming home we leave at 10 at night so get a full day then too!

Today I booked a Lounge at Gatwick to get some breakie at 5am and not sure why, but I paid £5 to get through passport and search control as a VIP.

Now all I have to do is book my car hire, which I will do a week before I leave as there are better deals last minute.

So another question. Considering we are 3 hours away from Gatwick and we have to book in at 5am. Drive down at 1am and don't sleep or get a hotel and get a few hours.??

Now that begs another question! A hotel that will park your car or park the car and get a hotel at Gatwick in walking distance?

Sometimes (and I know it's more expensive) I wish I had just got my Holiday company to book everything!!

[Sparky]

Local hotel with parking would be my choice.  Plenty of deals to be had.

[Kimbers]

Holiday Money!!!

Cash? 

Prepaid Travel card? (I am told some places don't take them)

Take My Credit Card?

Take my Debit Card?

 

Your thoughts please?

[Barrykearley]

Take credit, debit and some cash chap.

not long and I’m off to Tunisia with all the kids 🥳

[Sparky]

Cash is always king.  Find a card that won't rinse you on currency fees.  I have one specifically for overseas travel.

[Kimbers]

9 minutes ago, Sparky said:

Cash is always king.  Find a card that won't rinse you on currency fees.  I have one specifically for overseas travel.

Yes I was looking at those. Best exhange rate with no fees? My 2 cards debit and credit charge me 3% plus a rubbish exchange rate!

[Chillidoggy]

I use a Halifax Clarity card for foreign travel. Worth checking it out.

[100th_Idiot]

I use Chase. Load it up with cash and no transaction fees.

[Rambo]

Monzo. You get a better rate than paying with cash.

[Kimbers]

22 hours ago, Chillidoggy said:

I use a Halifax Clarity card for foreign travel. Worth checking it out.

I went with Clarity just for ease as I already have an account with them. I noticed you do get charged interest from the day of the purchase, on this card so plan is to stick a bag in there before I go so I'm in credit! 

[Chillidoggy]

37 minutes ago, Kimbers said:

I went with Clarity just for ease as I already have an account with them. I noticed you do get charged interest from the day of the purchase, on this card so plan is to stick a bag in there before I go so I'm in credit! 

 

You get charged interest only if you don't pay the bill off in full. I've always paid mine off on the invoice, never been charged any interest.

[Rambo]

I was in Glamis yesterday. Never spotted another Lotus 🤔

[Kimbers]

Easyjet have cancelled 1700 flights for July August and September

[ChrisJ]

I had this worry last year with BA from Heathrow.