craig1410
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| posted on 1/5/12 at 10:37 PM |
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Family Holiday Destination Recommendations please?
Hi,
As per subject, looking for something matching these rough criteria:
- Suitable for family of four (kids 15 and 13)
- Warm & sunny but not too hot (eg. Turkey too hot, western med okay)
- Clean accommodation with air conditioning ideally
- Mainly lazy holiday around pool but ideally nearby beach and maybe water park and other family attractions nearby
- Budget £700 each max for 1 week all inclusive or around £450-475 self catering.
- Safe environment with some evening entertainment but not too rowdy
- Ideally sports available in resort such as tennis courts etc.
- Within 4.5 hours flying time of airport between Glasgow and Manchester (inc Newcastle, Edinburgh, Leeds)
We've been looking at Kos, Sardinia, Portugal and a few others but are struggling to find the perfect fit. We've spent 4 years in Ibiza in
the same apts in Santa Eulalia and really liked it but are due a change. We've also enjoyed a eurocamp holiday in France (Lac de Chalain) and
another near Nantes.
Just looking mainly for destination ideas but specific resort and hotel recommendations welcome too. Looking at 30th June or thereabouts for one week
only.
Also, would appreciate advice on the relative merits of all inclusive packages. We've always done self catering before but our kids eat like
horses and like drinks and snacks etc which run up the costs. I'm worried that all inclusive is going to be too restrictive but it does have its
attractions too. Opinions welcome.
Thanks guys,
Craig.
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twybrow
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| posted on 1/5/12 at 10:53 PM |
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Devon or Cornwall?! You could fly to Exeter or Newquay. Have a look at the Bedruthian Steps - very family friendly.
Right on a safe beach. And with all the cash you would save, you could go wild in Newquay a few times!
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PAUL FISHER
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| posted on 1/5/12 at 11:05 PM |
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We went here last July, very warm, but not too hot, me wife and two kids 14 and 17, 10 days all inclusive came in at £2400, free use of aqua park etc,
plenty of tennis courts, bowling and watersports on the beach, which you have to pay extra for, plenty of entertainment day and night, even has its
own night club, plenty of nice places to visit nearby, I booked it through Travel Republic.
http://www.hotels4u.com/hotels/paradise-costa-taurito-hotel-and-aquapark.aspx
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tegwin
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| posted on 1/5/12 at 11:06 PM |
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Craig.
Have you thought about doing something a bit more adventurous and different?
How about spending a week in Chamonix? All of the chair-lifts will be running by the end of June so you can get lifts up into the mountains for a
nice walk.... Go and explore the ice-cave cut into the glacier.... Go right up onto the ice on the side of Mt blanc...can even take a cablecar down
the otherside into Italy. Hire bicycles and do one of the many cycle trails. (ranging from wee easy to bleeping deadly)[all the easy ones are
marked]
There is a swimming pool with slides etc, plus a lake down the valley for sunbathing etc.. Town has an amazing atmosphere in the evenings, loads of
restaurents open to the street, usually something going on.
Infinite other stuff you can do such as white water rafting, canyoning, paragliding, rock climbing....
Plus if you have a car you could do day-trips to some of the local castles/geneva etc etc.
Back in the day (when my parents were paying and I was much younger) crystal active had hotels in Cham with guides to organise stuff.. dont think they
do any more... I have been back loads since. My sister lives there if you needed any more info or a qualified
mountain/survival guide.
Edit to add, provided the weather behaves its usually nice and warm in Cham over the summer... nice to get up above into the mountains to cool off
sometimes :-)
[Edited on 1/5/12 by tegwin]
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Would the last person who leaves the country please switch off the lights and close the door!
www.verticalhorizonsmedia.tv
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craig1410
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| posted on 1/5/12 at 11:07 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by twybrow
Devon or Cornwall?! You could fly to Exeter or Newquay. Have a look at the Bedruthian Steps - very family friendly.
Right on a safe beach. And with all the cash you would save, you could go wild in Newquay a few times!
Hmm, we camped at Perranporth a few years back and on our penultimate night there was a bad storm which virtually destroyed the campsite ripping
awnings off caravans and even tipping one caravan over. Our tent was the last one standing according to the security patrol who was going round,
mainly because my wife and I were standing inside it holding it down. We ended up packing up the tent at 1am and going home which was easier said than
done. It was a really good holiday until that evening though - good memories. The kids loved it too. It was only a couple of years later when we
watched a few episodes of "Seaside Rescue" that we realised that Perranporth beach was the one featured on the program where people kept
getting rescued from the rip currents! I spent many hours looking after 3 kids on body boards in that very spot although to be honest they were all
better swimmers than me anyway! 
Thanks but looking for something a bit warmer than Cornwall.
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Volvorsport
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| posted on 1/5/12 at 11:39 PM |
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hotel balmes........
www.dbsmotorsport.co.uk
getting dirty under a bus
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skodaman
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| posted on 2/5/12 at 12:39 AM |
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Morecambe. Not too far from Scotland either. Seriously though a couple of years ago we took a short trip to northern France and Belgium and
ended up lounging on the beaches of Dunkirk. Very nice but a bit spooky cos of the history. Weather was scorching and made a good change from my
normal habit of high tailing to the Med as soon as arriving at Calais. Just pack a tent then u can choose how far u want to drive etc. on a daily
basis and kids etc.
Portugal is superb for just cruising around camping and much cheaper than Spain. Also it's much cooler cos on Atlantic. Checkout Obidos,
Batalha and Belem. Lisbon is great and there's a campsite right in the city. Roads are a bit dodgy off the beaten track. Re. Tegwin's
suggestion of Chamonix it's a fabulous place (Check out Mer de Glace) and nice to drive to but I found it horrendously expensive cos it's
a ski resort area.
On the other hand although it doesn't fit any of your criteria I've got a 3 bedroom bungalow with big garden and a basketball court you
could rent from me near 100 Islands in the Philippines. 50 pounds a week or much less if you want to haggle. It's just about within your
budget cos it's dirt cheap when you get there. Plane flight 16-18 hours. The heat will knock the carp out you straight off the plane.
(It's the humidity combined with high temps really). Beer 10p pint, spirits rum/brandy 65p/l petrol 20p/l . Cost of food doesn't matter
cos you'll probably be so ill after a week you wont want to eat, but MacDonalds dirt cheap. Curiously enough they actually serve rice with the
Big Breakfast which they didn't when I lived in Japan and Hong Kong. Watch out for Malaria, dengue fever, king cobras and particularly the
women. Some of the best coral beaches snorkelling and fishing I've come across anywhere though.
I'm spoilt with living in Morecambe and house in Philippines but spose Portugal gets my vote. Greece nice if u were going now but starts to
get very hot. An interesting one if you could do it is a few days in Istanbul (superbly interesting and cheap cos not in EEC) then have your normal
beach holiday in Bodrum or similar.
Skodaman
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twybrow
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| posted on 2/5/12 at 01:00 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by tegwin
My sister lives there if you needed any more info or a qualified mountain/survival guide.
Tegwin - I want your sisters job! Does she do guided mountaineering I.e Mont Blanc and the surrounding peaks?
Craig - warmer than Cornwall? How about the Isle of Wight!? Or if really adventurous, the Channel Isles? Gorgeous beaches, and significantly warmer
than Cornwall! Hotter still, my vote would be Turkey, but off the usual tourist/lager n chips spots... Find a villa and rent a jeep - fun times!
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Agriv8
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| posted on 2/5/12 at 06:29 AM |
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we are going back to Le logis here for 2 weeks at the back end of Aug.
Parent company website http://www.yukadivillages.com/index.php?p_id=790
We book through vacansoleil though we do drive but make that part of the adventure
Beach 10 min walk away safe enough 15 and 13 year old to be given a bit of space more golden beached within a 15 min drive away
Pool tennis footie bar we go with Brother in lawsa family whio have a 14 and 11 and 5 year old
Taller than your average Guy !
Management is like a tree of monkeys. - Those at the top look down and see a tree full of smiling faces. BUT Those at the bottom look up and see a
tree full of a*seholes .............
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tegwin
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| posted on 2/5/12 at 07:08 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by twybrow
quote:
Originally posted by tegwin
My sister lives there if you needed any more info or a qualified mountain/survival guide.
Tegwin - I want your sisters job! Does she do guided mountaineering I.e Mont Blanc and the surrounding peaks?
Yes she does.
She specialises in the survival side of things so runs courses for groups to go up and live in snow-caves and eat raindeer droppings. She gets to work
all over the world, wherever her groups want to go..... Qualified winter mountain leader, climbing instructor etc etc.... Things have been touch and
go for a few years but hopefully she can pickup a bit more business to feed herself real food..... raindeer poo is no nice!
If your interested in survival and bushcraft type stuff and dont have enough people for her to organise a trip for you her company runs various trips.
here
[Edited on 2/5/12 by tegwin]
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Would the last person who leaves the country please switch off the lights and close the door!
www.verticalhorizonsmedia.tv
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acb2713
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| posted on 2/5/12 at 07:16 AM |
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Hi,
if you are after a holiday in the Western Mediterranean, have a look here: Paradise Bay Hotel
Ryanair fly out of Edinburgh and Prestwick up in Scotland. I believe they have twice weekly flights out of each of these airports.
I hope this is helpful.
Regards,
Albert
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afj
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| posted on 2/5/12 at 07:59 AM |
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SALOU in spain nuff said
eerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
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bobinspain
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| posted on 2/5/12 at 08:15 AM |
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The Costa Azahar (Orange Blossom Coast) is relatively unspoilt and is where a lot of Spaniards come from Madrid for their summer breaks.
Early june, you'd miss the main rush.
Buildings can't be more then 4 storeys above ground-level, so you've no high-rise monstrosities like Benidorm and it's nowhere near
as 'Anglicised,' though most hotels and retaurant employ English speakers.
Reus airport is an hour north, whilst Valencia is an hour south of Las Fuentes/Alcossebre (twinned). Car hire's simple and reasonably priced.
Winter population is around 5000, but summer at any one time may be 4 or 5 times that.
There's a superb water park at Benicassim, 25 mns drive away. Prices are around 20 euros a head for all day with all rides free. (food and booze
is reasonable once inside the complex too).
There are dozens of restaurants and bars in Las Fuentes/Alcossebre, ranging from tapas bars to good quality dining. (There's only one
'fine-dining' retaurant and it's very pricey: 'Can Roig.'
There are 5 beaches stretching over several km.
Sergio Garcia is 'resident pro' at Castellon golf course (40 mins drive away) which hosts the annual Castellon Masters.
Downsides of the area:
It's not 'exotic.'
There are several discos and nightclubs in town that open 'til 7am, (though they're not near residential properties/hotels).
July/august is swarming with tourists, as is Easter week, when they all descend en-masse.
If you're a 'culture-vulture', then pickings are a bit sparse.
14 years ago, we 'did' Bedruthan Steps. Superb facilities, (just as well, as it rained most of the time). Our kids were 3 and 7yrs.
Perfect.
'Done' Malta.
Cyprus is lovely. We considered moving there many years ago. (Too hot in summer, and it's an island and it's situated a little too close
to the Israeli/Arab 'melting pot.' Not a problem if you're visiting, but something to consider as we were looking at permanent
residency).
If you want any more info about the Las Fuentes/Alcossebre area, just u2u me. (We've lived here for 11 years this august).
Forgot! Plenty of tennis courts around too. Our neighbour has an underused one which my 16 yr old lad has use of and is always looking for someone
to play. (At 64 this year, I'm easy meat for him).
Regards, Bob.
I
[Edited on 2/5/12 by bobinspain]
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britishtrident
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| posted on 2/5/12 at 12:38 PM |
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Her are some areas to consider all with direct flights Glasgow and Manchester
The Greek Ionian Islands in the Adriatic Corfu or Zakinthos (aka Zante) June day time temp max average 28 (about 3/4 of a degree higher than
Malaga in June)
Malta average max day temp in June is 28c during a a very hot summer you will up to 31c but because it is in the middle of the med there is always a
gentle breeze.
Croatia
North of italy ie Lake Garda the resort of Bardolino might suit it is near a couple of theme/water parks.
Most hotels in this area operate aon a half board basis but always check.
For good buys on Croatia and Lake Garda see the Inghams Lakes & Mountains brorchure or website or check the ads in the dailly mail on
Saturdays Semple Travel often offer good prices for holidays in this area.
[Edited on 2/5/12 by britishtrident]
[I] “ What use our work, Bennet, if we cannot care for those we love? .”
― From BBC TV/Amazon's Ripper Street.
[/I]
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