Holiday Recommendations?

[alicecooper]

Hi, I'm wondering if any of you could recommend somewhere we could go in August next year?

We'll be a family of 6 at that point. 2 adults, and 4 kids - aged :

-13 months,
-almost 5 years old,
-6 (or 7 - our son's birthday is in August) years old,
-and almost 8 years old.

We've done Spain (mainland) a few times and really like Salou but having been back to the same hotel two years in a row we wanted to try somewhere else. (prior to this we did Costa Brava twice in a row as well, though we do prefer Salou).

We don't want to go long-haul, so somewhere in Europe. Don't mind if it's a Spanish island, just don't fancy the mainland again. Or maybe somewhere else? Greece? Portugal? etc.

We want ideally somewhere really good for kids - playgrounds, activities, kids clubs, beach near to hotel, swimming pools (maybe even slides?), some nice excursions we could go on perhaps...you know what I mean, that sort of thing.

We like lively places, with shops and restaurants and activities, but nowhere too rowdy with clubbers like the wild side of Ibiza, or Magaluf, or places like that.

Oh and weather-wise we like it warm enough to comfortably go swimming in the sea, and walk around with swimming costumes on, but not scorching like 40 degree heat.

Budget about £3000-£3500 for 10 days self catering (spending money on top of that).

DH thinks Alcudia in Majorca would be good. It's where he used to go on family holidays as a kid.
Myself I went to a few different places as a kid but a lot of them my mam picked were quite quiet, like Gran Canaria - but the quietest side you could imagine.

Tenerife I really used to like as a kid, but I imagine in August it would be a bit too hot.

Anybody got any suggestions? Even suggestions of specific hotels would be lovely

 

[sue_88]

:wave:

Tenerife in August is boiling! My big sister lives there & I love visiting but do always aim for May or Sept. We also have a house in Mijas on the Costa Del Sol, again very warm in August but I'll be taking Millie there next August when she'll be 13months like your next littlen.

If you're really keen trying something new I do recommend Majorca or Menorca. Nice & warm, great location for seas, beaches & great for little kids. I've been to Cala D'Or before, was lovely and we had a 2 year old with us!
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g580287-d290450-Reviews-Inturotel_Sa_Marina_Es_Sivinar-Cala_d_Or_Majorca_Balearic_Islands.html

I personally would steer clear of those countries in economic distress, whilst unlikely I wouldn't want to risk the chances of the holiday company booking / hotel etc going bust!

X

 

[ellismum]

Ohhhh that's a tough budget. Do you DIY or package? we've been looking at the same time next year and were getting price that for just the 3 of us as a package holiday!!! There's hardly any free child spaces either. Have you looked at AI? There's been very little difference in the SC/AI prices for a lot of the holidays we were looking at and with kids (and hollow boned OH's like mine)


Turkey is meant to be great value for money once there. We've never been but its where we are looking to go.

 

[ellismum]

Also, the Med resorts will all be hot in August. I used to live and work in Menorca and August was unbearable. If you do want the heat perhaps camping in Mainland France?

 

[lau86]

Alcudia is lovely and there's plenty to do. I think Greece gets very hot in August especially some of the islands, we've been to Crete that time of year and it was 40 degrees. What about Portugal? I've never actually been but I think the climate is suppose to be a bit milder?

 

[alicecooper]

Ohhhh that's a tough budget. Do you DIY or package? we've been looking at the same time next year and were getting price that for just the 3 of us as a package holiday!!! There's hardly any free child spaces either. Have you looked at AI? There's been very little difference in the SC/AI prices for a lot of the holidays we were looking at and with kids (and hollow boned OH's like mine)


Turkey is meant to be great value for money once there. We've never been but its where we are looking to go.

Oh dear really? We did Salou at the beginning of September last 2 years in a row, with the five of us, and it was about £2000 for 10 days. I know they bump the prices up for the summer holidays, but I was hoping another £1,500 would cover an August holiday with 1 extra infant. Will it not then? God that's disappointing.

My mam has an apartment in Turkey which she keeps saying we can use, but she's through there at the moment and she's saying it's already in the 40s so I can't help thinking it's gonna be far far too hot in August.
(Plus to be honest she'd want to come with us if we went there, and I'd rather avoid that!)

 

[ellismum]

One quote was for £5.2k mad I know but it seems to be the trend looking around

 

[discoclare]

Second where others have suggested. We are looking for July and are looking at Menorca, Majorca and less rowdy bits of Ibiza. Also keeping Portugal in the loop.

I ruled out Cyprus, Turkey, Greece, Tunisia, Canaries etc due to temperatures and anywhere further due to flight time. (shame as there are good deals to Turkey)

I just had a thought: have a look at what temperatures are like in Bulgaria, as it's cheaper than places like Cyprus and Greece. I have been there skiing in winter and enjoyed it but not to any of the summer resorts. May be too hot though, just a thought.

 

[lindseymw]

What about Austria? My parents go every year. They go to Seefield. Temperature is warm and apparently there's lots of things to do and see. We are looking at it as a possibility.

We are also looking at Majorca or Ibiza next year. It's coming out as £4.5k in August 2014 (2 weeks All Inc at 4/5* for 2 Adults, 2 Kids) in a First Choice Holiday Village with decent flight times.

If you can wait for last minute deals, have a look at Travel Zoo.

What about a cruise? Norweigian Fjords? (Prob not particularly warm though!)

 

[Mrs R]

Since having our kiddies, we've done holidays DIY. We book our flights ourselves, book accommodation and hire a car to get us around. We're leaving for 8 days in Disneyland Paris tomorrow for about for just over £1000. This includes park tickets but all of our children are under 3 so we save a lot here.

Last year we went to Florida and New York (including Disneyland again) for 3 weeks for about £2000.

My hubby is quite the holiday bargain hunter lol

We once got 8 nights in a 4 star hotel in Salou, half board, including flights for £85 in April! It was supposed to be a romantic break for us but when our friends heard the price, 7 of them ended up joining us lol

As for destinations in Europe, we love Lanzarote. It's clean, quiet and heaven on earth to me!

 

[MissRhead]

I've just got back from Alcudia I did enjoy it but It was just abit to British for me, really nice beaches and stuff though. Have you thought about Tunisia? Not that long of a flight, everything their is cheap! Beaches are beautiful and the weather will be awesome in August. Tunisians are also so friendly and adore children you feel very safe their. Port el kantaoui is nice or sousse x

 

[alicecooper]

thanks ladies for the suggestions.

Mrs R - WOW those prices are amazing!