Viewing 33 posts - 1 through 33 (of 33 total)
  • Anybody here in the travel industry? Help needed!
  • globalti
    Free Member

    Mrs Gti has decided that this year we’re going to have a week somewhere warm with a beach. This is something I have never done because all my life, holidays have been camping or climbing in the UK or the Alps. So I agreed on condition that wherever we go, it has to be quiet, away from the ‘ere we go crowd and must have decent air conditioning. Actually I’m quite looking forward to a week of good food, some snorkelling, a bit of scrambling on the rocks, some cycling, some mountain walking and maybe to learn windsurfing.

    But can we agree on a place to go? It’s tuning into a nightmare. Several travel agents have sent us lists of places in Mallorca and around the Med and I’ve been shocked at the reviews on Tripadvisor. Most are massive concrete piles built in the 70s with enormous grey beaches covered in rows of ghastly sun-loungers. Many have no air conditioning or AC that doesn’t work properly. As a business traveller in Africa I’m familiar with the problem of failing hotels and under-investment by the owners and the consequences to the environment – scruffy dated decor, hot sweaty rooms, dirty kitchens, worn out bedding and towels, you know the story. Some are on main roads with motorcycle races every night. Some are full of fat Russians with young tarts and Germans who steal all the sun loungers (not that I’d want to lie in the sun all day) and some are even on airport flightpaths! Most have a lot of good reviews but they are obviously from people with no capacity to judge a place beyond the bar and the evening entertainment – my favourite example was a fantastic review of one shitehole that said “Great hotel…. the food was often cold but then you can’t have everything, can you?” WTF? I mean: W.T.F.?

    The nice little decent boutique hotels are all booked solid; we’ve looked everywhere including Portugal and Greece and the Canaries. It’s becoming a real bone of contention; she accusing me of not wanting to go on holiday with my family and the nagging and insults are getting even worse than usual.

    I really do want to find a place but it has to be quiet and decent. So can any travel professionals give me any pointers on where to look? The big picture in my view is that most mediterranean resorts were developed in the 70s and are likely to be tired, noisy and worn out and built to a lower standard than people want nowadays. So where can we look that’s within 4 hours of Manchester and likely to have hotels of an acceptable standard with a nice beach and peace and quiet?

    We want to go on 4 August but are flexible.

    deadlydarcy
    Free Member

    You appear to want the moon on a stick but aren’t looking that hard.

    I’m no travel professional, nor am I even that seasoned a traveller. But the place I’ve been that might suit you is Croatia. Mrs deadly and I went there on our honeymoon with Neilson to do a villa-flotilla type thing where we learned to sail. However, there were plenty of other people there doing other holidays, where they could do as much or as little as they wanted. Learning to sail a dinghy or windsurfy thing was certainly one of the things they could do, as was mountain biking, hill walking. It was based on the island of Korcula, but they also do Greece, Turkey, etc.

    I liked Croatia because it was not full of yobs and appeared to be taking a different approach to tourism in the post-Blakan-conflict era (whereas in the 80s, it was headed for being the next Costa del Sol). But it could be a bit too quiet as well at times.

    I’m not suggesting Neilson exclusively here; there are plenty of other companies that do similar stuff.

    EDIT: It appears that Neilson aren’t doing Korcula anymore.

    podgeskeeper
    Free Member

    I would take some of the trip advisor comments with a pinch of salt. We’ve been panicked by some of the hotel reviews after we’ve booked and they’ve been fine. After all it doesn’t sound like your going to be spending much time in the hotel anyway?

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    Smudger666
    Full Member

    Corsica? Propriano on the southern side is great with some reasonable hotels.

    deadlydarcy
    Free Member

    Oh yeah, Corsica. Good shout. Can be pricey though.

    jota180
    Free Member

    Can I suggest either somewhere in the Basque Country, around San Sebastian maybe?
    or the Costa Brava, Calella de Palafrugell or Begur area?

    wl
    Free Member

    Kas is quite nice in Turkey. No sandy beach – it’s rocky coves, or pebble beaches accessed by boat – but good snorkelling and a nice atmosphere, with a rugged mountain backdrop and plenty of activities to sign up for if you’re bored. Lots of Turks holiday here, and chilled out Europeans too. No louts. Friendly locals. Culturally more interesting than Croatia, IMO, and almost certainly way cheaper. Having said that, Dubrovnik is beautiful, with great swimming, and the islands are supposed to be mint. Four hours will get you to Morocco, I think.

    Zoolander
    Free Member

    If you want nice beach, watersports and somewhere quiet at the same time – in the height if holiday season, you are going to struggle. Most places with nice beaches etc will be busy for that very reason. You may have to compromise and either stay somewhere less quiet or find somewhere nice and quiet, probably with a better standard of accomodation but outside of a beach resort, meaning some traveling to and from.
    Also have you considered a villa , if accomodation us causing an issue?

    scaled
    Free Member

    Turkey will be hot in august (speaking from experience going in the summer holidays last year!) but Kalkan pretty much ticks all your boxes, nice quiet resort, perched on the edge of the Aegean and mountains/scrambling aplenty 😀

    We self catered this year with these folks admittedly it was sheer luck that we had the whole place to ourselves but it’s just off the ‘main drag’ which isnt as bad as it sounds, only one night a week is noisy (thursdays) as they have some live music/dancing thing at the hotel just up the road 🙂

    globalti
    Free Member

    Thanks for the suggestions.

    WL has it above – I’ve just found Kas with Exodus – looks just perfect and I’m waiting now with fingers crossed to know if there’s any room at the hotel.

    BoardinBob
    Full Member

    http://www.thomsonlakes.co.uk/index.shtml

    Look at Lake Garda

    Warm
    Beaches
    Mountains

    dave_rudabar
    Free Member

    Get the posher brochures that people like Thomson do, or ones for adults-only breaks – there are a few and when we reviewed them for choosing a honeymoon there were few that didn’t look great and get good reviews online too.

    globalti
    Free Member

    Gaaah! After 3 weeks of searching I thought I’d found the place…. Oreo Hotel, great reviews but Mrs Gti thinks it looks too basic! Says it looks like a youth hostel.

    lunge
    Full Member

    Glad to see I’m not the only one having this discussion, I will watch this thread with interest.

    Have you thought about a chalet in the alps? It may not be a beach but it will be quiet, hot and as relaxing as you want it do be. Put a request up on chalets direct and see what you can find.

    jota180
    Free Member

    Gaaah! After 3 weeks of searching I thought I’d found the place…. Oreo Hotel, great reviews but Mrs Gti thinks it looks too basic! Says it looks like a youth hostel.

    Time to hand the whole process to her then
    Just ask her to let you know what to pack and when

    donsimon
    Free Member

    Have a look at Spain, but Google for alojamientos in the place you want. You’ll have to arrange the travel to and from the airport and organise your own food.

    IA
    Full Member

    Somewhere on Lake Como? Ok so it’s a beach on the lake, but good for swimming and windsurfing, near Milan if you wanna do the big city thing? Was years ago I went but don’t remember it being too busy and spent a week windsurfing every morning (reliable wind, good for beginners)

    Sandwich
    Full Member

    Como also has George Clooney to distract Mrs Gti while you’re off romping up mountains and then plummeting back down !

    tron
    Free Member

    Croatia would suit but the beaches in the north are often pebble. Dubrovnik has some sandy beaches. The whole place is pretty much free from Bemidorm / Sharm types. I can recommend Apartments Tonkovic near Dubrovnik for self catering, Hotel Mediteran in Porec is nice as well with a fair bit of active stuff to do too.

    If you want proper luxury, its going to cost you unless you go to some dusty hell hole.

    globalti
    Free Member

    I really don’t know what she wants. This will be the first time we have ever tried to book a beach holiday in the 15 years since we met. She is the fussiest person I’ve ever known, strict veggie, absolutely fastidious about hygiene yet she persists in looking through all these tired, worn out shiteholes that were built in the 70s and many of which don’t even have AC! Without exception there are shocking reports on TA, the last one we checked last night had flies, ants, cats, birds in the restaurant and several guests who went home with shigella. The Oreo hotel I found in Kas was two star but clean, simple, with split ACs and correctly run by a proper manager and it has all the activities for me and our son aged 13. Last week she was on the point of booking some ghastly Mallorcan dust hole so I told her to book for the two of them; I would drop them at Gatwick then collect them and have a nice quiet week visiting family and cycle touring in the West Country.

    Last summer we stayed at home and the summer before we stayed in Megeve in the Alps where we have had two ski holidays and we enjoyed the place as it was empty, not being considered a summer resort by the French. We swam a lot at the excellent municipal pool, hired bikes for some lift-assisted rides and went up the Aiguille du Midi.

    I’m in despair!

    geoffj
    Full Member
    thejesmonddingo
    Full Member

    OP sounds like you and Mrs Gti have a lot in common with regard to fastidiouness,fussiness etc.Have you asked her gently why she wants this holiday? It’s only a week,chill,let her book it,if it’s a disaster she’ll know,and next year it’s your turn.Sounds like your relationship is avoiding the concept of give and take.

    geoffj
    Full Member

    It’s only a week,chill,let her book it,if it’s a disaster she’ll know,and next year it’s your turn.

    +1

    ji
    Free Member

    We took a villa in Polenca old town (Mallorca) – nice freindly family atmosphere, no high rises, AC, clean, private pool etc. Sounds like it might be what you are after, although a villa is obviously self catering.

    Plenty of beaches, walking, cycling etc.

    nasher
    Free Member

    finale ligure on the italian riviera…..nothing like he shitoles in spain.. Famous for mtb andclimbing and excellent blue star beaches…being italy so excellent food…only problem is august (italian holiday) so will be very busy.

    try hotel medusa right on the beach

    coolhandluke
    Free Member

    We stayed here when our daughter wasn’t that old. Not chavvy, quiet, clean, safe.

    We liked it that much and it suited our needs so well, we went back the next year, a thing we have never done, ever.

    Marhaba beach hotel

    We liked the resort reviews as a few people complained that there was only one English style pub! Great. Just the one to avoid then.

    Outside the hotel was ok in areas but do expect hassle (friendly though) from shops trying to sell camels or leather bags made from camels.

    si-wilson
    Free Member

    Sounds like you have a lot of misguided pre conceptions having not been to any of these ‘dust’ bowls yourself.

    Try Calpe in Spain, nice resort and some good hotels with plenty to see and do in the area.

    jota180
    Free Member

    OP – did you look at my suggestion of the Costa Brava, in particularly Calella de Palafrugell?

    Here’s a decent shitty dustbowl for you 😉

    http://www.casadostorres.com/

    konagirl
    Free Member

    As has been said, firstly, relax! It’s a holiday!

    You haven’t alluded to budget but since you are looking to go in the peak period for most of the Med and booking last minute I’m assuming around £1000 for 1 weeks accommodation, 2 bed.

    You have two choices:
    1) as has been said, trust your wife to book somewhere. The longer you leave it, the more expensive and less choice you will have. And as has been said, its only a week. If it really is that bad in the hotel, hire a car, spend lots of time away from the hotel (find a beach or activities somewhere down or inland from the coast) and next time, try and arrange it further in advance!! No point in stressing about one week away.

    Or 2) If you are really against the high-rise apartment type holiday, look at self-catering, either in a low-rise villa-style resort or in an independent villa. You need to put aside a day (i.e. today or tomorrow) to go through websites like Don Simon suggested, owners-direct, vrbo or holiday-rentals.co.uk. If you don’t have time – go with option 1!!

    I would suggest North Majorca, Sardinia or Corsica, Croatia or Turkey (a low rise resort) for quiet but beachy holidays and I think Turkey will be the cheapest of these. Here?

    konagirl
    Free Member

    Or there was a thread on here a few weeks ago looking at the Algarve. Not as ‘hot’ as the Med side but beautiful, plenty of small scale resorts, lovely beaches and some smaller towns with good seafood restuarants that might suit the whole family better.

    PeterHerold
    Free Member

    ” a week of good food, some snorkelling, a bit of scrambling on the rocks, some cycling, some mountain walking and maybe to learn windsurfing.”

    You can do all this very well on the east coast of Sardinia, except maybe learning to windsurf (other bits of the island are windier). See the Lonely Planet guide to Sardinia, you can buy the chapter for the east coast for €3 online. Some of the walks are described at http://www.lonelyplanet.com/italy/sardinia/travel-tips-and-articles/76875?intaffil=bbctrv-e You can also find accommodation which avoids the 70s-nightmares-Russians-etc that you want to avoid.

    Up in the mountains it’s also nice and cool even though it’s 30°C plus on the coast This was climbing yesterday
    Good luck Peter

    globalti
    Free Member

    Thanks for all the replies. Over the weekend Mrs Gti has booked an hotel in Calvi, Corsica. At least it’s full of French people who I don’t mind and they won’t tolerate rubbish food and shoddy hotels.

    It’s going to be hot but I’ll pack cycling kit as there are several bike hire places.

    Thanks again to the STW forum crew.

    mattsccm
    Free Member

    Except for the sea , we enjoyed the Picos.Howabout a beach near there?

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