There are two types of holiday. There’s the backpack and a round-the-world ticket variety and there’s the week in the sun kind of trip. Each has its pros and cons, but while the long-haul trips that last for months on end aren’t open to everyone, with so many great deals on package holidays, the week in the sun is an option for many more people.
Even if you prefer the long, independent trips, there will be times in life when you can only take a week or two off work, in which case the second option is the only real possibility.
So, if you’re planning a short trip within Europe, what kind of holiday makes the most sense for you?
Self-catering
You can book self-catering accommodation in most places these days – in the middle of a town or in a remote countryside setting. The advantages to self-catering is that you have lots of privacy, you can cook for yourself and your family should you feel like it and you don’t have to meet people unless you choose to. It’s also one way to save money on a holiday as you don’t need to pay out for meals in restaurants every day.
Hotels
Staying in hotels often means access to great facilities – especially things like kids’ clubs, swimming pools and other facilities such as gyms and spas. Many hotels offer a complete range of board options, including bed and breakfast through to all-inclusive. If you look on any of the major holiday company websites, you should be able to search for their all inclusive holidays 2013 to see what deals are available. Going all-inclusive is a great option if you have a fixed holiday budget that you don’t wish to go over – you’ll have paid for pretty much everything including all drinks and food before you’ve even left home.
Staying in hotels can also mean that you have a more sociable experience than in self-catering as you’ll meet people by the pool, at the bar or in the restaurant. However, for people with young children staying in a hotel, you can sometimes feel that the room is a bit small and you’ll need to spend more time away from it than you would in a self-catering apartment.
The kind of accommodation you choose for a week in the sun holiday really depends on who you’re going with and your character type. Decide what’s most important before you book so that you end up having the best week’s holiday possible.
