Holiday Booking Checklist

Holiday Booking Checklist

13/05/2016 Off By Deborah Welsh

What matters most when booking your holiday?

Holiday Planning

We know that when it comes to booking that all-important get-away there are a lot of boxes to be ticked, especially for families. If you happen to be travelling with a few kids and maybe with elderly parents joining you, there’s a lot to take into account. I know that when I’m booking a holiday I need to consider the wants and needs of three generations as I often holiday with my parents and I have a tween to please!

As a rule and like most folk, overall price is usually the deciding factor. However, I’ve started to wonder whether there are other issues that come into play regardless of cost. For example, I don’t travel well by coach or car so I need to avoid any lengthy transfers at the other end so I might have to pay a little extra for centrally located accommodation which more often than not carries a premium. I am also a stickler for a bit of luxury and comfort. My rule is generally nothing less than four star rating. This isn’t because I’m a diva but for good reasons. In the past I have tried to ‘make do’ with lesser graded accommodation with the mindset of “I’m not going to be in it much and as long as it’s clean” or by choosing accommodation based on brochure pictures alone. The advent of the Internet has made the booking selection so much more informative as there are reviews galore online.

Pool

No, this hasn’t worked for me. Ever. Any time I have compromised, I have been left disappointed and there’s nothing worse than arriving after a flight and walking into your hotel or apartment and your heart just sinks. I once spent the first two days of my honeymoon (I won’t say where!) trying to contact our rep to switch hotels. I had actually paid a considerable amount of cash for this trip but the hotel just did not match my expectations. So now when I am booking, the accommodation standard is probably my key requirement.

Airport Sign

I also can’t stand driving to other airports for a flight (See previous comment on travel sickness!) Nausea aside, I think that flying from my local airport is of paramount importance. Yes, I pay through the nose for the privilege but a three or four-hour drive after a long haul flight is not tempting. I’ve done it. Many times I have driven bleary eyed from Manchester to Glasgow and it really dented my post holiday euphoria.

The list of requirements when travelling with children could fill another page and anyone with young children and/or teenagers will know how much goes into the research and planning for a family holiday.

So, here at talkholiday, we’ve been discussing this theme and we would love to know your deciding factors and what you really look for when booking your trip.

Choose from this list and share your opinions with us, we’d love to hear them.

What’s most important?

  • Resort/destination
  • Flying from local airport
  • Short transfers from airport to resort
  • Standard of accommodation
  • Entertainment
  • Kids club/kids entertainment
  • Facilities for special needs/assisted travel
  • Overall price
  • Free child places
  • Flight times
  • Hotel location/views/setting etc
  • All inclusive dining/drinks package
  • Choice of airline
  • Flight duration
  • Couples only resorts
  • Climate
  • Resort/hotel amenities – pool, sports activities etc
  • Nightlife
  • Weather
  • Positive hotel reviews – do you wait and make up your own mind or go with other tourists’ views?
  • Package deals or independent travel?