Sorry this may sound strange, but since you have two parties under 18, they might not be able to join in with the partying being underage and not been able to get served? Sorry probably a pointless comment and mods feel free to delete if you want too.

not a pointless observation......

for further information on drinking ages abroad please click here

remember if traveling within the EU to apply for your health card this thread gives information

you will also need travel insurance [see relevant thread] and remember your insurance will be invalid if
A] you have an accident whilst under the influence of drink/drugs
B] will not cover accidents if you hire scooters/motorcycles/quads etc
c] will not cover you for dangerous sports ..examples bungee jumping,climbing,banana boating [and other towed rides]

most questions you may have will already have been answered on HT so please take a look through all the topic titles at your leisure

Yasus
wizard

Tarry has brought up a good point really . If you wanted all inclusive, the resorts usually have different colored wristbands for age 18 and over and under 18, identifying to the barman who to legally serve alcohol to, could be a sore point for the 17 yr olds.

In view of the 17yr olds not being able to get alcohol at the AI, I would suggest you go SC. With your budget for school holiday time, I doubt you'd get much in the way of AI anyway. Have you looked at the threads for the obvious 18-30 party places e.g. Magalluf, San Antonio, Kavos etc. If these are too ott for you, there will be lots more options. I would suggest you look which countries your local airport flies to and then post in the relevant countrys' forums for suggestions on resorts.

Hope this helps.

What about having a look at Gumbet on the Bodrum peninsula in Turkey - lazy days and lively nights. I would definitely recommend going self-catering and I reckon you should get a good deal.

Jak xx

Hi Alice!

I'm 17 and I'm going away this year with 3 of my other friends who are also 17. We decided on Benidorm as 3 of us have been going there since we were little and we know the place better than just choosing somewhere random.
We're going SC and we're going to the supermarket for alcohol for the apartment. As mentioned, AI resorts will give you a different coloured wristband to those over 18. I guess the over 18's could get served for the 17-year-olds, but that's up to you to decide.

I know in Benidorm I and my friends won't have a problem getting served with alcohol, but I suppose it depends on where you go!

Let us know if you decide on somewhere nice good luck!

I woudl agree with Jakki, Gumbet in Turkey would be an ideal place for you to go, it is lively but not too mad. SC would be best for you as you then have the option to eat in if you are on a budget and you can stock the fridge with cold drinks too.

Lots of good advice has already been given and I am sure other members will join in to help. We are actually a very friendly bunch on here. By the time you have spent a little time browsing the various sections for advice, ideas and information you may well think it better to stay at home with all the information overload. Could even be harder making a decision than doing the dreaded A levels.

But can I sound a cautionary note based on tales of woe related here on HT.

When booking someone will need to be lead name.

Everyone needs to be aware of their financial commitment. People do fall in and out so should someone decide they are not going they cannot just get their money back.

Changes can only be made by the lead name.

Anyone under 18 will require the written permission of their parent(s)/guardian.

If for any reason someone pulls out and you wish to substitute another person the TO will charge a fee for change of name. If that happens you must agree among yourselves right at the start how the financial aspect of this will be handled.

Might seem I am being negative but the above points are all based on problems posted here on HT.

If I have not put you off then good luck with your studies and exams. I hope you all get better results than you expect and have a good holiday.

Now do us a favour. Please keep us posted how you go on. We would all like to know and your experiences will help others looking to do the same.

fwh

Although in some resorts if someone is caught drinking underage by the security, the alchohol is taken off them xx

I'd definately do either self catering or B&B if there's a good deal. With a large group of mates in Self Catering, you can share 3 or 4 to a room and keep the costs down lower than in a hotel. Make sure you go for apartments with a good pool area etc as you won't always fancy walking down to the beach (esp. with a bit of a rough head )
I really wouldn't consider All Inc as a group of mates your age will not want to stay around the hotel all day and night with the same people, pay for a decent apartment and get out and about and do stuff (and no worrying about getting served )

Resorts that might appeal based on what you have said about good nightlife but not OTT and considering budget... all my own opinion and based on places i've been.

Kardamena on Kos, small compact resort, good restaurants, loads of bars around the square and down 'bar st' and 2 clubs. Sort of young & lively mixed with families and couples, all music indoors at midnight. Went in 2008 and would go back but it is the smallest of the resorts I'm listing.

Stalis on Crete, long & thin resort stretching along beach rd, loads of good bars & restaurant, great beach, no real clubs but only 3-4 € in a taxi into Malia if you fancy a mad one. Been here twice and love it.

Faliraki on Rhodes, bigger resort than Kardamena or Stalis with more going on. Good bars and clubs and good beach. Not as mad as it was 10 years ago, I went in 2006 and there was a real mix of couples and families as well as young groups. Make sure your accomodation is down near the beach here as there are alot of apartments that are a LONG walk down to beach/town!

I wouldn't rule out Laganas on Zante as it's got a great beach and cracking nightlife - but I've not been since 2005 and I have heard mixed reports recently???? I am going to Kalamaki in a couple of weeks which is next resort along the beach and I will probably venture into Lags a few times so I'll see !

Ayia Napa - Bigger resort and i find it a bit more expensive than the greek islands but.... the beaches are superb and the bars are ace.... I went 2008 & 2009 and I didn't find it too OTT whatsoever, nice restaurants and bars away from the Square if you want a chilled one.

San Antonio bay, Ibiza - Only gonna mention Ibiza cos I love the place so much and can't stay away for more than a year or two. Depsite the media it is actually a beautiful island and only a few areas are full of bars/clubs. The Bay area is about 30-45 minute walk from the town or €2.5 each in a water taxi. Loads of bars and restaurants around the bay. It is a lot more expensive than Greece/Cyprus (we paid €17 for sunbeds in Ibiza last August, having paid €7 on Nissi Beach in June. We spent about 40% more in 2 weeks in Ibiza than 2 weeks in Ayia Napa!... did do a couple of clubs though and 2-3 really good restaurants ) Problem I think would be that the bay might be too family orientated in the evening and the town too OTT to actually stay in, so you'd end up travelling about a lot which would cost £££.

Kavos - Urrggghhhh.... NO! Filthy and full of really chavvy, chavs.... and I went there aged 23 with group of lads. Nite life was good and we had a good time but just found it too rough.

Oh and do listen to the points made above about travel insurance and especially about not getting mopeds or quads.. They are killers, mate of mine came off a scooter in Laganas and spent 3 days in hospital and then the remaining 3 days of his holiday stuck in bed in the apartment and he rode a bike at home. The roads aren't good and the other road users can be drunk/incompetent/blind/stupid

Also, what fwh said about the nbooking and getting everyone to pay up... Simplest thing we did in order to not have to worry about the lead passenger collecting the balance or people changing their minds - Make sure everyone goes to the travel agent together and pay it in full when you book it. Guess that if booking online you could get everyone to transfer money to 1 person first.

Oh and none of the places I have listed have security that take drinks off 17 year olds ????? I presume when Tarry says resort he means in context of a hotel 'resort' as opposed to a 'resort' if you know what i mean?

Just a holiday park I meant And no it's not listed on any sites.

Fab advice from fwh! We booked in February and in the 7 months of waiting, we all fell out with one member of the group and it was so much stress. I asked on the forum about it, I didn't have a clue what to do or where to go.

Definitely take heed, that's some good advice!

Tarry wrote:

Just a holiday park I meant And no it's not listed on any sites.

That's what i thought, I've seen Security watching who's drinking alcohol in an AI in Dominican and I know that other AI's use wrist bands for <18's. All the more reason for a group of 17-18's to go Self catering.

There is another benefit to self catering instead of a hotel.... it's easier to take guests back at night
(I am not stereotyping all 17-18 year olds on holiday.. but it's a serious point to consider. If one of the group happen to 'meet' someone then life is easier in apartments!)

Hi
Sorry if this already been discussed but can a group of 17 year olds book a holiday if no one is 18 yet to be lead person??? Asking on behalf of my daughter and friends who want to go to spain next year?

Thanks

Jo xx

Looking forward to Alice getting back to us to see how her research is progressing.

jojoxxx2001 wrote:

Hi
Sorry if this already been discussed but can a group of 17 year olds book a holiday if no one is 18 yet to be lead person??? Asking on behalf of my daughter and friends who want to go to spain next year?

Thanks

Jo xx

Thread here Jo http://www.holidaytruths.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=45&t=95519

I went on my first 'lads' holiday with my mates back in 1991 - we were both 17 and got booked no problem for Malta.

We went out every night clubbing no probs

(Long time ago now )

I would go SC or even HB. As for drinking ages abroad, well other than some AI hotels , drinking ages are not enforced. I have been to most of the 18-30 resorts. Falaraki was awesome but not so much now as it has had its day, Ayia Napa was incredible but so so expensive, Magaluf well thats a classic but you will know everyone as everytime I go I meet loads of people from home, Ibiza (San antonio) is great but again expensive, club entry is very pricey and drinks in general expensive. The girls and I have gone to Marmaris in Turkey for the past few years and we love it. The clubs are incredible and all open aired. Also compared to other 18-30 resorts it is a fraction of the price with no club entry prices. We go back every year and I dont think we stop going there in a long time.