Does anyone know if hotelopia is in ABTA also do they make a charge if you pay with a credit card?

I don't believe Hotelopia are ABTA bonded?? It doesn't matter as ABTA only applies to package holidays and not DIY, the same applies to ATOL.
Hotelopia don't charge for using credit cards and I can highly recommend them if the price is competitive , usually by using codes, cashback sites etc. Approx. 75% of my hotel bookings are made via Hotelopia and I've never ever had a problem, unlike some others I could name

Robby

Thanks Robby, it's the first time I have done a DIY holiday so not sure of which are the best sites to use.
Sequencedancer

sequencdancer,dont forget to use the discount code 31245630 for 11% off,every bit helps

As anyone booked accomodation with WSHtravel, I was booking with hotelopia but winter sunshine holidays are cheaper but not by a lot so which do you recommend.
Thanks Sequencedancer

I used them last year for a fortnight in Lagos on the Algarve. They were fine, they emailed me an accommodation voucher and when I arrived at the apartments it was all booked and they were expecting us.

I had paid a couple of hundred pounds extra for a pool view & was worried that I wouldn't get one & have to make a fuss, but even that was booked correctly.

They are not always the cheapest, but cheapest isn't always the best.

Another good thing with them is if you book a long way in advance you don't have to pay the balance until 4 weeks before you travel making budgeting a bit easier.

I would say with most of these company's though, they are fine till things go wrong, but then customer service can be a bit iffy (premium rate phone lines, staff who haven't a clue etc). But the same could be said of Thomson, First Choice, Thomas Cook, Airtours as well.

Hotelopia are First Choice (now part of TUI) though if it gives you more confidence booking through a 'big name'.

I think either one will be OK. Go for it. I would.

Doe

I've booked accommodation only with Hotelopia, Expedia, Thomson, Olympic & Sunshine.co.uk - all have been done without problems but like most companies, they charge to pay with a credit card (usually 2%).

But, if you pay by debit card - they don't make a charge as a rule.

CwB

Thankyou everyone for your help , I have now booked with Hotelopia as this is my first time doing a DIY holiday I am just hoping everything goes well.

I have now just to book the transfers, I am thinking resorthoppa but can't decide between taxi or shuttle, what puts me off shuttle is that you may have to wait at the airport 1-2 hours before you start your journey to the hotel. Sequencedancer

Well done. It's quite liberating booking your first DIY. Hope everything goes well for you.

Doe

Whats the address of this sequencedancer please?

Definitely search around for resort transfer prices - they really do vary!

I've used HotelClub.net for a transfer at Aswan airport into the resort and it was as cheap as chips - but when I checked it out for Malta, it was massively overpriced as was ResortHoppa and a number of others that came up tops in the search engines.

We eventually found a local company (after checking prices of taxis from the airport and also with our hotel) and we paid €33euro for the return journey with a private taxi. The hotel had quoted €50euro return and ResortHoppa was even higher.

Ask on this forum too, for the country/resort/area you are travelling to - as you may find a local member who can point you in the right direction

CwB

I have partly done DIY with this holiday one in November also. Booked a cruise through a TA to get the discount. NZ/OZ booked flights through Trailfinders with Singapore Airlines. Booked a stopover package with S/Airlines and booked a Hotel in NZ direct with Crowne Plaza as this was the best price. This is for NOV/DEC/JAN yes I am away for over 8 weeks
Today completed my booking with a further cruise in August in the Med. Again booked the cruise through my TA flights out to Venice with Jet2 and flight back from Barcelona with Jet2 flights quite expensive as this is high season but a lot cheaper than the Cruise Company and we had to go via Heathrow.
Booked the Hotel through Travel Republic (first time but the best price by a long shot) 2 rooms in Venice at the Westin hotel on the Grand Canal.
Hope all goes to plan.

Sue

For discount with wintersunshine:-

Go to their website:- http://www.wshtravel.com/

Click on sign in (at the top left). Under Travel Agents type username htmember. Password htmember. Then click 'Continue Shopping' this takes you back to the home page where you can enter your search.