Hi LFF, Sara and I go through the same sort of process... we have a main holiday in the Caribbean in Nov/Dec each year (which we book in January)... sometimes we manage to get a week away in the summer... we NEVER go anywhere without doing some "homework" ( on this site if poss, or another site) and yes, we get the cheapest internet price available and ask our agent to match or better it..

We've been using the same TA for the last eight years.. they know that when we go in that we mean business and that 99 times out of a hundred we'll be making a booking... they also know our "loves and hates", the extras that are a "must" and know that we will have done our homework!!

In this day and age it beggars belief that some people can come back from a holiday and complain about such things as "there was no beach" or "the hotel was miles away from anywhere" - you should have sussed that before going!!!

Also, we have a number of hotels/resorts that we "keep an eye on" - places that we have thought about going to before but for one reason or another are presently getting awful reviews...

ATB,J.

LFF like you we do alot of research first and then take in the web price to the travel agents. We have used the same one for nine years now and never had a single cause to complain at all

We already have Ibiza booked for October of this year and last Sunday we returned from a lovely AI hotel in Torremilinos So much so that we went on Monday and booked to go back in Febraury 2012.

Oh my goodness. It takes us hours upon hours, days upon days and weeks upon weeks We do exactly the same as you, but not always in the same order. It also depends if it's just hubby and I, or if we're going with others. It's a thoroughly enjoyable process, even though I'm often left pulling my hair out, when we've more or else decided and hubby says "what about------", and it'll be somewhere that we've never discussed He does it every time, so I should be used to it by now. Favourite at the moment for next year is possibly Croatia - but I wouldn't put money on it

Ooh I have to do loads of research- apart from making sure I get what I want it's really exciting too. I haven't used a Travel agent for years and research, price and book it all on-line. Don't even need to look in the brochure as it's all on the web. I do sometimes get a brochure after I've booked just so I can look at our hotel and show it to people

More often than not we do SC or B&B in Europe as we like the independence it gives. Why book AI if you're going to be out and about a lot imo it's not worth it. We do occasionally go AI long haul but wouldn't like that every year.

Greek islands are my fave summer destination and anywhere with a chance of sunshine for spring. On my shortlist for next year are kefalonia, Rhodes, Corfu (again) or if I fancy long haul, probably Cuba.

I am another researcher too , both on country, Area, Pricing etc looking at one site then another and look at reviews but ignore the daft reviews the ones that complain about no english beer etc - then when I have done all the research which can take a few weeks I then get the best price, I love all this process the finding the information out beforehand.

Even after I have booked I still look at the Hotel, Cruise or what ever I have booked everynow and again before I go, just to tease myself

Hi all.

Wow sounds like you are all similar to me!!! I love doing the research, infact thats the most exciting bit, oh and booking the holiday at the travel agent. I love to see all the places that we can visit that are within our budget. I do try to not go to places we have already been to, although sometimes its these places and hotels that come within our budget so we have revisted some places twice. This year we are making a 2nd visit to cyprus (different resort to last time) and making a 1st visit to kos which i cant wait to go. Next year however, i just havent a clue, although italy, crete,zante, and cuba are on the list so far. By the time we come to book the holiday i will feel frazzled But satisfied that i have done as much as i can to ensure we have a memorable holiday.

Lily x

I look on Thomas Cook and Thomsons website every day to destinations I am interested in and if anything seems to be a good deal I go to the Travel agents the next day and book it after looking at the reviews and Google earth
I always get them to match the price.
I am paying less for my holidays in relative terms than I did 20 years ago.
My wings were clipped after having problems getting Travel Insurance for anywhere out of Europe but I am pleased that Turkey,Tunisia and Egypt are still classed as Europe with my insurance company.

Thanks all for replying. Its interesting to read how we all decide on our holiday destinations. I guess come april/may time this year we will all be researching like mad ready to book our hols for next year-i know i will!!!

So until then we can all look forward to this years holidays

LFF. x

I do all the research in our house...that is my department. We both sort of have a wish list which is now different to what it used to be since the kids have stopped holidaying with us...before it was always one of the Canary Islands or Egypt was about the furthest we flew with them but since it became just the 2 of us, we have ventured a little further.

We usually have an Egyptian holiday once a year purely for the diving..but we dont go hotel based any more and do Liveaboards with the same company so very little research is needed for that. Malta/Gozo is another favourite..but we go DIY on that so I usually just spend ages trawling for the cheapest flights..

but we try to have a new destination in between and it is them that take up the most research. I will spend hours and hours trolling over web sites looking for reviews and bargains, what there is to do etc before we end up booking.We choose destinations based on the history, the culture, activity/adventure and a whole host of other things including cost. We are not really drop and flop people. This years biggie took me weeks to sort before we eventually got some help from a friend of ours who works for Thomsons. I spent ages trying to get flights etc...but there were so many things to organise and so many variations we wanted that I couldnt quite pull it off..so we fly to LA, have 2 days in Hollywood, then from there we fly to NZ and have 2 weeks staying with my family in Christchurch (if it is still standing!) and touring NZ beofre flying to Sydney, Australia and then onto Hong Kong another couple of days before flying home....now you can see why it took so long to research and organise!

Don't know what I am going to do without anything to organise for a while.....I need to start looking at a new holiday desination!!

I do all the research and booking as my husband is never that interested as long as there is diving for a beach holiday and the hotel is good.

I used to book as soon as prices came out for our main holiday , even to the point of having the following years booked before we had taken this years.I always knew exactly where I wanted to go and to which hotel that i had spent 2 years researching .

I'm getting a bit more laid back now . We take a few city breaks inbetween so that takes up research time too. For some reason I get more enjoyment out of choosing and booking those now.
Our children are no longer children and at 20,18 and 14 I'm very fortunate that they still want to come with us in the summer .I can't get them to commit that far ahead what with girlfriends and lads holidays playing a part in their planing and I've not long ago booked for this summer .A record for me . My eldest sons girlfriend came with us last year to cuba and she is this year to mexico too. We only got away with it this year because My son was saving for a car and she know's she wouldnt of got a holiday had they not came with us as we subsidise and dont take the real cost from them .
I'm doubtful she will want another holiday next year with the parents . My middle son is off to Napa on the silly boys holiday and then 3 weeks later he comes away with us .

The real difference in me this year was that I didnt spend huge amounts of time reading , dithering deciding and researching . I found a decent (I hope) hotel at a price we could afford , checked out the reviews and booked .

Dont tell me I'm loosing interest in holidays

lyn

Dont tell me I'm loosing interest in holidays

Nah, never.

Really getting excited about my Easter break now. It'll be here soon

Yep off to lisbon this weekend shirley and then I think it's only another 4/5 weeks before we go to Egypt .

I more or less go to the same coun try every year, as I like the region of italy

And basicly it comes down to money, and then what resort I go to, if goping to cattolica, a great deal of money is not required, but if I go to lido de jeselo, I need to save up

And right now the the Holiday Club through Thomas Cook comes in handy, as I get the holidays at a reduce price, a extra 8% of the normal price

Thomas Cook Holiday Club

Please be-aware, this club is part of my works benefits

hi all

Its nice to nice im not alone in my researching for holidays

Justval-maybe if you are at a loose end now you've booked your big holiday, we could all get you trawling for our holidays!!!!! that would certainly keep you busy for a while

Lynewestie-Its my job to trawl for our holidays too- my hubby says "you choose, you do it so well" so i do all the leg work, show him what ive proudly found just for him to say "i dont fancy any of those places" so the search begins again!!! Our requirements are pretty easy to forfil- preferably 4* at least, (we have gone 3*plus due to budget with no problems luckily)on or near the beach, AI or half board and no more than 1 1/2 hours transfer. I secretly enjoy the research though, i love looking at all the fab hotels and places that we may visit for our holidays. Touch wood we have had fab holidays so the hard work does pay off. Enjoy your break in lisbon.

Joeseptuk-Italy is one of the places on my list that i would like to visit next year so i may be asking your advice when doing my research for next year.

Many thanks for replying,

Lily. x

I research it an awful lot too. Although I am not as bad as I was. We too are thinking about 2012 due to school hols. For me its quite easy, having fallen in love with the Greek Islands I just need to pick the next one we want to go to and try and find a bargain in the type of hotel we like

My problem is usually which of the greek islands to try next or visit again

Our requirements are pretty easy to forfil- preferably 4* at least, (we have gone 3*plus due to budget with no problems luckily

You see the star rating isn't important to me. All it tells you is if the facilities are basic or not. It doesn't necessarily follow that a 2 or 3* is dirty and that a 4*+ is much cleaner. In fact I don't take any notice of the ratings. When in europe we don't want the 6 pools and 6 restaurants that a high rating brings- why pay for all that when we will eat out most of the time, trying out the local cuisine.

My requirements are 1 big pool, clean hotel, good location close to the centre and not too far from the beach and a poolside bar. I use a range of holiday reviews to help me find the above criteria- not star ratings.

totally agree with the above, in fact I tend to find that some of the nicer smaller hotels are the 2 * or 3*. I love 2 * Greek which is basic by most standards as long as the location is good and the hotel is clean.

All we want on our holiday is a bit of sun, clean hotel near to beach/town and a nice looking pool.

Deciding on a holiday depends on....

1 Price - decide what our limit is
2 Narrow it down to two or three hotels within budget
3 Look at flight times - prefer day flights
4 Check out as many reviews as I can
5 Drive OH and family mad with holiday chit chat
6 Book overall winner