Hi Byrron & welcome to the forums 👍

It would help if you could tell us a little about what you like to do on holiday & what's important for you to ensure you have the best time possible.

We always book a car for our holidays separately. We like to be able to get out & about the area we are visiting, & to be able to do it at our own pace.

I'm sure we'll be able to help with some ideas etc once we know what your preferences are 👍

Both Tenerife of Gran Canaria are good place. If you like to eat out and try different things then rent a car and explore.

One thing I would do when renting a car is to ensure that you get the right excess insurance in case you have an accident and do not buy it from the rental car company as it costs a fortune.

Gran Canaria has good summer weather. I haven't been yet but I am off on Friday till Tuesday( OH runnung the marathon)
Another place to try is Barbados. You would get a little bit of rain but we have been there several summers and seen very little. We have never had a full day of rain. It is hurricane season but it has been many decades since Barbados suffered one. ( Other Caribbean islands have more rain and a much higher chance of a hurricane) As its a bit off season you will get better prices. I wouldn't go for AI, I find it is actually cheaper going room only and there are some super restaurants.

Already been to the Caribbean area so would to try a different completely area

How do you go about getting separate excess insurance for a rented car on holiday please?

Go here.

https://www.icarhireinsurance.com

A policy for a year in Europe is about £40. Don't take out the hire companies as it is something daft lime £5 per day!

We had a bump in Spain Hertz charged my card the excess which was £1200, got home submitted a claim under the insurance above and they paid us back.

The policy is underwritten by Zurich I think but the hire companies make big bucks with you taking out their policies as opposed to actually taking out a proper car excess policy.

Have a read of the above site.

Hi Byron Is this a couples holiday or for a family? Have you got a budget in mind? Are you thinking Europe or further afield?

Hi Byrron,
DIY: You have to be lucky to get good flight prices if doing a DIY holiday.
People tend to book their flights early in the year (if having a summer holiday) to get the best deals (which are few and far between)
You then have to search for accommodation.
DIY holidays give you more flexibility with flight times, holiday duration. Most (not all) accommodation will include air conditioning and safe in room to put your valuables in. They can also include transfer from and back to the airport.
**Make sure you take out a good insurance policy. I hear so many stories of people who's flights were cancelled and lost their money and had to book yet more flights**

Package: Flights, accommodation and transfers included.
Main Tour Operators are TUI, Jet2, Thomas Cook, On the beach.

I tend to book package holidays with the main tour operators because of convenience and these tour operators are ABTA bonded.

There are many smaller tour operators out there in broadband land. Don't be tempted by cheap deals.
Rule of thumb. if the price looks too good to be true. Then it usually is.

Where to go: Well this all depends what you want from a holiday. Who is going with you, when, for how long, budget. (stick to it) Do you want All Inclusive (AI) Bed & Breakfast (B&B) or Self Catering (SC)???

The smaller the property, the better personal service you get. Big AI hotels you are just a room number.

You did mention about how to pay for your holiday. Most of the big tour operators you pay a deposit per person, then the balance 6/8 weeks before departure. If you book last minute, then the full holiday cost is payable when booking.
Thomas Cook have various payment methods, including paying monthly by direct debit.

Let us know what you want from your holiday and then we will be able to help you more.

You can pick London as there are many festivals and events happen at the time of summer. You can pick any of the hotels in Central London where many of the hotels offer great deals at this time. For your comfort, you can rent a car there according to your budget. I think this is the best place to spend your birthday.