allocation on arrival - Spain - Balearics - Menorca Discussion Forum, Holiday Forums

allocation on arrival

thiery14

2005-05-31 18:16:07

Hi Hope you can help me out here!

We are hoping to get away to Menorca on the 18th July onwards for 14 days and was hoping to get a late deal. Our budget is aprox £1800 thats for me the wife and our 5 yr old . Anyway we've been having a look to see whats out there and this come up, its a half price Cosmos deal in one of there 4 star hotels on menorca. The catch is they allocate you the hotel on arrival.

I had a look and they have 5 in there Brochure: Cala Galdana, Audax, Sol Gauilanes Club princess playa Hotel, La Quinta and Esmaralda. Had a look on the reviews and all but the Esmaralda seem exellent. My wife phoned up Cosmos and tried it on by saying..."The Esmaralda was a bit dangerous for our little un as the hotel is situated on a Rocky hill" and they said they can request we dont get that one ! But is that just a sales ploy!

So as its a massive saving (£1300) i was going to go with it and take the chance hoping to avoid the Bad one!

So should we hang out for a better deal or take our chances!

discodolly

2005-05-31 19:36:43

hi,
i know quite a lot of people who love the esmerelda hotel , and personally wouldnt class it aa a bad one, also its not really on a rocky hill

.

if you are just going to be allocated to one of those hotels then go for it , if you are willing to take a chance , but be carefull, i used to work for a tour operator and the hotels they use on allocation on arrival is not always in the brochure, so check if the deal is named hotels, otherwise you can be put anywhere so long as it meets the booking criteria

thiery14

2005-05-31 23:28:44

Thanks DD that was a timely reply as we was close to booking! :kiss

I will do as you say and find out! by the way is there any bad 4 Stars on the island?
Re the Esmaralda what i meant was the reviews was not up to scratch with the others!
As you was a T.O. maybe you can awnser this for me? If you was in my shoes should i wait until near the time and then hopefully get a good deal or book up as soon as

?

Thanks again

carolineallen2

2005-06-01 11:58:32

The esmerelda hotel istelf isnt bad at all, its just it isnt in the best of places, and definitely not on a rocky hill!

What price have you been quoted? 1800 is a bit steep for menorca. cosmos do some great lates, and i personally would wait! (ive been to menorca many times, quite a few were with cosmos) and i know from personal experience that their prices do come down for that week, with it being a littlew before the summer break!

Hope this helps!

Caroline & Kirsten :wave

discodolly

2005-06-01 13:01:02

how much is the holiday, i notice you say your budget is 1800 but is that what they are quoting you ?

As for the 4 star hotels , ive not come accross anywhere in menorca where i would say not to go, obviously it is personnal choice and some people will love them and others would hate them, but i wouldnt class any of them as knightmare hotels like you sometimes see on the telly. If you are booking a 4 star minimum late deal then you cant really go wrong.

as for whether to book or to wait , there is no right answer, myself i would book as soon as the holiday i want is available. you can wait but prices of the holidays do go up as well as down, and as you are almost in peak season with july18th, there is a good chance that the flight or holiday you want can get booked up. But other people will say to wait as the price might come down.

thiery14

2005-06-01 17:54:15

Hi Thanks for your kind replys!
The price of the Holiday is £1392 compared to £2558! Just been speaking to the Tel sales Girl and she said "All the hotels that are allocated are all in the brochure and your 99% certain that you'll get the Hotel you request..And could even get a 5 star"!

Sounds good i may book it but before i do can you awnser this for me? As we dont really want the Esma or a Hotel in Mahon! What we would really like is a Hotel on the beach

i know thats asking a lot for that price! :roll:

What do you think the chances are of giving a back hander (£50) to the Rep on arrival? :wink

so as to get the one we want?

Dolly as you worked for a T.O. , you must know some good ways of getting the arrival Rep to give you your Hotel of your choice! Any Hints? :kiss

discodolly

2005-06-01 19:32:12

sorry no chance of a back hander, all allocation on arrivals are handled by the reservations departments in the local office and will be designated before you have arrived, very difficult to change when you get to the airport as the hotels will already be advised for your arrival.

also dont listen too much to the travel agent at the end of the day they are there to make commision on the holidays ythey sell, and can say anything(i used to work in one and have heard some of the stories.) We never had requests of hotels with allocation on arrival, so it really is luck of the draw no matter what they are telling you.

thiery14

2005-06-02 16:23:45

...So they are saying "you'll get a 4 star Hotel thats in our Brochure and 99% that we are likely to get our Hotel f choice?" Shall i take that with a pinch of salt too!

carolineallen2

2005-06-02 16:31:08

I would mate, its all about securing the booking, and earning the comission. We had a week in menorca, the first week of the school hols last year for about 160 each, (allocation on arrival self catering) and got a lucky upgrade at mahon airport for 140 euros between me and my daughter to the esmerelda.

have you considered going self catering? i can highly recommend the park and lago gardens in cala n bosch, theyre a cosmos property with kids clubs etc.. and the option of upgrading to half board when you get there - the food is good too, and they are in a great location!

Caroline & Kirsten :wave

paulinafortune

2005-06-06 13:29:42

I've just booked one of these 4D deals

Hi,
I've just booked one of these 4D Cosmos AOA hot offers to Menorca, and I'd really be interested if anyone has been on one of these. I'd like to know if you got a hotel that was in the brochure?
Thanks.
Paulina.

carolineallen2

2005-06-06 13:37:08

to be honest with you there arent many 4* all inclusive hotels in menorca so im sure it will be one of the featured ones!

Hope you have a great trip!

Caroline & Kirsten :wave

hunnibee101

2005-06-12 11:35:10

Hi there!
Sorry to butt in! :oops:

I've just seen your messages and the ex tour operator is right...they will say anything to get you to buy!!
On the other hand, when I was young we went to Tenerife on a last minute allocation on arrival and arrived in the Golf Del Sur which was basically a stunning hotel but on a golf curse with nothing anywhere..after a day my mum complained to the rep as there was NOTHING for me and my sister to do and we were moved to another hotel, ok it wasn't as nice as the 1st, but it was fab for us as a family holiday..in Playa De Las Americas, so bear that in mind if you do end up somewhere your not happy with!
Good luck & have a fab trip..wherever you end up!!

ndshelton

2005-06-12 13:01:35

We went to the esmeralda last year and are going again this year.We loved the hotel but it is a 3* not a 4* and it is allinclusive.

Nicole

carolineallen2

2005-06-12 20:05:55

It is always worth asking for a move if the hotel doesnt meet your needs, but the tour operators consider the ages etc.. of your party when choosing your accomodation, and do their best to find something suitable in the first place. Secondly, depending on the time of year that you go, there is always the possibility that no other accomodation of the same rating you are currently staying in will be available if you do decide you would prefer a move, so you may be liable to pay a supplement for a highter standard of accomodation. Any transfer costs that you incur will usually also be down to you. Sometimes its not as simple as moving on if you dont like the accomodation!

Suffice to say, you should be ok in Menorca, as i in my opinion there isnt a 'bad' resort on the island, just some that are more isolated and have less to occupy the younger members of your party.

Caroline & Kirsten :wave

discodolly

2005-06-12 20:29:00

i agree with caroline, there isnt really a bad resort on menorca, everyone is different but lovely in its own way.

the tour operators dont look at the ages though when allocating rooms, as most of the time on the booking lists you cannot see the ages.

carolineallen2

2005-06-13 09:00:26

I have to disagree to a point about not looking at the ages, everytime i have booked an allocation on arrival, i end up at one with kids clubs, and the rest of the bus who have done the same end up somewhere else!! (not just in menorca)

The only draw back to booking allocation on arrival for me, is that i usually put my little un through as an adult, (with being a single parent) as it saves me on the under occupancy if there is one applicable with it being a late - but they do try to make their money back somewhere! Luckily she is low maintenace, pool and snorkel suffices!!

would trust any allocation on arrival to menorca whole heartedly!

Caroline & Kirsten :wave

cathrynjamie

2005-06-23 12:28:50

Hi

We went AOA in june a couple of years ago with first choice, we paid 800 pounds for 2 adults and 2 kids and when we arrived they put us in a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom villa with a private pool in cala'n bosch. I was panicking on the coach from the airport incase the put us somewhere awful, i honestly couldnt believe my luck. We are returning this year to a villa in cala'n blanes, but are paying a lot more this time! lol
I think with these AOA it can be just luck of the draw.

ginger2000

2005-06-29 08:27:47

you have probably booked by now, but we have just booked a thomson price breaker going on the 15th July. The choice of 3 hotels is good, nice daytime flights from local airport, half board, £365 each.
I have not been to Menorca since i was a child, and am really looking forward to a relaxing break

paulinafortune

2005-07-09 13:43:07

Just got back after booking AOA

Hi,

Further to my earlier post. We booked with Cosmos a 4D Hot Offer Half Board allocated on arrival. We paid £290 each for a week - which I thought was good value.

We flew from Bristol and ended up in the Princesa Playa in Cala En Bosc. It was a good hotel, in a nice location and the food was great! Very happy that we took a leap of faith.

Kind regards,
Paulina.

Paula Wickins

2005-07-09 21:15:58

We always book with http://www.eclipsedirect.co.uk. We always get such a good deal. You can't seem to beat their prices.

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