A few months ago I decided to take the plunge and book a holiday from scratch myself, no travel agents. Was it difficult, where there any problems???????
I booked the flights with easyjet flying from Glasgow, booked the Fuengirola Beach Hotel. The only problem I could see was getting from Malaga airport to the hotel. I am naturally cautious so was a bit worried how I would cope with this. As it turned out everything was fine
Flight was fine,the train station within the airport is well signposted and easy to find,. Train fare was only1.9 euro and the train was on time,clean,and gotdirect to Fuengirola witin 35 minutes. The train also goes to Benamadena and Torremolinas. There was a taxi rank outside the train station which is in the centre of Fuengirola and te taxi ride to Fuengirola Beach hotel, which is on the outskirts of Fuengirola was only 7 Euros. Thereturn journey was just as easy and smooth.
I would therefore recommend people who are thinking of a DIY holiday just go for it. It really is that easy
As for the holiday, the Fuengirola Beach hotel is an excellent hotel/self catering place. Rooms are clean, fairly large inside, and the balconies are huge. The room we had faced onto a fairly busy road leading to the main N340 road so sligtly noisy. The balcony however had the sun all day.
The hotel was fairly quiet, it is an exclusive First Choice hotel. There is entertainment every day and night and some of the acts are a bit amatuerish, the reps doing a rock and roll show. Plenty of effort and endeavour, but some folk enjoyed them. There are about 180 rooms in the hotel and most nights you were lucky if 60 people were in the bar for the entetainment. There is a kids disco betwen 830 and 9.15 followed by bingo followed by the nights entertainment until about 11.30, the bar opens until 2am
The walk into Fuengirola, the centre of it takes around 25 minutes. Once you leave the hotel you have to walk under the busy main road via an underpass. Its a little on the dark side. Some folk previouly have suggested that you should not go under the underpass but try and cross themain road, can I suggest hat you do not attempt to cross te main road. It is very busy and the cars are travelling very fast.
There is a huge shopping centre withina 2 minute walk of the hotel with a huge supermarket selling everything from carrotts to washing machines
There are plenty of restaurants and bars in Fuengirola and the whole resort is very British. There seemed to be a lot of ex pats there and many on long term holiday, eg 6 weeks and plenty of more mature people
Fuengirola is very flat and has a lovely prom to walk along
A few negative points but nothing too major. There are plenty of touts who will try and get you to go to their places, suprise suprise when they give you a scratch card you have won a major prize. Yeah right.
There are also armies of young black ment selling you anything from sunglasses watches bags and they approach you as you are having drinks or having a meal. On one occasion within a 30 minute period we were approached by 18 guys selling their stuff
All in all a great holiday and I would recommend the hotel and if you are going on your holiday forget the travel agent and book it yourself.
Stewart
We always DIY with holidays, have done so for the last 10 years nearly.
If you require an alternative to the train ,which as you say is very good, there is a company that we used http://www.skybusspain.com. They quote you a return price from airport to hotel/villa etc very reasonable rates and an excelent service door to door no messing around in a very comfortable air-con Merc with English or bi-lingual drivers
If you require an alternative to the train ,which as you say is very good, there is a company that we used http://www.skybusspain.com. They quote you a return price from airport to hotel/villa etc very reasonable rates and an excelent service door to door no messing around in a very comfortable air-con Merc with English or bi-lingual drivers
Now that I have done this once i will certainly be doing a DIY holiday again.
With the charges, commission that travel agents charge I am surpised that more people do not DIY. I think as people learn that it can be very simple we will see more and more people going DIY. The internet to book cheap hotels and cheap flights certainly has made things easier
Stewart
With the charges, commission that travel agents charge I am surpised that more people do not DIY. I think as people learn that it can be very simple we will see more and more people going DIY. The internet to book cheap hotels and cheap flights certainly has made things easier
Stewart
Many thanks Stewart for your interesting post. 
Just one quick point on the "looky lookys", I know that they are coming around a lot but it makes me sick when people are rude to them. A polite "No, gracias" is all it needs and off they toddle.
They have often made a very long, dangerous and difficult journey from their home countries in the hope of getting work in Spain to send home to their poverty stricken families.
They have often made a very long, dangerous and difficult journey from their home countries in the hope of getting work in Spain to send home to their poverty stricken families.
In my opinion a polite "no gracias" 99% never sees them toddling off!!!
Fact is no one knows how they got into Spain or what else they are selling to fund themselves!
If you've ever been to Ibiza you'll know what I mean about them often selling other things!
Fact is no one knows how they got into Spain or what else they are selling to fund themselves!
If you've ever been to Ibiza you'll know what I mean about them often selling other things!
Evn though we asked constantly by the "looky lookys" I must admit that a quick shake of the head or now as always sufficient.
I tend to go to Turkey for most of my holidays and the hassle you get there with people asking you into their restaurants or shops is much much worse. But again normally a polite no is usually sufficient.
I noticed that in Fuengirola there was no hassle from restaurant staff tryin to get you to go to thier restaurants. Maybe in the summer its diferent
Stewart
I tend to go to Turkey for most of my holidays and the hassle you get there with people asking you into their restaurants or shops is much much worse. But again normally a polite no is usually sufficient.
I noticed that in Fuengirola there was no hassle from restaurant staff tryin to get you to go to thier restaurants. Maybe in the summer its diferent
Stewart
An interesting point about these people is that they aren`t allowed inside bars and restaurants with their goods. If they are spotted by the police the bar owner can be fined €2000.
Never been pulled by restaurant staff in thirty odd years of visiting Fuengirola Chivas. Now Benalmadena is a different story. You can`t walk along the Santa Ana prom without being accosted.......
They may not be allowed in the restaurants or bars but they were in all the bars and restaurants that I visited. A few rstaurants had signs up saying no "looky lookys.
I was never approached whilst I was walking along the streets. Maybe in the summer it will be a different story
Stewart
I was never approached whilst I was walking along the streets. Maybe in the summer it will be a different story
Stewart
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