JIM 2, I always do DIY now, so I get exactlly what I want. As long as I save a little on a package deal I am happy.Peak times are costly but its amazing how much you can save, Majorca is well geared up to the DIY holiday now. CBG

Jim,

I definately think you should be looking at DIY if your going to Majorca (or anywhere else where loads of the budget airlines regularly fly to). We've booked for Santa Ponsa later this year and have saved nearly £150 per person on the brochure price. We'll have to arrange transfers which would most likely have been included in the price of a package deal but I don't mind paying that bit extra to get straight to my accomodation without taking a detour of other resorts whilst dropping off other guests! Theres always loads of promotional codes knocking about on this site that will get you discounts on accomodation with sites such as travel republic and wshtravel which makes DIY an even better option.

Steve

Hi Jim

I have to declare an interest here, because I live in Mallorca, and own a bar here, but I think I can answer this question quite impartially. My wife and I travel back to UK probably 6 or 7 times a year, and we use a variety of Low cost airlines. People are often concerned about the tag "low cost" but in truth it is barely any different to normal Holiday charters, in fact often we travel with late availability flight only with Thomson anyway. The dramas that you see on programmes like "Airport" are extremely rare, and in my opinion are often fabricated to make the programme interesting (how come a guy rushing at the last minute to get on a plane just departing has time to stop and be interviewed by a Camera Crew? ) and I have never had a low cost flight cancelled, suffered only occasional delays, and the only real problem with airlines like Easyjet and Ryanair is that you are not allocated seats before embarking. If this is a problem you can easily solve this by paying a little more for priority boarding which (normally) means you have the run of the plane (unless of course they take you to the plane on a coach, but that is a subject for another thread altogether)

I have never used these "Accomodation Agencies" and have no reason to doubt them, however you would need to ensure they are all bonded in some way, but for me I would always book direct with the Hotel Chain direct, and almost certainly get the best price available. With Solmelia in particular, you do not even pay for your holiday until you arrive, so the risk of losing your deposit, or a Holiday company crashing in non-existent. You can also book all the Thomson Hotels direct, and at times they offer fantastic deals (last October the Hotel Fiesta was 1 pound a night for a 4 person room) which the Holiday Agents will never offer you, because there's nothing in it for them.

The biggest disadvantage is the lack of transfer to the resort, but simply walking to the Taxi Rank at the airport will get you a Taxi to Southern resorts for 40 euros maximum, and if there's more than 4 of you you can prebook Resort Hoppas (or similar) for little more. The other disadvatage (some might say) is the absence of a Holiday Rep. You know, the one who is at the Hotel 1 hour a day (other than on your first day when they want to sell you excursions at exorbitant prices). If you book direct the Hotel staff (who are there 24/7) will normally help with problems, if you come through a Holiday Company, they fob you off to the Holiday Rep.

To me it's a no brainer - book direct everytime. Choice of Hotel, Resort, departure airport, quick transfer to Hotel, day of arrival and departure, and usually a massive saving on cost to boot.

Just my opinion.

Cheers

Adam

Unless we find a really good deal for a package holiday we book diy, you can book a hotel from a ABTA bonded company Travel Republic, On the beach or Holiday rooms direct are a member of the Travel trust association, when you book online you print the details and hand them in at the hotel when you arrive, this can work out cheaper than booking direct with the hotel check the prices with the hotel before booking, you won't miss the holiday rep who tend to be worse than useless, the hotel staff are normally more than happy to point you in the right direction

We always book direct, fed up with being ripped off by Tour Operators who employ kids as reps who in some instances aren't up to the job and charge a fortune for you to holiday in school time.

We go to the east coast of majorca and book through Protour hotels. You can either e:mail them, book through the website or phone the hotels direct (it's not that costly). Make sure you have your travel insurance and to be honest I don't know why people would use a tour operator any more. I know that each year I do DIY, and we go to a friends appt near Valencia on the same basis every year, that I save hundreds of pounds off the tour operators price each time. I always get a hire car which saves the added hassle of the transfer coach and gives us flexibilty in resort to come and go as we please.

I must say up to a few years ago I wasn't happy about the whole DIY experience but once I did it, the driving abroad, dealing with the hotel and the cost saving etc etc it became second nature.

Please have a go, you don't need a rep in resort, if you have a problem you have mobile phones, e:mail and the consulate to help you - don't let the Tour Operators rip you off any longer!!

It depends on what deals are around at the time as to what I book and locations of hotels that are offered.

Write down your deals you find as packages.Then have a look with the low cost airlines for flights.Alpha rooms, apartments abroad, wintersunshine holidays Thomson all have hotel/apartment prices.You can then compare to see if it`s cheaper. I have found unless I book flights straight away or theres a sale on then packages can be as cheap.

If you get stuck give us your dates, which airport, which resort, how many travelling, your budget. Be as flexiable as possible, I`m sure everyone on here loves a challenge and will give you a hand looking.

With 3 kids booking thru' a tour operator is WAAAAAAY too expensive so we bit the bullet in 2005 and booked our first DIY holiday and haven't looked back!

This year we've really excelled ourselves and we're getting away for just over a grand for the 5 of us - that's staying in a hotel B&B for 2 weeks and Jet2 flights! To book a s/c holiday with the tour operators we were looking at £3500+

I was nervous our first year but actually prefer it to going with a tour operator now - we can get to Palma airport way before flight opens so we can check-in first, have our own private transfers so you don't do countless drop-offs - just more relaxed and the fact it's cheaper is the biggest bonus!

Thank you all for your great replys, i will do some digging on the net and see what i can come up with.
One of the things which scares us is the thought of getting over there then finding out we have a problem with the hotel, such as no booking received, or something which will leave us stranded with our daughter.

Please please stop worrying, although we are all human. Get fax or e:mail confirmation, the only problem you will have with your hotel is the holidaymakers who have booked through an operator wondering how you got it so cheap!! lol. Seriously, I have been at the bar talking in the past with people who have been with an operator and the talk always gets round to how much you've paid for the holiday- Guaranteed. Some believe you and some don't but I don't care cause I know I always save money. The sooner that more people bite the bullet and miss out the rip off operators the better. Halleluiah for Ryanair, Jet2, flybe etc etc , hertz and of course the internet!!!

Hi all,

Just to clarify, ALL Thomson only units MUST be booked direct with Thomson. If a hotel (especially the Fresh Fiesta Group) accept a booking Thomson will not honour this. I know this is 100% sure as I work in the Reservations department in Palma.

In addition, Representitive Service is outlined on Thomson.co.uk along with in every brochure as Hotel or Resort Service. Service level depends on the hotel (and indeed what you have paid for) and you should always check this before booking. 100% Thomson hotels (where we have 100% room allocation for a pre-determined period) all have full time Rep service of at least 6 hours daily 5 1/2 days per week as a minimum. Unfortunately, In advertising such a huge bedstock base (range of hotels to choose from) it is clearly not possible to have a Rep service in a hotel where we have no allocation and purely book on an ad hoc basis. Three families in the Trinidad and Thomson are expected to supply a full time on site service? How can this be financially viable? It is a business after all.

Finally, with regard to the comments made regarding excursions. Whilst I accept that some Rep's are very pushy and seem only interested in this (as it means they get paid more!) the vast majority have been on the excursion (part of their training) and can hand on heart tell you what it is like. Yes some excursions where no transport is needed (such as Pirates) are more expensive. However, many people like to keep it all in one basket with the tour operator. They do at least have the option of booking direct if they wish.

I have a lot of friends who are Rep's in South West Resorts and they are hard working and decent people. I realise Goodfellow was not being personally critical but please bear in mind with all big operations Profit is a key driver in staff earning a reasonable living. I have a few friends who have returned to UK over winter merely to survive!

Hi Mallorcamagic

My comments were not meant personally, I know several Reps from several companies, and I know they have a difficult job to do, and are themselves under pressure.

However the initial thread was who does what, and what are the advantages one against the other. I know of dozens of cases where people have grumbled about the lack of Representation in Hotels, or where a very young Rep has fobbed them off without proper "service" This may be partly due to cutbacks, partly due to poor training, or in some cases reps not really interested in their jobs. You must accept that it is a problem, and is in part what has encouraged the boom in DIY holidays.

As regards excursions, it is nearly always cheaper for people in Magalluf to either book direct, or through an Agency for Pirates and the Waterparks, yet they are sold these excursions at the welcome meeting, before they have had a chance to see the better offers available in the resort. However the worst is the "Deal" that the 18-30s get offered in Magalluf. They are told that for 200 euros (maybe more) they will get 7 nights out, two of which will be free bars. Thoses 2 nights of free bar are at Pirates (book direct about 40 euros) and BCM (book direct maybe 25 euros) and the other nights are pub crawls (which as you will know are illegal) where they are herded like sheep to carefully selected bars or clubs who pay the Holiday Company for those people to be taken there, and who first make sure that all the offers that were available before the crowd appear are removed. It is shocking, and the Holiday companies are preventing those kids from being able to look araound the resort and choose from the dozens of Bars and Clubs who have genuine offers.

We're all trying to make a living, but we deserve a level playing field, and I'm afraid that the Holiday Companies deserve all they get, as Holidaymakers choose with their feet how they book their holidays. Taking the view that Profit is the main priority leads to the problems they are now experiencing. If you put quality and value for money first, then normally the profits follow.

I think the figures show that about 50% of people now make their own arrangements, which is a huge change from 4 years ago when it was a figure of only about 25%. I think the writing's on the wall.

Cheers

Adam

PS I didn't say you could book Fiesta direct with the Hotel, I said you could book it through Thomson's website, but that the Travel Agents were not going to offer the 1 pound a night deal to their customers, when they work on commission. If I didn't make that clear I'm sorry.

Please tell me, if you do it the diy way do you book the flights first, or do you book the hotel first, then hope you can get the flights or book the flights then hope you can get the hotel for the flight time dates.

book the flight first,there may only be one on the day you want to travel but there are lots of hotel rooms in most resorts

Hi Goodfellow,

I agree with your comments about the initial "hard sell" at Welcome meetings. This is wholly unfair on the customer. However, people surely have enough common sense to "check the competition ou" before paying out for these excursions??? Surely they have checked out the competition when booking their holiday?

Hi MM

I know where you're coming from, and I'm sure you know what I'm saying. I realise that we all have a living to make, but I do think that charging people a far higher price than they needed to pay causes resentment.

This was not Thomsons, but last year we heard of a single lady with 2 teenage boys, obviously on a tight budget, who paid something approaching 60 euros for an excursion to one of the Water Parks. This obviously included transport. From the Hotel where she was staying she could have walked to the Water Park in less than 10 minutes, and the Water Park in question were doing an offer of 14 euros a head with a free child. In other words she paid 60 euros for something that could have cost 28. She found out, but the Rep would not refund her money, and she was obviously very bitter, and was making a point of telling everyone she met.

That lady is unlikely to travel with that company again, hence my point that it is (in my humble opinion) better to take a longer view, offer them a good deal, and trust that they will come back.

I'll bore you with another brief story.

When we opened our Bar in 2004, we adopted a mission statement of "Treat other people as you would hope to be treated yourself". With this in mind we served all our draught beers - ie Lager, Bitter and Cider in Pint glasses. We were ridiculed by some local bars who use the Spanish "Half litre" Glasses, but we persevered, and included in our advertising that we served proper British Beer in proper Pint glasses. Year on year we've increased our turnover, whilst many other bars have seen there income declining, and this last year nearly every bar in our vicinity serves their beer in Pint Glasses!

There's enough business to go around, but people are not stupid, and unless we all take care of them they will vote with their feet.

Best wishes for the coming season, and next time you're in Magalluf pop in - I'll treat you to a proper pint!

Cheers

Adam

Hello all mates are looking at going to Magulff or Pama Nova in July for 2 weeks around Julu-august time,

they would like to know if you book with travel rep or d.i.y

flying from cardiff,

can any one help with a d.i.y please

i have always done DIY and manage to stay for 4 weeks in Mallorca for only £1200 thats for a family of four and including flights and i have been doign this since 2004 - i find it easier for me as the apartments are alwasy kitted out better and as a family we like to do our thing be it eat in eat out, travel get the local buses, and just generally prefer the smaller apartment blocks rather than a hotel, mind you saying that there are soem nice lilttle hotels in Deia and Soller, and the Sol Melia as Adam says are good as you pay when you get here, but the actual chain of hotels is good, good custiomer service, gooid variety of shows and my son tells me the kids club was cool as well

Mallorca is a beautiful island

Have booked to go to Majorca this year and it will be our 3rd DIY holiday. Once the kid's started getting charged as adults that was it for us and so far touch wood, we have had excellent experiences. Have to say though that I tend to check with airlines what days they fly out out and you can't really go wrong with Majorca as they are on a daily basis and I book the hotel first then wait for the best price to come through for a flight

Shell

We only go DIY now - with 3 kids the tour operators (Thomson included) just make it impossible for you to travel unless you've just won the lottery or have money to burn! A basic s/c holiday with Thomson and the likes would set us back £3500 compared to just £1500 when we've done it DIY.

This year we've excelled ourselves - we've got 2 weeks in a hotel B&B basis and flights with Jet 2 for a just over £1000 - that's almost £2500 less than a holiday with Thomson and the likes!

Having done the package holiday bits I'd agree with Goodfellow - the only time the Reps want to know you is at that welcome meeting when they try to flog you excursions. Our last holiday with Thomson was when our twins were babies and therefore we didn't have to pay for their seats and I'll say this NEVER AGAIN! Our rep and Thomson's Guest Service Manager put paid to any idea I've ever had of travelling with a tour operator again!

The first year we went DIY I was worried sick I'll be honest but I just prefer it now - no waiting on a bus for everyone to get on, no getting off the bus at the airport and dashing to join an already huge queue - everything's so much more laid back and cheaper too!