The Great Hunt: Last-second holiday tips

Former_MSE_Rebecca · 7 August 2014 at 11:02AM

Summer's in full swing and if you've already been away - what tips would you offer those yet to jet off? From getting your cash early, downloading tourist guides and checking your documents are in date, we're looking for your top tips and tricks on all things holiday-related.

Click 'reply' below to share your tips. If you haven’t already, join the forum to reply. If you aren’t sure how it all works, watch our New to Forum? Intro Guide..

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Sharon87 · 13 August 2014 at 11:11AM

If driving abroad and you have a smart phone get navfree and download maps before you go so you don't use expensive data.
Also if you want excess insurance for car rental buy it before you get there. I had a weeks rental in uk and it cost me £17 in total but if I got it on the day it would have been £17 a day!
Also inform your bank, phone provider you're going away.

hairypitz · 13 August 2014 at 12:24PM

I've just spent 2 weeks in Poland, visiting Gdansk, Poznan, Warsaw and Wraclow. I'd really recommend it for a cheap and great holiday.

Flights from Ryanair or other low-cost carrier - cheap
Staying at Ibis/ Campanile hotels or nice hostels - cheap
Travelling from one place to another by train - cheap
Great downloadable travel guides "In Your Pocket" - free
Beer from 4zl - cheap and delicious

It's all very straightforward to organise and a really nice and safe place to travel.

:beer:

hollydays · 13 August 2014 at 6:11PM

Check exactly where your airport is. Don't take the travel agents transfers. If there are four of you it may well be an awful lot cheaper to get a taxi.
It's not unknown for people to be charged thirty euros or more each in a shared bus when the hotel is just five minutes away . Use tripadviser to check this.

Don't use teletext / truly travel unless you want to be ripped off.

DomRavioli · 13 August 2014 at 10:41PM

Get advice before you go - there's plenty of info on sites such as trip advisor, here on this board and even tourist websites.

I rarely get transfers unless they are free (sometimes they are!) - Was quoted £225 for 7 adults and a toddler for the 3km from Zante airport to Kalamaki. Worked out at 13 euros per taxi, far cheaper than the quote.

Also, take your own snacks! People think you can't take food through security. Home bargains is your friend for that, and super cheap branded suncreams. I also use the kids suncream spray which is green so I know I'm fully covered (burned toes are NOT FUN).

And if you must eat at the airport, I usually opt for Burger King, a Boots Meal Deal or somewhere like that.

Former_MSE_Andrea · 14 August 2014 at 2:10PM

Thanks everyone, keep them coming

CockneyBrum · 20 August 2014 at 4:58PM

For Salou/Reus in Spain I would definitely avoid using appalling Ryanair PlusAirportline transfer service from Reus airport. You'd think that as being the official Ryanair airport transfer provider, they would be at least slightly on the ball, but in our experience last Easter, they were far from that.

There were no signs at all when we exited the airport upon arrival at Reus Airport, zero mention of where to go/what to do in the documents they emailed us and they were clueless about what time and when we were being picked up from the hotel for the return journey.

I emailed them almost daily to ask what time was the pick-up and they didn't know. In the end, they turned up at the hotel TWO HOURS earlier than even the time they recommended on their own website. Their driver even had the cheek to complain to me that we weren't ready! Good job we were, otherwise we would have missed it. This meant a wasted several hours of doing nothing at the airport for our flight home.

Avoid them at all costs and use the local bus - Bus Plana - which was great and cheap too.

gloriouslyhappy · 21 August 2014 at 8:41AM

Terravision bus transfers - booking flights to Pisa for Florence with Ryanair, we were offered private transfers through the Ryanair website at £168 per person - googled Pisa airbus and found Terravision from Pisa airport to Florence main railway station, ten minutes walk from our hotel, for 19Euros return for BOTH of us!!
They do many of the Uk and European airports, I recommend you check them out first before making any arrangements: http://www.terravision.eu/

worried_jim · 21 August 2014 at 9:45AM

I always take Sterling and change money when in resort as can get 10%+ more when in resort than the best rates in UK. For instance MSE is advertising 348 TL as best rate today in the side bar but can get 3.68TL to the £ from Garanti bank in Turkey.

The Great Hunt: Last-second holiday tips

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