singles on holiday

I travel all over the world on my own (I have no friends! ) but have I've never paid a single person supplement. The secret is to avoid package holiday companies, and just book everything direct with the airline and hotel.

Not only do you cut out the middleman and their "supplements" but's it's usually cheaper and you get a far greater choice of hotels and more flexibility on length of stay. Pick a resort out of a holiday brochure and you'll have a handful of hotels to choose from. Book direct and you can stop anywhere you want.

You say there are "no single holiday available at any price". The opposite is actually true - when you are single you can go anywhere you want and you budget can be as much or as little as you want.

Lizzierampling wrote: »

Hi,

As a single older person I usually travel solo. Even when I'm holidaying with friends I prefer a room - and bathroom - of my own. Most holiday deals are based on 2 people sharing or, if there are places for singles, you can end up in a broom cupboard even though you've paid a whacking great single person supplement. Often there are no single holidays available at any price.

I've considered buying a holiday for two and then turning up at the airport/station and saying my companion had had a last minute emergency and couldn't make it.

What would happen?


Best scenario - holiday goes ahead and I get a nice big room with comfy double bed, or

Worst scenario - "my friend" loses all their money and I get charged a single person supplement/get turned away.

Help!

Lizzie.

There was a case on MSE not so long ago of an elderly lady who had booked with a friend. At the last minute the friend was ill and had to cancel but the lady did go. She explained to the hotel that her friend wasn't coming and consequently got charged an extra single person supplement! The explanation was that the hotel had counted on her friend being there and spending money in the bar/restaurant.
Have you ever been away with Explore? For many of their trips you can request a single room (there will be a supplement). Alternatively you might get a single room without any additional charge if the only other single person on the trip has paid for a single room so there is noone to share with! Before you book, you can ask about whether any other singles are on the trip.

torbrex wrote: »

Admittedly, most of my tavels have been to America where you simply pay for the room no matter what so the more that sleep in it the cheaper it is per person.

That's pretty much the case everywhere. Hotels charge per room not per person. There are some hotels in Spain and elsewhere that I have seen offer a discount for "single person occupancy" in a double room but I've never had to pay extra for stopping in a double room as a single person.

I don't quite understand how some people are still under the impression that the only way to have a holiday is to book a package through a travel agent.