Lapland

poe.tuesday

link to link to link - not everyone will go to all the links and see where the supermarkets are and it is a very important factor where a supermarket is when booking a self catering holiday

personally, I would not go to salla self catering

FluffyFiFi

Nicholajp wrote: »

Hi all, thank you for all your feedback. We are 90% sure that we will be heading to Lapland, probably 1st week of January with our 8 year old, soon to be 9, daughter. Very excited. Just so hard trying to hang on for a bargain. Looking every day. Best price I have so far for the 3 of us is; £709 self catering, 7 nights, departing 3rd January - should I, shouldn't I, is the question???? Best HB hotel price I have is £1500, which is over double. Would if we self catered with a few meals out, spend £800? I don't think we would, do you?

Oh, were do you get all your warm layers from? Did you buy ski wear? I have been looking on ebay for ski jackets etc has anyone bought their outfits this way?


Thank you soooo much,
Nichola

I bought most of my things from TKMax, they were pretty cheap and we could try things on. As I am quite small I bought my ski jacket from the children's range and it only cost me £10. All our boots were from there as well, the thermal underwear we bought from M&S.

Avalon_Fantasy

I`m sorry, but seriously, if one has never been to a place, doesnt really know anyone that has, or even very much about about a place what is the most obvious thing to do?
Research
This is helped thank goodness by the internet these days, and quite honestly if one doesnt do proper research one is destined to fall flat on ones face and not have the holiday one would like or even expect for the money paid and this includes spending money needlessly.

One cannot expect to be spoon-fed by companies, unfortunatly many people do expect this.

As it is, the information is out there should any one choose to look, and I would think that if someone is using a forum, that has links then its a fair chance that they would be capeable of clicking links to help themselves have a good holiday and to better choose if the place is correct for them.

There is also the assumption that there may be no car hire, if there is a car to be hired then 10 killometres is hardly going to kill one?

On the many trips over to Lapland that I have made, I have done both, been with and without a car, and that does make a difference of course, as does good transportation links should you chose to opt out of driving.

Of course..the last resort and quite frankly something that should be used more than it is ..is the following:
Finnish Embassy
38 Chesham Place
London SW1X 8HW
Tel. +44-20-7838 6200

They are really quite nice in the embassy, and can be oddly helpful.

As a last comment I would say this, over the years of travel around the globe I have overheard, witnessed ect ect a vast amount of people that expect everything done for them, and then find themselves irate because the holiday was not what they thought.
It is also true that travel companies have also misled people for many years, watchdog a show most people know have done article after article about such complaints and problems.

So the conclusion is this surely.. suffer the time of checking some few and not exactly arduous links, ask on forums, call up an embassy, check sites that have real travellors writing about their experience.. read what people are saying.. some whinge for no reason whatsover... in fact on an aside I was on a cruise some months back and one person was griping about how the towels had not been shaped into swans and how this had ruined her holiday. how Unbelievable is that?.. any way back to finish this comment.. you will come up with a far better holiday thats suits you.

Do none of these things, sit back and moan about a travel company not coming up with the goods* as it were and you then discover that you have made errors.

I`m off to Delhi in a couple of weeks time, I have looked at site after site, checked all manner of things, done google maps and had a chuckle, checked what people have said about the hotel, seen candid pictures supposedly of the same and I suspect I know more now than I did when I booked the trip.
I did exactly the same when I went to Japan last year despite going with Jaltours.

Take the time to do such things..its certainly easier than it was years ago.

inspector_monkfish

Avalon_Fantasy wrote: »

I`m sorry, but seriously, if one has never been to a place, doesnt really know anyone that has, or even very much about about a place what is the most obvious thing to do?
Research
This is helped thank goodness by the internet these days, and quite honestly if one doesnt do proper research one is destined to fall flat on ones face and not have the holiday one would like or even expect for the money paid and this includes spending money needlessly.

One cannot expect to be spoon-fed by companies, unfortunatly many people do expect this.

As it is, the information is out there should any one choose to look, and I would think that if someone is using a forum, that has links then its a fair chance that they would be capeable of clicking links to help themselves have a good holiday and to better choose if the place is correct for them.

There is also the assumption that there may be no car hire, if there is a car to be hired then 10 killometres is hardly going to kill one?

On the many trips over to Lapland that I have made, I have done both, been with and without a car, and that does make a difference of course, as does good transportation links should you chose to opt out of driving.

Of course..the last resort and quite frankly something that should be used more than it is ..is the following:
Finnish Embassy
38 Chesham Place
London SW1X 8HW
Tel. +44-20-7838 6200

They are really quite nice in the embassy, and can be oddly helpful.

As a last comment I would say this, over the years of travel around the globe I have overheard, witnessed ect ect a vast amount of people that expect everything done for them, and then find themselves irate because the holiday was not what they thought.
It is also true that travel companies have also misled people for many years, watchdog a show most people know have done article after article about such complaints and problems.

So the conclusion is this surely.. suffer the time of checking some few and not exactly arduous links, ask on forums, call up an embassy, check sites that have real travellors writing about their experience.. read what people are saying.. some whinge for no reason whatsover... in fact on an aside I was on a cruise some months back and one person was griping about how the towels had not been shaped into swans and how this had ruined her holiday. how Unbelievable is that?.. any way back to finish this comment.. you will come up with a far better holiday thats suits you.

Do none of these things, sit back and moan about a travel company not coming up with the goods* as it were and you then discover that you have made errors.

I`m off to Delhi in a couple of weeks time, I have looked at site after site, checked all manner of things, done google maps and had a chuckle, checked what people have said about the hotel, seen candid pictures supposedly of the same and I suspect I know more now than I did when I booked the trip.
I did exactly the same when I went to Japan last year despite going with Jaltours.

Take the time to do such things..its certainly easier than it was years ago.

Thanks for the tips.
So wish I had as much time on my hands as your goodself

poe.tuesday

Personally, when I am choosing a holiday I would expect consistancy in what the travel agent is telling me, for all the resorts barr Salla they inform you of what is available as regards to supermarkets and do not mention this in the Salla review, this they know is an issue and rather than saying upfront that there is no supermarket they hid the fact - as for being spoon fed - I am not asking for this, I do however expect to be given as much info as possible from the travel agents so that I can make a decission espeically when I am going to spend several thousands of pounds

as regards to car hire not killing anyone, no it may not kill anyone but given the cost of car hire in finland it is something that some people would have to budget in advance for so therefore it is vital that the travel agents tell you that you will need additional funding to get to the supermarket should you pick the self catering option

I do agree with you that the internet is a wonderful place and that people should research where they are going etc but I personally prefer to give as much info to those who are seeking advice rather than send them to a variety of links where they have to sift through them all just to get their queries answered, if I can answer them , I will, maybe I just like spoon feeding ......

Avalon_Fantasy

inspector monkfish
L... hmm I wish re time, its a lucky break in fact, I`m in the middle of three weddings and finishing off some last minute film work so am at the computer a lot at the moment sending images back and forth to my clients, if you look up my bio you`l note that I`m a designer, so often times I`m online speaking or emailing clients around the globe, hence the *appearance* of having time on my hands.. I also type dead quick..L

Any way I`l close now as I`m certain anyone going to any far or near flung places has the ability to use sence and resources..
Enjoy your holidays where ever and when ever they are...
Looking forward to my trip to Delhi ...the silk.. gold & silver thread and oh so many sparkly things.
TTFN

inspector_monkfish

looks like some good offers on here....

you have to scroll down

http://www.santaslapland.com/Specials.aspx

what do you all think?

poe.tuesday

looks a much better price monky - esprit also have good reviews - personally I would recommend the saariselka one, it's really far north and the snow is falling lots there at the mo - it's a lovely small town

it's a personal choice as to which hotel - they are close together, the holiday club has got a pool and it is very central but the other hotel I think has some nice views - you will need to look into them both with more detail.

so - are you going to book?

inspector_monkfish

poe.tuesday wrote: »

looks a much better price monky - esprit also have good reviews - personally I would recommend the saariselka one, it's really far north and the snow is falling lots there at the mo - it's a lovely small town

it's a personal choice as to which hotel - they are close together, the holiday club has got a pool and it is very central but the other hotel I think has some nice views - you will need to look into them both with more detail.

so - are you going to book?

hope so

just waiting for the nod from my younger daughter's doctor
she's not been too well this year, in and out of hospital, (this is hopefully going to be a treat for her after a cr a py year) so need the ok from the Doc to say its fine for her to go
another reason why we can't really go for too long unfortunately

poe.tuesday

good luck and I hope everything turns out well - let me know if you book then I can bore you with what to do, where to go etc