Holidays alone

Leigh1473

Please forgive if this question has been asked once too often. I am a single (nearly 50) woman. And going on holiday by myself just seems to be a nightmare. Im either offered the choice of going with other single groups or people, or being shoved in a tiny single bedroon with a single bed (why when im an adult is beyond me). Or I can share a double room with a complete stranger, or I pay a hefty single supplement.
All I want, is to do some travelling by myself, to please myself. Any suggestions or experiances would be so very welcome.

Dunroamin

You would probably be better to look at travellig independently rather than as part of a package - that way you can prioritise your requirements.

richardw

Yes a DIY holiday could be the answer.

cockaleekee

I normally DIY, but thought I would search Thomas Cook to see what late deals they had available. As soon as I changed two adults to one, a thousand results disappeared. I'll be sticking to DIY!

Where are you looking at visiting? Tripadvisor is useful for hotel reviews, and Skyscanner for comparing flight prices.

mart.vader

If you book independently, i.e. not via a travel agent, and not a package holiday, you avoid the single person supplements. Just buy the flight and sort out the accommodation when you arrive. This has risks, like finding there is a convention or something, in town, and hotel rooms are at a premium. But it has advantages, in most cities, some hotels will "do a deal" and would rather have one person in the room, than an empty room.

Long ago, when I looked at package holidays, I saw one at £299 per person. (for two people travelling to Mexico, I think it was Thomas Cook Direct) By the time the supplement was added on, TCD worked out that it would have come to £803 for me to travel alone. It would have been £205 cheaper, to invent someone, pay for them, and throw away their air-ticket. Then it would have only cost £598.

cockaleekee

mart.vader wrote: »

If you book independently, i.e. not via a travel agent, and not a package holiday, you avoid the single person supplements. Just buy the flight and sort out the accommodation when you arrive. This has risks, like finding there is a convention or something, in town, and hotel rooms are at a premium. But it has advantages, in most cities, some hotels will "do a deal" and would rather have one person in the room, than an empty room.

Given that it is the OP's first holiday alone, I would recommend booking a hotel before travelling. A holiday is supposed to be relaxing, searching around for decent accommodation is not relaxing!

Leigh1473

cockaleekee wrote: »

I normally DIY, but thought I would search Thomas Cook to see what late deals they had available. As soon as I changed two adults to one, a thousand results disappeared. I'll be sticking to DIY!

Where are you looking at visiting? Tripadvisor is useful for hotel reviews, and Skyscanner for comparing flight prices.

Thanks for the reccomendation, Im not even worried about where I travel too, happy for an adventure to somewhere new. Will check your reco's thanks.

Doshwaster

As others have said, you need to go DIY and book independently. Most package holidays are designed for couples and families. They aren't interested in singles at all.

There are specialist singles holiday companies but I've never used them as I much prefer doing my own thing rather than being thrown together with a bunch of strangers.

I've been going on holiday alone for years and have never paid a single-person supplement. Just book the flight and hotel separately or you can get some good value flight+hotel deals from places like Expedia, Alpharooms or the airlines themselves.

Next weekend I'm off for a 3 night break to Prague booked through BA (they had a city break sale on recently)

Leigh1473

Many thanks for all your replies. Weird there isnt more choice for the single traveler, considering the amount of people that are single now-a-days.

poppy_f1

i've done the DIY and packages - think it depends on where your going and how adventerous you feel
egypt i dont a diy type package with travel republic and a package with thomsons mainly for the safety aspect

europe i have done all DIY a usually work out a bit cheaper

Doshwaster

Leigh1473 wrote: »

Many thanks for all your replies. Weird there isnt more choice for the single traveler, considering the amount of people that are single now-a-days.

There is a huge, almost infinite, amount of choice for a single traveller. You can go where you want and do what you want - it's just that you probably won't be able to book it through Thomas Cook. The package holiday companies are fine if you are 2 adults + 2 kids and want to go Spain for 2 weeks All Inclusive but they are next to useless for anything more complicated or personalised such as multi-centre itineraries.

It's the people who will only book a package holiday that have the limited choices not us DIY-ers. Independent travel gives you the freedom to book exactly what you want, you aren't limited to the selection of hotels in the brochure and it's easy to travel around stopping at different places. In some destinations such as Thailand, hardly anyone is on a package holiday.