Uk coach holidays

Kinnie

Can anyone recommend a good company. Hubby doesn’t fancy driving far anymore and we thought we’d try a coach holiday in uk

reading trip advisor. On leger and shearings not brilliant . Plus we’re both tall so need the legroom if we’re just sitting.
 We’re Manchester so would like a few hours travelling but not 7+
thanks

infj

Are there local companies in Manchester that do this? There are certainly a couple in South Wales so should imagine a large city like Manchester will have some.
Be warned though that pick ups can take forever......
So sometimes it is better to find out where the companies main pickup points are and drive there to get on coach.
Local pickups can turn an hour journey into two hours or more

twopenny

Do Blake's do anything near you?
A lot of my neighbours use them and enjoy the holiday.
Castles of Wales sounded nice to me.

Legroom may be a problem as one can sit in the aisle seat and drop legs. I've seen that done. But both?

Just adjust your expectations. Hotels booked for coach parties are ok but food is average as are the rooms. Dinner is served for everyone at the same time with a limited menu.

You do have to clock watch on outings, pay attention to where the pick up is.
You are limited to where they choose as a trip out, you don't have time for a taxi, bus to explore as you may not be able to get back in time should anything be delayed.
Adjust and it's fine considering everything is organised for you.

kitty1941

If you fancy going to Scotland, I would recommend 'Lochs and Glens'. 

sheramber

Are there any day trips from Manchester that you could try first to see if you like them, before signing up for a week etc.?

heatherw_01

Haven't used them personally but Shearings is very popular and have been going a long time.

https://www.shearings.com/coach-holidays/uk

p00hsticks

heatherw_01 said:

Haven't used them personally but Shearings is very popular and have been going a long time.

https://www.shearings.com/coach-holidays/uk

OP says that they have discounted Leger and Shearings due to poor reviews on Tripadvisor.

martindow

p00hsticks said:

heatherw_01 said:

Haven't used them personally but Shearings is very popular and have been going a long time.

https://www.shearings.com/coach-holidays/uk

OP says that they have discounted Leger and Shearings due to poor reviews on Tripadvisor.

A big company will always have some poor reviews nad as many people only leave reviews if they with to complain it can look alarming as you read through them.  The idea of a day trip to see how you find the leg room is a good idea and then try to get recommendations form friends and family to guide you.

For me the main issue would be the regimented nature of coach trips having to be back by fixed times etc. which will be a shock after the freedom of driving yourself around.

Savvy_Sue

My parents did a few, I have a feeling I did one with mum, but it's so long ago that any memories are unlikely to help. 

What I do remember mum saying is that there could be a lot of packing and unpacking, so choose carefully. Not so bad if you go for one where there's 3-4 nights in each hotel, but moving on each day got tedious. Fairly sure I'd organise my clothes in daily packs, and grab and go, but that means everything must be non-crease, and the pre-trip packing could take a while to sort out. 

I think too that the expectation was that they would carry their own cases in and out each time. 

The coaches may well have a toilet on board, which may mean toilet stops may be infrequent. I am still haunted by memories of using one on a National Express coach some years ago, and of toilet stops on long coach trips - 30 ladies hitting the loos at a motorway service station leaves little time for a cuppa. 

I'd definitely try some day trips first. But I never have been a 'good' coach traveller. I'm much happier on a train, where you can get up and walk around if you need to, and the loos are much bigger - and not as close to where people are sitting!

Grumpelstiltskin

Where I live there are 4 or 5 local ( within 20 miles ) coach tour firms. One of them has a expensive version with fewer seats, more leg room etc, but it is expensive.

Another has always 5 star reviews, I have tried it and it is a very personal service going further than the large firms. 

The one problem with them is they are so good they have a regular group of customers who have gone on their tours for years and I found they tended to stick together ignoring any new customers ( BTW I only got a seat by putting my name on a waiting list and someone dying leaving a seat )

Savvy_Sue

twopenny said:

Just adjust your expectations. Hotels booked for coach parties are ok but food is average as are the rooms. Dinner is served for everyone at the same time with a limited menu.

I'm on an organised hotel weekend right now. I think it's the meals that would put me off a longer coach holiday. All sitting down at the same time, maybe even at the same table with the same people. The food is good, but it's a choice of 3 starters, 3 mains, 3 puddings. And I struggle to hear conversation, so I'm better on a small table.