The brief
Meet the Taylors. They’re a family with three children looking to take a two-week break during the 2009 summer holidays. They’ve left it late to book because they didn’t know if their jobs were safe.
They want:
- An all-inclusive resort
- A price tag of no more than £6,000
- Lots of sports facilities
- Kids’ clubs suitable for Geraldine, seven, and Ian, four
- Childcare options for the evening
- A range of dining options included in the price
They would like somewhere with plenty of sunshine that is either a short- or mid-haul flight away. They’re not too bothered about getting out of the resort.
Option one: Hotel Orquidea, Gran Canaria
The agent: Caroline Metcalf, assistant manager, Hays Travel, Stanley, County Durham.
Experience: 15 years
Her choice: Four-star Hotel Orquidea, Gran Canaria, Spain.
Flights: Direct Thomson flight from Gatwick.
What’s included:
- 14 nights all-inclusive in a family suite.
- Food and drink, which includes buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner, snacks, afternoon tea, soft drinks, alcoholic drinks (locally produced spirits, beer and wines).
- Kidzone and Family Club Xtra Collection, which offers: Super Kidzone kids’ club and drop-in den for two hours, six days a week, including at least three evenings a week, evening parties, miracle playgrounds, kids’ buffet, stage academy, soccer school and swimming lessons.
- Activities, including volleyball, water polo, tennis, five-a-side football, video games, pool, windsurfing, sports and wellness centre, spa, beauty treatments, table tennis, darts, bowls and scuba diving lesson in hotel pool.
- Pre-booked seats and in-flight meals.
- 20kg luggage per person.
Essential info: All passengers must have valid passports.
Caroline says:“I chose this package for the Taylors because it suits their needs. It has loads of sports and activities and fantastic kids’ clubs, which they can attend three evenings a week, so the parents can have time on their own. There is also a good choice of meals and dining options.
“I found this holiday by searching through the brochures, as there are not many all-inclusive hotels that will sleep five in one room, offer excellent sports facilities and kids’ clubs with evening options.
“It was within budget, with a saving of £510. I also checked Gazetteers.com and TripAdvisor for more information. I included in-flight meals and pre-booked seats in the quote.”
Total cost: £4,478
Option two: Holiday Village Red Sea, Sharm el-Sheikh
The agent: Jeanette Penman, manager, First Choice, Luton.
Experience: 15 years
Her choice: First Choice’s five-star Holiday Village Red Sea, Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.
Flights: From Gatwick.
What’s included?
- 14-nights all-inclusive in two interconnecting rooms with either a terrace or balcony.
- All-inclusive is buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner, one visit per family to each of the four à la carte restaurants per week, unlimited afternoon tea, ice cream and popcorn, soft drinks and local brand alcoholic drinks (including beer, wine, spirits and cocktails) from 10am to midnight.
- Kids’ club is for three to 15-year-olds, and includes workshops such as DJing and raft-making and a football academy. There’s an evening club from 7pm-11pm so parents can spend some evening alone.
- Activities include snorkelling, table tennis and six pools with water slides.
Jeanette says: “After I read the clients’ brief, requirements and budget, I immediately thought of the First Choice Holiday Villages. The customer feedback we get on these is positive – they are second to none in terms of personal recommendations.
It has a good range of facilities and restaurants, spacious rooms, beachfront locations and a wonderful relaxed atmosphere. I chose Sharm el-Sheikh for its dependable weather and because it was next to some of the world’s best dive sites, if they want to try something different and special. There is no need to get visas as long as they don’t leave the Sharm area, and vaccinations are not necessary.”
Total cost: £5,267
Option three: Mukarnas Spa Resort, Alanya
The agent: David Hoyle, homeworker with Future Travel.
Experience: 26 years
His choice: Five-star Mukarnas Spa Resort, Alanya, Turkey.
Flights: Thomas Cook Airlines flight from Bristol to Antalya.
What’s included?
- 14 nights all-inclusive in a family room with satellite TV, wi-fi access and air-conditioning. Towels are changed daily.
- All-inclusive includes buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus three à la carte restaurants for dinner (Turkish, Italian and Chinese), cold drinks, international alcoholic drinks available from 10am until 2.30am and a soft drinks mini-bar.
- Mini-club for four- to 12-year-olds.
- Activities include four swimming pools, aqua park with water slides, bowling, billiards, cinema, Atari games, darts, aerobics, boccia, tennis, table tennis, beach soccer, gym, step and dancing, disco, and internet cafe.
- Return flights, with in-flight meal and pre-booked seats.
- 20kg per person baggage allowance, plus 5kg per person hand luggage.
- Return private vehicle transfers from Antalya airport to Alanya.
David says: “The first requirement was to find a destination with accommodation suitable for a large family. Then, it was a case of checking to ensure all of the boxes are ticked regarding the requirements set by the family.
Given that the family said they didn’t want the hassle of leaving the complex and were going for two weeks, a large complex would be suitable for them to give them maximum options in terms of entertainment for the duration.
The complex I recommended for this family was used by a regular client of mine in August 2008. The client has two children of similar ages to those in the family we were looking for. He was fussy, but fair, and intends to go back next year.
As a bonus, this hotel has a beachfront location. The cost left spare money from the budget to cover babysitting charges, which were payable locally.
Also available at extra charge are the spa, beauty treatments and water sports, if the family decides to spend the extra cash they had budgeted for this break.
Total cost: £5,195
The verdict
All the contestants excelled themselves, providing three fantastic holiday options well within budget. Caroline and Jeanette both found hotels with evening childcare, but David provided private transfers, a bewildering range of activities and fantastic dining facilities.
Research was thorough, with David choosing to go with word-of-mouth recommendations, Jeanette with customer feedback and Caroline with online reviews. There’s less than a gnat’s whisker between them; if Travel Weekly was forced to choose, the gong would go to Caroline for her fantastic value option, which came in at more than £1,500 under budget.
