What's the cheapest holiday you've ever been on?
Discussion
(In response to the other thread)
For me it would have to be one of my Egypt trips.
Had a week booked off work and nothing planned.
2 days before it started popped into travel agents in town (couldn't be faffed trying to book online, this was 2010)
"What do you have available for a week going Friday?"
Went through a list of options, settled on a 'hotel allocated on arrival at airport' for 'somewhere in or near Hurghada'
Got on transfer coach. Two-ish hrs later pulled up at a brand new, five star resort in Marsa Alam. Brand new as in, had opened to guests on the Monday just gone.
Amazing food and drink. BEAUTIFUL suite with it's own little private pool out front. All inclusive. Mid May. amazing weather
Total cost: £150 (hotel, flights, transfers)
Paid an extra £15 for an amazing massage on site and purchased 2000 Marlboro for the sum total of £80 (only slightly more than the allowed allowance returning to the UK but....)
Spent more than the total on a dinner for the Mrs and me recently!
For me it would have to be one of my Egypt trips.
Had a week booked off work and nothing planned.
2 days before it started popped into travel agents in town (couldn't be faffed trying to book online, this was 2010)
"What do you have available for a week going Friday?"
Went through a list of options, settled on a 'hotel allocated on arrival at airport' for 'somewhere in or near Hurghada'
Got on transfer coach. Two-ish hrs later pulled up at a brand new, five star resort in Marsa Alam. Brand new as in, had opened to guests on the Monday just gone.
Amazing food and drink. BEAUTIFUL suite with it's own little private pool out front. All inclusive. Mid May. amazing weather
Total cost: £150 (hotel, flights, transfers)
Paid an extra £15 for an amazing massage on site and purchased 2000 Marlboro for the sum total of £80 (only slightly more than the allowed allowance returning to the UK but....)
Spent more than the total on a dinner for the Mrs and me recently!
In Egypt right now, 4th time this year, but it ain't that cheap anymore lol.
Still very good value though.
Cheapest ever, Portugal many years ago, very cheap flight, no accommodation booked, bus from airport to Albuferia.
Asked around, me and a mate, ended up in a family home with a fantastic couple, shared room, as 2 female reps were in the other .
The wife's comment about having a good night the first morning led to guilty thoughts lol, no need, they were didn't care. Nothing was too much trouble.
The cost was 4 quid a night, every bit of clothing was washed and ironed daily, left on the bed, couple of great bbq,s in the garden, and as he worked for the council , got free entry to water parks.
Going out with them meant drinks and food were half tourist prices back then, true here in Egypt too, was out with locals last night.
The week in terms of travel and accommodation costs was 99 quid for flight and 28 quid accommodation.
Went back to them many times.
Still very good value though.
Cheapest ever, Portugal many years ago, very cheap flight, no accommodation booked, bus from airport to Albuferia.
Asked around, me and a mate, ended up in a family home with a fantastic couple, shared room, as 2 female reps were in the other .
The wife's comment about having a good night the first morning led to guilty thoughts lol, no need, they were didn't care. Nothing was too much trouble.
The cost was 4 quid a night, every bit of clothing was washed and ironed daily, left on the bed, couple of great bbq,s in the garden, and as he worked for the council , got free entry to water parks.
Going out with them meant drinks and food were half tourist prices back then, true here in Egypt too, was out with locals last night.
The week in terms of travel and accommodation costs was 99 quid for flight and 28 quid accommodation.
Went back to them many times.
Used to book holidays on Teletext holidays when I was lte teens/early 20s with a mate, usually to Ibiza or somewhere similar.
Accommodation on arrival, usually the worst flight times ever and it would be £200 for a week per person but we didn’t care because it was somewhere to collapse when we were drunk.
Accommodation on arrival, usually the worst flight times ever and it would be £200 for a week per person but we didn’t care because it was somewhere to collapse when we were drunk.
Simular to the OP
About the same are 2010/11 ish.
Both had the week before xmas off.
Was out doing some shopping on a wednesday evening and see Alocation in arrival from £119 in the agents window.
Popped in, paid £127 each and flew to Tenerrife on the saturday..
Also had some cheep weeks to the canaries in the easyjet 99p / £6.99 etc flight era when it was plus tax. All in around £60 return each. Add less then £100 for a week accom.
About the same are 2010/11 ish.
Both had the week before xmas off.
Was out doing some shopping on a wednesday evening and see Alocation in arrival from £119 in the agents window.
Popped in, paid £127 each and flew to Tenerrife on the saturday..
Also had some cheep weeks to the canaries in the easyjet 99p / £6.99 etc flight era when it was plus tax. All in around £60 return each. Add less then £100 for a week accom.
In terms of the journey, £9 flights from Stansted to Marseilles with my then girlfriend, about 10 years ago. Plus a few pounds on night buses from her place in Walthamstow. To actually achieve the advertised air fare, we accepted Ryanair's random seat allocation (i.e. not together), and took only hand luggage (hot place, so clothes are small). I don't remember anything about the hotel - probably also fairly cheap.
valiant said:
Accommodation allocated on arrival
Christ, I remember those. Total lottery and enough to get your arse puckering when the coach stops at something a bit questionable before driving on to your hotel.
I kinda still do it, often, book a flight or drive somewhere and see where we end up. Christ, I remember those. Total lottery and enough to get your arse puckering when the coach stops at something a bit questionable before driving on to your hotel.
Bulgaria about 15 years ago, landing at 1am was a tester lol, as was travelling along the Black Sea coast looking for accommodation in some places.
Taxi driver took us to his friend's hotel, a big house, that first night, 20 euros for bed, breakfast, dinner, and drink as much as you like from the bar, room had separate bedroom, sitting room, bathroom and satellite TV , oh and aircon. That was the price for two of us.
Stayed 3 nights.
Solzopol was a great place to stay, towards the Turkish border.
Just over £200 for a week's food and accommodation for 4 at Butlins. That's 60 meals, 5 nights in something that's not a caravan and plenty of free activities.
Many on here would scoff but we've had 3 or 4 great weeks there before the kids were school age.
Many on here would scoff but we've had 3 or 4 great weeks there before the kids were school age.
Edited by _Rodders_ on Tuesday 21st July 12:15
Back in 2007, I actually managed to get a Ryanair 1p flight when they did them as a promo/special advertising deal thing.
I paid a whole 2 pence for a 1 week trip to Slovenia, that was the full price, no extras, no taxes. (Carry on bag only)
Took me hours going through the website, changing dates etc. to a.) find the 1p flight then b.) find a 1p return within a decent timescale
Had a great time!
Hired a cheap car, found accomodation as we went
Somewhere I'd probably never have visited if it weren't for the flights!
I paid a whole 2 pence for a 1 week trip to Slovenia, that was the full price, no extras, no taxes. (Carry on bag only)
Took me hours going through the website, changing dates etc. to a.) find the 1p flight then b.) find a 1p return within a decent timescale
Had a great time!
Hired a cheap car, found accomodation as we went
Somewhere I'd probably never have visited if it weren't for the flights!
Lowest day to day costs must have been bumming around Slovakia in the mid 1990s (I think?). The economy was still on its arse and that had some pretty depressing effects ... like being chased by a middle aged woman trying to sell us the services of two girls who looked under age. But the food, booze and very basic accommodation was ridiculously cheap.
Example of basic accommodation:
One place we stayed had previously been an up-market country retreat for party officials. Because all good Communists need a bung at the expense of the grateful proletariat. In the post-communist era the hotel had fallen into partial disrepair and was staffed by one bloke who did everything. When we checked in he gave us a key to the room and a lightbulb. The idea was that you moved your lightbulb to wherever you needed light. The obvious shortcoming being that it was pitch dark while you were doing the moving and you then had to try to insert the bulb blind into a dilapidated eastern european light fixture without electrocuting yourself. But it was very, very cheap.
Example of basic accommodation:
One place we stayed had previously been an up-market country retreat for party officials. Because all good Communists need a bung at the expense of the grateful proletariat. In the post-communist era the hotel had fallen into partial disrepair and was staffed by one bloke who did everything. When we checked in he gave us a key to the room and a lightbulb. The idea was that you moved your lightbulb to wherever you needed light. The obvious shortcoming being that it was pitch dark while you were doing the moving and you then had to try to insert the bulb blind into a dilapidated eastern european light fixture without electrocuting yourself. But it was very, very cheap.
Went skiing in 2004 when I was at uni with a house mate, whose brother was a chalet host, free accomodation for a week - half in an empty chalet, other half in the ropey bunk house, breakfast and dinner most days were just "extra leftovers" and lift pass was discounted with skis and boots free. Unfortunately we missed our bus back to Lyon airport and had to get a taxi which added another €100 or so to the cost of the trip. Came to about £300 in total including spending money!
WhiskyDisco said:
30 odd years ago my wife and I sent to Skiathos for a week, self catering with flights and transfers. £99 each.
About 9 years ago we booked a cheapie week there, 250 quid all in up. paid 40 quid extra for a family room, ended up with a 2 bed apartment, rented a scooter and visited every part of the Ireland. Even up those dirt tracks we were told we needed a 4 wheel drive suv for lol. The locals didn't so neither did we. Best Greek island I have visited.
Casablanca in Morocco for a long weekend back in 2003.
£15 return flights including taxes, backpackers digs (basically a shed with bunks) was £3 per night and food. Whole trip cost £58. Flew out on Friday afternoon, flew back in at 4am Monday morning. The parking at Bristol airport was more expensive than the rest combined! Drove direct from work on the Friday after lunch then straight back to work Monday morning.
£15 return flights including taxes, backpackers digs (basically a shed with bunks) was £3 per night and food. Whole trip cost £58. Flew out on Friday afternoon, flew back in at 4am Monday morning. The parking at Bristol airport was more expensive than the rest combined! Drove direct from work on the Friday after lunch then straight back to work Monday morning.
Crete 1997 99 for 10 days B&B in a hotel with my first girlfriend.
Had a right result as next door was a 5 star luxury place and we wandered in on day 1 and sat my the pool, got the whole 10 days there without being questioned and got free drinks all day by the pool, they just thought we had just arrived, we had, but next door in the 2* Hotel
Teletext holidays £99 - bargain!
Had a right result as next door was a 5 star luxury place and we wandered in on day 1 and sat my the pool, got the whole 10 days there without being questioned and got free drinks all day by the pool, they just thought we had just arrived, we had, but next door in the 2* Hotel
Teletext holidays £99 - bargain!
Before Going Places travel agency went bust they used to offer up all sorts of last minute holidays on an online auction basis on their own website.
I managed to bag a couple of deals to travel a couple of days later for peanuts in 2002/2003. I recall one deal was from EMA to Tenerife and was only £48 and change for 2 people for a week room only in Las Americas including flights. Did a similar but marginally more expensive one to Gran Canaria too later that year.
Certainly not the cheapest but probably my best ever 'deal' was in 2005, Kuoni were running a BOGOF deal on a lot of resorts so I booked the Maldives for my then GFs 21st birthday - it flew from Gatwick with Monarch (IIRC) non-stop to Male, boat transfers to the Island (Velassaru - although it was named differently at the time) and was for a beach bungalow - again Room Only basis for a week. IIRC that was about £650 total cost for the 'package'. It was technically out of season, the island was silent, there was only 5 other guests on the whole island that week and the weather was perfect.
I managed to bag a couple of deals to travel a couple of days later for peanuts in 2002/2003. I recall one deal was from EMA to Tenerife and was only £48 and change for 2 people for a week room only in Las Americas including flights. Did a similar but marginally more expensive one to Gran Canaria too later that year.
Certainly not the cheapest but probably my best ever 'deal' was in 2005, Kuoni were running a BOGOF deal on a lot of resorts so I booked the Maldives for my then GFs 21st birthday - it flew from Gatwick with Monarch (IIRC) non-stop to Male, boat transfers to the Island (Velassaru - although it was named differently at the time) and was for a beach bungalow - again Room Only basis for a week. IIRC that was about £650 total cost for the 'package'. It was technically out of season, the island was silent, there was only 5 other guests on the whole island that week and the weather was perfect.
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