Internet facilities whilst on holiday
Discussion
Hi all,
It's been a few years since we last went on a family holiday - mainly due to work commitments. I have recently been looking at various holiday packages (mainly through websites like First-choice, Thomson etc), but i can't seem to find much info on internet facilities. I *strongly* need to be able to take my laptop (Macbook) on holiday to access my business, e-mail (hotmail) etc. I can't afford to be stuck in some hotel with no internet. Has anyone else come across any problems whilst abroad? Or is it just as easy as being back home? Please forgive me if this a numptie question, i'm not very technically savvy
We will probably be going Spain, Greek islands etc, and stopping in a 4-5 star hotel.
Thanks all
It's been a few years since we last went on a family holiday - mainly due to work commitments. I have recently been looking at various holiday packages (mainly through websites like First-choice, Thomson etc), but i can't seem to find much info on internet facilities. I *strongly* need to be able to take my laptop (Macbook) on holiday to access my business, e-mail (hotmail) etc. I can't afford to be stuck in some hotel with no internet. Has anyone else come across any problems whilst abroad? Or is it just as easy as being back home? Please forgive me if this a numptie question, i'm not very technically savvy
We will probably be going Spain, Greek islands etc, and stopping in a 4-5 star hotel.
Thanks all
Great question - been there, worried about that etc!
If the hotel advertises wi-fi, you should be fine. Many places charge for it extra and it's not always available in the rooms. Some also have a data line in the room but you'll need a cable.
FWIW, for the sake of not fretting whilst away, I take my Blackberry and turn the data roaming on periodically if wi-fi not available. Last time I was away in France for a week, extra on my bill was only £50 and that included calls. When I get hacked off with it, I just turn it off!
I remind myself we managed fine before email and mobile 'phones!
If the hotel advertises wi-fi, you should be fine. Many places charge for it extra and it's not always available in the rooms. Some also have a data line in the room but you'll need a cable.
FWIW, for the sake of not fretting whilst away, I take my Blackberry and turn the data roaming on periodically if wi-fi not available. Last time I was away in France for a week, extra on my bill was only £50 and that included calls. When I get hacked off with it, I just turn it off!
I remind myself we managed fine before email and mobile 'phones!
I have much the same problem as you in terms of needing to keep abreast of work when I'm away. We have always however rented villas rather than stay in hotels - it's cheaper, the accommodation better and you've obviously got your own pool, privacy, etc. Most importantly, the majority of villas now have free wi-fi.
We use sites such as villarenters or ownersdirect.
It can be a bit of a faff sorting out your own villa and flights, but an hour or two on the net normally sorts it for me.
We use sites such as villarenters or ownersdirect.
It can be a bit of a faff sorting out your own villa and flights, but an hour or two on the net normally sorts it for me.
Do you work for yourself or someone else?
If yourself... buy a local SIM to stick in your Blackberry, or whatever kind of smartphone you have. You could even use this to 'tether' to your laptop. Or buy a local 3G 'dongle' - they're very cheap on PAYG in most EU countries now.
If you work for someone else... switch the phone off. The world won't stop just because you've taken a week off. (and I used to be one of the worst for keeping my business Blackberry with me on holiday. I learned that things don't stop when you're away when I had my heart attack.)
If yourself... buy a local SIM to stick in your Blackberry, or whatever kind of smartphone you have. You could even use this to 'tether' to your laptop. Or buy a local 3G 'dongle' - they're very cheap on PAYG in most EU countries now.
If you work for someone else... switch the phone off. The world won't stop just because you've taken a week off. (and I used to be one of the worst for keeping my business Blackberry with me on holiday. I learned that things don't stop when you're away when I had my heart attack.)
Spain is probably your best bet (don't know about Greece). If the seaside towns along the Costa Blanca North (Calpe, Moraira, Javea, Denia) are representative of Spain as a whole, you should have no trouble finding a bar/cafe with free WiFi for customers. Four or five years ago, I had to search for them; now it seems like every other bar/cafe is offering free WiFi.
It's becoming more common in rented holiday accommodation, as well. Most of our recent holidays have been in places with internet access - even an Andalucian finca miles from the nearest village had a WiMAX connection (Iberbanda) for phone and internet.
It's becoming more common in rented holiday accommodation, as well. Most of our recent holidays have been in places with internet access - even an Andalucian finca miles from the nearest village had a WiMAX connection (Iberbanda) for phone and internet.
I have a villa on the algarve and have installed free wifi for renters, free internet is gradually becoming a service that is expected, in line with a decent english based TV service. You may find that there a bars and coffee shops that offer free wifi in the more popular holiday destinations around europe.
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