Thought id start a new thread about where weve been for hols so we can give an honest view in case anyone is thinking of going.

Please start your reply with where you have been. then add if it was a romantic couples, beer swilling lads / lasses holiday, young family, older family etc. Then an honest appraisal on how it was and the good / bad bits.


Ill start.

Port d'Alcudia - Majorca

Family holiday with 2 and 5 year olds. Duration - 1 week. Stayed in Hotel Alcudia. Hotel was passable, food OK to a point, room was small - twin beds and bunks in one room, small balcony, decor old and stunk of smoke. Air con was good. Hotel only 10 mins from beach. The resort was a mixed bag of brit pubs, bacon and eggs restaurants, tacky souvenirs etc mixed with some nice restaurants (im sure cameron Diaz was serving in one of them - which was nice!!!) and an excellent harbour.

The beach was very good, wide, lots of space and shallow water so quite safe for the kids.
Some entertainment on near harbour on a night but after 2 days we had seen it all and done it. No decent shops anywhere. No old buildings or bits to explore.

The Port area is supposed to be better than the main Alcudia (Belle view - or nicknamed Bellfast by some) so we didnt bother with that.

The old town was nice but half a day is enough.

Porto Pollenca was far nicer so we went there 2 days on the bus (only 3.30 Euros each way for 3 of us - 2 yr old was free).

In summary i wouldnt go back. We like nice towns, bits to explore, nice restaurants, culture and kids fun. Alcudia just isnt it.

[Edited on 21/8/07 by DarrenW]

Calgary, Canada.

Family holiday, 17 son 14 & 12 daughter

Staying at my bosses house while he was on holiday in Scotland.

Weather Fantastic avg 30o

We had the use of ALL the toys at his house - quads, motorcross bikes, bune buggies, also the uses of a selection of cars - Dodge charger 3 x pick up and a Bentley and an Aston Martin.

Would i go back? (studid question)

Hurghada, Egypt

Family hol, lads hol, or couple hol. Caters for all. Not just English holiday makers swarming everywhere. People from all over the world.

Weather - summer - 35-40deg, no rain, mild breeze, 20s at night.

I go stay at my Dads place. Lovely area by the sea. Nice local villages, market and old towns. Locals can be a little overfriendly. Good places to eat, lots of bars, "Ministy of Sound" club and bars.
Awesome sea life for snorkelling or Scuba diving.

Short cheap flights to see Pyramids and day trips organised, also to Luxor to see all the temples.

Everything is cheap out there. Massive steak dinner for a few quid for example. Local beers are decent too and again, cheap. Lots of Russian and Swedish girls if your into that kind of thing.

Would I go back, Yes, just cos its awesome, i have use of a Villa and Dodge Ram lol

[Edited on 21/8/07 by SyKaTurbo]

Just got back from Notre Dame De Monts (in the Vendée France)

Went with Eurocamp independent (own tent) to this site http://www.eurocamp.co.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=Campsites.ResortOverView&ver=1&Mastercode=95
Most campers were French and Dutch with a few more Brits arriving in the second week.

Site was clean and quiet and very near the beach. Good quiet relaxed holiday for us and our young kids, but might be a tad boring for older children. Beach is very close (10min walk through the woods) and empty.

Two highlights were the medieval market in Challans and The Grand Parc Puy du Fou (this is an excellent cross between a theme park and a circus - get there early and spend the whole day to see it all, I'm fairly sure health and safety regulations (for the performers) would never allow this kind of thing in the UK).
http://www.puydufou.com/anglais/Default.htm

Probably wouldn't go to the Vendee again as there isn't much more to see, but will go back to Puy du Fou again one day.

i went with my parents to ostuni in the Puglia region of italy (the heel part) so it was my parents, me (16) and my sister (14)

rented a villa, was brilliant, the walls were over a metre thick and kept the house cool when it was 40 centrigrade outside

it was the least tourist place you could imagine, didnt see a single english person, but i thought is was brilliant, i got a real idea of what the area was like instead of an area specifically made for tourists

beaches were good, locals very friendly willing to put help if you make a mistake in italian

would definatley recomend it

Last year - Sorrento, Italy

not cheap and not very good for young family but a fantastic holiday. Food was great, people very freindly. Port very nice. Views stunning. Amalfi coast was superb. Capri also superb. Would definitely go back to Italy.

Didnt do Pompei or Vesuvious as its not pushchair freindly, a bit disappointed to miss this but a good holiday all the same.



Year before we went to portinax in Ibiza. Very nice resort. Small and quiet but very nice. Wasnt sure what to expect but really enjoyed it. Steps from apartments to beach were a challenge. Apartments didnt have air con so very hot all the time but not bad.


Before we had kids we have done Kitzbuhel in Austria - great holiday but not cheap. We loved Austria. Halkidiki - Greece - wouldnt go back. Also done Faliraki - surprisingly enjoyed it but quite a roudy place. Hotel was rough and out of the way but a better hotel would have made it nicer (wouldnt take the kids there). Never disappointed with the food in any of these places (far better than Alcudia).

[Edited on 21/8/07 by DarrenW]

What hols?

Don't know if this is of any use to you all, but www.tripadvisor.com allows you to read views of well visited hotels and such. Obviously some people only write reviews to complain, but it's nice to know what you are getting.
I have found most of the reviews quite reasonable.
If you want a sun holiday I can recommend any of the Greek islands, you just need to find a quieter/livelier resort depending on your needs.
For skiing, well that depends on your budget.
P.S. Agree with you on kitzbuhel. I love Austria.
P.P.S. Have a look on teletext for last minute deals. My wifes parents had a week in a 5* hotel in Egypt for £150 pp in May. Booked on a Thursday, flew on the Saturday

[Edited on 21/8/07 by clockwork]

Ziller valley - Austria

summer skiing on hintertux glacia everyday, snows sh1t for piste skiing but the freeride park is awesome. Definately worth while going for a ski, then hopping into the valley for sunbathing. French alpes are good too, the snow is just about gone though. Bring on next season!!!

http://www.holidays-uncovered.co.uk/frames.htm

You should find "Hotel Alcudia" 7th down the list after selecting "Mallorca, Alcudia A-A"

Cheers,
Steve

We went to Porto Pollenca a couple of weeks ago for a week which was nice, if a little busy, stayed in the missus's uncles apartment near the marina which was one of 16 with a private pool which my 3yr old son loved, some of the apartments were some locals homes, one family had a swedish 20yr old au-pair who wore nothing but skimpy swim wear, which was nice

The place itself was nice and clean not a huge amount todo, had a trip to the market at old pollenca town.
The water parks etc were all located round Parma/magaluf which meant a long coach ride to go anywhere.

I would go back definalty but not perhaps bang in the middle of peak season.

[Edited on 21/8/07 by Gav]

Breckenridge from there vail A'basin and keystone.
Lovers leap in vail was THE most scary thing i have ever done.
God i can't wait till next year.

Anyone ever been heliskiing i would like to do that but don't know were to go?

NEW ZEALAND
I spent a year in NZ with the wife basicly holidaying. Can't recommend the place enough! We covered most of both islands but enjoyed the South Island the best. NZ has every type of weather so skiing, sunbathing and any sport or exteme sport can be had. People are friendly and welcoming. We contemplated living there.

Norway- sojnfiord region(spelling) beutifull place not much there but is stunning and very relaxing. we had a cabin over looking the fijord.

We have now found the highlands of Scotland which are great as it's a little closer than NZ.
As you can tell we like lakes and mountains an no-one around so the Highlands were the best holiday this year. We did a week in Keswick, Nice but too busy.

Alcudia = SHITE !!!!!

Never again. Maybe a little better than Salou though ? Nope, both shite.

Got married in the Dominican, more chances of me turning up that way. Don't know what she meant

Lovely relaxing holiday, great food, weather etc etc, wrote a quad off the day before I got married () oops.

Florida was cool, Space Mountain was brilliant, my boy insisted we had to keep going back on it. Must keep the kids happy

Saving for a ranch holiday in Texas next - that should be different !

Isle of Man.

nice people
even better roads...

Palma Nova (June & Barcelona (july). Weekend in London to see Metallica.

More to come, off to Benalmidena in September.

Me & the wife abroad for a relaxing sightseeing beer swilling beach lying holiday. Weekend in London for a real beer fest and bust ear drums! All times very good.

The places may seem down market and much like Blackpool in the sun but its how you make it that makes it! If that makes sense.

Being absolutly fed up of package holidays in sh1t hotels we now stay in other peoples holiday homes. For us we end up on a holiday, just as we want it, quiet and relaxing. No fighting for sunbeds or putting up with other people. (and the bloody kids!)

Find your perfect holiday home anywhere in the world here:

http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/

Search for home 3924 as an example. NTDWM by the way. Check the price then how many it sleeps...

We look for the cheapest flights when we want to go then look for a nice apartment. We rarely spend any more than £500 for the two of us.

Cheers,
Steve

BENIDORM OH YES!!!!!!

the old town of benidorm is fantastic with all the old tapas bars and beer for about 1 pound 20

Brittany, France

Just spent a month there, not quite holiday as it was more work on the house we bought last year so I finished putting the floor down, installed two sunpipes, started building walls to create bedrooms/bathroom, cut the grass (we have 8 acres). Even got to the beach a couple of times. Would I recommend it? yes, makes a good change from the usual work and when it is finished I should have a great holiday home

Competa nr. Malaga, 30mls inland up in mountains.
Family Hols, wife 2 teenage sons.
Rented a villa with swimming pool.. beautiful views, nice and quiet.
Hire car trips out to Malaga old town ...nice, Nerja, Torremolinos, Fuengirola.
Some very dodgy mountain roads but very exillerating to drive.!
Excellent time had by all.

Would definitely go back.

Dubai, but not between april and september very very hot and humid. Any other time great.I would recommend the J W Marriott in Dubai. Went to Boston and Chicago in March very very cold (-15) but i thought Boston was excellent and will go back in the warm weather. Trouble with hotels is i get spoiled its 5 star all the way (my wife worked with Marriott) Average cost for a 5 star is £45 a night.

Banff- canada to learn how to ski, very nice, what a nice place to learn how to ski

Florida - kids would love it been about 5 times (does that make me a kid).

vegas,la, hawaii, very nice hoping to go back to vegas in december to watch some bloke from manchester boxing, best bit was helicopter ride into the grand canyon.
mexico - lovely place, nice beaches.

egypt- did not see much as i was diving, great for diving. tip do not book into ocean bay hotels if you are not a diver as the swimming pool is always used by people leaning to dive.

all these holidays taken on my own, so i get stung on the single supplements

would love to do new york but is this just a short stay place like 5 nights,

Germany.

Slap bang in the middle of the Ruhr - the centre of "industrial culture"

Food cheap although heavily biased towards pig related meat produce. Beer and baccy cheap, diesel cheap....

Plenty to see even though it's not on everyones to do list. Visited the Moehnesee dam and whistled the Dambusters march - which annoys meine frau.

Stayed with mother-in-law, which isn't too painful as her lack of English is more than matched by my awful German.

Stayed in Belgium for a few days - Lord, it's dull. Missed the kit car show while I was there being bored out of my mind.

Ian