Mediterranean All Inclusive for September
Discussion
We went to Rhodes for an adults only last year in mid sept.
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g117554...
Genuinely excellent. Fully all inclusive, great service, no kids, and some stuff to do on the island nearby if you do get bored.
Even had a champagne lounge, (inclusive but 3 glasses max per night).
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g117554...
Genuinely excellent. Fully all inclusive, great service, no kids, and some stuff to do on the island nearby if you do get bored.
Even had a champagne lounge, (inclusive but 3 glasses max per night).
We stayed at the San Antonio hotel & Spa Malta last week. https://www.dbhotelsresorts.com/en 5 nights sea view for two £950.
It’s a big place, got everything you can think of, we found the staff and service very good. 5 restaurants, Bars, outdoor and indoor pool, roof top pool and restaurant for adults. you can eat and drink all day if you want.
It’s a big place, got everything you can think of, we found the staff and service very good. 5 restaurants, Bars, outdoor and indoor pool, roof top pool and restaurant for adults. you can eat and drink all day if you want.
Edited by Old Merc on Wednesday 7th May 06:43
I'd say East side of Cyprus, so Protoras/Paralimni/Ayia Napa area. Best beaches in Europe (Fig Tree Bay, Nissi), and good value unless the prices have rocketed since we were there last year. We have a week in Aphrodite Hills outside Paphos in early June so will report back on eating/drinking prices.
Our usual choice of the Olympic Lagoon properties have gone up in price a bit, still finding other options that far more reasonable however. If you can stretch to it the Olympic Lagoon hotels are beautiful - lots to do, great service and restaurants onsite.
Our usual choice of the Olympic Lagoon properties have gone up in price a bit, still finding other options that far more reasonable however. If you can stretch to it the Olympic Lagoon hotels are beautiful - lots to do, great service and restaurants onsite.
Cyprus is nice, and the Ikos resorts generally come out near the top of people's recomendations.
However, the challenge we have found is that Ikos is rather expensive, and once you've seen what they offer, very little else compares favourably in the Med.
I think this is because the staff costs in Spain / Greece / Cyprus etc mean that they only way they can achieve the standard is by charging a lot for the product. i.e. there are very few good deals to be had on AI in the Med. You either get a not-very-good AI at a reasonable cost, or it's very expensive....It kinda has to be this way if you are paying your waiters €30K+ per year.
The last few years we've done 5* AI in Turkey - specifically the Belek area where the hotels are pretty decent and there are a range of options all the way to Ikos standard. The key difference being that the average wage in Turkey is much lower than in Europe (like 5 times lower), so they can staff up to proper 5* standard.
(Of course, Turkey isn't to everyone's taste, but if you are planning on beach plus AI plus (in my case a bit of early morning golf), then it is pretty hard to beat.......)
However, the challenge we have found is that Ikos is rather expensive, and once you've seen what they offer, very little else compares favourably in the Med.
I think this is because the staff costs in Spain / Greece / Cyprus etc mean that they only way they can achieve the standard is by charging a lot for the product. i.e. there are very few good deals to be had on AI in the Med. You either get a not-very-good AI at a reasonable cost, or it's very expensive....It kinda has to be this way if you are paying your waiters €30K+ per year.
The last few years we've done 5* AI in Turkey - specifically the Belek area where the hotels are pretty decent and there are a range of options all the way to Ikos standard. The key difference being that the average wage in Turkey is much lower than in Europe (like 5 times lower), so they can staff up to proper 5* standard.
(Of course, Turkey isn't to everyone's taste, but if you are planning on beach plus AI plus (in my case a bit of early morning golf), then it is pretty hard to beat.......)
Martin4356111 said:
Avoid Cyprus as much as it pains me to say it.
Have lived here for 8 of the last 10 years and seen a noticeable rise in prices of both hotels and flights. Eating out is on a par with the UK and drinks are fairly reasonably priced depending where you go.
Writing this from the Radisson Beach hotel in Larnaca. Been here for two weeks on a work project and last week spent the week on the North side. This is my 32nd trip since 2016 on various projects. Have lived here for 8 of the last 10 years and seen a noticeable rise in prices of both hotels and flights. Eating out is on a par with the UK and drinks are fairly reasonably priced depending where you go.
The subject of costs was only being talked about int the office this morning. The increase is truly shocking. Particularly in the north which until a few years ago was around 30% less than the south. There's barely any difference today. And as you say, it's similar to UK pricing.
The north has been hit by the valuation in the Lira and also Turkey is no longer subsidising Tourism there.
Hotel charging €6 for a bottle of Keo. Supermarket over the road is doing a roaring trade selling the same bottle for €1.50 to guests!
Still a wonderful country though!
Thanks for the recs chaps, probably going to avoid AI given the costs now for anything that isn't crap- quite fancy Crete! I've been out to Greece half a dozen times, including sailing around the Ionian and Cyclades island chains + spent time on the mainland but never Crete. I can already taste the spanakopita and Mythos 
Gastons_Revenge said:
I'm not usually the one for an all inclusive holiday, but after going away on active city breaks the last few years I just want a proper switch off holiday somewhere warm with a beach & cheap beer! Where's the best for this after the summer rush is over in September nowadays?
Does it have to be the Med? What about Egypt?StevieBee said:
Writing this from the Radisson Beach hotel in Larnaca. Been here for two weeks on a work project and last week spent the week on the North side. This is my 32nd trip since 2016 on various projects.
The subject of costs was only being talked about int the office this morning. The increase is truly shocking. Particularly in the north which until a few years ago was around 30% less than the south. There's barely any difference today. And as you say, it's similar to UK pricing.
The north has been hit by the valuation in the Lira and also Turkey is no longer subsidising Tourism there.
Hotel charging €6 for a bottle of Keo. Supermarket over the road is doing a roaring trade selling the same bottle for €1.50 to guests!
Still a wonderful country though!
Slightly concerned for our week at Aphrodite now, as I know they aren't shy to put their prices above everyone else locally - however having a villa and how easy taxis are to get I don't think we'll be eating there very often....The subject of costs was only being talked about int the office this morning. The increase is truly shocking. Particularly in the north which until a few years ago was around 30% less than the south. There's barely any difference today. And as you say, it's similar to UK pricing.
The north has been hit by the valuation in the Lira and also Turkey is no longer subsidising Tourism there.
Hotel charging €6 for a bottle of Keo. Supermarket over the road is doing a roaring trade selling the same bottle for €1.50 to guests!
Still a wonderful country though!
Definitely agree on the last part tho - can't wait to get back over there and enjoy the Cypriot weather and hospitality - and of course The Last Castle and the Wooden Pub
Would highly recommend Sentido Tucan in Cala D'or, Mallorca
Via EasyJet with flights and luggage all in etc
We've been a few times now, a 5 day break inSept 2023 and a week in early July 2024 both via Easyjet and absolutely superb (although we went half-board as there's some superb restaurants in Cala D'or)
Easy flight across; private taxi to the hotel etc (we booked that ourselves) and Cala D'or is lovely; lovely marina and plenty of beaches to visit and swim in the bays etc
https://www.easyjet.com/en/holidays/spain/majorca/...
Via EasyJet with flights and luggage all in etc
We've been a few times now, a 5 day break inSept 2023 and a week in early July 2024 both via Easyjet and absolutely superb (although we went half-board as there's some superb restaurants in Cala D'or)
Easy flight across; private taxi to the hotel etc (we booked that ourselves) and Cala D'or is lovely; lovely marina and plenty of beaches to visit and swim in the bays etc
https://www.easyjet.com/en/holidays/spain/majorca/...
bodhi said:
StevieBee said:
Writing this from the Radisson Beach hotel in Larnaca. Been here for two weeks on a work project and last week spent the week on the North side. This is my 32nd trip since 2016 on various projects.
The subject of costs was only being talked about int the office this morning. The increase is truly shocking. Particularly in the north which until a few years ago was around 30% less than the south. There's barely any difference today. And as you say, it's similar to UK pricing.
The north has been hit by the valuation in the Lira and also Turkey is no longer subsidising Tourism there.
Hotel charging €6 for a bottle of Keo. Supermarket over the road is doing a roaring trade selling the same bottle for €1.50 to guests!
Still a wonderful country though!
Slightly concerned for our week at Aphrodite now, as I know they aren't shy to put their prices above everyone else locally - however having a villa and how easy taxis are to get I don't think we'll be eating there very often....The subject of costs was only being talked about int the office this morning. The increase is truly shocking. Particularly in the north which until a few years ago was around 30% less than the south. There's barely any difference today. And as you say, it's similar to UK pricing.
The north has been hit by the valuation in the Lira and also Turkey is no longer subsidising Tourism there.
Hotel charging €6 for a bottle of Keo. Supermarket over the road is doing a roaring trade selling the same bottle for €1.50 to guests!
Still a wonderful country though!
Definitely agree on the last part tho - can't wait to get back over there and enjoy the Cypriot weather and hospitality - and of course The Last Castle and the Wooden Pub
If you can stretch to 7 to 10 days and don't mind its not the Med then i would head far east and go to Vietnam for a week. See my post about it here. Flights in Sept is pretty cheap and the weather is ok as well.
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Martin4356111 said:
Avoid Cyprus as much as it pains me to say it.
Have lived here for 8 of the last 10 years and seen a noticeable rise in prices of both hotels and flights. Eating out is on a par with the UK and drinks are fairly reasonably priced depending where you go.
That is interesting and I would agree.Have lived here for 8 of the last 10 years and seen a noticeable rise in prices of both hotels and flights. Eating out is on a par with the UK and drinks are fairly reasonably priced depending where you go.
We have been to the same hotel, same week (early November), same flights, same room upgrade, basically it's been exactly the same, 3 times since 2018, and these are the prices (all inclusive):
2018 : £1200
2019 : £1450
2023: £1750
2025 : £2050 (not that we are going).
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