If something seems too good to be true, it usually is. Alas. I can’t be alone in having snapped up a fantastic offer which turned out to be slightly less fantastic in the cold light of day.
It’s how cheap?!
And if it’s a holiday you’re spending your money on, you want to be certain that bargain break – the amazing, incredible, can’t-believe-it’s-so-good one you found – really is as great as it appears.
So before you book, read these top five tips to be sure your low-cost trip isn’t going to let you down.
Are you protected?
Check if your holiday is ATOL/ABTA protected, so if the holiday company goes out of business two days before you’re due to fly out, at least you won’t lose all your money along with your week in the sun. If you don’t fancy cross-checking endless trips, try using a site which guarantees only to list holidays which are protected by a reputatable organisation, such as the low-cost holidays on Icelolly.com.
Are flights included?
A luxurious hotel for peanuts might not be so cheap if it turns out you’ve got to pay hundreds to fly there. The same goes for transfers – is the airport you’re landing in a long trip from the resort? If you’re stuck trying to hire a taxi, it all adds up.
It’s good – but could it be better?
If you spot one amazing deal, how do you know there isn’t a better one out there? Or that another company isn’t offering the same discounted trip for less? Of course, if you’ve got hours to trawl the internet, that’s ideal – if not, try a comparison site, which has already done the hard work for you with the best deals cherry-picked from the millions out there.
Should you travel there now?
Always dreamed of going to the Caribbean? And found a bargain break to get you there? Fabulous. Except you hadn’t realised it was hurricane season and you’ve got two weeks watching the rain lash against your hotel window. A lot of the bigger sites have destination and resort guides like these from Icelolly, so you can check everything from weather to visa information.
Who can help?
Sometimes, life just doesn’t run smoothly. So if there’s a problem, is there someone you can speak to? Consider whether there’s a direct number to the company selling the holiday if you’re booking online, or will the website be able to help out? And are you about to be charged 20p per minute to listen to muzak or can you email/live chat?
Compiled in association with Icelolly.com
Image: brizzle born and bred/Flickr