Solo Holidays

I can recommend Explore if you want to travel with a group - everyone pays the same, they just pair you up with another single traveller of the same sex. As long as there are enough singles in the group, they will swap you round at each stop, so if you don't take to a room mate you are only sharing with them for a couple of nights at a time, and if there are an odd number you get a room to yourself periodically.

Omg didn't know about that ' pairing' - embarrassing to say the least. I am still husbanded but if I go on a singles hol in future it would mean precisely that ' single' !!

Hi all,

Hilarious I have sent you a private message re a group of travelling women who meet up in Manchester.

I would recommend that women who want to travel to consider joining 5W (Women Welcome Women World Wide) - I have mentioned this before on the subject of solo travel. Also the web site Thelma and Louise - matching travelling companions.

I have traveled around India with Wild Frontiers - they charge a group price for two people sharing (and that is your group) transport and accommodation is arranged you just tell them where you want to go and it is great having a tour guide at each destination for just the two of you. Nobody else travels with you, you are just met at your destination and taken to the Hotel, travel can be by train, or private driver. It worked out a cheaper way to see India as they negotiate hotel prices and transport costs - much cheaper than you can do yourself. For two weeks we traveled independently from Wild Frontiers when we were in Kerala and we could not get such good deals for drivers and hotels.

If you do not have a travelling companion you could go with a organized group (size from 5 to 12) either pay a single supplement or they will match you with a like minded person to share.

Ooma

DIL works for a company that does walking tours and sight seeing tours in relatively small groups. They are across Europe and mostly out of the school holidays, so quieter.
We have been on some of the walking holidays and they often have single people of all ages.

Some of the holidays have no single supplements and they all use local guides so you get into the real feel of a place.

There are several companies that do this sort of holiday. I'd research through trip advisor etc before committing myself. I know that some group holidays definitely would not suit me. X

I was lucky enough to have several European holidays with my family as a teenager, and even went skiing with my school. When I married every single weekend or annual holiday was 'commandeered' by my in-laws as my husband & I provided crew for their inland waterways passion.
I am now single & retired. I love the idea of travel further afield, but with little experience, I am searching for 'guided' tours; then the single supplement adds almost as third as much again to any holiday I've found appealing. Does anyone know of groups (NW) where opportunities to meet like-minded people to share the SS burden with?

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Given ethels point about who you sit next to. With HF you can choose to sit exactly where you like any day. With the last special interest holiday I went on we all had a lot in common anyway which made it easy to talk to others.

I would have hated that too. i hope your friend told the organisers what she thought of that arrangement. If you get someone you can't stand you are stuck with them. It would have made more sense to either move people around for each meal so that they got different table companions each time, or let the find their own friends.

*I wonder if a "singles holiday" might imply that you are looking to make a relationship rather than just going on your holiday by yourself.

I can recommend "HF Holidays." They do a variety of holidays, originally walking holidays, but they now cover a huge range of special interest holidays.
www.hfholidays.co.uk/

The big advantage of these is that sharing tables with others is a big part of the ethos so you do not feel isolated. Have a look and see what you think of these.

No Elegran 'im not winding anyone up. She was told where to sit for breakfast and was put with a man and they were expected to sit
together for the holiday. The man may well have thought he was on a good thing, I don't know but I know that I would have hated it.

No one has explained single supplements. Do they actually charge more because of you being on your own. Why don't they just charge x amount for a room regardless of how many share it as they do in the big chains such as travel inns, which are pretty much all ive stayed in.

When I go away by myself I always book a double room. In many hotels it costs the same or very little extra.

I used to go on Ramblers' holidays. At first, I agreed to sharing with a stranger and usually it worked out quite well. Later on, I paid the single supplement and had some lovely rooms all to myself. The good thing about 'interest' holidays is that you are likely to have something in common with the other holiday-makers. I never found couples to be in the least 'exclusive'. On the contrary, they were all extremely friendly and we had some very convivial evenings.

It was with much trepidation that I booked a coach holiday to Italy in 2012, on my own. But it turned out to be wonderful. The lady I sat next to was great and we spent much of the holiday together, and with two other single ladies too. It was with Leger tours, and there was a small supplement for a single room. I was lucky enough to be given a twin room overlooking the pool. Some of their holidays offer "Low or No supplements".
I hope to do something similar next year, but wonder if I could be that lucky again.

but even after paying a single supplement you are put in a tiny room, usually overlooking the road or the bins

That has always been my experience and the supplement was quite hefty. After a couple of those experiences, I booked a twin room (didn't cost that much more) but at least I didn't feel I was staying in a shoe box.

I wish new hotels would build in more single rooms! You would think they would know by now that not everyone is there as half of a pair, or wants to share a room with a friend.

The only one that I have been in that had was the Kildonan Hotel on Arran - they get a lot of single climbing and walking holiday-makers who want a room to themselves, so they have fifteen single rooms as well as their doubles and twins. (it was £50 a night inc breakfast, incidentally)

Maybe that friend of ethels had just met a chancer who thought he was on to a winner and was disgruntled when he found out he wasn't.

Single supplements are a particular bugbear of mine too. If I am put in a room which is big enough for two people then I can understand it, but even after paying a single supplement you are put in a tiny room, usually overlooking the road or the bins! ethel, I have never been "paired" with a man and been expected to spend the whole holiday with him - it is possible if they were the only single people on the holiday the rep put them together initially until they met up with others and he misunderstood.

I think their argument is that they have lost getting two people in that room, who could have been charged twice. In other words - they can so they do. I could understand it if the room is a big one which is obviously built for two people to share, but when twin beds are almost touching and you have to take turns opening a drawer - just a way of getting more out of you.

ethel That is quite funny about your friend, something I would do too. You shouldn't be paired up on these holidays, you go for independence, like you said to mix with everyone, not to meet a man. And I don't understand supplements too. Even if you are put in a twin room they only have to wash one set of bedding, unless you take turns hopping from one bed to the other!

I have never been on a singles holiday, and I never would, but I just cannot imagine that any organiser would be so gross as to pair you up with someone and expect you to spend the holiday going around with them. That sounds more like a "house of ill repute" than a holiday.

Your friend's "friend" must have got entirely the wrong idea if that is what he thought would happen. I thought singles holidays were for single people to enjoy the company of a lot of others, and if anything more personal developed, that was a bonus.

Or are you being faux naive here, ethel and winding us up?

By the way Ive never understood a 'single supplement'. You pay per room and that's all as far as I know, do they actually charge more if you are alone and why.

Is it true that on single holidays you are paired off with a man and are expected to sit with him for each meal and go around with him. My friend spent an entire holiday avoiding a man she had been 'set up with' and who complained that she had spoiled his holiday when he couldn't find her. I would hate this, would love a holiday but would want to mix with everyone on an equal basis.

My friend spent time peering around corners in the hotel and making excuses and at one point went to the loo in a shop and exited by a different way just to get time on her own.

I find the holidays for singles expensive an have found less expensive alternitives elswhere (inspite of the single supplement)
They say no single supplament but its built in there somewhere

www.justyou.co.uk/
I have heard that these holidays are good, but not tried them myself. I know one gentleman who has used them twice a year for a while now, and will not change.

I would endorse Saga too. Although I travelled with DH there were plenty of singles in the group and we all had a lot of fun. Saga also have 'singles' weeks where there are no extra charges for single occupancy.
They used to do 'tailor made' and we did some lovely trips - Borneo, Thailand, etc., but I be
I believe you can still do Add ons where you can tag a few days either end of your trip in a city or beach resort. Look at their website and sign up for the brochures.
Trailfinders are also pretty reliable and will tailor make you a trip at reasonable price. Audrey travel have some pretty good trips too with small groups. Good luck and have a great time

Have you tried Saga. I have travelled with them a few times and on the whole found everyone to be very friendly. Before booking I would suggest you ring Saga and find out what activities etc. they have for the hotel you are interested in. I did stay at one hotel where the rep was as useful as a chocolate teapot, no activities, no introduction to other Saga travellers etc, so it is important to check that out.