Singles holidays

It's interesting to see how different we all are in our requirements. I am quite sociable and enjoy being part of a group, so the specialist tours for singles suit me very well. Other people seem to be more solitary or more independent, and happy to set off on their own.

A word of reassurance: the companies I have mentioned (One Traveller, Just You, Saga Solos and Riviera Solos) don't expect you to share a room, you get a spacious double room all to yourself. This does push up the cost a bit, so they're not cheap holidays, but at least there's no extra "singles supplement".

Re the travel from Devon: I hate travelling through London, so to get to Heathrow I now take the train to Reading and then there's a shuttle coach (Railair) that serves all the Heathrow terminals. Sometimes I get a taxi all the way home, which is pricey but makes a nice easy end to a long journey.

Try saga holiday company no single supplement and you always meet other single travelers

Hi all! Solo holidays can really seem a nerve wracking thought,but really worth it.
In the past few years I have undertaken three,all of which were different experiences!
My first ever solo holiday was a tour of italian cities with Just You. An incredible experience but much more physically demanding than I envisaged,which was also felt by some of my fellow travellers. Our day in Venice involved walking 6 miles,not including other walking such as to restaurant at night. We were a small group of 12 mainly women and all got on well with no one ever feeling left out and no cliques.
Last year I did a long haul with Just You,Canada,New England and New York. It was a once in a lifetime experience and exceeded all expectations. The group dynamic however was slightly different. A larger group of 25 and annoyingly friends/relatives and even one couple who booked as solo travellers as holiday better value than the one offered by their sister company!
I found Just You very good. Their guides on both holidays excellent and know so much about areas visit and you feel you get a real sense of country in.
Both holidays were physically quite demanding with lot of changes of hotels and walking tours.
Apart from one or two meals only breakfast was included so need to budget for this.
I have also undertaken several coach holidays.
A specifically solo holiday was with Leger. It was a short cheap break with evening meal included. On this particular break we didnt have a guide ,just two drivers who had some local knowledge but pretty much left us to our own devices,fortunately it worked!
My last two holidays were with a local coach company. The first was to the Italian Riviera and half board but not aimed at solo travellers. The hotel was central and it didnt particularly bother me if I ate alone in the evenings as in hotel. The party was made up of a good mix of solo travellers and couples all were friendly. Coincidentally I made a good friend and we had a lovely time. The location and nature of holiday meant I would have been content solo!
My new friend and I booked a similar holiday with the same company last August. We booked late and quickly. It was the first time they had run the holiday and it was breakfast only and the hotel was situated a minimum 20 minute walk from places to eat in the evening and in an area where we didnt feel comfortable walking after dark. There were no facilities for a meal in the hotel! As a solo traveller not recommended!
So in summary I totally recommend solo travel. Its vital however to thoroughly do your research. What is included? Where is the hotel situated? Are the activity levels suited to me?
Coach travel can be stress free. Many companys pick you up from home and it's less complex than negotiating an airport. You do however spend a large portion of your holiday travelling to destination but as a non driver I'm fine with that and love reading!
Paying a single supplement may be cheaper if evening meals are included.
Air travel is quicker but there are additional expenses with travel to the airport and maybe an overnight hotel stay.
Probably most important how structured is the holiday? Initially research found holidays that said Day 2 time to explore the area on own. That depends on how confident you are and where it is. My dream was to go to New York but i knew solo exploration wasnt for me! That said by then i was more confident and outside of formal tours ventured out by myself and felt very proud of doing so!
So,think hard about what want,maybe start in UK,but go for it-you wont regret it!

I went on a saga cruise soon after being widowed, it cost a great deal of money and although pleasant and safe, was not money well spent. About £5000 for 10 days

I would not share a room but would share a table but have not been on another single holiday in 4 years. I might try a local uk coach holiday in a few months, not sure because I love my county and I love my own bed

As a couple we did go on titan tours, they were very good and there were always some singles on those, however they had to slot in with fixed table settings, rather like an add-on

As I was trying to say (before my granddaughter pressed my tablet), I've been with Just Go holidays on my own. Its not specifically for singles but I found everyone welcoming and everything is included, breakfasts, dinners and excursions. You do pay a single supplement for your own room but I found it to be very good value. I would definitely go again

Tanith me too, the only time I go away is when I take my grandchildren for a week in Wales. I am not a sociable person and have no confidence whatsoever.

I've been holidaying on my own for ages {20+ years). I haven't used a solo company because I don't like being organised all the time and I don't always want to eat meals unless I'm hungry. I love the fact that I can now book loads of stuff on -line from home. I have used Travel Republic (great for booking flight, hotel and transfers.) Trivago for hotels and airline companies for holidays and just flights. I like to do a few organised trips or walks while I'm away and get to meet and talk to people on those. I did do a coach trip to Germany and enjoyed that except the journey was a bit long. I do worry as I get older that I might have an accident somewhere and someone will have to come from home to find me.But I love the independence of being able to chose what I do, where I go and how long I stay.

I've been on my own a few times now with Just Go c I ace

Visit a good travel agent, tell them what you want and confess all your worries, if they are good they will be able to sort exactly what you want and reassure you. My SIL is a travel agent and he has even gone to the trouble of running an elderly lady to the passport office when she was in a panic!
I would suggest trying a river cruise abroad, everything is sorted for you, all your meals, entertainment, trips and baggage handling and you can get single cabins. You can sit on a different table every mealtime if you want so you meet different people and they are well versed in dealing with the more mature traveler ?. There were a number of singles on our last trip.

A little Airbnb in UK or abroad is great for single travellers, and cheaper than a hotel. I have done the UK bit with others (get a group together?) and abroad alone

My friend in her 70s, has had many amazing travels with Wild Frontiers all over the world. These tours are guided and take you to corners which you probably wouldn't find on your own. They are expensive and not luxury, but worth it for the incredible experiences.

Someone else I know who is far from adventurous has done many Saga cruises, again not cheap but just what she wants.

This is something I'm thinking about but for me the cost is a priority....while I am happy to pay a little more I think some prices are exorbitant!
I looked at one company that advertised "normal" holidays and "solo" ones. In many cases, the cost was almost double for the same holiday and I really can't see the justification for that level of price rise.
So a range of trips to suit all budgets would be wonderful.

One Traveller are the absolute tops! If you compare prices with other companies they may seem more expensive but, believe me, they are not because everything is included. My first holiday with them was to Canada (in at the deep end) and I'd seen a post on a forum from someone doing that trip with Just You complaining about all the extras and 'upgrades' so took the plunge with One Traveller and haven't looked back since. I'm currently on my fourth holiday with them in Oman (amazing place) with another one booked for next July in Switzerland, but if you want to start with trips in the UK they do those too. You always get a double room for single occupancy, the Tour Managers (and local guides if applicable) are superb and their attention to detail is second to none.

In regards to holidays in UK, why not try AIRBNB where you actually get to stay with a Homeowner but how much you want any interaction is entirely up to you. It is a lot cheaper than hotels with their single supplement and you get to meet some new people to chat to in the evening.
When I first started my days and nights were fully planned out but because I enjoyed the people with whom I stayed, I left it to how I felt on the day and stayed and chatted to the hosts. Read the reviews though.

To the ladies who live in Devon, as do I, and are worried about getting to ie London or Gatwick I moved to Devon from Sussex last year but have to go to Sussex every 3 months on my own for hospital treatment I’ve now at long last discovered the ‘easiest routes’ from Devon. The train goes once an hour from Plymouth or any of the Devon stations to Gatwick airport changing (just once make sure you pick that particular train) at Reading. If you book on the train app approximately 8 weeks before you get good prices and if you phone just before you go you can get assistance if you need it which is brilliant. You can often get brilliant prices for 1st class rain tickets very cheaply 8 weeks before you go too or there’s another app called ‘Seatfrog’ where you can bid on them in advance. Also as from the 29th March the plane has been re instated from Newquay to Gatwick and Heathrow (yay) which again is so easy if you’re traveling from these airports and journey time from Newquay to Gatwick is 27 minutes!

Whilst not being a single person myself I have been on cruises and Great Rail Journeys where there have been single people. Both of these are safe environments and on the rail journeys there is always a tour manager to ensure everyone is looked after so I would recommend these type of holidays. I do recognise however that the cost to single passengers is sometimes very much higher which makes some of these holidays prohibitive.

I have had two great holidays with One Traveller and can throughly recommend them. They often have a get together the night before a flight so you can meet fellow travelling companions. The places they go are very varied and different price ranges so I would not hesitate to say give it a go.

Hi there - I can totally confirm Grannyticktock’s praise of One Traveller - I’ve been on 3 with another booked for April!

And Chewbacca One Traveller do a couple of UK holidays (Norfolk and Cheshire) - check them out online and then ring their office - they’re a really friendly bunch! And please, take the plunge, you won’t regret it!

I have used Just You twice, once to Prague to try the company out and then to New Zealand. Both times the arrangements and reps were really good. As someone else has said, the age range is mostly 50 to 70. It's very inclusive and friendly. Small groups within the group tend to form but you also do a lot together. I have also been away with Oak Hall which had a mix of couples and singles of all ages. The different age groups mixed well, which was nice. They were good holidays but the downside was having to share with someone you hadn't met before. This could be a bit challenging, but mostly worked out ok.

I’d love to try a singles holiday but I am incredibly shy and don’t like the idea of sharing a table with strangers. I think I’d prefer to arrange my own holiday but that might prove difficult and expensive. I don’t drive, so a coach/rail holiday would be ideal if I could pluck up the courage.

I love travelling alone, but would never use a holiday company. One of the greatest pleasures of solo travel is the people you meet on local buses, in cafes, or simply bump into I the street. I have received such generosity, in Morocco, Italy and Spain. I have found that people are much less intimidated by a single person than by a couple, and freely offer help and advice (even if you don't want it). I think activity holidays can be good (yoga/cycling/walking) but would be wary of a company whose only selling point is that it is for solo travellers. x

I am recently widowed and would certainly like to learn more about singles holidays,but would not like to share a room.We had been with Riviera before so I had wondered about them and One Traveller sounds interesting,must look them up.Like grannyticktock I live in Devon and the logistics tend to put me off.

I have been on many holidays on my own and prefer to travel that way. I would say dont limit yourself to solo companies only. Always read all the information fully before deciding and if you have queries ring the company up. You can ask if there are all couples or if any singles are going. The only one I thought might be difficult with all couples was a small group trip up the amazon. However on checking with the operator there were already 3 other singles booked and it was an amazing trip. Just go for it, use well known companies- read the reviews people in general are friendly and if you are worried about eating on your own ensure evening meals are included on most days.

Since the death of my dear husband over three years ago, I have tried out several companies offering solo holidays (One Traveller, Just You, Saga Solos, and Riviera Solos). I've had some wonderful holidays and am going on another one next month. It has meant the world to me to be able to go on having exciting holidays, even though I can't go with my travelling companion of choice.

What I was looking for (and found!) was the safety and security of a group holiday with a dedicated tour leader who could help sort out any problems. I wanted to have plenty of company, but as a recent widow, I didn't want to be with couples, so I looked for solo holidays. When everyone is on their own, you never feel you're intruding or unwanted, because we're all in the same boat. I prefer busy, escorted tours, as I don't like too much slack time on my own (that's when I miss my husband most). I also choose holidays where all or most of the meals are included, which means we all eat together rather than having to decide where to go and who to go with.

With all these companies, the age group is mainly 60s and 70s, although Riviera and Just You don't actually suggest age limits. Women vastly outnumber men - a typical group will have, say, 24 women and 4 -6 men. Although I would prefer a more even balance, it's easy to find friends among so many women.

My favourite company is One Traveller; they can be expensive, but almost everything is included, and their care and attention to detail is superb.

My main problem is that most of these holidays go from London airports, and I live in Devon. I have had to put a lot of effort into working out the best way to get to the airport by public transport, where to stay overnight if necessary, etc. I am pretty good at this now and it is not as scary as the first time.

Nanagransnet, if you would like to know anything more about my various holidays etc, do contact me.

Well, as I've said earlier, I'd like it to be in the UK initially although I'd like to know that I could work my way up to going abroad once I'd got enough confidence.
Would the holiday be fully inclusive or just breakfast? The thought of going into a restaurant alone in the evening isn't something I'd enjoy.
I wouldn't want to share a room with a stranger and so would want to know that I would have my own room to retreat to.
I'd want to know the full itinerary of the trip and also pick up and drop off points at the start and the end of the holiday. Also information about special diets at meal times

I'm just a bag of worries and concerns really and its no wonder I'm hesitant to actually book anything!