HELP! Booking hols online for first time ...

[tinkerbells]

I would like to book a holiday online for the first time using cheap (but safe!!) air travel and accommodation � either booked on separate websites or together but not using an agent. Does anyone out there have any advice for me? Are there any pitfalls? Any highly recommended/user friendly websites to use? How do you go about arranging transfer from airport to hotel? Any tips would be extremely gratefully received. We hope to go to Minorca or Tenerife and have 13 yr old twins. Thanks everyone!

[JK2]

The main thing is that you will be taking responsibility yourself rather than being covered by a travel company. If for example the hotel is horrible when you arrive, you won't have a rep to complain to or any redress. It will be your problem. Best bet is to check TripAdvisor website for hotel reviews by people who have actually stayed there.

Make sure the flight agent is a member of ATOL.

Transfers - you would have to get a taxi at airport when you arrive or investigate, via the internet, what public transport is available at the airport you arrive at. You could always book a hire car over the internet & arrange to pick it up at the airport.

[JK2]

If you book with a reputable company - e.g. First Choice or Thompsons etc - you should have no problems at all and will be able to arrange transfers etc with them and be covered as you would be booking it through an agent - It's just that you have to do the work of finding the holiday yourself rather than leaving it to an agent to come up with something but it should be a bit cheaper therefore.

[heathfield]

There was a feature on BBCs 'Watchdog' last night about this. Basically, an internet company called 'Mas Travel' in Oxford, had accepted money for airline tickets, but never paid the airlines. Customers were refused their flights at the airports. One customer checked that they were ATOL-registered as they claimed, and yes they were. So he paid, but didn't get his ticket. He wasn't covered by the ATOL guarantee, since this doesn't cover flights, but package holidays.
Stick to the more upmarket websites, such as 'Airline Network' and 'Expedia' and you'll be OK. I use both, with no problems. Or check out reviews on the like of 'Tripadvisor' to see how well others fared.

[Waaii]

You could try somewhere like STA travel who do online bookings as well as travel offices, they arrange to suit. All over the world.
Or try online Spain/villas or Hotels our people use a taxi to the villas. Easy! WE use RyanAir for cheap travel (cost 4.99 to Spain off season one time!) or EasyJet, no frills but never had real problems either.
If you don't have to have a hotel, try Villarenters.co.uk they have rated lists of privately owned villas or all types and costs. They guide right through the process and you can pay online. Have you ever been to Mar Menor? Beautiful!

[tickledtrout]

If you look at a brochure and see some nice hotels check out the hotels website to see if they have good deals for booking direct. Doing this you will not pay until you leave. There is also a website called holidaytruths.co.uk which gives customer reviews. Hotels sometimes book a taxi transfer for you as well.