Cheap self organised holidays

walshki

Maybe a few other people out there have had good experiences of organising bargain holidays.

My own experience is that I'm flying from Shannon to Girona at the end of May for one week. We have book a car for the week and a three bed semi detached villa. The whole holiday for three adults and 2 kids is costing approx. Euro 1100. It could have been cheaper too. We are flying Sunday to Sunday. If we flew Wednesday to Wednesday we could have gotten return flights for the five of us (the kids paying full fare) for just over Euro200. The car hire (Focus hatchback) was Euro160 and the accomodation just over Euro400. In fact I worked out after booking the flights that if we had stayed the extra three nights to the following wednesday the cheaper flights would have meant we could have covered the accommodation and car hire for the extra nights for the same overall cost (you live and learn).

Anyway, the relevant websites used:
Flights - ryanair obviously
Car Hire - http://www.doyouspain.com/
Accommodation - http://www.costabravaplus.com/

The guy in costabravaplus is incredibly helpful and even advised us which would be the best place for our circumstances (we're staying in Playa Pals). Weather when we're going will be low to mid twenties so probably just right with the kids. Loads to do in the area (day trips to Girona). I might sound a bit like I should be on Trip advisor but there's a bargain to be had somewhere in there.

The cheapest possibility for a similar holiday with 2 adults 2 kids would be about Euro180 for flights midweek. There are some well recommended apartments called Apartments golf which I've seen for less than Euro300 for a week depending on availability and they sleep four (and I've seen them advised on Trip advisor - right on the beach, quiet resort etc.). The ones on Costa Brava plus are three bed and can be gotten for less than Euro400 (I don't have the link for the two bed but you could google them). Throw in car hire on that and you could have a holiday from potentially Euro660.

Anyone else any similar ideas? I'd like to try lake garda perhaps.

johnnyrotten

Yeah my last two and next holiday are/were self organised. Got a week in canaries and saved €950.
This summers holiday is about €1500 cheaper than through an agent and I have a car for the duration also.