During these months, hotel, car rental and flight prices are vastly cheaper than during July and August. | Agency

TW

How to book smarter Spanish holidays

Spain remains one of the most popular holiday destinations in the world; with around 80 million international arrivals each year. The problem is, there are so many ways to go about booking the same holiday. Here are a few tricks to getting the best value out of your visit, and to prevent paying double the amount that your friends on essentially the same holiday experience.

Best time to visit Majorca

Deciding when to go is the first step. Whilst most of us tend to want to visit during the summer months for the sunshine, it’s worth pointing out the average maximum temperature in May is 24°C and September is 28°C. During these months, hotel, car rental and flight prices are vastly cheaper than during July and August. Towards the end of September, rain is much more likely however, so mid-September may be the latest time to consider.

Stick to comparison sites

Once you have decided on the time of year to book a week off work, it is time to start looking for flights. The great thing about looking for flights is that comfort and experience isn’t overly important for most of us, unless it is long-haul.

A simple hunt for the cheapest price means that there is no need to inspect company websites and services individually. Compare over 800+ travel companies by searching for flight tickets with Omio. For example, there are currently flights on Omio from London to Barcelona for as little as £11 pound (with generous carry-on luggage). It is also a great place with its integration of train and bus comparisons too, all with 24/7 customer support.

Without having to fork out on overheads such as local branches and telephone sales personnel, online comparison sites can usually profit on smaller markups than local travel agents. This logically results in cheaper prices than traditional agents.

What package is best?

The allure of full-board or all-inclusive is very strong. Paying extra to diminish the worry of always running out of cash goes hand-in-hand with the idea of a relaxing holiday. Paying the extra fee to cap potential spending can be worth it for some, even if it ends up costing more. This is price of simplifying the holiday experience.

Despite this, many spend far less time in the hotel than expected. In holiday destinations such as Majorca, you will likely be wanting to visit the beach, go to local bars or visit the picturesque landscapes. The days out are where you spend money, and rarely make use of being able to eat the hotel lunch buffet. You don't want to be in the position of feeling guilty when you eat out.

All-inclusive captivates the big drinkers too, who think they will be having cocktails all day, but many hotels give false promises on the drinks. Being limited to a couple drinks per day or a limited selection of drinks is all to common. A great way to save money is to pay for self catering and find a local cafe to have a cheap breakfast in the mornings.

Clear your cookies

Online businesses in the travel industry are particularly cheeky when it comes to pricing. They gather cookies and hike up your prices because of the interest you’ve historically shown. Clearing cookies is simple, a quick guide can be found here.