Mark Warner Holidays

[She-Ra]

Hi,
We are trying to book our summer holiday for next year, but we are on a tighter budget than normal:happyno: and it is proving difficult.

There are 6 adults going, and 4 kids. 3 of them will be 2, and the other just 1. We have found some great villas in spain and greece, but to be honest the nice ones are really expensive.

Mark Warner is another option, but I have just seen some shocking reviews on tripadvisor.

Has anyone been to a sunny mark warner resort (rather than skiing) which they would recommend?? Or any other beautiful hotel which is good for children.

Thanks xxx

[schnapps]

We went to the one in Corsica and had a great time. The child care is fantastic and there is lots of watersports you can do as well. It's not the plushest place I've stayed in but the other things made up for it.

I would go back but will be restricted to school holidays now and the price goes up a lot then!!

[Minky]

Yes! We went to Lemnos. The standard of the accommodation is quite basic - but it's clean and comfortable.

I totally rate Mark Warner - we have always had fab holidays. The childcare is excellent (as is the food!) and I love that I can play tennis, do aerobics, swim, go waterskiing, blah blah blah.

Totally great value for money.

Mr Minky and I have also been to Bodrum on an adults only, as well as Sardinia (but that one has now closed) and Italy (ditto).

Can you provide the link for the Trip Advisor review?

Thanks

Minky

[She-Ra]

Here are a few minky....to be fair the first ones I stumbled accross were awful, but on closer expection there are also some great ones.

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g194870-d237907-r5503661-Hotel_Abamar-Pula_Sardinia.html

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g187139-d615666-r5414236-Hotel_San_Lucianu_Mark_Warner-Corsica.html



See I imagined the hotels to be plush and luxurious.

I have just seen some terrible reviews for beaches (sandals) so dont know where to go.

I want to go back to dubai idealy but I cant afford a 2 week holiday there unless I sell a kidney :brainache:

[katkinn]

See I imagined the hotels to be plush and luxurious

good god no!!!! The main reason that I've never done it tbh :oops: The locations all seems absolutely gorgeous, I believe (according to Minky who I do trust implicitly :wink: ) that the food is fab (although I HUGELY struggle with the concept of either a buffet or a set menu every night :oops: ) and the childcare out of this world!

BUT there are new Mark Warners which are more luxurious - Mauritius and Sri Lanka (although funnily enough they aren't particularly cheap!!! Plus I've had real difficulties pinning them down on exactly WHAT childcare they offer in the evening. Every time I rang I got given a different explanation)

Their new resort in Portugal is supposed to be really really lovely BUT they have a "drop in" centre for childcare in the evenings, rather than babylistening which would be fine for really little babies but I'm just not convinced it would work with a toddler.......:scratchchin:

So the only 5* resort left is Egypt at the Intercontinental at Hurghada. A 5* interconintental would be a really lovely hotel and the food in the hotel should be good as well (the wine isn't included there and tbh apart from red wine, the wine in Egypt is pretty rank but hey I always got by!!)

It's also really (REALLY!!!) reasonable and we would DEFINITELY think about going for a wee maybe 2 and may well go not this Christmas but next Christmas. I'd absolutely LOVE to go this Christmas but bubbajack will only be a couple of months old and their childcare starts from 6 months.

There is absolutely no way on gods green earth I would go after May for the summer as it just TOO warm. (I went in May when I was pg last time to The Oberoi in Hurghada and whilst lovely - feck me, was it warm!!!!!)

HTH!

katkinn
xxxx

ps - their brochure if oyu don't have it is really good.

[Minky]

Blimey, those reviews are terrible, aren't they!

I can totally vouch for the food at Lemnos - it was scrummy!

Personally, I think I'll go to the one in Portugal next time. A friend of Katkinn's has been and raved about it - said the hotel was definitely a step up from the usual Mark Warner and it was lovely.

Also the Egypt one seems to get good reviews on Trip Advisor. Let us know what you decide!

Minky

[Minky]

Cross posts!

[schnapps]

The Portugal one does look nice and know people who have been to the resort although not with Mark Warner. The thing that put me off was not having room listening, but wonder if they will get that at some point there.

The reviews of Tripadvisor aren't great and reading the Corsica ones can agree with some parts of it but the childcare was great and Lex couldn't wait to get to Mini Club each day!!

[She-Ra]

Oh dear back to the drawing board for me I think.

xx

[Hanabana]

MArk Warner & club med etc are quite pricy sometimes because you are paying for the brand

[Minky]

Jorden, maybe the Portugal one would work for you if you buy a walkie talkie type thing (see my thread in travel) so you can do your own baby listening?

Hanabana, it's true that you are paying for the brand but there is, to my knowledge NO ONE else who does the combination of child care and sports holidays for such a cheap price. You can look at Powderbyrne to see what the difference is...

Minky

[katkinn]

Hanabana, it's true that you are paying for the brand but there is, to my knowledge NO ONE else who does the combination of child care and sports holidays for such a cheap price. You can look at Powderbyrne to see what the difference is...


Believe me - that is absolutely and utterly true. And feck me, have I looked everywhere!!!!! (although totally and utterly irrelevant now as we can't afford to go on holiday for the next two years now!!)

[Minky]

Believe me - that is absolutely and utterly true. And feck me, have I looked everywhere!!!!! (although totally and utterly irrelevant now as we can't afford to go on holiday for the next two years now!!)

Well, I have a pool and babylistening!!! :teehee:

Minky

PS: no waterskiing though... :sigh: