Planning a holiday can be overwhelming, no matter how relaxing the getaway itself might be. There are many things to consider when travelling, whether that’s getting a visa, sorting out transport both to and at your destination, booking accommodation, or making sure you’re insured. It’s no wonder it can get stressful!
Whether you’re after a month-long jaunt around Europe or a weekend break to escape reality for a moment, these tips from Lewis Taxis will help you make sure you’ve got every base covered so that you can sit back and relax. This article is packed to the brim with tips for organising your dream holiday, without the stress!
Work out your budget
The first thing you need to do when planning a trip is sit down and take a good look at your finances. Working out your budget is a crucial part of organising a holiday, as it affects almost every single decision you make about your trip - for example, how long the holiday will be, what kind of accommodation you choose, or even your destination.
Here are some tips to help you figure out your budget:
● Identify your biggest expenses, e.g. plane tickets, accommodation.
● Estimate the daily cost of essentials in your chosen destination, e.g. meals, transportation, buying groceries.
● Find out if there are extra costs you might incur, e.g. vaccinations, travel insurance, visas, taxes, or luggage fees.
● Identify your priorities, so you can set aside enough money for the most important things.
● Keep money for expected expenses, e.g. gifts, airport taxi service, pet charges, late check-out fees, and money for activities/luxuries separate.
● Work out approximately how much activities and attractions will cost.
Organise your flights
Once you’ve established where you’d like to go on your trip, you’ll need to start thinking about how you’re going to get there and back. Things to consider include where to depart from and arrive, whether your return flight needs to depart from and arrive at the same airports, and whether you want a direct flight or are happy to break the journey up a little.
Booking your flights well in advance is the best way to get a good price and get the seats you want. That being said, some airlines have sales at various points throughout the year - often during off-peak travel seasons - so be sure to keep an eye out for good deals. Many flight search engines also allow you to set up alerts for certain journeys, meaning you’ll get notified as soon as the price drops or other desirable features become available.
While a good deal is always tempting, it’s always worth trying to establish why a flight is cheap. In some cases, it might just be because you’re travelling at a quieter time of year, but it’s worth double-checking everything to make sure you don’t get caught out by a 2am arrival or land at an inconvenient airport on your return flight. Sometimes the cheaper flights will actually cost you more time, money, and energy in the long run.
Research your destination
A little research will help you make sure that the destination is the right place for you and that you go there at the best possible time. It can be exciting to research what various locations have to offer, from relaxing spas and luxurious meals out to hiking trails and historic ruins. Finding out what activities are available before you go can be invaluable in deciding what kind of trip you want to go on and whether the destination meets your requirements.
Taking a look at what the weather is like in your chosen location at various times of the year is essential when deciding when to travel. For instance, it’s pointless going somewhere during the hottest months of the year if you know you can’t cope with temperatures over 35℃ - it’ll just ruin the holiday.
The same logic applies to tourism seasons. If you want to avoid queues and huge crowds, it might be a good idea to find out when the peak tourism season is for your chosen destination so that you can steer well clear of it. Conversely, it’s also worth finding out whether you’ll be faced with lots of closed businesses and tourist attractions if you go during off-peak season - in which case you might be better off going at a slightly more popular time of year.
Book the perfect accommodation
Once you’ve booked your flights and found out a little more about your destination, you can start thinking about where you’ll stay. Here are some key things to consider:
Activities and attractions
Researching activities and attractions beforehand can come in really handy when booking accommodation, as you’ll have a far better idea of where you’re likely to be spending your time while you’re away. If most of the attractions you want to visit are in a similar area, it makes sense to start your accommodation search in or near that area. It also helps to know where the nightlife hotspots are so that you can avoid them or be close to them, depending on what kind of trip you’re taking.
Budget
Working out your budget before looking at accommodation can allow you to make sensible decisions about the price you’re willing to pay. For instance, if you’re visiting a popular city but are on a tight budget, you may want to consider more affordable hotels or apartments slightly further out of the city centre. It also means you’ll know whether you can afford to splash out on extra features, such as unlimited Wi-Fi, late check-out, TV packages, or parking.
Transport
A bit of research about what public transport is available and how much it costs is also a good idea. If the destination has poor transport links, or if you don’t want the expense of public transport, you might be better off staying closer to the centre or the tourist destinations.
Accommodation type
The last thing to consider is what kind of accommodation you want. Do you want to be looked after by hotel staff or left to your own devices? Do you want meals included or are you happy to cook for yourselves or eat out? Are you there for a short or long stay? Do you have pets and/or children to think about? Will you want shared rooms or separate rooms? These are all things you’ll need to think about when booking the perfect accommodation for your getaway.
Hire an airport shuttle service
One of the best ways to make sure the travelling element of your trip is as stress-free as possible is to make sure you’re prepared for every single step of the journey. To ensure everything runs smoothly, we recommend creating a travel itinerary that clearly outlines when you need to leave your home, when you need to arrive at the airport, the exact times and details of your flight(s), and the details of your accommodation. Make sure your itinerary is accessible offline.
You should aim to arrive at the airport two hours in advance for national flights and three hours ahead for international flights. To make sure that everything goes to plan, find out when you need to be at the airport for check-in and add the time it takes to travel to the airport, plus a bit extra for good measure. Book your airport taxi service for whatever time you come to upon following those steps.
Airport taxi services are always your best bet when travelling. They make travelling with luggage easy, will save you spending huge amounts of money on airport parking, and you can be sure that your taxi driver knows the best routes for getting you where you need to be on time and without stress.
Your accommodation’s staff or owner should be able to help you organise a taxi service for when you reach your destination too, which will likely save you money, ensure it’s a reliable service, and allow you to relax immediately upon arrival.
Lewis Taxis – Coventry’s Leading 24/7 Airport Taxi Service
If you’re planning a trip, make Lewis Taxis your go-to professional taxi company. We have over 50 years of experience in offering private and corporate travel services, as well as efficient courier services and a reliable airport taxi service both in Coventry and across the UK. Your friendly taxi driver will do everything in their power to make your journey as stress-free and as comfortable as possible - that’s just how we do things here at Lewis Taxis. Contact us today for more information, or book your first trip online here.
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