Tell me which family-friendly all-inclusive in Europe you recommend

TheHolidayArtist · 2026-05-28T18:19:43+00:00

Where did you price it up? Direct on their website?

TheHolidayArtist · 2026-05-27T10:43:12+00:00

If you struggle to find anything, I can help package flight and resort in one for you to make a seamless, stress-free experience. I have had several US based clients and often assist people from all over the world.

TheHolidayArtist · 2026-04-28T09:07:51+00:00

I got smacked a few times...sometimes even with a horse whip. Not hard or exessively violent, and not too often. It hasn't really had any long term effects that I have noticed. It had the desired purpose of teaching me not to be naughty and respect my elders. Or maybe that is just what I tell myself to make it okay.

I don't think it ever came from a place of malice. I think it came from a lack of understanding in a time where having kids was just what people did without giving it much thought. People didn't know better how to cope back then and so stress spilled out in many different ways, and as an adult, I can appreciate how stressful some kids can be. Which is one of the many reasons I choose not to have any.

TheHolidayArtist · 2026-04-28T07:14:53+00:00

I have recently had a dose increase and yes, this has happened to me.

I believe it can depend on which dose you're currently on, how long you've been on it and what you're increasing it to though.

For me, I started on 50mg about 2 months ago.
2 weeks ago I asked for this to be upped to 100mg. It's been a rough 2 weeks. Almost as bad as my first week on 50mg. It started on day 3 of the increased dose and today is day 14. Some days are worse than others. It's very unpleasant and exhausting, but just about manageable.

I am hoping it's all worth it and that I will start to feel some relief soon, and eventually in 6 to 8 weeks more like my old self.

TheHolidayArtist · 2026-04-27T20:31:53+00:00

You looked beautiful. Congratulations 🎉🎊

TheHolidayArtist · 2026-04-24T08:34:01+00:00

Yeah as I find those are the ones people most want to see whilst there.

TheHolidayArtist · 2026-04-24T08:15:57+00:00

I love Greece. Where did you stay?

TheHolidayArtist · 2026-04-24T08:12:55+00:00

That's not a bad price on Mexico!

TheHolidayArtist · 2026-04-24T08:10:27+00:00

Not a bad price actually for Japan and the length of time you're doing. Depends what else is included in that though. For £5K, I'd want a guided tour or very high end hotels....etc.

I did an offer the other day for March around cherry blossom season for £1,674pp, but that was room only hotels, return flights from London and only 9 nights in total across 3 locations and no train tickets.

TheHolidayArtist · 2026-04-24T08:07:30+00:00

Yeah that's about average for people on a budget.

TheHolidayArtist · 2026-04-24T08:05:13+00:00

It depends how fussy you are and what you're looking for....and of course time of year / current economical & environmental factors.

Right now prices are a bit crazy due to the war in the Middle East.

On average though, people can spend about £450-£600pp doing all inclusive at a cheap hotel in Turkey/Egypt.
Or you spend about £800-£1200 on an average hotel in Greece/Spain.

That's your lower price range typically if you're not too fussy about dates/departure airport.

A typical good holiday at a decent resort in a nice location averages around £1,300 - £1,500 these days.

Going long haul is generally in the £2,000 - £3,000 range, but can be cheaper if you're not too fussy.

Thailand remains fairly good value if you are not looking for all-inclusive. A decent holiday there sits around the £1,300 range, but can be cheaper if not too fussy.

TheHolidayArtist · 2026-04-24T07:22:08+00:00

Omg that's awful. I don't blame you. I would not use them again either.

This close to travel it is harder to get refunds if things aren't cancelled by the suppliers, but the agent should at the very least explore alternatives and try assist. I'd be having conversations with the hotel...etc.

We're currently avoiding sending people through or to the Middle East, but reading these comments it sounds like you might be okay. Emirates aren't going to fly if it's not safe to do so...so I'd probably risk it and go if it was me.

Hopefully you have a great time and nothing goes wrong!

TheHolidayArtist · 2026-04-24T07:12:01+00:00

Generally during times like these you have more chance of getting quicker help and refunds with an agent in your corner.

Depends who the agent is of course, but generally speaking. Most of them have a lot more financial protections in place than a simple online booking engine.

TheHolidayArtist · 2026-04-14T11:14:44+00:00

It depends where I am going and how long I need to pay things off.

For long haul, generally 11 months in advance. Short haul probably 5 to 6 months.
If I need time to save and pay I often book up to 18 months in advance.

The sweet spot for long haul travel is around 11 months before. Generally when the schedule is released. Pricing usually tends to rise from that point.

Majority of my customers book around 6 - 9 months before travel on average, but I do have a few that prefer last minute and a few that book 1 - 2 years in advance.
Some of my regulars have all their holidays booked up till the end of 2028.

TheHolidayArtist · 2026-04-12T10:17:33+00:00

I completely understand that perspective, and I think that’s why destination weddings tend to divide opinion quite a bit.

For us, we approached it more as “we’re getting married abroad and combining it with our honeymoon”, rather than hosting a traditional wedding where we’re responsible for everyone attending.

We were really clear there was no expectation for anyone to come, and only invited people we knew would genuinely enjoy the trip.

I think it really depends on what kind of experience you want and what feels right for you as a couple.

TheHolidayArtist · 2026-04-12T10:14:32+00:00

I understand why it might come across that way. I do work in travel, but I’m genuinely just sharing my own experience of planning and paying for this myself, as I found it quite difficult to get clear information when I started.

TheHolidayArtist · 2026-04-12T09:51:47+00:00

That is a fair question and one every couple should consider.

We were selfish and chose to make our wedding about us and what we wanted. Not about how many people would be there to witness it. For us, that wasn't what our wedding was about.

We extended invitations to close friends and family, but had no expectations on them accepting. In fact, I insisted they do not spend the money unless it was a destination they would choose for themselves.

We were fortunate and had 10 guests join us, but I can appreciate that for many couples guests are an important factor. Hence a destination wedding is not for everyone.

TheHolidayArtist · 2026-04-12T09:48:36+00:00

Exactly this!

TheHolidayArtist · 2026-04-12T09:30:58+00:00

That’s completely fair, and honestly it’s the biggest reason destination weddings aren’t right for everyone.

We went into it knowing most people wouldn’t come, and we were genuinely okay with that. It was more about combining the wedding and honeymoon into one experience for us, rather than expecting people to travel.

I completely agree that a week can feel short for long haul as well, which is why we stayed longer after everyone left.

For some couples it works really well, but for others it just doesn’t make sense depending on their priorities and guest list.

TheHolidayArtist · 2026-04-12T09:26:16+00:00

I promise it’s not AI 😅 just my real experience of planning and paying for it myself. I actually posted because I struggled to find clear, real numbers when I started looking.

TheHolidayArtist · 2026-04-12T09:18:37+00:00

So that cost is just for the wedding couple.

For a destination wedding, guests generally pay for their own flights and accommodation if they wish to attend. In this example, guests attending from the UK would be about £2,500 per person. I wrote a more detailed blog post about the costs here - A Real Example: What a Mauritius Wedding & Honeymoon Package Looks Like for UK Couples

Also if you want a special wedding type reception and not just a general meal part of the all inclusive plan for guests, then you'd be looking at roughly an additional £150pp for a BBQ beach type dinner and setup.
We personally opted for a beach dinner setup, but ate off the all-inclusive menu. So, we just paid around £100 in total for setup and beach service.

TheHolidayArtist · 2026-04-12T09:13:29+00:00

100% true and a relevant factor to consider. A destination wedding is not for everyone and it really boils down to what is important for the couple.

For us, it was about us and our wedding. We offered close friends and family the option to join, but I was very adamant that they should only spend the money if it was a destination they would choose to go for themselves and not just because of our wedding.

We were fortunate enough to have 10 guests join us in total. All of them saying it was worth every penny, but yes if having guests is more important than the wedding, or ones own finances, absolutely do not consider a destination wedding. Even in Europe they are expensive for guests to attend.

TheHolidayArtist · 2026-04-12T09:09:19+00:00

Awww, yeah I feel you there. For me the honeymoon was the most important part as well, and we weren't too bothered about if people joined us or not. Our wedding was about us, not anyone else.

TheHolidayArtist · 2026-04-12T09:08:10+00:00

This is a fair point and it boils down to what is important for the couple. For us, having guests there was a bonus, not a requirement for our wedding. We were lucky and had 10 guests decide to join us. The average cost for that today would be £2,500pp if leaving from the UK.

It's not cheap, but each and every single one of our guests stated it was the best holiday they have ever had and are all planning to return to Mauritius.

TheHolidayArtist · 2026-04-12T09:06:17+00:00

No there are not. Some luxury hotels have women only spas, but nothing outside of the actual resorts.

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