Following on from our two previous articles about saving money by being prudent with exchange rates and your choice of destination ("Making Your Pounds Go Further While Traveling in Europe" and "Costa Tropical - Sun, Sea and Savings" respectively).
The third factor worth serious thought is your holiday accommodation, the typical price of which will be determined by the destination you choose but your selection of accommodation can still influence the total amount of your expenditure As well as trying to negotiate the best price and trying to avoid changing the money to euros there are other important considerations when selecting your rental villa or other accommodation.
Hotel or apartment? Hotels may be ideal for couples if you require two or more rooms, want some independence or prepare your own food then self catering is probably the better choice.
A hotel room may be the easiest solution for couples both young and old but if traveling with a family and two or three rooms are required or additional space and the ability to prepare light meals then some form of rental accommodation is likely to be preferable.
Holiday accommodation location.
Choosing holiday accommodation away from the beach area if you have children who will want to spend the day playing in the sea will not only be inconvenient but also possibly more costly.
Ideally an apartment a hundred meters from the beach will provide a good location from where you can easily reach the beach.
In the evenings throughout the Mediterranean this is also a good location to be as it is normal for everyone to head towards the beach at night after eating to promenade.
It is also advisable to be within walking distance of both restaurants and shops as this will save petrol and parking and allow you to enjoy a good meal with wine without worrying about having to drive back to your holiday accommodation after drinking or having the additional cost of a taxi.
Near the beach and center of the town it is likely that your choice will be limited to apartments which are usually cheaper than equivalent villas.
To further save money you can rent a larger villa and share the cost within a group of people traveling together or alternatively by renting something smaller or an apartment.
Of course at the end of the day it is important that you are happy with the accommodation and in order to have the best options at the best price it is best to book early.