Hi Toots there's

http://www.wintersunshineholidays.com

http://www.otbeach.com/

http://www.hotelsconnect.co.uk/ (Got a good deal with them for Prague recently 3 nights for 2, but they can be more expensive other times)

I know you stayed in Brassilia last year when we went we booked direct with them http://www.hotelbrasiliaplaya.com/02_english/index.html

Also my friend and I have just booked to go to Majorca for 3 nights in February and we got a great deal from Thomson accommodation. Go to their home page and click 'offers' then choose hotel. The dates you want may not be showing yet - at the moment it goes up to 9th June. We got 3 nights in Fiesta Sahara for £36 per apartment ie £12 per night.

we are using http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk for our trip in august to Cala Millor. you contact the owner direct to arrange your stay. we are paying £225 per week for apartment for 4, with only £50 deposit, rest on arrival.

well worth a try!

Cheers!! Mark

Have booked 3 seperate lots of hotels this year with http://www.xcapewithus.com Used them over xmas no probs at all prices were good when i booked. Also advantage of having a spanish office in Majorca as well as the uk.

regards,

Nigel

Tootsie,

Booking direct with hotels is something you can try but I guess it depends how brave you are. Not saying anything is wrong with it, I've booked direct with H10 hotels in Lanzarote before and every thing went fine. You have to consider that you generally have no point of contact in the UK if anything goes wrong or you need to change something.

As for accommodation providers, I'm sure you can pick up a nice long list off this very forum
Some of the big hitters to try in my opinion are...

1. Winter Sunshine Holidays - http://www.wintersunshineholidays.com
1b. Find-Rooms.com (same company, just a different coat of paint) - http://www.find-rooms.com
2. Alpharooms (as you already know) - http://www.alpharooms.com
3. Med Hotels - http://www.medhotels.com

Apartments Abroad - http://www.apartmentsabroad.co.uk
Travel Republic - http://www.travelrepublic.co.uk
Bed Bookers - http://www.bedbookers.com
Book and Stay - http://www.bookandstay.com

Definately try the top 3, I think they are the largest players.

If you do a search on each of them on this site you should get lots of opinions on customer service etc. that will help you make your choice, after all it isn't always about the price.

Jazz.

Wow thanks so much everyone, thats given me loads to look at and research.....................when Ive done my homework I'll let you all know how it went.

I was worried about trying to book direct, as I heard that sometimes you get quoted a lot higher, but if I do a bit of research on the links above and THEN try the Brasalia direct, I will have a figure and will be able to haggle a bit.

Thanks again

You will sometimes be quoted more because the hotel is charging you their rack rate.

They give accommodation suppliers a lower rate that that the accommodation suppliers obviously don't mark up so much so they can say they are cheaper than going direct to the hotel.

Jazz.

Thanks Glynis for the Thomson link, I've been looking for accom in PDLA Tenerife and had forgot Thomson did acccom only. I got 2 studos in the Columbus aparthotel £8 per studio per night

Have you looked at Holiday-rentals.co.uk???

Some brilliant sc bargains!!!!

we are using holiday-rentals this year and got a 3 bedded, 2 bathroom apartment in august for a great price in almeria. they have loads of choice and you can contact the often english owners directly, that's what we did.

no 2 year later updates?

boogler wrote:

no 2 year later updates?

No, not on this thread, but I think you will find many of the companys quoted are mentioned in individual threads all over the forum.

What I did find quite interesting though is that all the links in JazzMans post apart from the last one (BookandStay ?) and the first three in Glynis's are still 'live' and take you direct to the sites, two years eight months on from Feb 06.

Which can't be too bad in this credit crunchy time although I suppose it doesn't mean they will still be here in another two years time.

I would still always pay in full by credit card.

Doe