Group travel on a £5k budget, cancelling trips to Sri Lanka and journeying alone as a pensioner: The holiday guru solves traveller queries
- To get updates around terrorism risks before travelling visit the FCO website
- Trailfinders can fix personalised tours for those travelling alone
- Landmark Trust has historic holiday lets which are perfect for big numbers
Q. We’ve booked a holiday to Sri Lanka. What will happen if we cancel?
Mary Wilson, via email.
A. Abta, the trade body for UK travel agents, says: ‘Customers who are due to travel imminently to the island on package holidays will be offered options of deferring their date of travel, transferring to another destination or a full refund.
‘Customers who have booked independently will need to discuss their options with their airline and accommodation provider.’
One reader asked what to do about cancelling their holiday to Sri Lanka in light of the terrorism attacks
Q. In light of the tragedy in Sri Lanka, what’s the best way to get up-to-date information about the risks from terrorism?
Jenny Miller, by email.
A. First port of call should always be the ‘travel advice’ page of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office website (gov.uk). You can search for whichever country or territory you intend to visit. Always take a contact number for the British embassy, consulate or high commission wherever you travel to.
Q. We are celebrating our ruby wedding anniversary in Easter 2020. Can you suggest somewhere for six adults and five children (aged five to 11), home or abroad? We have a £5,000 budget.
John and Denise Harper, via email
A. In the UK, Landmark Trust has 200-plus restored historic holiday lets (landmarktrust.org.uk). Try Cavendish Hall in Suffolk, a wonderfully grand Regency country house which sleeps 12, with antiques, fireplaces galore and a 30-acre estate. A four-night stay costs from £1,750.
For a group trip, the holiday guru recommends Cavendish Hall in Suffolk (pictured), which sleeps 12, with antiques, fireplaces galore and a 30-acre estate
On the Continent, Simpson Travel (simpsontravel.com) has properties such as Le Grand Logis, a secluded house sleeping 12 in the Dordogne, from £2,395 for a week. EasyJet flights to Bordeaux, 90 minutes away, are from £46 return (easyjet.com).
Q. I am a pensioner and thinking of going to Japan on my own for four to six weeks. But I am no internet whizz-kid and I am finding it hard to know where to start. Can you help?
Miss J. Wrench, Todmorden, W. Yorks.
A. Give Inside Japan a call. Its experts can organise long, tailor-made trips (insidejapantours.com, 0117 244 3380). Trailfinders can also fix personalised tours (trailfinders.com, 020 7084 6500).
If you need advice, the Holiday Guru is here to answer your questions and provide tips on how to make the most of your precious time off. Please send questions to [email protected] or write to Daily Mail Travel, Northcliffe House, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TT — and include your contact details. We will do our best to answer your queries but we can’t reply to every enquiry. Please do not send in any original documents. We look forward to hearing from you.