Sometimes an easy family ‘fly and flop' is just what you need
For ages I've been wanting to take my four small grandchildren away, partly for the fun of it and partly to give my daughters a break. So where do you go that is going to please children who are aged between two and six as well as my grown-up daughters and partner, who are very 'foodie', and me, who is less foodie, more, er, 'cocktailie'.
While I do a lot of solo travelling and dragged my own kids all over the world when they were small (India, Cambodia, Egypt, for starters) I remember them begging, 'Please, Mum, can we have a normal holiday with no artefacts?' So I knew for this trip we needed something as easy as possible.
This is where a good all-inclusive comes in and the snobbery around them is silly. A break from shopping and cooking is a boon to parents of little ones. A place where everyone can eat and drink what they like without having to think about bills is relaxing. My experience is you get what you pay for, because I have done cheap all-inclusives where the food was inedible except for the roast dinners people had around the swimming pool alongside huge rum and coke floats at 11am. Yes, really.
• More great all-inclusives in Mallorca
The Iberostar Selection Albufera Park resort in northeast of Mallorca appealed to us because the flight is short. We were all excited. One of my grandsons told his mum, 'Tell Grand Suzanne not to take weapons to the airport.' Smart advice.
One imagines the perfect family holiday but families are complicated and life happens. Or, worse, it stops. A couple of days before we were due to go my son-in-law's mother died suddenly. She was an amazing woman and integral to my grandchildren's life. We were all in shock. Do you go on holiday while grieving? What is the right thing to do? The little ones didn't understand, of course.
It was obvious my son-in-law could not come, but could he join us halfway through the week? Everyone was brilliant. The hotel staff were understanding and I changed his flight with easyJet. I was amazed to get through on the phone and talk to a guy who was sympathetic to our plight.
• Best beaches in Mallorca
We arrived determined to make the best of it despite the sadness. Small children keep you in the present and my grandsons, who are five and six years old, were excited we were picked up by a minibus. The reception at the hotel is genius as there is a large slide for tired and fractious kids (keep that as a surprise). It's brilliant because it makes check-in fun.
The resort had upgraded my room, but we wanted to be together as that was the point of the holiday. As it was, our 'family premium' room was big enough. A bunk bed arrangement in one part of the room with a sliding door and a big bed on the other side gave us what amounted to two bedrooms. We overlooked the main pool with its water slides and ladybird-style showers.
Then there was the breakfast buffet, which is my middle daughter's favourite thing in the world. My eldest is not so keen on buffets and I don't get up for breakfast if there is coffee in the room, but the children adored it, ladling chocolate sauce on to potato waffles. Indeed, the food was pretty great all round. It was fresh and there was a huge variety, much of it cooked in front of you. Our favourite was the lunch beach grill restaurant, Tamarindos. Steak, chicken and fabulous sausages were barbecued there, and they offered beautiful salads too. The kids were happy with very good pizza and burgers, while the adults had lobster and paella.
• What to do in Mallorca
There are restaurants to book and it's nice to be served. The grown-ups tried the Greek (Kyknos) and Spanish (Martinete) restaurants but the food was not any better than the buffet.
Apart from the main kids' pool, there are six other pools, which are calmer, and a superb beach. We all did different things at different times. My favourite was the rooftop pool, where you could help yourself to drinks and look out over the bay and Playa de Muro beach. It was peaceful and feels five-star luxe.
As for booze, they knew how to do a proper margarita so I coped, put it that way. Much is designed around kids, especially small kids. There are trampolines and all kinds of activities. The swimming pool carpet was a hit, as were the giant Transformers appearing at dinner. Ours were too little for the kids' club stuff and I think kids' clubs require children who are extroverted. However, our lot were entranced by the shows. I know it's illegal, but I don't like Abba, never mind Abba imitators. Still, the children loved the acrobats and the 'I love the Nineties' night.
• Mallorca's top family hotels
We barely left the resort, but we did go up the road for pony rides. A Shetland pony is heaven if you're a three-year-old girl. And the Albufera Nature Reserve is nearby with the Balearics' largest wetlands. Oh, and we went on a boat trip from Muro beach into the bay and around the caves of Cap de Formentor with an hour's stop at Formentor beach — easy, as you can sit inside if the sun is too hot and there is a bar and snacks on board. But really you can do as little or as much as you like.
My son-in-law eventually arrived and while sun and sea are not a cure for bereavement it was good to be together.
• Read our full guide to the Balearics
I had a terrific facial and a massage at the spa (treatments from £70), though the indoor pool is a bit underwhelming, but that's a niggle. The other niggle was the loudness of the shows. If your room is near the stage it's impossible to settle little ones to sleep as it's so noisy. It also seemed a bit much to have to have to pay for beach sunloungers (£18 a day for two), but these are, as I say, niggles.
In our circumstances we could not have the perfect family holiday and we are far from a perfect family anyway, but it gave us some time out.
The holiday fantasy is everyone gets on and no exhausted child has a temper tantrum. It's unreal, but the fact that each of us relaxed and had a few perfect moments at such a difficult time says everything about what Iberostar provides. The children even asked me if they could live there, so there you go … my grandparenting job was done. For now.Suzanne Moore was a guest of Iberostar (iberostar.com), which has all-inclusive family rooms at Albufera Park from £246. Fly to Palma
This article contains affiliate links that can earn us revenue
By Siobhan Grogan
Spread over low-rise buildings in a peaceful bay in the southwest of Kos, this all-inclusive hotel is directly on the beach in Lambi, with five pools, a mini-waterpark and a spa. There are seven restaurants including a gelateria and Greek taverna, plus swim-up rooms and suites with private pools for extra indulgence.Details Seven nights' all-inclusive from £871pp, including flights, checked luggage and coach transfers
A 20-minute seaplane ride west of Malé, Kuramathi was one of the first resorts to open on its own island in the Maldives's Rasdhoo Atoll in 1975 and has honed a winning fly-and-flop formula since. Waft between a mile-long sandbank lapped by the Indian Ocean, a beachside spa, a champagne bar, nine à la carte restaurants and a house reef, where the snorkelling is excellent. Details Seven nights' full board from £1,659pp, including flights (kuoni.co.uk)
Choose between seven outdoor pools or Portugal's longest golden sand beach at this five-star property at Praia da Falesia in the Algarve. There's no need to leave if you'd rather not, because this sprawling resort has 12 restaurants, a huge kids' club, a clifftop golf course, an impressive spa and rooms decorated in traditional Portuguese style with hand-painted tiled headboards and terracotta floors. However, the coastal town of Olhos d'Agua, with its waterpark, beach promenade and boat tours, is about a ten-minute walk. Details Seven nights' B&B from £626pp, including flights and checked luggage (britishairways.com)
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Daily Mail
34 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
The clampdown 'killing' one of Turkey's most popular holiday towns: How a curfew, ban on dancing and soaring pint prices is 'ruining' Marmaris for Brits
With its picturesque cobblestoned streets and its breath-taking coast with waters a shade of blue you would never spot in the UK, the beautiful resort town of Marmaris grips you within a heartbeat. As one local put it, it is surrounded by 'beaches like Miami, waters like the Maldives and mountains like Canada '. But it is something else entirely that draws in the British en masse… the streets of Armutalan. A strip known for little to do with landscapes and more to do with neon lights, extravagant dance shows, topless barmen and sparklers. According to the 'fun pubs' up and down the main street, more than 90 per cent of their customers are British. One pub owner even went as far as suggesting, '99 per cent British!' Over the years the area became popular for British families and young couples wanting to go out, dance, and let loose on holiday while still being able to have a seated table and look after their children - with many even having dedicated kids play areas. But it also controversially became known for young barmen taking their tops off and dancing on table tops for the 'entertainment' of older women on the hunt for foreign 'boytoys'. To find out exactly what the strip is like once the sun sets, especially as a solo female traveller, I visited the renowned Armutalan at 10pm. Having been to strips across the likes of Ibiza and Malaga, I braced myself for the worst. I arrived there expecting to see drunken Brits breaking out into fist fights, creepy barmen harassing you to come in for 'free drinks' and yobs looking for the perfect opportunity to rob your phone in the busy crowds. But I was taken aback when all I witnessed was a warm welcome at 'fun pubs' where music was booming, families were dancing to British classics, and no-one was coercing you into stepping in. In a refreshing change, I did not find myself constantly looking over my shoulder to check if my drink had been spiked or if I was in any danger. What I did witness, however, was a dying street that was until recently mobbed with people. Venues that would by now in the holiday season be rammed with dancing Brits stood close to empty, with most barmen 'too scared' to dance or encourage customers to get up out their seats for a boogie. The drastic change in atmosphere came after 14 pubs were closed down a few weeks ago over floating restrictions which include a new curfew on music and lights being turned off at the stroke of midnight and bars entirely closed by 12.30am. It adds to bans which came into place following Covid on bar staff dancing topless with customers on tabletops and the use of sparklers, even on birthday cakes. The 'boring' measures came after some locals felt the 'dirty dancing' and 'loud music' was inappropriate, arguing that it made the resort town look 'sleazy' and 'cheap'. But Brits - who flocked to see the dance shows - say the 12am curfew may see them 'never return' to the beloved resort, as pub owners say it is 'killing' the tourism industry. A Brit I met at the street's Parkhead pub, said she had visited just five weeks ago and it had been busy 'as normal', but in the space of a few weeks had 'completely died out'. The street itself was empty of sound and soul, bar the neon lights and music reflecting from inside the pubs. Turkish authorities say the curfew was brought into effect to avoid causing trouble for nearby locals having to listen to booming music into the early hours of the night. There have also, for a few years now, been restrictions on music only being played until 1am for pubs and bars situated along the popular beachfront on Marmaris' Long Beach. But police are cracking down. Venues found to be breaking rules risk being shut for periods of three to ten days, or even permanently as in the case of two venues very recently. As the clocks hit 12.30am, you could see hyped young people flood onto the beach after the music blasting in the beachfront bars was brought to an abrupt end. Critics say the changes are 'fair' as those wanting to party later into the night can still go to Bar Street, the resort's nightclub strip. But the appeal is not there. Those flocking to Armutalan Street are on the lookout for a family-friendly night out that isn't overrun by hormone-filled teens on their first party holiday. And the infamous Bar Street is not known to be the safest of places. Every pub owner along Armutalan Street and the Long Beach beachfront warned against venturing there alone. And Brits who have visited the resort for 20+ years and call Marmaris their second-home told me to steer well clear, telling me that spiking and harassment is all too common there. Just days before I arrived, one person was shot dead in an 'armed conflict' which broke out between two groups on the Bar Street strip. Mahoney, the owner of Parkhead bar, Mahoney said to me: 'They tell you if you want to go out, go to Bar Street, but the English people's culture is pubs. 'They don't want clubs, only the young people want to go to clubs. Most people that come to this street doesn't want to go to Bar Street. They are older people with families. 'Bar Street is quiet now, people don't go there. It's expensive and it's too much trouble. 'Three or four days ago, someone was shot and killed there. It's so much more dangerous. 'And if I sell a drink here for 150 lira (£2.74), on Bar Street it is three times more expensive. 'But 90 per cent of the people here are British. In this area, on this street, it's mostly British. 'We were the first many years ago to start having kids play area. 'In Marmaris you can ask any tourists about the pubs and the restaurants, everyone loves us. Most our customers they come here over 10 years, 15 years. We are like family with them. 'But now after 12am they close the lights and tell customers "go home". Which is really bad. 'If we ignore it the police come and give big fines, last year I had two fines which cost 400,000 lira (£7,300) each. 'Some of the dance maybe it was too much, dirty things, but the things we done was because they like it, it was not sexual, it was just for a laugh. 'We did it because that's what they like. But okay, we said "okay no dance, no fireworks, no hassle". We accepted it. But why a curfew? 'Now our regular customers say if it is like this we won't come back.' And the threat of losing decades-long loyal customers is very real. In fact, it is clear it has already started to happen from the emptiness on the main street. And bar owners say they have had 'too many' regular British visitors message them to say they will be holidaying elsewhere this year due to the curfew. Speaking to me in the noisy Chuckle Brothers bar Bedirhan Saritac told me: 'It's not fair. Let's be honest, it's not fair. 'By midnight people are just starting to get drunk, start enjoying it, and bang it's all closed. 'What are they supposed to do? Go and buy a bottle and go to their room? That's not what they came here for. 'It's only British people that come here, this street our customers are all from the UK. 90 per cent. 'The Brits are mad about it. Most our customers are like our friends now because they come every year, some come four or five times a year. So we are like family with them now. 'It's already stopping people from coming. 'People have already texted us saying they cancelled their flights. 'We're losing customers. They say they are going to Greece now. 'They're killing Marmaris.' Admitting the topless dancing may have been 'over the top', he said: 'Look, yes we have some fault. On some things we're wrong too as bars, we accept that. 'Some people may not like the taking tops off. We done it but that worked, but we see the point and we're not doing that no more. 'But the thing is this was one of the busiest bars in Marmaris, busy every night, if I was doing something wrong why would I be busy all the time? 'People come because they like that. I'm not doing it for myself, people like it. 'But some people don't, so we see the point, we don't allow it anymore. 'We say "we're sorry, we won't do it again". I don't know what the problem is with sparklers, but they say "don't do it" and we say "fine". 'But why are you closing the bar at 12, why are you turning the music off at 12, it's not fair. We weren't taking our tops off after 12, it was happening before.' Bedirhan Saritac continued to tell me how the effects have already been seen in the few weeks since the clampdown. He reckons he loses £2,000 a day (110,000 lira) during peak season due to the new measures. At the next pub down, staff member Adar from Mad Boys repeats the same as Mr Saritac: 'Our tourism season only six months, that has to last us the year. 'After seeing some boys' dances at some bars, like some dirty dances, the government say Turkish people are not this and want to stop it. 'We were very angry but then we saw some of the videos of kids dancing on the tables and it's not good at all. 'But it's not all, just a few doing that. 'Now they don't allow even normal dance, normal cha cha dance, the customers want to dance but they don't allow it. 'We are really hoping it gets better and they change it to at least 1am. 'All customers are saying "if we have to go to the hotel at 12am why we are on holiday? We might as well stay at home." 'All our customers, 99 per cent are British. We don't have any others tourist, just British in this area.' As it hit 11pm, I had expected the strip may become busier. But still it was a stretch to say it was even 'dotted' with people. Some bars were busier than others, but none of them looked how they should coming to the end of June. Speaking to one Scottish family at Chuckle Brothers through the loud music, Claire Quinn, 43, Fiona Muir, 41 and Shannon Luff, 25 said: 'The energy is down, it's a lot quieter than normal. It's terrible to see. 'When you come on holiday you don't want to go home at 12am. 'That's not what I came here for to be told to go home. 'In other destinations you have to go to clubs. The difference is when you come to Turkey and you can sit out here and it still take in the entertainment. 'The tourism has heavily gone down. 'When you've little kids or even teens, when you've got sparklers it keeps them entertained because they can't go out. 'It couldn't have been more family orientated. 'It's put a big damper on it. This is the quieter than I've seen it.' Ms Muir added: 'I've been coming here for 27, 28 years. My kids have been coming since really small. We've all been really shocked. It's a real shame.' Meanwhile, Ms Quinn said this may be her last visit. She said: 'I will not be back. If it stays this way. We come here for the atmosphere and the family entertainment and it's gone. 'I've been coming here twice a year for five years, but this will be my last time here unless it changes. 'You used to get the men dancing on the tables with sparklers, all that entertainment, but you don't get any of it anymore. 'Just look around outside too, it's completely empty. 'It's terrible, really terrible.' Further down the strip Lee Potter, 33, was visiting the bars with his family, Harriet Walker 29, Janine Potter 29, and kids Thomas and Tallulah. He said: 'The first year we came here it was absolutely booming. It was mental. 'We've been coming for four went to Jacob's they were dancing on the tables. 'It was also so cheap. You could get a pint for 80p, now it's about the same as London prices.' On the dancing they said: 'It is was a bit like entertainment, but it was a bit crude. It's not for when your with family. But before you couldn't walk down this street. Now it's dead.' Diane Harvey was here just five weeks ago. She told me: 'Everything was normal. Now it's dead. 'I've been coming to Marmaris for 20 years, it was never any trouble, any problem. 'It was mobbed five weeks ago with tourists, families with babies. 'The boys were all dancing, no trouble, no nothing. 'I came back here on Saturday, and I'll tell you it's the worst I've seen it. 'They can't come up to dance with customers anymore. I would normally be up there dancing with all these boys. 'I'm coming back here in October with friends and it's not going to be the same. They've ruined it, ruined Marmaris. 'Next year I'm not coming here, I'll be going to morocco. 'On all the Marmaris groups on Facebook, they're all boycotting it. They're going to Spain, Portugal. 'I don't know if I'll come here next year, I'm going to Morocco next June instead. Further down by the beachfront, where music has to be turned off by 12.30am, Lauren Bennington, 31, Lea Binns, 24 and Keeley Whitehurst, 20, told me 'it's not the same'. The trio, who had all met back here on the beach many years ago, said: 'We would usually be here till like 5am but now it's half 12 and everyone floods onto the beach. 'We've been coming for eight years. It was packed even last year but now it's so much quieter. 'And the problem is you don't want to go to Bar Street because it's quite rowdy there. 'They used to do the sparklers and the dance shows and the guys dancing, and they say it's bad cos they're doing it in a sexual way but they're not. 'They're just entertaining. And the thing is the sparklers and stuff, the kids love it too it keeps them entertained It's definitely not the same.' Nearby Emma Boriss, 46, and Emily Boden, 24, from Blackpool, warned me against going to Bar Street. They said: 'This beachfront, it's a home away from home. 'But Bar Street, it's dinghy, it's like a back street. 'Someone was shot there a few days ago. 'We've been once with a chap from the Manchester bar before, but we wouldn't ever go back. It's dangerous. 'It's a shame that they've ruined these bits. We'll probably still come, but not if it weren't for the people we know well now. 'I could see how first time goers wouldn't come. They'd go somewhere like Portugal instead.' Almost everyone I encountered walking down the strips at Armutalan Street and the beachfront had been regular visitors who had made Marmaris their yearly trip over years. And the new curfews risked changing this for them. For James Roberts, 28, and Jade Bingham, 27, Jamie Bone, 20, and Dylan Cox, 21, it was their first time visiting. They said: To be fair it's out of respect for the hotels and locals isn't it. 'But we have to say it is a bit of a let down for tourists.'
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Fed up with travel tummy? Our step-by-step guide to beating the bloat as soon as you land – and the foods to avoid
SUMMER holiday on the horizon? Whilst the thought of cocktails around the pool and lazy lunches might get you excited, you'll have to get through the 'travel tummy' first. No, you aren't imagining it - your tummy can get more bloated, gassy and even painful after travelling, especially flying. 8 Kelly Mulhall, nutritional therapist & gut health expert says that bloating and gas can be due to expansion and compression of bowel gases as the atmospheric pressure changes. She tells Sun Health: 'Some individuals may find they hold in their gas when in a public space, which can also exacerbate the bloating.' And while you might think a pre-holiday cheeky full English breakfast or fast food takeaway before boarding the plane is a right of passage, it certainly won't help matters. Travel bloating can be caused or exacerbated by the food you eat in the lead-up. 'Usually, when travelling, this is more carbohydrate heavy than you would normally have (think easy-to-pack snack foods such as crisps and sandwiches) which could cause you to bloat,' says Kelly. 'The prevalence of fast food in airports and service stations will also cause bloating from being carb-heavy and ultra-processed - which many people do not react well to.' Travelling long haul can also make your bloat and gas even worse. Kelly says: 'Prolonged sitting during car or plane travel can slow down gut motility - the movement of food through the digestive system- leading to constipation, bloating and gas. ' Dehydration is also very common during travel, particularly during long-haul flights. This can be to do with an increase of alcohol and/or lack of hydration. 'Dehydration can lead to constipation, which can in turn exacerbate bloating and gas.' The 3-minute tummy massage to ease bloating, constipation and trapped wind Sick of having to suffer from a travel tummy? Sarah Campus, personal trainer and founder of LDN Mum's Fitness has put together five stretches that you can do when you're bloated and feeling a bit gassy, either when you're travelling or when you arrive at your destination to beat the bloat. She recommends doing each stretch for 35 to 45 seconds (or as long as you like) and remember to keep breathing through each stretch. 1. Cat cow 8 8 Come down onto all fours. Make sure your wrists are under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Inhale as you round the spine and take your gaze to the ground between your knees, behind you. Then exhale as you arch your spine, taking your gaze up. Keep alternating between the two. 2. Seated spinal twist 8 Whether you're in a plane or car, Sarah says that twisting your internal digestive system can help to release any pockets of gas. Sit upright and place your left hand on the outer edge of your right knee. Twist your torso round to the right, keeping your knees facing forward. Inhale as you twist and then exhale as you release back to centre. Make sure you also repeat this stretch on the other side. 3. Standing forward fold 8 If you're short on space but you're able to stand, try this standing exercise. Stand tall, then exhale and come down, bending over and wrapping your arms around the back of your knees. 'This will compress your stomach and help to 'squeeze' out any trapped gas,' says Sarah. Then, inhale before you exhale and come up to standing. Repeat again, inhaling and then exhaling as you fold over. 4. Knee hugs 8 If you get to your hotel and you're feeling a little gassy or bloated, try this. Lie down on your back and hug both knees into your chest. Inhale and squeeze the knees in towards you. Then exhale and stretch the legs back out. Keep repeating the move. 5. Child's pose 8 Get into all fours, then stretch your arms out in front of you while pushing your hips back towards the heels of your feet. Inhale, fill your tummy with air, and then exhale. Keep walking your hands forward and pushing your hips back. Other tips to beat travel tummy... As well as stretching, Kelly suggests packing some fibre-rich foods with you to eat as you travel. 'Think of a variety of vegetables and fruits which can be easy to take on-the-go,' she says. 'Try chopped up carrot, cucumber and peppers with hummus, apples, easy peeler tangerines and a small tupperware of berries.' Slow down your eating too, making sure you chew food thoroughly to help ease some of the pressure on your digestive system. Kelly recommends travelling with a one liter bottle of water if possible, especially on flights where the air is dry. 'You could add some electrolytes to your water to help stay hydrated,' she says. 'This will help reduce constipation and therefore reduce bloating.' If you can, try to get up and move regularly. This stimulates the digestive system to help keep things moving, including the build up of gas! Key health risks on a flight Blood clots Prolonged sitting can slow blood circulation, increasing the risk of blood clots, particularly in the legs. Symptoms include swelling, redness, pain, or warmth in the affected leg. To reduce the risk, wear compression socks and walk around the cabin regularly on long-haul flights. Dehydration The dry cabin air can lead to dehydration, causing fatigue, headaches, or dry skin. Blocked ears Some of us suffer more than others. And if you get extreme ear discomfort, it's recommended to chew gum or suck on sweets to equalise pressure. Exacerbation of pre-existing conditions Conditions like heart or lung disease may be aggravated by reduced oxygen levels at high altitudes. So make sure you consult your GP about any potential problems.
The Guardian
2 hours ago
- The Guardian
‘Your reservation is at risk': beware the Booking.com scam
You've booked the hotel and you're starting to look forward to your break when you get a message telling you to make a payment, or give your credit card details, to secure your holiday. It's come through the app, or in an email that looks legitimate, so you get out your credit card in panic and pay. As the summer holidays get into full swing many of us are primed to hear from travel providers – making it open season for scammers. One of many holiday-related frauds preys on customers who have booked somewhere to stay via the platform either via its website or app. In the UK, Action Fraud received 532 reports of the scam between June 2023 and September 2024, with victims losing a total of £370,000. It says that it is likely hackers are using phishing attacks against accommodation providers and then using the details to contact customers – sometimes via WhatsApp but often through the real platform. This means the usual things to look out for – odd email addresses, or texts, may not apply. Cases seen by Guardian Money have typically involved the theft of several hundred pounds. The global nature of the platform means it can happen to you wherever in the world you live, or plan to holiday. Regulators in countries including Australia have warned of the issue. said: 'Unfortunately, there is an increasing number of online scams targeting many businesses operating in the e-commerce space. With the rise of AI, cybercriminals are able to create increasingly sophisticated scams.' It said continually invested in cybersecurity technology, and incidents on the platform were rare. The message may say that your payment details need to be verified, or that there has been a problem with your card. It will try to make you panic by telling you your accommodation will be cancelled if you don't respond – it will probably give you a deadline to act by – usually a few hours away. There will be a link in the message for you to click on to give your card details. A separate scam also preying on would-be holidaymakers involves fake web pages which are used to trick people into downloading a malicious file that gives criminals full control of your device. The technology firm HP Wolf Security says scammers are emailing links to the pages and visitors are asked to accept cookies before they can see the full site – it is when they press 'accept' that the file downloads. A payment, or credit card details which the scammers say will just be used to pre-authorise or verify the card before your stay. They then charge it. Try not to panic about your holiday and don't respond until you've checked the message is genuine. advises: 'Always double-check the property's payment policies listed on the booking page or in your confirmation email. If there is no pre-payment policy or deposit requirement outlined, but you're asked to pay in advance to secure your booking, it is likely a scam.' If you are in doubt, contact customer service team and/or the accommodation provider directly. Be suspicious of any links you are sent. Genuine payments will be made on the app or website – you won't be sent to another site. Look out for common fraud tactics and giveaways. 'Scam messages often include urgent language and may contain spelling or grammar errors,' says. If you have put your card details into a site, call your card provider. You may need to block or cancel your card. also advises enabling two-factor authorisation on your account
