The most cost-effective method for booking and enjoying leisure holidays occurs if you book your own holiday by just following a few simple rules. The first rule is to pre-book directly with the owners of holiday villas or apartments; it’s very simple, since most Spanish apartment rentals are found via professional sites which advertise only the private owners’ self catering apartments to rent in Spain and which do not charge any kind of commission. You should be dealing directly with the owners. If you have to book via an agent, they are taking a cut that you will most likely be paying for. This is also true of booking flights via travel agents; it is better to book directly with the airlines. Please remember: always use a credit card when you book a flight. Planning and organising to book direct yourself means deciding what you want to see in a certain area, which attractions to view and most importantly, where you will stay. Spanish apartment rentals in the Canary Islands for this winter are a good bet; you’ll have an array of choices for islands to go to: Tenerife, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, La Palma: All having warm climates in winter, although they do offer different kinds of holidays; for instance, Tenerife, the largest island, might arguably be the liveliest one. But if it is beaches that you desire, with wind surfing, then take a closer look at the island of Fuerteventura. (more…)