Tip 1: When you check dates with us - if you have flexibility of a day or two as to when you arrive and/or when you depart and if the apartment of your choice is also available for these wider dates, this can help you find the best value flights - there are flights from the UK to the local airports every day of the week now - Almeria is the closest airport (85 kms), Murcia (San Javier) is next (around 130kms by new toll motorway) and Alicante is furthest, but still only about two and a half hours drive (210 kms). The past 5 years has seen the flights scene transformed - there is now a profusion of flights by the budget airlines as well as "seat-only" flights with the package holiday companies' charter airlines.
Tip 2: It is definitely worth checking the budget airlines such as Easyjet , BMIbaby , Ryanair , FlyBE, FlyMonarch and Jet2 especially if you are booking well ahead of your holiday. Budget airlines flying to Almeria, which is the nearest airport, include Ryanair (from Stansted), Easyjet (from London Gatwick or Stansted & East Midlands) and FlyMonarch (from Birmingham). Most of the budget airlines fly to Alicante and several to Murcia - both these airports are within two and a half hours drive of Vera Playa. ThomsonFly.com fly to Alicante from a number of UK airports including Coventry (but not, yet, to Almeria or Murcia)
Also check the availability of charter flights such as MyTravel, Monarch, Britannia etc (try www.flightline.co.uk) as they can sometimes be cheaper than budget airlines, especially if you are making a late booking (Budget airlines tend to be cheapest if you are booking a long way ahead).
Tip 3: Flights with the charter airlines generally have to be complete weeks, i.e. 1, 2 or 3 weeks (sometimes 10 or 11 days is also possible). However if you book flights with a scheduled airline, such as the budget/no-frills airlines you can go on any day and come back on any day. We rent our apartments for whatever period you want, not just complete weeks. Sometimes by slightly juggling your flight dates (ouwards, return or both) you can save a lot on the costs - perhaps even halving the costs of the flights.

2. Book your flights and once these are confirmed please telephone or e-mail us immediately to confirm your reservation - you can use the Enquiry Form again if you wish (If you haven't contacted us within two days of asking us to provisionally reserve an apartment, that reservation will lapse). We will then hold the reservation for up to 5 days whilst you send us the Booking Form and payment.

3. Print out our Booking Conditions and Form (Click here). Read it, complete it and send it to us together with your cheque for the deposit or full payment for the apartment rental (depending how imminent your holiday is).
Why do we charge a Key/Security Deposit and require a signed Booking Form? When you book with us, if it is more than two months beforte your holiday you pay a booking deposit of £100 at the time of booking and then the full rental not less than two months beforehand (If you book two months or less beforehand, you pay the full rental + £100 Key/Security deposit when you book). We hold the £100 booking deposit as a Key/Security Deposit until after your holiday and then, provided the keys have been returned and there has been no loss or damage at the apartment - we don't worry about the odd glass or plate - we refund the deposit in full. We do this to protect us and maintain the high standards of our apartments. We find it works well - our visitors are invariably nice, responsible people who look after our apartments as they would their own home - and we have never, yet, had to withold or deduct anything from the Deposit. So it works well for us and for our visitors who benefit from the care exercised by previous visitors.

4. We will acknowledge receipt of your booking and confirm its acceptance. About two weeks before your departure we will send you directions to help you find your way from your arrival airport in Spain to Vera Playa/Bahia de Vera. The journey is pleasant and straightforward - by motorway - from all the airports - from Almeria it is about 50 minutes (85 kms), from Murcia, about 1 hours 20 minutes ( 130 kms by new toll motorway) and from Alicante about 2 hours 15 minutes (215 kms). (If you are coming from Murcia airport you can also use non-motorway roads closer to the coast - which is very scenic but longer in time as it includes very tortuous roads over mountain passes). There will also be details of how to gain admission to the Bahia de Vera urbanizacion - depending on when you are arriving you may be admitted by us or by our caretakers, or we may send you a key.

Tip 4: Car Hire - Book your car on the internet, don't wait till you arrive - that will be much more expensive. We recommend www.drivespain.com - you can get an on-line quote, then book the car of your choice, and you don't pay for it until you pick it up. The cars are provided by Europa Rentacar which has new/nearly new cars, has an office in the airline terminal at Alicante (agents in the arrivals hall at the other airports) and won't ask you for a blank credit card voucher. They will charge you for a full tank of fuel and you bring the car back as near empty as you dare to risk. They also have the lowest prices of any of the reputable firms, which sometimes means you have to queue for a few minutes at Alicante when you collect your car as they are so popular. You pays your money and you takes your choice! Also - www.allinclusivecarhire.com is operating on the same basis - cars are provided by Auriga and other rental companies and seem similarly good. Their prices tend to be fractionally higher than drivespain.com but there are sometimes discounts available for advance payment on the Internet, which can make them cheaper. Also check www.carjet.com - same brokers really but slightly different offers.

5. Once you are at Bahia de Vera: In your apartment you will find a folder of useful information about the apartment and its equipment, about Bahia de Vera and its facilities and about local shopping, restaurants, places to visit etc. It also explains what to do with the keys etc when you leave at the end of your holiday. If we are at Bahia de Vera ourselves at the time of your visit you can, of course, ask us for any information or about any problems which arise - if we are not there ourselves our caretakers normally are. We shall also give you contact numbers to use in emergencies if neither we or our caretakers are available on-site - as does inevitably happen sometimes!

6. Lie back and enjoy the sun and freedom of naturist Bahia de Vera!

Next step? Send us the Enquiry Form or telephone us
on (UK mobile) 07710 730 450 or (UK landline) 024 7667 9322

Most recent update: 18 December 2007