Choosing your Self-Drive Holiday
What is a self-drive holiday?
Our self-drive holidays allow you to travel at your own pace in your own vehicle. We take care of all your travel arrangements and accommodation leaving you free to explore each destination at your leisure.
We include a comprehensive and personalised information pack which will arm you with all the information you need to make the most of your time, including sightseeing suggestions, route notes, restaurant recommendations and a map with our recommended route highlighted for you.
Knowing that all the arrangements are taken care of allows you to spend your days stress-free exploring medieval castles, sampling culinary delights or taking in wonderful views.
Why choose a self-drive holiday with Absolute Escapes?
Our first-hand knowledge and meticulous planning allow us to create memorable holidays exploring the best the UK has to offer. Each of our self-drive holidays is tailor-made based on your individual requirements and we hand-pick each of the accommodations for your itinerary. You can rest easy knowing that we have researched the very best experiences for your holiday and thought of every little detail.
Don’t just take our word for it though – have a read of some of our most recent customer reviews to see what our previous clients thought of their holidays.
When is the best time to visit the UK?
The weather varies considerably throughout the UK and according to the time of year. March and April are best for spring flowers, and views of snow-topped mountains. May and June are usually the driest and sunniest months. The days are at their longest towards mid-summer so you can make the most of long, bright evenings to explore. July and August are the warmest months, though usually wetter. September often brings a period of settled weather, and the autumnal colours in October and November can be quite spectacular.
July and August are when UK school summer holidays take place, which in many locations makes them the busiest months. However, in recent years May has been by far the busiest period in many Scottish locations.
Which itinerary do you recommend for a first visit to Scotland?
If it is your first time visiting Scotland then we would recommend our Escape to the Highlands itinerary which covers many of the scenic highlights including Edinburgh, the Highlands and the Isle of Skye.
What’s the difference between a self-drive holiday and a private tour?
On our self-drive holidays you will drive around the country at your own pace in your own vehicle. A private tour also allows full flexibility but is undertaken with a professional tour guide who will drive you in their vehicle and provide you with a commentary on the areas you will visit and show you places that you perhaps wouldn’t find on your own.
We are delighted to offer any of our itineraries as either a self-drive holiday or a private guided tour.
Booking your Self-Drive Holiday
How do I enquire about your self-drive holidays?
We recommend having a look over the itineraries on our website to gather some inspiration and then getting in touch via our enquiry form or by giving us a call to discuss your holiday.
Our travel experts will work with you to create an individualised itinerary taking into consideration the time you have available, your budget and the places you would most like to discover and explore. We will then send you a proposal and booking code for your holiday.
If you would like to go ahead and book we simply require a deposit of 20% of the total cost of your holiday. We will then proceed with making all of the arrangements for your holiday.
How do I pay for my holiday?
Once you have sent us an enquiry you will receive a full proposal by email. This will contain the price, inclusions, and full details on how to pay for your booking. We accept the following payment methods:
1. Bank Transfer – Our account details will be included in your proposal. We ask you to make payment in British pounds sterling (£). If your bank charges you for this service we do ask you to ensure that you settle these charges directly with them.
2. Credit or Debit Card – We accept the following credit or debit cards: Switch/Maestro; Visa; Master/Eurocard. We do not accept payment by Amex.
3. Cheque – Please make cheques payable to “Absolute Escapes Ltd.” Cheques must be made in British pounds sterling (£).
How far in advance do I need to book my holiday?
The further in advance you are able to book your holiday the more likely it is that we will be able to secure you our top choices of accommodation, so we recommend booking as early as possible. If you are looking to travel at peak times such as May or during school holidays please do get in touch as far in advance as possible.
We generally require at least one month’s notice in order to book a holiday.
Can I travel on my choice of dates?
Our self-drive holidays are completely flexible to when you would like to travel, so you can start and finish on any day that you choose.
When will I receive the information pack for my holiday?
We will send your information pack to you a few weeks prior to your holiday. In order to reduce paper waste and offset our carbon footprint, our information packs are generally sent by email. These digital packs will provide you with a detailed overview of your trip, including your personalised itinerary and details of your accommodation.
Should you wish to receive a printed version of your information pack, which includes luggage tags, please inform your Travel Specialist before making your final payment. This ensures that we can accommodate your request promptly.
Charges for printed information packs are as follows:
- UK postage – £10
- International postage – £30
These charges cover postage and printing costs. Additionally, a percentage of this amount will be donated to the John Muir Trust, a conservation charity dedicated to protecting and enhancing wild places in the UK.
Is my money safe?
In accordance with UK Government regulations, your financial security is guaranteed when you book with Absolute Escapes Ltd. The Association of Bonded Travel Organisers Trust Limited (ABTOT) provides financial protection under The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 for Absolute Escapes Ltd (membership number 5443). In the unlikely event of our insolvency protection is provided for all money that has been paid for non-flight packages.
ABTOT cover provides for a refund in the event you have not yet travelled or repatriation if you are abroad. Please note that bookings made outside the EEA are only protected by ABTOT when purchased directly with Absolute Escapes Ltd.
In the unlikely event that you require assistance whilst abroad due to our financial failure, please call the ABTOT 24/7 helpline on 01702 811397 and advise you are a customer of an ABTOT protected travel company. Further details can be found on the ABTOT website.
Do I require travel insurance?
We highly recommend that you take out holiday insurance to cover cancellation, personal accident, illness and loss or theft of personal possessions and/or money.
Can I change the dates of my holiday after I have booked?
It is usually possible to change your start date up to 8 weeks before the start of your holiday although it is not advisable. We charge an administration fee of £50.00 to cover the work involved in cancelling and re-booking your accommodation. Requests for changes made less than 8 weeks before the start of your holiday will be treated as a cancellation of your original booking, and our usual booking conditions will apply.
What happens if I have to cancel my holiday?
If you have to cancel your holiday please inform us by email or letter. The date from which we receive your email or letter is the date from which cancellation fees will be calculated. You can find our cancellation policy on our Booking Conditions page.
Package inclusions
What’s included in the package price?
As your package is tailored to you, inclusions will vary. However, our self-drive packages usually include:
- Accommodation with breakfast included
- Rental car (optional)
- An information pack containing your daily itinerary, accommodation details, restaurant and sightseeing recommendations
- 24-hour contact number in case you require any assistance
- Touring map and leaflets for local attractions
- Full financial protection
What’s not included in the package price?
- Travel insurance
- Lunches and evening meals
Can I drive my own vehicle on your self-drive holidays?
You are more than welcome to drive your own vehicle. Just make sure you let us know when enquiring and we’ll remove the price of a rental vehicle from your quote.
Do you include tickets for tours and attractions?
The information pack for your holiday is packed full of sightseeing suggestions for each day of your holiday based on our own experiences exploring each destination. With a few exceptions, we do not generally include any specific tickets in your package as we have found that our clients prefer greater flexibility in their holiday and that this allows you to choose how you would like to spend each day. Do let us know if you have any specific interests for your holiday and we can be sure to include some recommendations to match these.
Can you book flights or train travel for me?
We are more than happy to advise you of the best routes, however, we do not arrange flights or train travel.
Accommodation and meals
What type of accommodation do you offer?
We know that after a busy day of sightseeing an exceptional place to stay makes all the difference. We are proud to work with a fantastic range of B&Bs, Guest Houses and Hotels, a number of which we have worked with for many years. In each of the accommodations we use, we look for hands-on owners whose dedication to a high-quality client experience rivals our own.
Each accommodation included in your itinerary is hand-picked based on your individual requirements and many are off the beaten track in superb locations. In the cities, we work with slightly larger hotels to ensure a high-quality experience for our guests where a central location is often a priority.
To simplify the booking process, we offer the following accommodation categories:
- Standard – 4* Guest Houses & 3* Hotels
- Premium – 4* Gold and 5* Boutique Guest Houses & 4* Hotels
- Special Places to Stay – A collection of unique, often privately owned exclusive retreats and intimate hotels situated in spectacular locations.
If you wish to combine these categories or perhaps upgrade for a special occasion just let us know in your enquiry and we would be delighted to assist you.
How do you choose my accommodation?
Our team of experts are dedicated to seeking out the highest quality accommodation available in the UK and we only book you into places where we would be excited to stay ourselves. Over the years we have built up a fantastic knowledge of the best places to stay and a great relationship with many accommodations throughout the UK.
We look for high standards of personal service, attention to detail and excellent food and many of the places we use have hands-on owners, who ensure our guests are extremely well looked after.
Will my accommodation have an en-suite bathroom?
Yes, we always book en-suite rooms on our self-drive holidays.
Can you tell me the names of the accommodation you use?
As we prefer to hand-pick each of your accommodations based on your individual requirements and availability at the time of booking, we cannot say prior to booking which accommodation you will be staying in. We would be delighted to send some examples of the accommodation we use to give you an overview of the quality on offer – do just ask us! As soon as your holiday is confirmed we can also send a full list of your accommodation.
What meals are provided?
A satisfying breakfast is always included to set you up for the day. Each establishment offers its unique style and regional twists, ranging from hearty cooked breakfasts to continental spreads, or even picnic hampers delivered to your room.
Lunch and dinner are not included, however, your information pack will include recommendations on the best pubs and restaurants to eat and drink at each evening.
Can you cater for my dietary requirements?
Please tell us about your requirements when booking. It is almost always possible to accommodate dietary requirements, but please check with us first before booking.
Do you offer accessible holidays?
Yes, we are committed to providing an inclusive service. Our tailor-made packages allow us to check the suitability of accommodations individually when preparing your proposal. As accessible rooms are limited in some locations, we would advise getting in touch at least 9-12 months in advance to enquire about your holiday.
Other questions
What are driving conditions like in the UK?
The roads in the UK are generally very good, ranging from long stretches of motorway to small minor roads and country lanes. Across the country, you will find roads with spectacular views that are a real pleasure to drive. Vehicles drive on the left-hand side of the road and the speed limit is 30 mph in built-up areas, 60 mph on single carriageways and 70 mph on dual carriageways.
In many rural areas, you will find single-track roads with passing places built along them to allow other vehicles to pass. These roads tend to be the ones with the best scenery taking you through national parks and areas with beautiful natural landscapes.
Can I take my dog on a self-drive holiday?
Unfortunately, we’re unable to accommodate dogs on our self-drive tours.
