You say climbing, I say cocktails: eight holiday planning dilemmas and their solutions

When one of you wants the beach, and the other wants the city, how do you agree on a destination? Here are eight real-life solves to make sure everyone gets the trip they want

Sometimes planning a holiday is the easiest thing in the world, scrolling through hotels with sparkling swimming pools, picturing yourself on that soft-sand beach or poking about down the narrow alleys of an atmospheric old town.

Other times, it can be a convoluted jigsaw, trying to satisfy multiple tastes, expectations and wants. One person wants the convenience, buzz and history of an ancient city, while the other wants nothing but sea and sand for miles. One wants heart-pumping activity day after day, while the other doesn’t want to lift a finger all week. Perhaps that need to cater to diverse interests is why over 80% of us are planning to travel somewhere new this year, according to research conducted by the travel company TUI.

But whether you’re venturing to new pastures or retreading well-loved ground, making sure that all parties are satisfied is the key to a truly dreamy break. Here’s how TUI destinations have solved travel conundrums and been there for travel firsts for families, solo travellers, couples, friends and even sports teams from across the UK.

Forget unsatisfying compromises; everyone’s a winner, baby …

The dilemma: hardcore road cycling v beach break
The solution: villa holiday, Pollensa, Mallorca

Each year, my cycling team wants to get more miles in and tackle some challenging climbs. Our partners all want a “proper” holiday at the same time – sun, sea, sand and little more movement than raising a cocktail glass. Generally, mountain climbs don’t go with beach breaks and we spent months going back and forth about Alpine towns, Pyrenees roads and the climb to Mount Ventoux.

In the end, we settled on Pollensa in Mallorca. The stretch of sand at Puerto Pollensa and beachside bars satisfied those there for a holiday break. We stayed in a villa within walking distance of the old town. The Tramuntana mountains not only provided a pretty backdrop, but promised steep ascents for those of us with bikes. This is where the professional cyclists train in the autumn, so the lung-busting, hairpin climb from Sa Calobra meant we could set some PBs before celebratory cervezas in the main square. Mark, 42, Armagh

The dilemma: where to have your first solo holiday after a big life change
The solution: winter sunshine in St Lucia

In 2024, my divorce was finalised and I underwent life-changing back surgery that finally allowed me to get up and move around freely. The first thing I asked the surgeon was: “When can I fly?” Twelve weeks after surgery, I was on a flight to the Caribbean for my first ever solo holiday. I chose St Lucia because it was November and after months of being stuck indoors, I needed vitamin D.

Travelling alone, I opted for an all-inclusive package at a resort in north St Lucia. Their ethos around wellness spoke to me. I wasn’t looking for a fit-camp-style resort or the kind of place where you practise yoga 12 hours a day. I wanted activities but no pressure, to take part socially sometimes, but have some downtime by myself on the beach as well. They have everything from cycling and kayaking to yoga (the kind where you meditate and lie down a lot) and tai chi.

At mealtimes, there was an option to sit at a communal table if I was feeling sociable, or by myself if I just wanted to quietly contemplate another breathtaking St Lucian sunset. Emily, 39, Glasgow

The dilemma: can I actually go on holiday with work colleagues?
The solution: group skiing in the Italian Alps

I went on a ski trip at university and really enjoyed it, but it was always outside my budget to go by myself or with just one or two friends. Last year, I joined a group trip to the Italian Alps with 11 other people from my company. The group was just small enough that you could get to know everyone, but there were chances to splinter off so nobody felt forced to take part in everything all the time. Having an activity like skiing – though I was actually there to snowboard – kept us busy during the day and gave us all plenty to talk about when we met up at mealtimes.

We stayed in a hotel in Sauze d’Oulx near Turin on a half-board basis so there was freedom to do whatever you wanted for lunch and all meet up for dinner. The town is near the French/Italian border so we were sipping vin brulé (mulled wine) in the evening after hitting the brilliant-white Alpine pistes under sunny blue skies during the day. Endorphins, crisp mountain air and hot wine at night: probably the best way to get to know your colleagues a little better. Alex, 37, London

The dilemma: kids clubs v grownup time
The solution: all-inclusive resort, Costa del Sol, Spain

Having a kid completely changed the way we plan holidays. While we still want some grownup downtime, sipping wine in a taverna by the sea or lounging (quietly) by the pool, our four-year-old has other ideas. She wants play areas, kids clubs and constant entertainment. At first, holidays with a kid felt just like being at home, but without any baby-proofing or toys. We booked our first all-inclusive resort on Spain’s Costa del Sol last year. The Hotel Benalmádena Palace ticked all the boxes: a spa for us, on the beach and with lots of room by the pool. For our four-year-old, there was a kids’ club, mini disco and games rooms. The hotel also offers half-board, which we’d probably consider next time as it’s always nice to get out and explore. Rosie, 39, North Yorkshire

The dilemma: school holidays v child-free travel
The solution: an adults-only resort on Zakynthos, Greece

I work in academia, so my holidays basically have to fit into the school holidays, even though we don’t have kids. My partner wants to enjoy the sun-drenched destinations popular with families but we can’t go in the quiet months. This means everything is either expensive or full of the chaos that family life brings which, no offence, we don’t want on our holiday.

Last year, we booked our first adult-only hotel on Zakynthos during the Easter holidays. In fact, we went a step further in our quest to find peace and booked a room with a private pool. It was bliss. Just a short walk from the main strip of bars and restaurants of Kalamaki but quiet at night. We rented a car and explored the island from top to tail, taking in hilltop castles, tiny seaside villages and beaches where turtles nest. The cost of adult-only hotels doesn’t fluctuate as wildly during school holidays and it was exactly what we wanted, so we’ll be looking at adult-only resorts from now on. Sarah, 37, North Berwick

The dilemma: city break v beach break
The solution: Bari, Puglia, Italy

My friend works in tourism in the UK, so can’t leave the country during Europe’s warm weather months. We wanted to take a holiday somewhere with guaranteed sunshine at the end of October. While my friend was happy with something beachy, I wanted the kind of sightseeing you get on a city break. Italy has always been on my list, so we started at the top, searching for the perfect spot, and worked our way down the map until we reached the sunniest part of the country in October: Puglia, or “the heel” of Italy. We stayed in Bari where there’s a long stretch of beach, but also an abundance of history and striking architecture. We could take day trips to ancient towns and archaeological sites on the train, keeping me happy, and while away some days reading on a sun lounger. Christine, 75, Preston

The dilemma: winter sun v fairytale Christmas
The solution: Madeira, Portugal

Planning to celebrate two significant birthdays, me and my husband wanted to go away with my brother and his wife at the beginning of December. There was just one problem: they wanted winter sun and activity-packed days, and we wanted to embrace the magic of Christmas – twinkling lights and pine trees – in a slow, meandering fashion. Eventually, we found a package to Funchal in Madeira.

The town is illuminated with Christmas lights from 1 December and there’s a low-key market, decorated with poinsettias the size of small trees, where stalls sell traditional, handmade embroidery and lace. Instead of Christmas cake, we ate bolo de mel (a delicious medley of dark molasses, fruit and nuts). Christmas concerts featured mandolin orchestras and it was warm enough to go for ice-cream in the evening. My brother could satisfy his need for activity walking the levada trails – water channels from the mountains turned into well-marked hiking paths – and we could take it easy in Funchal’s old centre. Moira, 72, Swansea

The dilemma: to cruise or not to cruise
The solution: a sojourn down the Nile, Egypt

I’m not a cruise person. I don’t like large crowds of people, I get seasick easily, and the idea of being stuck in the middle of the ocean for days at a time gives me sticky palms. But I’ve always wanted to see ancient Egypt and my husband loves cruises. He convinced me to make my first cruise a small trip down the Nile. Still water, fewer people and multiple stops a day at sand-beaten temples and thousand-year-old tombs. Quite simply: it was incredible. Apart from exploring the ancient wonders between Luxor and Aswan, I enjoyed just watching life on the Nile from our cabin’s balcony. Farming, kids swimming in the river, women washing clothes. I got to know some of the other guests and we’re still in contact since we got back home. I’m not rushing to book a stomach-churning voyage to the Arctic or anything, but I’d quite like to do another river cruise and my husband keeps showing me boats on the Danube. Helen, 74, Brighton

Got your own travel dilemma? Find out how TUI can help find the perfect solution