Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

It's an organised small group holiday for adults living in the UK. You join on your own, and we take care of the hotel, airport transfers, the programme and support on the ground. On every trip our tour leader travels with the group, looking after the organisation and making sure everyone gets to know each other quickly.

For people who want to go on holiday but don't have anyone to go with – because friends can't make it, don't fancy going on their own, or simply because they'd like to meet new people. Some are single, others just don't want to travel alone. What we all share is that everyone comes to relax and spend time in good company.

Yes – that's exactly who we create these holidays for. You don't need to know anyone before you go. Most of the programme is planned so that nobody is left on their own at the table, on the beach or on an excursion.

Yes, you can bring one person – a friend or a family member. We only ask that you're both open to the rest of the group, as these holidays are first and foremost for people travelling solo.

No. The programme combines beach time, sightseeing and shared activities. Evenings out at bars or clubs are entirely optional – if you'd rather spend the evening by the pool with a book, nobody will try to talk you out of it.

We state the number of places and the minimum number of participants for each trip – usually between 15 and 30 people. That's big enough for everyone to find their kind of company, and small enough for the group to really get to know each other.

No. Our solo holidays are for adults and we don't split them into age groups – it's your outlook that counts, not your date of birth. People of all ages come along to relax, see something new and spend time in good company.

Our groups are mixed – both women and men travel with us. We don't set a ratio, because these aren't matchmaking trips: what matters most is that the whole group has a great time together. If you'd like to know who has already booked a particular date, just ask us before you book.

About 5 days before departure we set up a WhatsApp group. There you'll find out who's flying, where and when we're meeting, and what the first day looks like. You can also just say "hello" and get to know a few people before you even take off.

The group meets at the UK airport before departure on the recommended flight. On arrival we travel together by organised transfer to the hotel. After check-in there's time to relax, and in the evening there's a welcome dinner together – no pressure, nice and relaxed, so that everyone can get to know each other.

Our tour leader is with you throughout the trip. They run the programme, lead the group activities and are the person you can turn to with anything at all.

No. We encourage you to join the group dinners and excursions, but nothing is compulsory. There's also free time in the programme – you can relax on your own, head to the beach or join the group whenever you feel like it.

As standard, you share a twin room with another participant. This keeps the price lower – and makes it easier to get to know the group.

It all depends on the trip you choose.

• Zanzibar: as standard we offer spacious rooms with a large double bed for single occupancy. There's also the option of sharing a room with someone you're travelling with, at a lower price.
• Spain: twin rooms are standard. A single room is available for a supplement, subject to availability.

When booking, you fill in a short form about your habits and preferences – for example, whether you're an early bird or a night owl, whether snoring bothers you and what your sleeping habits are. This helps us pair up people with similar lifestyles.

Please note: each trip has its own accommodation arrangements and price options. Before booking, check the room details in the offer you've chosen.

Yes, if the hotel offers this – for a supplement. We state the supplement and availability for each trip. The number of single rooms is usually limited, so it's worth requesting one as soon as you book.

The board basis is always stated in the offer. On our Lloret de Mar trip it's All Inclusive at the hotel.

Let us know when you book. We'll pass the information on to the hotel, and our tour leader will help on location if needed. If your diet is very restrictive, please ask us before booking what the hotel can provide.

On our current trips the flight is not included – you book it yourself. For each offer we give a recommended flight from the UK that the whole group takes. Please only buy your ticket once we've confirmed in writing that the minimum group size has been reached and the trip will go ahead.

Because you fly together, meet up at the UK airport, and on arrival an organised transfer to the hotel is waiting for you, included in the price. It's the easiest way to be part of the group from the very first moment.

Yes. In that case the airport transfer is charged separately, or you can make your own way there – we're happy to help you arrange it.

You'll need a valid travel document accepted by the airline and your destination country, and for Europe it's worth having a GHIC card. Each participant is responsible for their own documents – before you travel, check the current requirements on gov.uk and with your airline.

The exact inclusions are always listed in the offer. Usually this means accommodation, meals, airport transfers on arrival, the programme described in the offer and the support of our tour leader. The price does not include flights, insurance or any activities marked as optional extras.

Choose your trip and fill in the booking form on the offer page. You'll receive a confirmation by email with your contract and the bank details for payment by bank transfer to OLIMP TOUR LTD.

When booking any trip, you pay a £300 deposit by bank transfer within 24 hours – only then is your place confirmed. The deposit is part of the trip price, not an additional fee.

The balance is due no later than 45 days before departure. We also give the balance due date in your booking confirmation.

We accept payment by bank transfer only, to the account of OLIMP TOUR LTD. You'll receive the bank details by email after booking; as the payment reference, please use your surname and the trip name (e.g. SURNAME + ZANZIBAR or SURNAME + LLORET). If you're paying from someone else's account, let us know so that the payment is allocated to the right participant.

Cancellations must be sent by email. The £300 deposit is non-refundable. If you cancel more than 70 days before departure, we refund the rest of your payment; after that the refund decreases: 69–57 days – 70%, 56–36 days – 50%, 35–22 days – 30%, 21–15 days – 10%, 14 days or fewer – no refund. If the balance isn't paid 45 days before departure, we may cancel the booking on the same terms. The full rules are set out in our Booking Conditions.

Yes, with our agreement and provided the new person meets the conditions of the trip. You'll need to give us their details in good time, and any costs of the change (e.g. hotel charges) are paid by the person changing the booking.

Each trip has a minimum number of participants stated in the offer. If it isn't reached, we'll notify you of the cancellation no later than 14 days before departure and refund all payments made for the trip. Please remember that a flight you've booked yourself is a separate contract with the airline.

Occasionally, yes – because of flight times, the weather or the availability of activities. In that case we offer the closest possible alternative, and we let you know about any significant changes by email.

The trips are organised by Olimp Tour Ltd – a British company based in London (No. 09197511), which has been organising trips in the UK since 2012: children's camps, activity holidays and school trips. Since 2012 more than 8,000 participants from the UK have travelled with us. HolidayMates is our range of holidays for adults.

Yes. Payments for our trips are protected by Protected Trust Services (PTS 5457) – your money is held in a secure trust account until the trip takes place. We also hold ATOL licence 12444: if your trip includes a flight sold by us as part of a package, it is ATOL protected. A flight you book yourself is not covered by ATOL protection.

It isn't compulsory – the decision is yours. Insurance is not included in the trip price and we don't purchase it on participants' behalf. However, we recommend a policy that covers medical expenses and cancellation – for our own private trips we use AXA. For European countries it's also worth taking your GHIC card.

We travel as adults, so the rules are simple: respect for others, their boundaries and their privacy. Aggressive, pushy or dangerous behaviour – including under the influence of alcohol – may lead to exclusion from the trip, and drugs are strictly prohibited.

Your first point of contact is our tour leader, who is with the group throughout the trip. On location you'll be given their phone number and the organiser's emergency number for the duration of the trip.

Call us on 0203 695 0983, message us on WhatsApp at 07928 766153 or email contact@holidaymates.co.uk. We're happy to answer any questions before you decide to book.