Tips to make a truly memorable holiday

This summer, my sister I and escorted our parents – both amazing octogenarians – on a summer holiday to Spain and made some lifelong memories which we will treasure forever.

We had an unforgettable time with them, who are regular holiday-makers and keen cruise-goers, but neither of whom have travelled since before the pandemic. Throw into the mix that our beautiful mum fell and broke her hip, needing replacement surgery, a year ago, so now has some mobility issues.

It was such a heart-warming break, seeing them both so happy, organising surprise guest appearances from Spanish and French friends they’ve known for decades, but not seen for years, and having such belly laughs with them. I have never actually seen my dad laugh so much in my entire life!

If you are planning a trip with elderly people, here are some tips and advice to help it run smoothly:

Plan your trip carefully: go somewhere you know

We escorted my parents, aged 87 and 89, to L’Estartit on Spain’s Costa Brava; somewhere we know well, from 50+ years of holidaying and living there, so knew what to expect and what facilities there are. My sister and I also holidayed there in June and were able to plan the trip with military precision, which was a godsend.

Doing a recce, we were able to work out that the best thing to do was to drive the short distance from their accommodation to the beach every day, dropping my parents and sister at the top of a boardwalk, enabling her to help them down to our pre-booked sun loungers while I parked.

We had planned to have picnics on the beach on several days, but there is a fab beach bar (Ictineo, named after a Catalan submarine) at the end of the boardwalk (with a very convenient and clean loo) so we found ourselves there for lunch almost every day. Dad had his first birthday cake of the day there. People of all nationalities were very kind and gave up seats and tables for us too, once they saw us hobbling up the beach with rollators and walking poles, etc.

Our parents’ hotel had accessible rooms, but being them, they didn’t want them (and I brought a chair from the balcony into the shower, to make it easier and safer for them to freshen up after a day on the beach).

Is airport assistance worth it?

In one word: yes.

We booked special assistance through Ryanair, which we couldn’t have managed without.

With special assistance, which is free, you choose the level of ability of travellers at booking. We chose the full monty.

They were given wheelchairs at Birmingham airport and taken through security to a holding area. Sadly, there was only one (very helpful) person able to assistance us (thanks lovely Christopher) and we probably would have missed the flight if I hadn’t been pushy with the gate staff, who were very disinterested.

With two wheelchairs and all the luggage we had, an extra pair of hands would have been ideal, which was the case at Gerona airport, on arrival, who were marvellous.

My parents aren’t able to get up the plane steps, so were escorted through airport security and directly on to the plane, seating them at the back of the aircraft.

With special assistance, you don’t need to book (or pay for) seats on the aircraft. Each person needing assistance is also able to bring a carer with them, who also don’t need to book seats.

Again, on arrival at your destination airport, you are helped off the plane, taken through passport control, luggage collection and deposited the other side.

My only suggestion would be that you should be able to easily book meet and greet at your departure car park, as getting elderly people, luggage and walking aids to the special assistance desk was a little challenging, putting it mildly.

Airport parking for elderly travellers

We booked Blue Circle meet and greet and I wish I’d read the Trustpilot reviews first (my bad). There was no meet and not a hint of a greet at all; just a bloke who remained on his mobile while he half-heartedly checked us in.

They were supposed to have called us to confirm before our arrival, but they didn’t. My sat nav took us to the wrong part of the airport and when I called to ask for directions, the guy who answered was, in my honest opinion, very lacking in customer service skills.

The car park was a good five or more minutes from the terminal itself, over different terrains, which made it difficult for elderly people, mobility aids etc. There was also a lack of luggage trolleys and no offer of help to get any, despite it being obvious that we were struggling.

On return, my car wasn’t ready for us, either, which meant hanging about the pavement (no seating) for 15 minutes or so. There was a kind guy on duty at the time, who I think said that the car park had moved (potentially as there was lots of work going on at the airport at the time) and lots of people were having problems, but I wasn’t aware of that being communicated to me on booking.

We only opted for Birmingham Airport as the level of special assistance wasn’t available at Stansted, which is nearer to us, but I don’t think I will go from there again, at least until after it’s been renovated.

How much luggage to take with elderly people

On that note, when we go away again I am going to be tough and ban excess luggage. One thing I learned about my parents while away, is they are bag-rummagers and like to have their things around them.

However, in 30-degree heat, lugging around multiple bags is not easy. They had one hold suitcase between them, a smaller suitcase each in the cabin and my sister and I both had cabin luggage. Add to that the odd carrier bag with Panama hats, newspapers and snacks in and you have a logistical pain in the bum.

It’s worth paying the extra for hold luggage only and next year, there will be a small handbag each only!

Car hire with elderly people

We did walk the short distance to the beach one day, but again, carrying beach bags and walking aids, mobility issues and searing heat do not make for a relaxing stroll. We hired from Europcar via Booking.com and while the hire office was 5 minutes out of the airport terminal, it was a pleasant and easy experience. Previously, we’ve hired via Hertz (inside the terminal) who were excellent.

The past two times we’ve had a hire car in Spain, we’ve been offered an affordable upgrade and had a Lynk + co 01 hybrid SUV, which I’m told is made by Volvo and (at time of writing) I don’t think available in the UK. I was really impressed with the car.

Always read the small print re car hire. We shopped around and chose a hire car company where the refundable damage deposit we had to leave was only €300, whereas there were some where it was €2,000, which I am never comfortable with. I think this should be made clearer when hiring.

I really dislike the hard sell re car insurance you inevitably get at an airport. We’d already bought the full insurance but were asked to buy it again.

Can you hire mobility aids overseas?

If your elderly companions use mobility aids, it’s worth asking the accommodation you are staying in if they have or know of any you can hire yourselves, or do a Google search before you depart.

All over Spain, you can hire wheelchairs and mobility scooters and I think some deliver to your accommodation, although this is mostly in the biggest resorts and not in L’Estartit, unfortunately.

My parents’ hotel did have a mobility scooter they could use, although the fear of my racy mum ending up ending up in the harbour/me joyriding and looking like the nan from Benidorm, did spring to mind, so we didn’t take advantage of it.

My dad can manage with his Nordic walking poles and we bought my mum a collapsible rollator for about £60 prior to going away, which had a storage basket for essential water etc too and was good on the beach boardwalk (but obviously not on the sand).

Give yourself a break

Spending time with my lovely parents was fabulous, but it was also good, after they’d gone to bed, to go out and let our hair down, which we did (often).

When is the best time of year to travel with elderly people?

In hindsight, peak season and the heat of August was not the wisest time to go. The heat can be exhausting for elderly people and it was a struggle to get a table at the beach bar on some days. Birmingham airport was heaving and somewhat frenzied too.

Next year, we will go slightly out of season with them (early July or September). That way, it might not be quite as hot and it will certainly be less crowded.

Remember that elderly people are likely to be affected by the heat, so sunscreen and lots of hydration are vital (as is some shade on the beach). Skin damage from UV exposure is cumulative, so the risk for skin cancer increases over time, as people grow old. Sun damage is harmful at all ages.

My parents are of the age when they used to put olive oil and/or baby oil on their skin to sunbathe and sunburn was just something that happened. Ours needed reminding to apply sunscreen.

Ring ahead

We celebrated my dad’s 89^th birthday while we were away (one of the reasons we chose to go when we did) and, for his birthday, dad wanted to go for dinner at a beautiful hotel they’d visited about 25 years previously: Mas de Torrent.

This is a stunning, luxurious, former farmhouse in an area known as El Baix Empordà (see my other blogpost), about eight miles from L’Estartit.

I booked for four of us to have the taster menu online in advance but called them on arrival, seeing flights of steps which my parents couldn’t have negotiated. The smartly-dressed, charming receptionist couldn’t have been more helpful and directed us to a separate entrance used by staff and carefully guided my parents through this much easier route, while I parked the car.

Service and food were amazing – right down to waiting staff bringing him a cake and singing happy birthday to him. The whole restaurant joined in and one Catalan lady came up to him separately and wished him a happy birthday, which was thoughtful and lovely.

Our happiest memory of the holiday was at Mas de Torrent, when it dawned on me that, although we were all stuffed from countless courses, I caught sight of staff bringing out the birthday cake and uttered: “I’m sorry…there’s more bloody food.” I mean, it wasn’t that funny, but we laughed until we cried, with the birthday boy holding his full stomach and begging us to stop.

Happy memories of a special time (the above photo was taken at Toc al Mar in Aiguablava (review of this stunning place to follow in another blogpost)