Help planning a beach holiday - suggestions needed??
 

Hi, I am trying to help my mum and dad plan their holiday and I am getting a little stuck and was hoping some of you may be able to help.

They are in their mid-50s but are quite young for their age.

They are looking to go in Mid-September for 1 week and preferably in Europe as they preferably don't want to be in a plane for more than 5 hours.

They like quality 4/5 star hotels. Budget isn't a consideration; they would prefer to have a good holiday.

They enjoy sunbathing and good (not shingle or coral) beaches, but also like to mix in day trips to different places.

They like nice meals and places that have a good choice of restaurants and then after their meal they like to go for walks, preferably along promenades (!) followed by drinks in nice bars. They also like places where there are a few shops. Saying this, they don't like over-crowded "teenage" places.

To get an idea, the places they have loved / favourite holidays include Puerto Pollensa in Majorca, Ibiza, Mauritius and Sydney.

Hope I have given enough of a background. So, can anyone give any suggestions of resorts they may like?

Thanks so much....

SK

I'm sure you will get lots of suggestions for places along the Med, but of the non-Med coastline, I like La Baule. It bills itself as having the most beautiful beach in Europe (not sure I agree with that, but it definitely has a pretty sandy beach, not shingle). It caters primarily to the French, so good food abounds. Castel Marie-Louise (part of the Relais & Chateaux group) is a nice (traditional) hotel with an excellent chef. However, La Baule isn't a place I'd recommend for those looking for a lot of nightlife or very modern hotels.

The south of France. Some of the nicest beaches are in Cannes and west of there (from Nice to Cannes it's mostly pebbled beaches). St Tropez has beautiful beaches but is a bit of a drive from Nice airport after a transatlantic flight. One possibility would be to stay somewhere closer to the airport for a night or two (there are some beautiful places in Cap Ferrat, Beaulieau etc. and then head west to St Tropez. In a recent thread someone mentioned the Chateau Valmer in La Croix Valmer just west of St Tropez. It's not on the beach but has it's own beach club.

If money is no object, the Hotel du Cap Eden Roc

http://www.edenroc-hotel.fr/

or the Grand Hotel in Cap Ferrat

http://www.grand-hotel-cap-ferrat.co...tm/history.htm

are 2 more options. Mid Sept. is a beautiful time there with many fewer people and lots of towns to explore.

San Sebastian - stay at hotel Maria Cristina (Westin) - for around five nights, then move on to Biarritz, and along the French Riviera etcetera.

Like m_kingdom2, I tend to lean toward the Basque Coast, from San Sebastián to Biarritz. The area can't be beat for a combination of good beaches (sand), great food (Basque) and outstanding accommodations (a number of 4 and 5 star hotels) at a very reasonable price. San Sebastián and Biarritz are both resort cities and September is a great time to visit the area. If you need any help, you can contact Basque Country Travels to see what they can do for you.