The five-star summer holidays destinations where you’ll pay three-star prices ...Middle East

We all want more for our money, but rising costs are making that trickier for travellers. Consumer association Which? found that package holiday prices this summer are up by 11.5 per cent compared to last year, while research by travel insights firm ForwardKeys showed that air fares in Europe increased by 6 per cent in 2024. Meanwhile, average rates for short-term rental accommodation in Europe rose almost 19 per cent in the second half of 2024 compared with 2023, according to hospitality data intelligence company Lighthouse.

Six of the best cruise holidays for less than £100 a day

But British holidaymakers have found to a way to make their budgets go further. EasyJet research shows that 63 per cent of UK travellers are opting for five-star accommodation in budget-friendly, more far-flung destinations over three-star properties in places such as the Spanish Costas, the Algarve or the Canaries.

Turkey, Morocco, Egypt and Tunisia are among the countries favoured for five-star breaks, where luxury typically costs less and sterling is relatively strong against the repsective currencies.

It is not just easyJet that has noted a shift. Price-comparison website TravelSupermarket says that, so far this year, bookings to Turkey, Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia have risen by 45 per cent on the same period in 2024.

Advantage Travel Partnership, the UK’s largest group of independent travel agents, found that week-long packages for a family of four in August to resorts in Morocco, Turkey and Egypt mostly came within the £2,200-£2,700 range, whereas a similar trip to Mallorca on the same dates could cost more than £5,000.

Hotel star ratings are awarded by independent bodies or government organisations and what to expect from a five-star may vary between countries and continents, so it is worth comparing what’s on offer.

Here, we suggest seven holidays where you can get a higher-end experience for a similar price to an average break in European hot spots…

Casa Bi Hotel in Kaş Turke

The Mediterranean town of Kas on Turkey’s Turquoise Coast is one of most affordable places in the country to experience five-star luxury, with a night’s stay in high season costing an average of £125, according to Kayak.

In contrast, a five-star stay in Palma, Mallorca, in the peak weeks of summer is an average of £396 per night.

Kas is a pretty, mellow town with white-washed walls, bright paintwork and bougainvillea everywhere you turn and now is the time to visit, says Kelly Cookes, chief commercial officer at Advantage Travel Partnership. “We are seeing Turkey spike in bookings this year and that is largely due to how much further your money will go.”

A week’s stay in the chic, waterfront Casa Bi hotel in July costs from £2,011pp with B&B, car hire and flights from London, through Simpson Travel. The adults-only hotel has a platform built over the rocky shoreline with day beds and sun loungers and a small pool with a bar. 

Kas is close to the Saklikent National Park, home to the Saklikent Gorge, one of the deepest canyons in Europe, and the ancient Tlos ruins. Aslar Travel Agency has a day’s tour from £42pp. 

Ulcinj, Montenegro

Bordering Croatia, Montenegro welcomed 2.6 million visitors in 2023, while its Balkan neighbour received almost 10 times more.

With lastminute.com reporting a 98 per cent increase in bookings for Montenegro in 2024 versus 2023, the time to visit is now. 

A five-star hotel in Ulcinj in peak season costs an average of £170 per night. For comparison, a night’s stay at the five-star Hilton Imperial Dubrovnik starts at around £380 in August.

Ulcinj in the south could be a smaller stand-in for Dubrovnik. It is one of the oldest settlements on the Adriatic coast, dating to the 5th century BC, with maze-like streets and seven beaches, including the 13km sweep of the aptly-named Long Beach.

A more unusual feature of the town is its salt pan. Production stopped in 2013, but the reserve is a nesting and feeding site for birds. Migratory species include pelicans and Eurasian spoonbills. Guided tours cost from £49pp.

The five-star Plaza Hotel overlooks Ulcinj’s Small Beach and has an outdoor pool, spa, restaurant and kids’ club. Doubles cost from £130 in June. Podgorica airport is around 70km north, and flights with Wizz Air from Gatwick cost around £130 return.

The New Marina in el Gouna (Photo: stigalenas Provider: Getty/iStockphoto)

A 30-minute drive north of the popular Red Sea resort of Hurghada, El Gouna is a place to find luxury for less. EasyJet says it expects a 50 per cent year-on-year growth in bookings for the Egyptian destination.

Alongside lagoons, coral reefs and sandy beaches, there are opportunities for kite-surfing, shopping and eating al fresco at buzzy, palm-tree-surrounded Tamr Henna Square.

According to Kayak, the average cost of a five-star stay in El Gouna is £151 a night in peak season (July–Sept), compared with £256 in Barcelona.

El Gouna is affordable for everyday holiday costs, too, with a three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant coming in at around £21 compared with around £50 in Barcelona, based on figures from cost-of-living database Numbeo. As for days out, Zanzi Travel offers a snorkelling and dolphin-spotting excursion from £14pp.

EasyJet has a seven-day stay at the five-star Ancient Sands Golf Resort & Residences from £1,177pp, on an all-inclusive basis. This includes return flights from Liverpool.  The resort has several pools and restaurants, a spa and golf course.

Essaouira, Morocco

Morocco’s laid-back coastal city is quieter than Marrakech and has significantly less construction than up-and-coming Agadir, about 100 miles south. Essaouira also offers year-round warmth, excellent surfing, several beaches (including a 2km sandy crescent), and a Unesco-listed Medina filled with stalls, cafés and striking doorways.

Research from booking platform Kayak shows that a night’s stay at a five-star hotel in Essaouira costs an average of £141 in high season (between June and August). For comparison, five-star hotels in Ibiza cost an average of £591 a night in summer.

Morocco is known for its hammams, or bath houses, and Essaouira is an affordable place to try them. Azur Spa in the Medina has an hour’s hammam and massage for around £30. 

Thomas Cook has reported a 15 per cent increase in bookings to Morocco year-on-year, with 90 per cent of people opting to stay in four- and five-star hotels. 

On the outskirts of the city, Auberge Tangaro has 19 rooms done out in modern Moroccan style and a candlelit restaurant where meals start at €30pp (£25). There’s also a shaded garden with a pool, a spa with hammam and yoga pavilion. Doubles start at £88 in July. 

The white beaches of Mahdia in Tunisia (Photo: Discover Tunisia)

Djerba might be the Tunisian destination du jour, but there is so much more of the country to see – and it remains reasonably priced. People are catching on, with easyJet reporting that Tunisia was one of its top-selling destinations in 2024. 

The average cost of a five-star hotel room in the coastal city of Mahdia, 60km south of Sousse, is £138 between April and October, according to Kayak.

Mahdia has sandy beaches, a Medina full of whitewashed buildings with primary-coloured arched doors and an Ottoman fort. For families, the Easter break or October half-term offer comfortable temperatures, with highs of 25°C in April.

EasyJet Holidays has a week’s half-board stay for two adults and two children at the five-star Iberostar Selection Royal El Mansour from £652pp, with return flights from Luton on 5 April. The hotel has several pools and restaurants, plus entertainment and activities.

Ohrid, North Macedonia

Italy’s northern lakes are known for their beauty – and high prices. The whole of North Macedonia welcomed around one million visitors in 2024, less than Lake Como’s 1.4 million.

Lake Ohrid has sandy and shingle beaches, hiking trails and boat rides to historic sites including the 10th-century St Naum Monastery (from £16.50pp).

The cheapest peak-season stay at a five star-hotel in Lake Como starts from around £4,677 per week. A week’s stay in August at the five-star Inex Olgica Hotel & Spa, right on Lake Ohrid, costs from £1,063, with breakfast. The hotel has a private pebble beach, indoor pool,, spa and restaurant with rooftop terrace.

Return flights from Manchester to Ohrid start from around £350 in August with Tui. Wizz Air has returns from Luton to Skopje – around three hours’ drive – from around £160 in August.

Sesimbra, Portugal

Portugal is one of western Europe’s most affordable holiday destinations – even for five-star hotels.

Sesimbra, an hour from Lisbon by bus and near the Sado estuary and Troia peninsula, is a cost-effective seaside town. Here, a five-star hotel room costs an average of £206 a night in summer. Compare this to Marbella, where five-star rooms average £748 a night in July or August, according to Kayak.

Alongside Sesimbra’s long beaches and buzzy promenade, there’s snorkelling and scuba diving and day trips to the vineyards of the surrounding Arrábida region, where you can sample castelão and moscatel varieties. 

Sesimbra is also well situated for dolphin-watching. DayDream Experience runs boat tours, hosted by a marine biologist, from £41pp.

Sesimbra Oceanfront Hotel has B&B from £109 a night in late May. All rooms have sea views and there’s a poké bar and Latin American-inspired restaurant and wellness centre.

Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( The five-star summer holidays destinations where you’ll pay three-star prices )

Also on site :

• Country Star Reveals He Soiled Himself Onstage in Major 'TMI' Moment
• 'Fire Country' Star Stephanie Arcila Goes Inside Gabriela’s Stalker Storyline (Exclusive)
• Donald Trump’s Beef With the Fed