Alternatives to Solos holidays: how a hosted Spice Escapes group compares

If you are looking for alternatives to Solos holidays, you already know the thing that matters most: you want to go away with a group where turning up on your own is normal. Spice Escapes runs hosted group holidays for people travelling on their own, with a Spice host who travels with the group and around fifteen people, and some reach twenty, so this page sets out fairly how we compare with Solos and Travel One, and which of our holidays suit someone who enjoyed them.

We have no connection with Solos Holidays, Travel One or Solitair. Everything we say about them comes from their own websites, read on the day we wrote this, and where one of them would suit you better, we say so.

What Solos does, in its own words

Solos says its holidays are "exclusively for solo travellers", with "no couples, no families". Its frequently asked questions give an average group size of 15, and say that some holidays, golf for example, can run between 20 and 40. Each group has a Tour Leader who, in their words, "oversees everything", from helping you settle in to arranging days out.

Two things stand out on its website. Solos says you get your own room with "no single supplements", and it offers "over 250 holidays across more than 60 countries", from walks and treks to golf, tennis, ski, cruises, UK breaks and women only tours. It offers regional flights on most holidays and is ATOL protected and a member of ABTA. Its FAQs say the group meets at key times such as the welcome drink and excursions, and that it is "entirely up to you" how much time you spend with them.

If a room with no supplement and a very wide choice of places matter most to you, Solos may well be the better fit, and we would rather you knew that before you read on.

What Travel One does, in its own words

Travel One describes its holidays as "sociable holidays for the single traveller" and says it caters exclusively for single travellers, whether you are single, widowed, divorced or "simply have to travel without your partner". It says it has 21 years of experience, and that its holidays are 100% ATOL protected.

Its programme leans towards resort and beach stays in places such as Croatia, Cyprus, Greece, Malta, Portugal and Turkey, alongside cruises, specialist tours, coach tours and no-fly river cruises. Help comes from resort representatives or local agents who "generally live in or near the resort", and where possible a table is reserved in the hotel restaurant so the group can have dinner together. Its prices are quoted for single occupancy, and it says group sizes vary "from the very small" to "the very large".

If you like a resort week with a group table at dinner and a rep nearby rather than travelling with you, Travel One is built for exactly that.

And Solitair

We could not reach Solitair's own website when we wrote this page, and because we only describe other companies from what they say themselves, we have left it out rather than guess.

Where a Spice group is different

The honest answer is that the group size is similar to Solos and the destinations overlap with Travel One. The difference is the host. A Spice host travels with the group, eats with you and is there at breakfast. They do the introductions, notice who is hanging back on the first evening, and make sure nobody ends up with an empty chair beside them. That is what turns a group of strangers into friends who want to book the next one together.

Most people on a Spice holiday book on their own, but the groups are mixed rather than solo only, so the group is not limited to people on their own. Every Spice holiday carries a single supplement or room-to-yourself cost, and we show it before you book. If paying no supplement is the deciding thing, the companies above say they charge none. Our single supplement page explains what ours is and how it works. And our programme is much smaller, a short list of holidays we host ourselves rather than hundreds.

If this is all new, our guide for first-time solo travellers and your first group holiday walk you through how a week works, and over 50s solo holidays shows the full range.

If you liked a winter sun week: Fuerteventura

For anyone who enjoyed a resort holiday with the group around them, All Inclusive Fuerteventura Winter Sun & Fun is the closest match. It is 7 nights at an adults-only four-star hotel above Jandía Beach, with all meals and drinks included, so nobody has to work out where to eat or who is paying. The spa, jacuzzi and pool are there for the days you do nothing. Your host is Steve Dell. Dates: 30 Jan 2027 – 6 Feb 2027. From £1,199, with 3 places left places. More on the island at the Canary Islands, or see all our chillout and relaxation holidays.

If you liked the city breaks: Athens and Lisbon

Ancient Athens is 4 nights with a host, starting with dinner together at a local restaurant,. There is an optional food tour with more than eighteen tastings, and the Acropolis and Ancient Agora with a licensed guide if you want the history. Host: Jackie Whyte. Dates: 10 Mar 2027 – 14 Mar 2027, from £579, 16 places left places.

A Taste of Lisbon is a looser shape for people who liked choosing how much time to spend with the group. It is 3 nights with a host, Alfama and Tram 28 one day, Belém and pastéis de nata the next, and evenings that are yours, whether that is a quiet dinner or Bairro Alto. Airport transfers are not included, because the metro stops close to the hotel. Host: Pam Harte. Dates: 15 Apr 2027 – 18 Apr 2027, from £639.

If you liked the discovery trips: Iceland

Iceland Discovery packs a lot into 4 nights. Entrance to the Blue Lagoon is in the price, and there is a full day on the Golden Circle at Thingvellir, Geysir and Gullfoss, with the Centerhotel Plaza in Reykjavik and its bar to sit in afterwards. Host: Jackie Whyte. Dates: 12 Nov 2026 – 16 Nov 2026, from £1,065, places: 3 places left.

Questions people ask

Is Spice Escapes the same as Solos?

No, we are a separate company with no connection to Solos Holidays. Both run group holidays for people travelling on their own, and our groups are a similar size. The main differences are that a Spice host travels with the group and that our holidays carry a single supplement.

Will everyone in the group be on their own?

Most people on a Spice holiday book on their own, but our groups are not restricted to solo travellers, so friends can book together too. The host makes sure everyone is included either way.

Why do you charge a single supplement when others do not?

Hotels charge more for one person in a room, and we show that cost openly rather than building it into everyone's price. Our single supplement page explains what you pay and why. If avoiding it matters most to you, it is fair to compare.

What does a Spice host actually do?

The host is on the holiday with you, not based in the resort. They make the introductions, sit with the group at dinner, suggest plans for the day and keep an eye on anyone finding it hard going. You can join in as much or as little as you like.

Tell us what you enjoyed before

The quickest way to know whether Spice suits you is a conversation. Tell us which company you travelled with, what you loved and what you would change, and we will suggest the holidays that match. Rob Thompson, who owns Spice Escapes and hosts holidays himself, is happy to talk it through, and you can read what makes a Spice Escape different before you call. Get in touch here and we will come back to you.