One Traveller alternatives: smaller hosted groups for people on their own

If you are searching for One Traveller alternatives, you already know the thing that matters most: you enjoy going away with a group of people who have also come on their own. Spice Escapes runs hosted holidays for exactly that, in smaller groups of around fifteen people, and some reach twenty, with a Spice host who travels as one of the group and makes sure the first evening is the easy part.

We have no connection with One Traveller. What we say about them comes from their own website, and we have tried to be fair, because some people will be happier staying with them.

What One Traveller is, in its own words

One Traveller describes itself as a family-run holiday company, created by Ian, a tour manager for nine years, with his wife Emma "to cater solely for mature solo travellers". Their about page says there are no couples on their holidays. Their frequently asked questions say a tour usually runs with a minimum of ten people and that groups "typically number between 18 to 25 people, plus your Tour Manager".

A One Traveller tour manager, in their words, "escorts each holiday from start to finish, staying at the same hotel as our guests and eating in the same restaurants". Their homepage says many meals, excursions and extra touches are included in the headline price, and their FAQ says prices are based on sole occupancy of a double or twin room with an ensuite, with no single supplement. Their range covers the UK, Europe and further afield, including river and ocean cruises, rail, festive and walking holidays.

Their team also runs a Facebook community page and the Solo Lounge by One Traveller. If you liked a fully escorted tour with most things decided for you and a room price with no supplement on top, One Traveller does those things well, and that is a good reason to stay.

Where Spice Escapes is different

The group is smaller. Around fifteen people, and some reach twenty. You have spoken to everyone by the second evening, and a quiet person is drawn in rather than left at the end of the table.

The host is part of the group. A Spice host is less a tour manager at the front and more the friend who knows everyone. They do the introductions, sort out who sits where at dinner, and gather people over breakfast. Many of our holidays leave afternoons or whole days open, so you can go off with people you met the night before, or have a morning to yourself.

We are honest about the room. Every Spice holiday carries a single supplement or a room-to-yourself cost, and we tell you what it is before you book. Our page on the single supplement explains how it works. If avoiding a supplement is the deciding point for you, One Traveller may suit you better, and we would rather say so now.

Spice is a mix of hosted groups. Most people book on their own, so you will not be the odd one out. Read more on what makes a Spice Escape different.

If you liked having everything included: Paris from a river boat

All Inclusive Perfect Paris is the closest thing we run to a One Traveller river cruise in miniature. Your hotel is the boat, moored a short walk from the Eiffel Tower, and it is full board with drinks on board, so the wallet stays in the cabin. Two guided tours are included, one of the city by coach and one of Montmartre on foot, with a gala dinner and a night cruise along the Seine when the river allows. Afternoons are free.

It is 3 nights, hosted by Samantha Pike, from £679. Dates: 3 Feb 2027 – 6 Feb 2027. Places: 13 places left. People arriving by Eurostar and by air link up on the first day, so you will not be finding your way alone. There is more on the city in seeing Paris from the Seine, and our other holidays in France.

If you liked a cruise: the Norwegian fjords with no airport

For anyone who enjoyed an ocean cruise as a solo traveller, the Summertime Fjordland Cruise sails from London Tilbury and back, so there are no flights at all. It calls at Eidfjord, Austefjorden for Bergen, Måløy and Geiranger, and full board, the spa, the pool and the hot tubs are all in the fare.

A big ship is where being on your own can feel most exposed, so Pam Harte looks after the Spice group, and there is always a table to head for at dinner. It is 8 nights from £1,129, dates 21 Aug 2027 – 29 Aug 2027, with 4 places left places. All our sailings are on the cruise holidays page.

If you liked a festive holiday: New Year in Puglia

New Year in Puglia with WingsItaly has the group met at the airport and taken to the hotel, with a welcome aperitivo and Puglian dinner on the first night. There is a day in Lecce, and New Year's Eve is a private five-course gala with a bottle of wine each, while a local celebration runs next door and guests drift between the two.

Your hosts, Claire Dymond and Andrea Dal Moro, stay with you throughout. It is 5 nights from £1,139, dates 28 Dec 2026 – 2 Jan 2027, places 15 places left. See more of our holidays in Italy.

If you would like more freedom than a full tour: Lisbon

Some people come to us because a fully escorted programme started to feel too fixed. A Taste of Lisbon is the opposite shape: three nights with a host, a metro stop close to the hotel, Alfama and Tram 28 one day, Belém and pastéis de nata the next, and evenings that are yours, whether that means a quiet dinner or Bairro Alto with new friends.

Airport transfers are not included, because the metro is quicker. It is 3 nights, hosted by Pam Harte, from £639. Dates: 15 Apr 2027 – 18 Apr 2027. Places: 7 places left. More ideas in our European city breaks for solo travellers and on the short breaks page.

If you have not booked a group trip before

Start with our guide for first-time solo travellers and our page on over 50s solo holidays.

Questions people ask

Is Spice Escapes part of One Traveller?

No. We are a separate UK tour operator with no connection to One Traveller. We run hosted small group holidays, and our flight-inclusive holidays are ATOL protected under our own licence.

Do I pay a single supplement with Spice?

Yes, every Spice holiday has a single supplement or a cost for a room to yourself. We show it before you book. One Traveller says its prices are based on sole occupancy with no supplement, so compare the full cost of each.

Are Spice groups smaller than One Traveller groups?

Our groups are around fifteen people, and some reach twenty. One Traveller's own FAQ says its groups typically number between 18 and 25 plus the tour manager. Which suits you is a matter of taste.

Is every day planned on a Spice holiday?

It depends on the holiday. Some, like the river boat in Paris, include guided tours and most meals, and others leave whole days free with the host on hand to suggest plans. Ask us and we will tell you exactly how each day runs.

I have read One Traveller reviews. Where can I read about Spice?

We would rather you made up your own mind, so we do not comment on anyone else's reviews. Ask us and we will point you to what past guests say about us, or put you in touch with the host.

Tell us which One Traveller trip you enjoyed

The quickest way to find your first Spice holiday is to tell us which trips you have loved, and what you would have changed. Rob Thompson, who owns Spice Escapes and hosts holidays himself, and the rest of the team will match you to a departure and give you the full cost with the room included. Get in touch with us by phone or email, and ask anything you like before you decide.