Holiday Gems Discount Code July 2025

We’ve all chased the inbox promise of a free holiday. A Maldives getaway for two, they insist, just for signing up to an email list. It sounds suspiciously like something your older cousin got hooked into on Facebook in 2012. But occasional mirages aside, the email marketing arms race does mean there are now some quietly decent deals hiding behind those over-designed "SIGN UP NOW!" banners. So reluctantly, and with one eyebrow raised, we sent a few clicks Holiday Gems’ way.

The Fine Print - and the Not-So-Fine Vibes

To start, Holiday Gems is not promising to change your life. That’s good. What they do offer: low-deposit holidays, mid-tier resorts in usually sunny places, and a spartan-but-functional website that funnels you toward affordable escapes. Think less Instagrammable yurt in Bali, more 3-star all-inclusive in Tenerife with a surprisingly persistent smell of pool chlorine. But functional can be its own kind of holiday luxury.

The current standouts include 7 nights in Lanzarote at the BLUESEA Costa Teguise Gardens (from £329pp), or a similar stint in Majorca’s Sol Guadalupe (from £339pp). These prices typically include flights and hotel. Meals too, in some cases. It's hard to argue with that if you’re more concerned with leaving the British weather than redesigning your aura.

On Sign-Ups, Sweepstakes, and Inbox Regret

Yes, there's a giveaway. Seven nights in the Maldives - for two. Romantic, remote, and likely just far enough away to forget you ever had an inbox filled with booking confirmations from discount holiday firms. The catch? You’ll need to give up your email address and agree to receive newsletters, holiday promos and updates about offers you'd probably consider anyway. You get five entries just by signing up. There are worse deals in travel - and in email spam.

To their credit, Holiday Gems mentions up front that they won't be bombarding you. "You can opt out any time," they note - sounding unusually reasonable for a brand dangling pictures of overwater villas next to a bright red "BOOK ONLINE NOW" button. At time of writing, there's no cash-value alternative, but if you win, you probably won't be asking.

Pricing, Perks, and Postage - Metaphorically

Prices start low, particularly for packages that aren't trying too hard. Deposits begin at £59pp, and there are payment plans if you’d rather not sink all your funds into a fortnight by the beach upfront. Every holiday includes ATOL protection, which means you’re covered if something goes wrong with the provider. This is not the sexiest part of holidaying, but arguably the most useful.

Shipping, as in getting you there, is usually via budget or charter flights. Ryanair and Jet2 often make an appearance - efficient, if not joy-enhancing. As for returns and refunds: theoretically doable. Their policies aren’t predatory, just more "please call and wait" than "click to cancel." Standard behaviour, sadly. We're still waiting for the Amazon Prime of affordable travel experiences.

The Bottom Line - Or Poolside Lounger

Holiday Gems probably won't be your first stop for honeymoon planning or soul-searching sabbaticals. But if you're looking to escape the UK for 7 nights of guaranteed sun, competent air conditioning, and beverage-inclusive dining, they’re steady. There are flaws - inconsistent site filtering, some dated-looking listings, and copy that feels like it’s been through a few budget rewrites - but no major red flags.

And yes, you might receive more emails than you want. But in between the offers and palm tree stock images, there's the occasional solid discount that does, in fact, get you quite far for quite not much. Which is about as close to a travel miracle as most of us are reasonably expecting.

Just don’t expect actual gems.

What you need to know