How much do you spend on your annual family holiday?

[bluekat]

Must admit, whilst I do love villa's - I hate the housework and cooking side of it.

This

Though I do like having a private pool and not having to look at other peoples' tattoos and fat bellies.

I want 5* Sensatori or similar for our next holiday. I'm fancying Mexico but DH isn't keen.

Last year our holiday cost £10K+

[Roseyposey]

Samba - your original holidays sound great, I'm interested though - if you go abroad and then stay in the hotel, by the pool etc - isn't that rather expensive just to stayin one place? Or is it kind of the weather you are paying for??

The word cruise just makes me feel giddy - each to their own and I know some people love it, but I need my freedom too much!

Completely with you on housing estates though, works with kids.

[hobgoblin13]

This year we're going spending £90 (I think) on a Monday to Friday trip to Pontins. Obviously it'll cost a bit more than that once we factor in driving a couple of hundred miles, food, anything else. The driving isn't such an issue though as we're sandwiching it between two weekends at my dad's not too far from there, one of which we would have been doing anyway.

We don't tend to go away every year, in fact this is our first official "holiday" with the girls.

Not sure it's going to top last year though when we spent less than nothing by house/pet sitting for my aunty in a lovely village in Buckinghamshire. The kids loved looking after the 3 dogs, 2 rabbits, cat, bearded dragon and snails. The weather was gorgeous and we actually spent time as a family doing "holiday things" and days out, which we never normally seem to.

[S-J]

R

Maybe we should start a thread for tips on putting together a family holiday on a budget? I'll have to make myself a note to look at Money Saving Expert for pointers

Yes please as next we go away will have 2 kids to pay for

[jamsplat]

DH has just booked 5 days in an apartment in Lillehammer for 4 adults and 3 kids + entrance to 4 parks/activities for about £1000, self catering. We're driving but we'll save on petrol costs by going in 1 car (7 seater) and putting the lugage in the trailer.

[Samba]

Samba - - if you go abroad and then stay in the hotel, by the pool etc - isn't that rather expensive just to stayin one place? Or is it kind of the weather you are paying for??

In a word - yes and yes! I think its horrendously expensive for what it is, but its very much a DH led decision. And as he basically pays for it, clearly its important that he gets the holiday that he wants.
I'm going to look into booking it independently next year, as suggested earlier in the thread (can't remember who by, sorry) I'll be much happier if I can drive a bargain!

[Chocolate Lips]

I normally always do self-catering (never actually self-cater though as we eat out) but this year doing a 5* half-board hotel and can't wait. After two weeks in Florida last year which was non-stop and intense, I want a hotel, a pool, a bar and food. I don't care if I don't leave the hotel for the week - I've been to Tenerife before so won't be seeing anything new. I just want my Kindle and my iPod and to drift from bed to sun lounger to pool to restaurant. We do plenty of other types of holiday so I think for one week this will be heaven.

[Dr Spouse]

DH has just booked 5 days in an apartment in Lillehammer for 4 adults and 3 kids + entrance to 4 parks/activities for about £1000, self catering. We're driving but we'll save on petrol costs by going in 1 car (7 seater) and putting the lugage in the trailer.

We had a dirt cheap cabin for 5 adults and 1 baby in rural Norway once which was in UK school holidays but not the Norwegian ones but the cost of buying food!
It was Easter and we like cross-country skiing and even the lift passes for Mr S to do some downhill were pretty reasonable.
We also find rent from owner websites v reasonable - where the holidays are different in the country you are going to.
Our apartment for our stay in the US was $1400 for 5 weeks - would have been $900 I think for 2- and v little seasonal variation - that was from one of those sites.

[joanne62]

I normally always do self-catering (never actually self-cater though as we eat out) but this year doing a 5* half-board hotel and can't wait. After two weeks in Florida last year which was non-stop and intense, I want a hotel, a pool, a bar and food. I don't care if I don't leave the hotel for the week - I've been to Tenerife before so won't be seeing anything new. I just want my Kindle and my iPod and to drift from bed to sun lounger to pool to restaurant. We do plenty of other types of holiday so I think for one week this will be heaven.

That sounds idyllic to me at the moment

[Aurora]

but at the minute, AI is the way to go for us . The boys dip in and out of clubs, DS1 spent 95% of the time in the pool last year and his swimming improved fantastically. DH and I got loads of quality time together to just relax and chat and read our books

We always look for somewhere that lists the food as being good, I am not going for a cultural experience at this stage in time, just want good, fresh food and the boys to eat whatever's on offer.

I'm hoping in a couple of years time we start doing something different ... possibly going with another couple, or I'm vaugely interested in going on a cruise after hearing people rave about them.

It's kind of the same as ending up living in a 'housing estate' - used to be my idea of absolute hell, but now with kids, its fantastic!

I could have written this post myself. (but seeing as our sons are very similar in age I am not too shocked )

When my 2 were toddlers I found villa holidays were more ideal as the kids could go to bed, we could stay up in the villa and watch a movie or whatever plus they could just paddle around their own pool etc.

Now however, we tend to go for hotels. I love that the kids can use the kids club for an hour or so each day (which gives DH and I some chill time) and they tend to make little friends, have a dance each evening in the disco while DH and i relax with wine The lazy mare in me also enjoys someone making my bed, breakfast etc. *sloth*

We haven't booked yet but we are planning on a week in Europe this summer and then a 10 night AI longer haul location at Christmas. I will let you ladies know if I manage to find a bargain.

(Oh and Samba - we have a cruise already booked for next August, I will happily pass on feedback once we return.)

Oh and P.S.....the very idea that my sons can get 'free ice cream' on AI makes their holiday so much more exciting (easily pleased.)