I hate my budget holiday

@WombatChocolate.. I think a lot come from what people had themselves as dc.

It's like Xmas, people do what they experienced and had.

@WillowCraft

I don't know which ones you have stayed in but off the top of my head, Stratford Yoon Avon, swanage, illam, beer, posh one I can't remember the name of in derby have all been fabulous for children.

Huge spaces, loads of other children, children can run around, usually huge games room!
Pool, snooker, tablet football, huge gardening games and so on.

I couldn't bare to stay more than 3 nights with a double bed but the above have all been excellent. In fact I've just remembered another one that was amazing on top of a cliff In Cornwall.
It was by the most beautiful cove and our window was straight out into the sea.

It would have cost 00s in a normal hotel.

Being a member you get a large % off, you can take your own milk, tea, snacks whatever. During covid it was a great shame they closed the kitchens because they are great to get away and you can relax there with children.
Unlike a posh hotel.
When we've been desperate to yet sway this is what we have done..

Go abroad and camp. We did it for years with three small children. The weather is better and the campsites are a million times better and cheaper than in the UK. If you can stretch to it, hire a mobile home - expensive in the South of France but much cheaper in the North/middle. A lot of camps will have both swimming pool and restaurant.

It’s a sad reflection on how society is, I’m late 40’s and grew up in the 80’ when school holidays was just taking off all day with my mates only going back home to eat these days parents seem to have the task of having things planned for most days…it must be exhausting!

Look at northern france, still no guarantee of good weather but at least you should feel it's a bit more special. Obviously the further south you go the better the weather but the higher the fuel bill. If you can find something economical look at the vendee if you can, you'll save money by being able to not spend on entrance fees etc. sometimes it's cheaper to book direct with the park in rusty french than British brochures

Exactly same here. You only have to read the reviews where it says place smells of wet dog.

I think expectations are higher. When I was a child we camped. When my children were little we camped. There was no way we could afford or justify a cottage or hotel. Even when the kids were teens we did Suncamp holidays abroad in tents. Lots of BBQs, eating outside. I can’t do camping in the U.K. now - the greyness!

I agree that a lot of this is about mindset and what things make people happy.

A paid-for activity (either all-inclusive or pay as you go) feels necessary for lots of families. Lots struggle to make their own entertainment and enjoy just being.

Others will find they have a chunk of the day on the beach doing bucket and spade stuff and reading a book. A stroll down the high street to pick up some BBQ food and some time in the garden can all be pleasant. Picnicking or picking up some nice bread and cheese from a deli whilst out is loads cheaper than trying to eat out and can be nicer. I think people lack confidence to entertain their kids and themselves.

I wonder if some of this reflects a different approach to kids playing and their leisure time, these days.
During term time, more ‘clubs’ and booked activities rather than children playing freely, developing self reliance and resilience. Holiday time comes and kids need ‘something to do’.
Holidays are time for playing out, making up games, making collections, outdoor walks, riding bikes, imaginary play. Kids don't need adults for this, just a watchful eye.
A time for board games and sporting games with the adults.A time to join in with the cooking including outdoor.
Planning for the kids to be able to carry out some jobs, walking safely each morning to buy milk and bread at the local shop.

Simple things.

Just repeating PPs’ suggestions, but when kids are young and difficult, it may be better to just work out how much money you’d use on a holiday and instead spend it on childcare/babysitting for your kids, and then do some relaxing adult-only days out for yourselves, for a week or so. The kids will be happy to stay in their routine, and you will get some nice peaceful brunches, films, park strolls, window shopping, cultural experiences without dealing with whiny kids. Sorry you’ve had a crap time, OP! It’s not easy, is it?

@WillowCraft I totally agree- I don't need to go away so much that I'm prepared to stay somewhere a bit crappy - Maybe they suit families with much older kids where you could stay out all evening and have them with you. At least on the /Eurocamp type places you can sit outside your 'home' with a drink etc if they are asleep or gave them running round the ballroom if at Butlins, youth hostelling seems the worst of all worlds with kids.

I think Butlins is brill when you have younger kids!

As someone who used to love youth hostels when I was younger, I think they're a terrible option for families. They are always really busy, the other customers are mostly older adults, there are no facilities for children, the communal areas are full of old people reading books and the rooms are cramped - what are you meant to do with your children? Once they are in bed you basically lie on a top bunk for the evening. Plus they are always really noisy with fire doors banging all night, the food served is poor and the prices are excessive (although good deals are available it won't be at popular times). I also find the service quite variable, often silly rules or you can only get food in a very narrow window. Self catering kitchens always rammed so that's not easy either. I think you can have a far more enjoyable time either camping, in a caravan or in a budget hotel for the same or less money, depending on preference

Going tomorrow morning and can't wait!

Love Minehead Butlins. Had some great holidays there. Always paid a bit extra for accommodation with a balcony and housekeeping. Couldn't fault it. We did do self catering, not AI, but we ate out or got takeaways most of the time.

Trying to remember our British holidays. I wouldn't fly for a long time when the kids were little. Our motto was - if the kids were happy, we were happy and knew it wasn't forever. We used everywhere as a base and then explored the area around us.

Butlins - you have to go with the mindset that the kids will love it and will be absolutely knackered. So much to do - soft play, all sorts of rides, beach, shows - we had a pass that took us upstairs to avoid the crowds. Its chavvy yes - but it serves a purpose.
Farm holidays in Cornwall - used as a base to explore the area. Found a lovely working farm with private cottages.
Camping in Norwich - found a fab campsite which had a large sandpit around which everyone congregated. You could watch your kids from the tent and it had a swimming pool. Fab place. So much to explore in the region.
Edinburgh Fringe - went every summer when the kids were smaller - did the kids shows and again explored the area. We no longer go because the prices have just skyrocketed.
Then moved onto using the eurochunnel - using tesco clubcard vouchers - explored most of the centreparcs abroad in France, Holland and Belgium. Wonderful places and so much better than this country.

We used to save up our tesco clubcard points and use for eurotunnel and hotels. I appreciate everything now is so expensive in this country.

Butlins gets a bad rep on here but it's fab. Plenty to do in all weathers and the shows are great!

Sounds like you are doing all the running around visiting. I used to do that every time I went back to visit with the children. Then one day I thought, "if they want to see me then they can come to me". I let them know when I would be available and then enjoyed not driving in every direction visiting all and sundry. It left me with time to enjoy my break with the children.
Maybe too late for this holiday but hope it's useful next time you go away.

We love Eurocamp type holidays for how easy they are. If you can get to Italy, we just had a week at the new Orlando in Chianti one in Tuscany and it was wonderful. They had a shop and restaurant on site, neither expensive, which made it all so easy.

You could look into the Yelloh Village camps as well, they’re a French company.

YANBU. I live in a holiday area and it's shocking how holiday lets and Airbnbs rack up their prices in the school holidays. Even so-called budget hotels do it - our local Travelodge was charging £200 a night last week! People end up paying ridiculous prices for very ordinary accommodation. Might be better to save up for a really nice European holiday less often, and do awaydays for the rest of the time.

I would never go AI! I would hate to feel forced to eat every meal in the hotel to get value for money.

Some people think self-catering means you have to cook - you really don't!

I think “British hospitality “ is a contradiction in terms…completely agree with you OP

@Playingintheshadow also you can vary it up a lot more I find. It's one reason I personally don't like AI- if it's not great you feel kind of stuck with it as you've paid- plus it's shit for the local economy.

SC every time! You're not stuck with hotel food! Just because you're "self-catering" does NOT mean you must cook! Eat out at lovely local restaurants! I far prefer it.

I completely agree with you. I hate UK holidays. We booked a UK holiday during Covid in a caravan in Christchurch. No problem with the caravan and the weather was great but it was getting around that was a pain. It was a nightmare driving around trying to find somewhere to park at a beach and then walking down the cliff with cooler box of food, windbreak, beach tent, towels, deckchairs, swimwear etc, setting it all up and then packing it all away again was exhausting, and eating out was expensive. Another year we stayed at Weymouth where it lashed down with rain every day bar one and we ended up going home a day early as being back home was a more attractive proposition. Holidays need to be fun for the kids and a relaxing break from work and chores for mum and dad.