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Original poster

The standard of lost cost holidays is appalling but there’s very limited options

113 replies

AsproutdeserveslifenotjustChristmas · 29/05/2024 19:52

I know term time holidays will always be expensive for what they are, but I feel people on a budget are hit worst than ever as the squeezed middle classes are now “downgrading” their holidays to cheaper options, thus helping the price creep up. And of course everything is more expensive, food, staff wages.

I can’t tell you how many people wearing crew clothing and having children called Rafferty I’ve seen at Butlin’s this week! Unless you are in the premium lodges then you are literally staying in a dirty out of date shacks to get a break away somewhere, despite both of us being full time workers.

OP posts:
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AnonyLonnymouse · 31/05/2024 08:11

Oh well, you certainly created a picture in my mind!
Glad you found the place clean and had a good week anyway.

BlowDryRat · 30/05/2024 22:00

AnonyLonnymouse · 30/05/2024 16:21

@LongSinceGotUpAndGone
😂 I’m imagining BlowDryRat standing there on the poolside, Mumsnet-approved bikini on and toddler in hand, nodding approvingly at the state of the pool grouting while wrestling men spiral past her in the rapids…

Show quote history

It was actually women fighting. They were escorted out by security. Not-toddler DD was agog.

Mostlycarbon · 30/05/2024 19:58

Wow, DC has two little friends called Raffy and all this time I assumed it was short for Raphael!

TheBottomsOfMyTrousersAreRolled · 30/05/2024 19:49

PinkiOcelot · 30/05/2024 19:09

@TheBottomsOfMyTrousersAreRolled
True. Bad example. They often have school holidays ones as well. They advertised one last week for teachers.

They advertised one a couple of weeks ago for June (I know not school holidays) to Kafalonia, for 2 weeks, flights transfers etc for £269 pp. I thought that was great.

Yes. This is the issue. The entire point of the thread is how much more expensive holidays are in school holiday time rather than term time. Even when it is an equally attractive time to travel. Even when the school holiday time is a terrible time to go to a particular destination, it is still more expensive.

PinkiOcelot · 30/05/2024 19:09

@TheBottomsOfMyTrousersAreRolled
True. Bad example. They often have school holidays ones as well. They advertised one last week for teachers.

They advertised one a couple of weeks ago for June (I know not school holidays) to Kafalonia, for 2 weeks, flights transfers etc for £269 pp. I thought that was great.

Bushmillsbabe · 30/05/2024 18:15

Youdontevengohere · 30/05/2024 17:18

Nah, if I take mine out of private school I’ll have an extra £32k a year for holidays 😁.

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Touché 🤣

Not sure how a thread about holidays has become another thread bashing private schools 🥱😴

Bushmillsbabe · 30/05/2024 18:09

Butlins low cost! We looked at 4 nights in summer holidays in the 'nicer' accomodation in Bognor and Minehead, was £1400 with no food!

heartbrokenof · 30/05/2024 17:33

Youcannotbeseriousreally · 29/05/2024 20:05

The cost of holidays is appalling. Full stop.

My search on Tui for us 6 brought back an £88k holiday for Turkey.

yes , that’s right. One week. August. Turkey. 6 people. Tui. £88k.

ps. I’d rather die than go to Butlins OP so you don’t need to worry about me making the price increase!

Edited

This won't be a real price but something they have priced high to prevent people booking it for whatever reason

Youdontevengohere · 30/05/2024 17:18

TrickyD · 30/05/2024 17:16

But they’ll be moaning again when their newly state educated kids have their school hols at the expensive time.

Show quote history

Nah, if I take mine out of private school I’ll have an extra £32k a year for holidays 😁.

CommeUneVacheEspagnole · 30/05/2024 17:18

flowertoday · 29/05/2024 20:19

I don't mind admitting that we are skint , especially in mumsnet terms.
However there are options for cheap breaks . YHA is great , yes the accommodation is a hostel but they are in lovely locations and popular with families and a broad range of other people. Always civilised and welcoming, although not posh obviously.
Am also a fan of John Fowler holiday parks. Friendly small, cheap out of season.

I did Butlins when my children were young. They loved it but it is not my idea of a holiday. But it has its charms for little ones 😊

John fowler is the best!!!!

TrickyD · 30/05/2024 17:16

Iwantmyoldnameback · 30/05/2024 17:05

Well those who have children in private school can save money on holidays as they break up earlier.

But they’ll be moaning again when their newly state educated kids have their school hols at the expensive time.

Iwantmyoldnameback · 30/05/2024 17:05

Well those who have children in private school can save money on holidays as they break up earlier.

TheBottomsOfMyTrousersAreRolled · 30/05/2024 17:02

PinkiOcelot · 30/05/2024 16:38

I know it’s not really what you asked, but I follow this travel agent and they’ve always got bargains. Often for 2 adults 1 child, 2 adults 2 children etc.

That is term time though, not holidays.

TrickyD · 30/05/2024 16:58

I’ve just booked ten days in the Maldives in the autumn , two of us all inclusive (though that tends to be a bit limited in the Maldives) on an island we have not visited before though it apparently has good food, nice accommodation and great snorkelling. £5,500 including direct flights, premium economy. I think that’s a reasonable price compared to Turkey £88K.

PinkiOcelot · 30/05/2024 16:38

I know it’s not really what you asked, but I follow this travel agent and they’ve always got bargains. Often for 2 adults 1 child, 2 adults 2 children etc.

The standard of lost cost holidays is appalling but there’s very limited options
AnonyLonnymouse · 30/05/2024 16:21

LongSinceGotUpAndGone · 29/05/2024 20:23

There was a fight in the swimming pool rapids but everything was clean and tidy.

😂Such a British description of a holiday!

@LongSinceGotUpAndGone
😂 I’m imagining BlowDryRat standing there on the poolside, Mumsnet-approved bikini on and toddler in hand, nodding approvingly at the state of the pool grouting while wrestling men spiral past her in the rapids…

DaisyHaites · 30/05/2024 16:08

Given the only Raffertys I know have unemployed parents so I assume would need to stretch the budget to get to Butlins, I’m not sure I get the point.

FancyBiscuitsLevel · 30/05/2024 16:04

transformandriseup · 29/05/2024 21:57

What's up with these weird holiday posts, first Carbis Bay is apparently full of "rough northerners" and now Butlins is apparently being taking over by the middle class.

Part of the same issue - cost of living is hitting everyone. Everything has got more expensive - including staffing holiday camps. Prices reflect higher costs. Everyone is trading down, which means we are getting so many sponsored threads on here for Mark Warner, but Butlins are able to fill their places at slightly higher rates because slightly wealthier people are going now.

it’s just people like the OP who used to go for the cheaper holidays find they can’t afford them/are full of slightly different people than they’d usually share a holiday with.

PrincessHoneysuckle · 30/05/2024 15:49

We've booked Haven in a Gold caravan for the three of us next summer for £1500.
Were going abroad this summer for 5k.
Resent paying that every year so we're alternating years now.

Hankunamatata · 30/05/2024 15:36

We have found privately owned or small company owned holidays parks with static caravans for hire to be excellent quality. Caravans are lovely. We stayed on one near Glasgow on lovely quiet site with hot tub.

montysma1 · 30/05/2024 15:28

BibbleandSqwauk · 29/05/2024 20:01

Also.."the wealthy" remove their kids from state school, freeing up places and resources for the less wealthy. But this apparently is a vile and unethical practice and it's right they should be banged with an additional expense of 20% but if they "push in" to Butlins then they're wrong too?

Yes that's their motivation, to free up resources for the poor. Such altruism. I have a lump in my throat .

maddiemookins16mum · 30/05/2024 15:18

Three of us are going to Krakow in September for 7 nights, flights, accom, hold luggage and even a private transfer for £468 each. We are great explorers so go everywhere on the local (very good and cheap) trains and buses. We’ve also booked one night in Zakopane, £60.00 for a triple room with breakfast.

LongSinceGotUpAndGone · 30/05/2024 12:51

Scarletttulips · 30/05/2024 12:31

Surely if we all down grade out holidays then the very poorest will be the ones knocked off the holiday train?

This isn’t about ‘my holiday cost….‘that’s irrelevant to the OP post.

I think the downgrading is an effect rather than a cause - if your usual type of holiday has become too expensive, you've no choice but to look for something in your price range.

However, it can't continue like that indefinitely because that would create a raft of more expensive holidays that were going unbooked - people whose wealth is in the millions will go on booking whatever extremely high end things they've always booked, but the high end 'normal' holidays won't have a market if they get too expensive, so the market will have to settle.

Scarletttulips · 30/05/2024 12:31

Surely if we all down grade out holidays then the very poorest will be the ones knocked off the holiday train?

This isn’t about ‘my holiday cost….‘that’s irrelevant to the OP post.

Combattingthemoaners · 30/05/2024 12:24

BibbleandSqwauk · 29/05/2024 20:01

Also.."the wealthy" remove their kids from state school, freeing up places and resources for the less wealthy. But this apparently is a vile and unethical practice and it's right they should be banged with an additional expense of 20% but if they "push in" to Butlins then they're wrong too?

Give it a rest