'that £340 is too expensive for a staycation ?

Does your husband have to go?

Ok, so you, her and her husband go. Your DH doesn’t want to go. Your DC will get nothing out of it. Don’t bring them.

Kids do eat free if under 5 and they let, actually encouraged, my 6YO to eat free from the children’s buffet area. The play area was decent. The kids pool is quite large- there’s the water play bit, a big slide and then a separate kids proper swimming bit which is sizeable enough to actually swim. And the ponies are still there- you pay for riding obviously but it’s a kid’s activity. And 2 hours of kids club a day for free. Those things may not be that appealing to you guys, and that’s fine! My point was just that they’re definitely marketing the hotel towards families and it is not one of those spa hotels that seem to actively discourage kids. So if you did want to bring him then that’s not something you’d need to worry about 😀

Of course if you don’t want to go because it’s too expensive, there’s a mismatch between what your kid free friends want to do and what you’ll be able to do with a 5YO in tow but equally going on your own would be awkward when they’re going as a couple - then that’s all fine and just don’t go. I really like the hotel and rate it for a family break but under the circumstances you describe I totally get why you might want to decline as it’s just a bit of mismatch and you guys unfortunately can’t match their adults only couples vibe!

After your update about your husband not even wanting to go I think you’re not really left with much option beyond just saying no.

Friend can want what she wants but it doesn’t mean it has to happen.

It’s not really suitable or appropriate to take your 5 year old, your husband doesn’t want to go or spend that much so really it’s just you feeling you have to all go just because you can’t/ won’t tell your friend no?

I think it’s a lot of money if one of you would need to stay in the room for a while and look after your child. Seems like a lot to stay fairly close to home and not actually enjoy everything on offer. Is there anyone who could watch your child for a few hours so you could enjoy some spa treatments?

If it was me then I’d put forward the idea of a girls day/ night and try enjoy a bit of a break.

Oh. Just seen you have a husband! Surely he stays at home with your DC while you go away with your friend then? Don't even understand your issue here - assumed you were a single parent. If you don't have the money at all, that's fine, just tell your friend, but I don't see where the child care is coming into it.

Are her child and your child friends? Could her child not translate for your child as and when needed?

Why can’t her 24/7 childcare look after your child too, if she wants you there so badly?

I agree that's not a good use of your money - for that much I would expect a luxury room with a beautiful view, some gorgeous food and peace and quiet. As long as I had the pool/whirlpool I wouldn't be that fussed about other treatments, although a massage is nice.

I don't think either you or your friend will get the relaxing vibe with your 5 year old there. Possibly a better use of your money to look into paid child care for the day (assuming that you don't have friends or family to help out) and then do a day at the spa with your friend if it's only 20 minutes away.

Can't your husband stay at home with your child ? And you go alone ?

I wouldn't be taking kids to a spa hotel. Can you make it a girls only trip?

Any chance of sharing their nanny overnight?

Leave husband with the child and enjoy the spa treatments. What kind of relaxing spa day are you supposed to have with a 5 year old!? Ruin everyone’s chill.

Make it a school day, be very nice to parents of school friends to see if you can drop child off early and collect late?

My questions would be....

Can you afford and do you mind spending that kind of money?
Do you think you and your family will enjoy it?
If the answer is no to any of the above - don't go

Yes, booking later and for only one night can sometimes raise the price. £340 is still not ‘cheap’. Not in my experience. I don’t think I’ve ever spent that for a hotel and I travel a lot.

It’s an incredibly child friendly hotel and the hotel most definitely wants families there- it has a kids club, huge play area, giant kids swimming pool, pony rides, kids eat free etc. It’s just that an extra bed doesn’t fit in the cheapest room category so OP will need to book a larger, more expensive room to accommodate that.

Whether the friend wants OP’s DS to join her child free break is another matter entirely though…

I’m in real life as well as on MN, and I suspect the same is true of everyone else commenting about it. It maybe an age thing. When the word was first used I think it was in the credit crunch ch of the 80s when everyone’s mortgages were sky high due to double digit interest rates and the word ‘staycation’ as an alternative to paying for other accommodation was invented for taking your annual leave but exploring your own area, from a home base. (It may not have been the 80s,, May have been another credit crunch, but I think it was). It’s later been used for holidays in home countries which is nonsense really when you think about it. It’s a holiday, as worthwhile and exciting for many as going abroad. It devalues cheaper holidays. In the CoL crisis I really think the original meaning should be resurrected.

Seems extremely pointless, unless you can get an early check in (2pm) and a late check out (12pm).

Disagree, if booked way in advance then sometimes but one night is going to work out more per night than a stay over a few days at some places