To overpay mortgage or to buy a holiday home

I would pay off the mortgage and go on holidays, I wouldn't buy a holiday home in Spain or a buy to let

Practically, a holiday home in another country sounds like an expensive, logistical and bureaucratic nightmare!
I'd just go on holiday to Spain each year, much less stress and probably cheaper.

I have a UK rental. Currently saving up the £3k I'll need to evict the occupiers after months of no rent. I'm then selling up & buying a holiday home. People are struggling to afford rent these days, & it's nigh on impossible keeping rent below market rates because maintenance & insurance costs have gone through the roof. I'm fed up of feeling like the proverbial money lender, but show the slightest bit of compassion & you finish up in a situation like I'm currently in. Renting out property is for faceless corporations & cold hearted people. It's why many of us small time landlords are selling to the big players now. The market has changed so much over the last 10 years & it's really not changed for the better wrt tenants & small landlords who want a trusting & fair agreement.

That turned into a bit of a rant, sorry. 15/20 years ago I'd have said btl without a doubt. Nowadays I'd say holiday home every time.

I have a holiday home. I also have a very full bank account. Have you thought about who is going to do repair work when you arrive there for your holiday and there’s a problem? Or who is going to tell you that a pipe has burst and you need emergency work when you are not there? What about local taxes and upkeep every year? Can you afford that as well as a mortgage here and a decent standard of living? If you need the cash back, will you be able to rent it or sell it quickly?

why not do a long term rent first in Spain & see if you actually want the responsibility of another home.

I wouldn't bother with the hassle of a BTL here

I’d overpay the mortgage. But retain at least 6 months worth of living expenses as savings for emergencies.

I’m not a holiday home kind of person as I prefer to holiday in different places each time but aren’t there restrictions since Brexit on how long you can stay in Spain each year? I’ve also heard that they are very hard to sell if the owner has died due to Spanish law.