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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to ask my mum to cancel her holiday hotel booking?

330 replies

MammaBear4000 · 10/06/2026 14:54

Booked a weeks holiday with my 7yo son (I have more AL than husband). We've got a week away at the start of the summer holidays I was looking forward to.

Sent a message to the family group chat saying 'first solo holiday with [my son] 🥳' thinking nothing of it. Mum asked where I was going so sent her a link to the hotel.

She's now booked the same holiday (solo room). Sent me a message saying was it ok (i'm working and can't respond straight away...but I would have said it's my first mum and son solo holiday and was looking forward to it). Before I had the chance to reply she booked it.

She fucking booked it within 4 mins of sending the original message.

Now here's were the AIBU part comes in. I want to ask her to cancel (she will lose money on this). Last year she joined a week away with me and my son and completely ruined the holiday. I don't want that to happen again and I can't bear the idea of no buffer and her being with us for a week in the same hotel. We have separate rooms but she won't leave us alone I know that.

OP posts:
Xiaoxiong · 10/06/2026 14:58

Also, if she moans that she'll lose money cancelling then you say "well you booked it 4 minutes after sending me the message, so you should have waited to hear from me first!"

WheresMyDH · 10/06/2026 14:57

Yes change your booking. And stop telling her so much until afterwards

Xiaoxiong · 10/06/2026 14:57

Well you have two options:

  1. She asked if it was ok, so you respond "actually mum it's not ok, do you mind leaving me and DS to it? We're really looking forward to it being just the two of us. We'll have our holiday with you later in the year!"
  2. Say "oh sorry mum, I got it wrong, it's a different hotel actually but no worries, I'm really looking forward to a solo holiday with DS" and then don't tell her where!!!
TheresMillionsOfGeoffreys · 10/06/2026 14:57

Lesson learned to be vague when askes where you're going and not literally send a link?!

She shouldn't have booked it but I doubt she'll cancel.
Does she know you were very unhappy last time?
She's definitely overstepped but it sounds like that might be her personality...?

murasaki · 10/06/2026 14:55

Can you change your booking to somewhere else and just not tell her?