Is a villa holiday a real break or just same shit, different place?

[longnavyskirt]

Idly browsing 2021 holidays (they are so dear, I thought I'd get a bargain).

I love the idea of having our own space, especially in the heat. The kids are also good swimmers so it would be lovely to have a run at a pool of our own.

Villa Holidays are brilliant for going away with others. Last 3 years we've shared a villa with a friend and her kids. Kids largely play together, you share the cooking and (especially) if you hire separate cars you can still go off on your own when you want. And its cheaper even if you get a really nice place. Make sure you get 2 bathrooms tho.

same shit, different location more inconvenience but it is worth it. cottages here in the uk. usually cottages with thick walls.

as one is autistic and prone to a bit of shouting.

But can you at the moment?

This being the million dollar question

Oh to be drinking coffee and eating pastry in the sun.

We have always had cottage or villa holidays. We had such a marvellous villa holiday in France in the early 0's DH bought it!

Just us, our pool, our house, our garden, actually hardly any mess because there's no clutter there. No work interruptions, walking distance to village and tiny port. Breakfast is bakery stuff, fruit or yoghurt; lunch is good bread, cold meat, cheese, salad, etc; dinner is a barbecue or at a local restaurant.

No dressing up, being falsely sociable, organised fun or intrusions from work.

I cannot think of anything less relaxing than an all inclusive package deal or cruise.

I love an all inclusive package holiday were I can totally switch off, someone else cooks and cleans and all I need to think about is what book to read next. I know a lot of people really don't like them but to me the point of a holiday is to relax. I have rented a villa a few times but then I was cooking, grocery shopping and keeping the place clean, everything I personally want a break from.

Pros:
Do what you want, swim when you want (a big plus for me when I was married - no restrictions on swimming late at night / early in the morning), eat when you want and what you want - fabulous if the villa has a barbecue outdoors!
Cons:
You might need to hire a car, depending on how far away the beach / local supermarkets and facilities are, you need to cook or know you can go somewhere to eat out. It's expensive if you have a small family - far cheaper to rent a big villa with a group of people, or if you have a large family.
It's a very personal choice.

We try and alternate between self catering / hotels. Both are fun in their way and whilst I enjoy a villa I hate been stuck in the middle of nowhere so prefer one in a town near a beach.

All inclusive is great for a proper great.

Also done euro camp and loved it.

A villa or apartment all the way. Basics for breakfast/lunch and dinner out. Nothing better, certainly not AI.

Same shot different location. I always looked down a bit in all inclusive but having done it with the kids it's the way forward. It's nit the same experience but entertainment, not having to think about what to cook is worth its weight.

@LolaSmiles

Whether it is holiday or same shit different place will probably depend on your DP and how you do the holiday.

A villa or self.catering where you eat out lots, and DP does his share, you all go to the shops etc is probably quite fun.

A villa holiday where DP does fuck all because he's on holiday and mum ends up doing everything is same shit different place.

This.

Plus you have to remember that you can ignore most of the cleaning and tidying apart from keeping the kitchen usable. If you spend all your time on a sunlounger, you won't care if there's stuff strewn all over the living room.

Everything else will be dealt with by a quick sweep round on the last day after you've packed, so its reasonable for the cleaners, who will clean the whole place properly anyway.

No need to do all the unnecessary shit like cleaning bathrooms, stripping beds or constant tidying that people mention on here. Exactly how dirty can a house that was clean at the start of your holiday get in a week or two?

Make sure you get a dishwasher and washing machine.

Make sure the beach, restaurants and a half decent supermarket (even small Spars abroad usually have fresh bread daily) within a few minutes walk.

Food is a combination of eating out and easy food on the terrace - stock up with BBQ food, bread, cheese, ham, olives, crisps, ice creams and drinks etc on your first day and that will see you right for a relaxing few days.

Everyone does their share and everyone except the very young can get their own drinks and snacks and one for you while they're up.

Forgot to say, we stayed here last year, which ticks the boxes for basic amenities in walking distance, although you'll probably need to hire a car to get to and from the airport and have a couple of trips out to see the volcano park etc.

We've had a few holidays where their is an option in the hotel to have a little kitchenette etc. Seems to be more common in America & the Caribbean. I quite the mix of both.

Much prefer self catering with a few nights eating out. I don't like eating in the same place every day - takes the fun out of it.

We do(or did)

a combo. Short or weekend breaks in a hotel and longer holidays in a villa. Best case scenario were villas we rented with a staff in Bali, Sri Lanka, and Thailand who made breakfast and dinners and we went out for lunch.
Sometimes even in the nicest hotels the clientele can ruin your holiday. Screaming children, cigar chugging Russian gansters with a team of paid company and the love island selfie obsessed, I can manage for a few nights but not a fortnight.

Much prefer self catering with a few nights eating out. I don't like eating in the same place every day

That's only if you go all inclusive. though

I really like villa or apartment holidays. You don't have to wash and iron, you can eat out as much as you want to, you have way more space then in hotel rooms. I rarely book hotels, as I find them busy therefore less relaxing.

We did a villa holiday a couple of years ago. It was bliss.
Eat what you want when you want, not when someone tells you you can.
Drink what you want (all inclusive rola cola anyone?!)
Swim when you want (on arrival at midnight was pretty memorable!).
You tend to go out more to explore with a villa.
You don't have to get dressed for breakfast, lunch or dinner!

I loved a villa. But it had to have everything I have at home....dishwasher, washing machine, well equipped kitchen....bedroom and bathroom each.
Good WiFi, heated pool, air conditioning.
We would send the kids to the bakery for fresh rolls for breakfast, eat lunch out or a simple salad...and either eat out in the evening or bbq.
I don't like other people on holiday, and "entertainment " so a villa was perfect.

We go to places like martinhal sagres or crieff hydro where you get a big villa and hotel breakfast, spa etc. Only problem is, we're totally spoilt now!

Ooh and most importantly, both of the above had free childcare!

I much prefer a villa break to all inclusive, however my DP put paid to my enjoyment last year, as he refused to lift a finger as "he was on holiday".

So for me it was the same as being at home, except harder as I had to figure out the local shops, meal plan and tidy. I'd already planned activities before we got there, so at least I don't have to think about that as well.

Never again until I get a new DP/DH who pulls his weight!

I love idea of villas but reality has always been same shit different usually less well equipped kitchen.
For all the "fresh bread at breakfast and a simple lunch"... Someone still has to get the stuff out of fridge, cupboard etc, someone still has to lay table, plate up food, make coffee, then soneone has to clear it away, package it back up, load dishwasher, wipe surfaces, and the worse thing of all everyone then asks someone "what arw we doing today" or "what shall we have for lunch".. Or similar so the mental load is still there.
My dexp always wanted to self cater in UK as cheap... I discovered neilson holidays after a particularly grim two weeks in basic cottage in wales and we never did anything but them since.

I've always wondered this. As a family we aren't good at sitting around a pool all day so I wonder what an earth you do all day in a villa??

I personally dislike hotels with a family, too little space.

We get a villa if we can afford it. One within walking distance of bars and cafes and restaurants and then we just eat out most of the time. We do tend to get ones with a cleaning service though so we don't do any cleaning.