Am I being a holiday snob?

[BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz]

Looking to book a cottage/apartmenr (uk) for a weeks break at some point over the summer. There are, thankfully; still places to choose from. We have two DC 7 and 10.

Dh keeps sending me links to places that just dont look comfortable at all. He is a fan of a particular holiday let website that only ever seems to upload one or two pics of each place, and 100% of the properties on there look like they've not had so much as a lick of paint or a new mattress since the 1940s.

I honestly am not a snob. But I feel like I'm being made out to be one when it comes to these places.

They are all off the beaten track, no beaches near or attractions to visit near.

They (in the main) do cost less than going to more touristy areas but what's the point in saving 100/200 if there is literally nothing to do?

2019 he chose somewhere off this site that was similar to all the other ones - shabby and v v old, location was truly awful, I did the whole "it will be what we make of it" and we both found the trip so crap that we did the same (one) attraction with the kids twice in one week, and left a day early. It was so disappointing.

I just think the ages they are I would like

1. To see more of the place I'm staying, not 1/2 pics
2. To have days out available (kids at an age where they are ready to do a theme park, or failing that good beaches)
3. I'd like the place to look and feel comfortable. We spend evenings in the property as our kids crash out by 8pm. I want it to be at least as comfy as sitting on my sofa at home!

You definitely need things for the family to do. Would you consider a caravan holiday? There are some really nice caravans now. Usually they are near enough places to sight see and pre- Covid they used to have great activities for children.

@ThumbWitchesAbroad

I don't understand why he is such a fan of this one holiday let site when it appears to only have crap lets on it? Nor do I understand why you would even consider letting him book anywhere when he's clearly not thinking about anyone else's needs!

Take the job off him - find a decent place yourself that you're happy with and book it. Unless there's a really good reason why you can't.

Because it's less work for him.

[quote rookiemere]@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz I'd go for the London option. I think it will be quiet this summer because families decamping to the countryside and few foreign tourists. We did a houseswap when DS was quite young to Chiswick and there is so much stuff to do in London with a young family - Kew Gardens, Diana playpark, transport museum and if you have a car a day out to Legoland. I was blown away at how good a holiday it was and this year is the time to do it.[/quote]
Agreed, if you ever wanted to do a city-based holiday, this is the year to do it! Not sure if it'll be the same this year, but there was some great value hotel deals in Dublin last year, it's normally almost unaffordable. And your children are at a brilliant age for it. Off the top of my head I can name about 15 fantastic things to do in London, many of which are even free (the big museums, parks, etc.). Get a nice house or flat in a buzzy area, get lots of different sorts of takeout, enjoy one of the greatest (the greatest?) city in the world.

After 3 really, awful, unsuitable holidays, DH is banned from booking anything. I just give him a choice of three to choose from.

I really don't see the point of going on holiday to somewhere worse than home! I've done my share of short breaks at holiday parks but there was still stuff to do.

I'd go for the London option

I agree, if you want to do a London trip with children this year is the time to do it. Even really popular areas just seem to be much quieter than normal and there are very few foreign visitors.

This is why I do the research and book the holidays-as dh doesn’t do research or look up reviews etc.He booked once for us and it was a bit of a disaster! There are fabulous places out there but you need to scroll through a lot of websites first!

Have a look at these two. I found them both last year (normally go abroad).
www.holidayathome.co.uk/
www.fileyholidayaccommodation.co.uk/

Lots of large luxury places to stay.
Lots of lovely houses coast and country with lots of places to go and things to see.

However there will not be much choice left at this time in a normal year but this year when most people are having to holiday in the UK the best places were booked up in January.

I want to see this website.

Or is it pontins?

I thought you were refusing to go on a package holiday at a busy resort.
Wanting decent accommodation and things to do isn't snobbish, IMO.

I usually select an area where we want to go (because of interesting things to do - not generic Highlands) and then select the accommodation. That way, even if the place falls somewhat short, at least the rest should be good.

@3Britnee if you read the short thread, or even the OPs posts you can see a link to it.

We have booked with Sykes Cottages and had a lovely clean place on Bodmin Moor. We went to the Eden Project and Heligan Gardens, fishing villages and beaches. The cottage was one of three and lovely but a little isolated but quiet in the evening only a couple of miles to nearest village and NT house. No young children though.
We used to holiday on the Yorkshire coast with the kids. Northumbria coast is great.

@Whatelsecouldibecalled

We are currently et ‘the bay’ in Filey. Ticks a lot of your criteria. Aria resorts is the owner site but loads of air B and B which is who we booked through

I agree that this is a Lovely site and area to visit, but a fun packed Kids entertainments place it is not. It’s fairly quiet and frequented by quite a few retired people, some of who are owner occupiers. It neighbours onto the Haven Primrose Valley site, which is Massive, but you need to show your Haven guest passes to access most of its attractions and facilities.

If you like The Bay, they do have several sister sites operated by the same company in different areas of the U.K., but they are never cheap, and often the Privately owned ones can be bought quite cheaply on the local Estate agents sites, it’s the overhead maintenance costs charged by the Parent company that make ownership a less viable option.

I think London would be great too. Quieter than most years but lots of things on, kids travel free, tonnes of free attractions anyway. I would definitely do that.

I think the problem is that since Airbnb came along, there are people putting any old toot up on holiday let websites so you generally have to wade through a load of shit to find anything decent. And the decent ones charge more because why not when people are evidently willing to pay £800 for someone's dead nan's old house with an IKEA sofa in it. And the companies that actually pick properties out are understandably charging more because they're genuinely offering a useful service by wading through the shit for you.

But anyway, finding good self catering is more of a hassle and more expensive than it used to be even seven/eight years ago.

I am pretty sure I used that exact website to book a cottage in the Lakes when my son was a baby. He is 20 now, the site looks exactly the same

I am very particular about my holidays, and enjoy researching and finding the right place. Hence, I have never let my husband book anything! .

Get rid of the ‘Holiday WhatsApp’. Stop looking at his suggestions to find things wrong with them. Instead, get him to choose three places and then explain why they would be good. Then you show him three and explain why they are —better—. Then choose.

Your reaction is fair enough. He’d have lost me at “nothing around to do.” I’d rather just stay home.

Well, after chatting, we are just holiday incompatible.

His holiday preference would be walks - woods, beaches, forests, rivers etc. For the whole week.

Mine would be day trips every day.

I'm more than happy to do (say) 3 attractions and the rest his sort of days. But I dont think he is that fussed.

The kids (and me!) Need days out. We can get to the woods and the seaside within 20mins drive of our home and they are things we do every weekend

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz

Well, after chatting, we are just holiday incompatible.

His holiday preference would be walks - woods, beaches, forests, rivers etc. For the whole week.

Mine would be day trips every day.

I'm more than happy to do (say) 3 attractions and the rest his sort of days. But I dont think he is that fussed.

The kids (and me!) Need days out. We can get to the woods and the seaside within 20mins drive of our home and they are things we do every weekend

Have you known each other 3 weeks?!

In light of your last post, I'd be tempted to do a really good and lively 4 days in a city, just you and the kids, then do a super long weekend or week with your husband too in someplace more akin to his taste. Or just a week off at home and do great day trips if you live in a nice place and eat out loads, no DIY etc.

YANBU. At all. I will never, ever understand people who are willing to holiday in accommodation that is more shit than their actual home? How is that a holiday?

If I'm going on holiday I want to upgrade to something that's nicer than where I live, otherwise what's the point. In the past, whenever we've tried to go budget accommodation it's always been crap and it taints the holiday overall. There's no pleasure sleeping on a cheap mattress or drinking your morning coffee from a chipped mug. No thanks.

Nowadays, I'm only ever book holiday accommodation from a handful of sites that I know I can trust.

His holiday preference would be walks - woods, beaches, forests, rivers etc. For the whole week.

Mine would be day trips every day.

Surely there's a compromise to be had? I find the concept of flogging off on day trips every day when I'm on holiday really quite exhausting. Couldn't it be a day trip one day, a walk by the river the next day?

OP my kids are grown up now but when they were little, we all chose a day doing something of our choice and everyone had to fall in with it. The remaining days we just sort of agreed between us.
Would this work for you?

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz

Well, after chatting, we are just holiday incompatible.

His holiday preference would be walks - woods, beaches, forests, rivers etc. For the whole week.

Mine would be day trips every day.

I'm more than happy to do (say) 3 attractions and the rest his sort of days. But I dont think he is that fussed.

The kids (and me!) Need days out. We can get to the woods and the seaside within 20mins drive of our home and they are things we do every weekend

How many years have you been together?! I'm faintly amused it's taken you so long to realise this

Anyway. If you're going away for a week, you could each have a day when you get to choose the activity, and the other days are mutually agreed.

Even though you live near beaches and forests, there are still plenty of places of natural beauty in the UK which will feel novel and interesting to visit. Lakes, rivers, mountains etc.

I'm sure you could find somewhere with good day trips and walks. Scotland springs to mind - you could spend a few days in Edinburgh and a few days in the Cairngorms or at Loch Lomond, for example. There's also Manchester and the Peak District, or York and the Moors or the Dales, or Brighton and the South Downs.

You compromise. Everyone gets 'Day of their choice'.

With my mum and dad, this resulted in the legendary day of the Tram Museum when my mum and I were nearly crying of boredom, but my dad valiantly traipsed round a load of quilt exhibitions in return.

And then a number of attractions will be something for everyone - stately home with a garden + kids play area, ticks everyone's boxes.