Where do people find these foreign holidays that are cheaper than staying in the UK?

[Donatella]

I haven't been abroad properly for years, apart from a self catering holiday in France a couple of years ago, and I would like to take my kids somewhere hot and sunny next year but I can't see how we can afford it. However, all I hear about is how expensive UK holidays are and how people could have a week all inclusive in the sun for the same price. So tell me, what websites should I be looking at to find this, and how do I avoid getting ripped off? For context, this year was our most expensive holiday for a while and we spent £750 on a Haven caravan for a week. Spending money on meals out and activities of about another £250, so the equivalent of £1000 for an all inclusive. Is that really possible in school holidays? Or should I resign myself to staying in the UK until the kids leave home 😭

A Eurocamp type holiday would probably cost pretty similar to Haven. The most we've spent on accommodation has been £1000 for a week. Tesco vouchers for ferry/Eurotunnel cuts the travel costs. Fuel will be more but, depending where you go, not that much more.

Eurocamp are good. We did the site near Barcelona a few years ago, cheap flights and cheap car hire made it not much more than a UK posh caravan holiday.

You could look at the long ferry crossings to Spain and find sites near there as a base.

I never manage to make it cheaper in the school holidays. i can get the accommodation cheaper but by the time i add the travel its more and food prices can be high abroad. Depends where you are.

Anyone been to Puerto pollensa and what was your plane experience like. I have a fear of Loads of drunks being on my plane heading to Palma!?

Depends on how ‘uncomfortable’ you’re willing to be when it comes to travel.

Even during school holidays, getting a 6am or 10pm flight on a Wednesday, out of Stansted or another similar airport, costs peanuts. I’m flying to and from Germany next week for £17 return, would’ve been £35 if I wanted to add luggage. Booked 3 weeks in advance. I’ll have a longer trip than I’d ideally want, an overnight hotel stay and the train will cost more, but it’s still much cheaper than flying into my preferred airport.

My secret for travelling abroad cheaply is ‘behave like the locals’. Stay in a local hotel, not a touristy overpriced AI one. Use public transport, book attractions yourself, eat in local restaurants and shop at local supermarkets. Tourist guided bus trips and excursions, touristy restaurants and all those things, will naturally cost more. Don’t go to Marbella or Costa Adeje which are literally 90% tourist towns. Book a village you’ve never heard of, you’ll only find a handful of tourists but it will be much quieter and cheaper.

It all comes down to convenience and willingness to adapt. A ‘comfortable’ holiday abroad will rarely be cheap.

Our last two holidays were Florence and Oxford. Family of 5. Flights from Newcastle to Florence for Oct half term plus car parking for the week were £1500, petrol to Oxford in May half term was £90. Gorgeous period 3 bed flat in centre of Florence £1500 for the week, 4 bed architect designed modern detached house in Old Headington £900 for the week, we could have paid more for something more central but it wouldn't have been as nice and since we know Oxford and had the car being far out wasn't an issue (and Old Headington is very pretty), when we're abroad we always pay a premium to stay centrally in the city we are visiting. Both airbnb. One meal out every day plus simple meals at home comparable costs, days out (museums and art galleries and stately homes plus a day trip on the train in each case) comparable costs. Average temperature in Florence in Oct was lower than Oxford in May but for us that wasn't an issue, we're not sun seekers. UK wins out on cost for truly comparable holidays. I love holidays abroad and in the UK but the massive cost of flights makes any holiday abroad much more expensive.

Janina that's the sort of price comparisons we make (and end up staying in the UK! )

Week in cornwall can be over a £1000 for school holiday just for cottage or caravan , plus travel , plus if we ate all 3 meals out prob £100 easily , plus activities especially if rains
All inclusive abroad may come out just a little more , but pretty much guaranteed weather , hotel so no tidying
S/c in some places abroad could cost same or less and many places eating out cheaper

Also I don't go
On holiday to cook and eating out in uk is often more expensive that some abroad ( not all) i cook at home , I like a holiday to be just that , a break from the norm

Hmm. It was £1600 for four of us to go to Egypt for two weeks all inclusive. As that was cancelled we stayed in the U.K. for two weeks and spent just over £2500 when you factor in accommodation, petrol, food etc

The Egypt deal was through on the beach. Thankfully they refunded it.

I had a nice time regardless but Egypt would have been cheaper.

^^ just to add we didn’t eat out ever day either!

Two years ago I paid £1500 for a Mediterranean cruise for myself, DH and 17 year old DD (one week). It was cancelled, due to Covid. The same cruise this year costs £3200.

We holidayed in a SC cottage in West Wales (Me, DH, DD and DD’s BF) the same date this year. It cost us £265. After eating out for breakfast and dinner, plus days out and petrol, the total cost was less than £1,200. That includes taking the dog, as opposed to placing him in doggy care at a cost of £280 for the week.

We had a perfect week. We have booked again for September.

I cannot fathom why posters say a holiday abroad is cheaper than a UK holiday either. YANBU.

@TSSDNCOP

I've been to that hotel in Tunisia. I am female, blonde. I had no problems even in the Souk although i should say I was with DP and do have a dont fuck with me demeanour.

Yeah my daughter handled herself much better now she is older. We went back together for her 21st birthday and she loved it, it's some of her favourite childhood memories. For a cheap hotel they really are great and the food is outstanding, especially when you compare it to what you would get in the eu all inclusive hotels. We went to one in Grand canaries and every meal was the last meals cold congealed pasta salad but with the left over fruit from breakfast grated into it. The only meal that was palatable was the Breakfast pastries!

We usually go to Spain, Morocco or Portugal over Christmas. It's not beach weather, but sunny enough for shorts/tshirts during the day. I book separately flights, accommodation and car hire. I can usually get 10 days all in for £1500. Holiday accommodation in the UK is far too expensive for me to justify it.

Here you are! AI from £199 pp later this month. Next year’s aren’t out yet, but look 2-6 months before you plan on going.

Forgot the link!
m.holidaydiscountcentre.co.uk/resultsv2.php?type=sun&departure_date=21%2F08%2F2021&flexibility=3&duration=7&sun_destination=ACE%2CADB%2CAGA%2CAGP%2CALC%2CAYT%2CBCN%2CBJV%2CBOJ%2CCFU%2CCHQ%2CDBV%2CDLM%2CEFL%2CFAO%2CFAO%2CFNC%2CFUE%2CGRO%2CHER%2CIBZ%2CJMK%2CJSI%2CJTR%2CKGS%2CKLX%2CKVA%2CLCA%2CLEI%2CLPA%2CMAH%2CMJT%2CMJV%2CMLA%2CPFO%2CPMI%2CPUY%2CPVK%2CREU%2CRHO%2CSKG%2CSMI%2CSPC%2CSPU%2CTFS%2CVAR%2CVCE%2CZTH&resort=ANY&departure_airport=LHR%2CLGW%2CLTN%2CSEN%2CSTN&board=AI&stars=0&dosearch=1

Though you may have to pay an extra £50 for airport transfers. Still, under £1000!

Greek Island

Booked a place in France (been there before) for next August. Two weeks, large gite, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, large living space, dishwasher, washing machine, PRIVATE pool and sun terrace as well as large lawned area. £1000 per week including insurance. Channel tunnel booked in advance will be about £180. Food in that area isn’t expensive so will eat at about the same cost as when we’re at home.

DH and I had one week on isle of Wight last week. One bedroom cabin for one week £980 including insurance, no pool, no dishwasher, no washing machine, ferry £250, food more expensive than on the mainland.

U.K. is beautiful and we always have our half term holidays here but holidaying on the continent is far better value AND better weather for the summer holidays.

We went away last week, £320 pp, self catering in Greece. The accommodation I looked at in England was the best part of a 1000 during the summer holidays. We are eating out every day and food and drink is much cheaper than the uk. So are activities - (mainly pool and beach). Although the Uk is beautiful it’s miserable when the weather is bad. That was with easyjet. I always used to book separately but think a package is easier to cancel/change in the current climate.

Not all inclusive but on sky scanner you can choose your week and look at all destinations in Europe. There are normally a number with flights under £100 pp. Then we book an
Apartment with a shared pool somewhere which would usually be around 1k for 10 days.

@krabapple I've found that the accommodation in Greece can be really cheap but then the flights are so expensive, would love to take the family but think it's out of my budget 😓

Greece is lovely warm without being too hot, I love the shopping and the food !

Look on easyjet holidays - saw a few for less than 350 each August 2022 but the link won’t work.