Cutting short a self catering holiday

[ThreeBearsPorridge]

Currently staying in a very small self catering cottage . Wall to wall rain forecast all week. The lighting isn’t bright enough to read easily. The bed makes my already dodgy back worse. I just want to give up and go home but the thought of wasting all the money it cost stops me. What would you do? We aren’t that far from home. I just want to pack up and leave.

The money is spent either way. Personally I would go home. What are you going to gain by getting a bad back from the bed and being bored.

We did that a few years ago. Had a lovely Lake District hol lined up. Got there and house was cold, and horrendously dark as they not told us neighbours had scaffold up blocking sun . We stayed for 2 nights, weather was getting worse. I just said to partner, I felt like going home as not comfortable or relaxed. He agreed immediately. We were back home 3 hours later. Had a nice few days at home, chilling, but still NOJOBS, NO CHORES, and eating out for dinner- a proper staycation. I was very relaxed and chilled . ☺️

I’d go home. As a pp said, the money’s gone either way.

I’d find the nearest Mountain Warehouse and buy some decent waterproofs and get outside. There’s no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothes. But I live in Scotland so the weather’s probably worse at home.

I disagree with the "no wrong weather just the wrong clothes" thing but come on. We've all had holidays where the weather has been rubbish. So you go to inside things like stately homes, museums, swimming, escape rooms, cinema, ice skating. Or you hit the local charity shops and buy jigsaws and board games. Or get the popcorn in and watch a box set on the telly. Or just spend a lot of time in cafes and coffee shops.

I cannot imagine being SO lacking in ideas that the only option for a wet holiday is to go home.

What were you planning on doing if the weather was nice?

If you give the location I'm sure we can provide ideas.

I’ve done it twice. Once when the children were small and the ‘cottage’ was unsafe for small children in parts, was riddled with spiders and creepy crawlies, was damp and it rained unremittingly every day.

The second time was this summer. Not so much to do with the rain, although the weather wasn’t good, but more to do with the place, which was very very dusty and obviously not cleaned in places. The bedding smelt musty, the bed was awful, the shower tray was broken and mildewed and there were other things that made it impossible to stay.

We had some money refunded in the end. Why stay where you’re uncomfortable, when you can rest your back and read at home.

This is the U.K., you need to be prepared for it to rain, possibly for the whole week. The weather always looks worse out the window than it does when you’re actually out. Put on some water proofs and do whatever you had planned. Or find some alternative activities you’ll enjoy.

but then my view is always to make the best of a situation. That outlook isn’t for everyone and if you’re miserable about the situation then cut your losses and go home.

Go home. We once left a self catering house because the blinds were shit and the light blinded me at 5am every morning plus the bathroom was loads worse than mine at home.

Lighting - go buy a couple of brighter light bulbs.
Bed - buy a cheap duvet as a mattress topper, or ask cottage proprietor to provide one.
I'd be trying those first before legging it home. Good luck OP!

Ive got waterproofs and I know the area well . Somehow I'm just not having a good time. I have taken a duvet off a child's bed to put on the mattress. We don't want to drive miles particularly though we did go out yesterday about an hour away for lunch. I think I just need to stick it out.

So I hope that improves the bed OP, there's nothing worse than not getting proper sleep and/or being in pain because of the bed. It's going to make enjoying your holiday much harder. Have you checked to see if there are any spare light bulbs of higher wattage in any cupboards? Is there an extra lamp anywhere you could move for more reading light?

Unfortunately not. Its a very small place, picked for the location, but not very comfortable, especially when its raining ALL the time.

We've done it a couple of times. Once we were staying in our touring caravan near Ilfracombe and it rained for days. We tried lots of indoor activities but the final straw was when water started getting in to the awning. We broke camp a day early and headed home, however a 3 hour journey turned into a 6 hour journey as the M5 was shut due to a major accident.

Not quite what you mean but I always leave a day early.
They always want you out so early in the morning (and no keys until late afternoon on arrival) so I book one more night than I want. Then we can enjoy the last day and set off home whatever time we choose.

You pay for an extra day you won’t use? That’s bizarre. Most lets are for a week anyway.

How many of you are there? And how old?
If you’ve got kids with you just cut your losses and go home.
If just you or you and another adult I’d stick it out and make a few adjustments.
Pub lunches, wet walk there and cab back home for wine in front of the telly.

We pay for an extra night so we get a complete day on the first Saturday. It’s sensible.

I abandoned an Airbnb early because I hated it.

We booked a couple of nights in a chain hotel, with pool and moved into that. It meant we spent another £150 but time is also precious so worth the extra.

We've been in a similar situation and came home. It was the best bit of the holiday.

DH and I flew home from Lisbon a couple of days early once. We were there for a week and on day 4 it started pissing down. The weather forecast said rain for the rest of the week, our hotel room wasn’t very big and there was nowhere to dry our wet clothes. We spent a day mooching round museums and galleries then decided we’d rather just go home, changed our flights and left.

Once left the Lake District a day early after it rained all week and had loads of soaking clothes. To make it worse they'd been a rare week of sun that summer back home.

Forcing yourself to endure every last second of something you're not enjoying isn't making the money well spent. Go now, save your back and enjoy chilling at home for a few days with some nice grub and your own comfy bed😀

I hate the bloody rain as well.

Personally, I would stay (and we have done in similar circumstances when families in other cottages have done home), but then DH and I are quite happy going for a walk in wet and windy weather, coming back and playing games, reading and having a nice meal. Both of us can easily be tempted to have a meal and a couple of drinks in the local pub.

Maybe see how you feel tomorrow and if no better tomorrow evening then decide if it's for all of you returning on Thursday. Is there anywhere nearby you can drive to for a potter around (ie partly out of bad whether) or totally indoors.

If you are not enjoying it just leave, what’s the point in cutting off your nose to spite your face?