Group holiday yay or nay?

[RosieLeaLovesTea]

Hi all inspired by seeing a Facebook post of one of my good friends on holidays with a group - group holidays always seem like a great idea. But I think the reality is often quite different and can lead to arguments with family or friends. Give me your experiences good or bad! Would you do it again? Thanks

No, no way! A friend of mine used to go with friends and family literally half the street! They loved it, had mayching t shirts etc
My idea of hell! I thought AI in tunisia was bad! ( Just me and partner , I was desperate to leave after two days but couldn't, the rep refused to help)

Used to do group holidays, about 20 people, few families, few couples, when it was good it was good, when it was bad it was horrid.
Was great if I wanted to go out for a walk, shopping etc, usually someone to join me, but going out as a group every evening was expected and it got too much. It really depends on what's expected when you get there.

I like a group weekend away. It’s a break for me because the kids play and we get to chat with the adults but for our main holiday I prefer it to be just us, it’s just proper time together away from our normal rushing about at home.

I used to go on holiday with 2 other families all I can say is be very careful who you pick to go with, the people I went with were all very similar to me, enjoyed the same types of holidays/similar parenting etc, I wouldn't go with some of my closest friends/family etc as much as I love them we have different views on how to parent (down to very minor things such as one family lets the kids have 10 ice creams the other family don't allow any) they might want to schedule the days and I just like to take it as it comes etc

We've been away as a group before, sometimes with just one other family, sometimes as part of a big group of three, four or five families. It's always been great fun and I'd definitely do it again. The only problem has been different budgets, so we did once end up spending more than usual because the person booking went for something more expensive than we would have chosen (they did check first and we agreed, but it wouldn't have been our ideal choice).

The only time I have enjoyed it is when every couple or family has completely separate accommodations. This can be separate little bungalows at the same resort or separate hotel rooms, but no piling into a shared house. So we are traveling together, but not held in lock step or crammed together with no respite. No one has to debate bedrooms or figure out a window to take a shower in the overcrowded bathroom.

The sort of holiday where people say, hey I’m going to this museum at 1 and anyone who wants to join is welcome, but there are no expectations beyond one or two planned group activities.

Love a group holiday but everyone allowed to do their own thing. Not great if you go everywhere en masse.

It clearly depends on your family, the other people, if you've all travelled together before, if you have your own rooms or accommodation in the same hotel/complex etc.

Having differing expectations are the main cause issues I've found.
One holiday, someone just wanted to sunbake by the pool all day, whereas others wanted to actually see The Valley of the Kings, Luxor temple etc. Another trip, part of the group wanted to eat in expensive restaurants for every meal, whereas the rest of us were happy to cook. You really don't know someone till you holiday with them. Slightly different, but 1 hen do which was in another city, got back to the hotel and realised they'd booked 3 of us per bed! Never again!

I haven't been on a group type trip in over 15yrs and would be very particular if we ever did again.

Large group or extended family holidays are not for me.

I do like going on holiday with just my DH and/or my DDs, but that's it and even then we all like to give each other time and space to do our own thing. We don't do everything together all the time.

We once did go on holiday with some friends of ours and their two young children, who were much the same age as our own. It had seemed like a good idea at the time of booking it but it really didn't work out that well over the week and we have never repeated it, not with them or with anyone else.. We gradually became friends again over the years afterwards but it is fair to say that in the immediate aftermath of the "holiday" things cooled significantly and there was little contact beyond the odd Christmas card.

We go abroad for two weeks every year with another family and it’s brilliant. The kids are teenagers now so of course can be challenging but generally we have the same expectations, same sort of budget, same food tastes etc. wouldn’t have it any other way but also wouldn’t go with any of our other friends or family for fear it’d be too much time together.

They have to be very good mates and on the same page for it to work! We’re going again next week, must be our 10th trip (plus maybe 20 weekend breaks together), and cannot wait. We love spending time with them.

Hell no!

In terms of holidays, I actually can't imagine anything worse.

Nope. Hell is other people

We often do it.

This last year has been exceptional in that we've had two big holidays and five city breaks (we both had big birthdays and some sporting and music events to attend), all with other people and all have been absolutely brilliant.

Desperate to get away with just DH though - when it's just us two we never talk to anyone 😁

The only time it didn't work was a regular group break we used to do when some new people were invited one year who changed the dynamic and put a lot of people's noses out of joint in their (understandable?) efforts to establish their "place" in the group.

They've all been adult only so that might make a difference I guess.

I go on group holidays with friends quite often, always works out well as we have similar ideas on sightseeing and food budgets, plus we tend to have our own rooms these days.

Used to go away with two other families when DD was younger, there were a few little niggles but it was lovely to see the DCs playing together, we always rented our own car and generally did our own thing during the day.

We have been away with SIL and their family in the past. Generally worked ok but we seemed to get into this dynamic where we paid more than our fair share for various reasons that gradually became outdated, so now if we go it's separate accommodations for people.

I think it's good provided you can escape when you need to and chores are fairly split.

Depends what you mean by group holiday. Do you just mean with family or friends? Or a group holiday you go on alone and then travel with a bunch of strangers? The former I would avoid, the latter I would highly recommend if you go with a really good company

Absolutely not, my mum came with us one year and I even hated that. I even dislike and avoid hen parties abroad. When we were younger we had a couple of friends marry abroad so had that big group trip thing and it wasn't for us. We also aren't the make friends while on holiday type of people. And I'm actually quite a sociable person who gets on well with my neighbours and happily chats to randomers etc etc but our holiday is our chance to unwind and let go of the usual busy routine. I remember my mum commenting that it was very early to be having a glass of wine and I remember thinking never ever again.

We only did really short ones and then more as a - staying at the same site, never sharing a house.

I went with 3 friends for my 50th for 2 nights and the other was 3 nights in lodges. We did meet each day for dinner and also did one activity together but the rest was just us alone.

Worked really well.