To be fed up of people saying " you could go abroad for that"

[Helenagrace]

Bit of background. We usually holiday in Cornwall but this year left it too late to book. So I decided to book early for next year. I've found a house which we're hoping to rent for two weeks. It sleeps 8, has 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, a games room, outdoor play area and heated indoor pool for our sole use. It will cost us, including fuel for the trip, just shy of £3,000 for the fortnight.

We're planning to invite another family to join us (at our expense) as they won't be going on holiday next year due to redundancy and the DH having been out of work for over a year.

Everyone we've mentioned this to , and I mean everyone so far, has immediately said "you could go abroad for that".

Aside from the fact that I like Cornwall, AIBU to think that, actually, you can't get that sort of accommodation "abroad" for that sort of money?

Just before anyone flames me for stealth boasting I would like to say in my defence that we don't normally spend that much and that this year's holiday in Suffolk has been truly miserable. I know I know at least I've had a holiday but I honestly wish I'd stayed at home.

[thebeansmum]

Why are you discussing the cost of it - with anyone?

[electra]

It's your holiday - ignore other people. I think holidays abroad (in Europe) are far more expensive when you get there at the moment. Gone are the days of cheap alcohol in Spain etc. When I went to Majorca last year the hotel cost was about the same as similar ones in the UK but I spent a lot of money while I was there (even though food was provided in the hotel as part of what we paid for the holiday) and had very little to show for it. I am sure that in the UK I would not have spent anything near the amount I did.

[cjbartlett]

I honestly don't know anyone who would ask how much my holiday/car/house etc costs
It's just rude

[joanne77]

Plus you are saving a huge carbon foot print. Who cares what people say - you can polish your halo and have a lovely holiday.

[bonkers20]

I didn't advertise the cost. All but one asked outright (maybe I have nosey friends) and the other said "let me guess - a couple of grand?"

Yes, I'd say you have nosey friends! The only time I've discussed the cost of our holidays with anyone is if they're interested in going to the same place.

[joanne77]

Oh gosh - and have just read you are paying for your friends - how lovely and kind of you. Everyone else is just jealous that you aren't paying for them.

[joanne77]

You might be able to get something cheaper abroad but what about the cost of food/ meals out/ entertainments etc. The euro/ £ exchange rate is such that all these things would work out very expensive in Europe and if you go further afield the flights would cost you more.

Plus if you have indoor pool then who cares if it rains - you have onsite indoor fun for your exclusive use. Plus I think its still apretty good deal for two weeks - we have rented several places in Brittany and Northern Spain over the past few years in school hols and have been hard pushed to get a four bed place for a week for much less than £600 and then have had to pay for ferries/ car hire etc on top.

[carpetlover]

I don't volunteer how much it costs but if someone asks, I will tell them. Just like I don't tell people how much the car or house cost but if they ask, I'll tell them. I wouldn't just say 'we've booked this holiday or bought this car and this is what we paid!' lots of people wouldn't be interested or want to know so why would I volunteer the info? But lots of people are interested and say 'was it expensive' or 'we're thinking of that, can I ask how much it cost?'
But then I'm not uptight about money and would never be offended if someone asked me how much I earned; I'd just tell them.

[Sidge]

It's horses for courses where holidays are concerned.

I would hate to spend my holiday in a complex in Costa del Fryup with a squillion other people, fighting for a sunlounger and having to listen to a beach bar's "disco" all hours of the day and night.

But I would also hate to spend a week or two trudging around Cornwall/Devon/Wales/wherever in the pissing rain, being ripped off paying 29,000 pounds for a pot of tea and a crumpet and having to still do all the housework, cooking, cleaning and washing up. Not much of a holiday in my book.

We had 2 weeks all inclusive in Cuba this year - yes it took a while to get there but it was no bother and I didn't have to drive. And once we were there it was blissful - no cooking, no housework, and lots of sunshine!

[Helenagrace]

I didn't advertise the cost. All but one asked outright (maybe I have nosey friends) and the other said "let me guess - a couple of grand?"

I'm not saying my holiday choice is everyone's cup of tea. To be fair my dream holiday would be a 5 star hotel in Positano or similar but I know I can't get that for my budget!!

[SouthernFriedTofu]

You could though. But your way is greener

[cjbartlett]

Add message | Report | Message poster carpetlover Tue 30-Aug-11 13:08:00
We've had this lots of times. What annoys me is that often the people saying it are saying it in a 'why would you spend that on a uk hol when you can go abroad' way. Rather than just making an observation. It's the assumption that if you can afford it you go abroad and if not you stay in the uk.

We went to menorca this year which was lovely but we did spend more 2yrs ago at bedruthansteps in Cornwall.

If I had £10 for everytime I was told that the £1500 we spent to go to centre parcs for feb half term this year would have taken us abroad it would have paid for the bloody holiday!

So ever year you tell people how much you spend? Wierd

[cjbartlett]

No wonder people comment if you tell them how much it is
Why dud you tell them?

[Ormirian]

My youngest son has never been abroad. DD hasn't been since she was a baby. And I feel quite uncomfortable about that. I want them to experience a different country, a different way of life.

But as things stand only DS1 has a valid passport - DH and I have lapsed ones, as does DD and DS2 never got one. So that's, what? £300 straight off.

A few years back a friend of ours tried to persuade us that we could afford a holiday in Spain if we booked the flight early and looked around for accomodation. So we trotted over to their house to look on the internet. Cheapest was £180 - which isn't cheap times by 5. And the apartments they liked were nearly 900. Plus food, plus spending money. To stay somewhere in the heart of Europe surrounded by tourists

I don't want to spend that sort of money on a week in the sun - when we go abroad i want it to be somewhere really exciting and totally different. Not just somewhere with different food and more sunshine.

So meanwhile we go to lovely places in the UK and put up with the weather lottery (brilliant btw this year in west Wales!). DS1 has been to Germany and is going to the States next year with school. DD is (we hope) going to South Africa with school. We couldn't afford to take all of the family on that sort of trip so next best thing is them going without us. I hope to do the same for DS2 when he reaches secondary school age. And then, unless a miracle happens and we can afford to take all of us one day, we will keep the exotic long-haul trips for DH and I when the DC have left home and it;s affordable.

[bonkers20]

Why are you telling people how much your holiday is costing you? Is this normal?

[mrsravelstein]

conversely, we went on hols in UK this year, stayed in a pleasant woodland lodge thing with 2 other families, and though it was nice enough it rained every day, and we did end up saying "we could have gone abroad with the 800 quid it cost us for 5 days"... not to mention the 100 quid a day on going to day out places with kids, food, etc

[ProcrastinatorGeneral]

I don't like the assumption from people that I would want to go abroad. My kids are coming up to the age now where a holiday would be logistically feasible. People keep suggesting Spain and such, and I keep shuddering. The idea of a sunny holiday isn't for everyone, no matter what the travel industry would like:)

You're not unreasonable to be fed up of the attitude. Enjoy your holiday:)

[MmeLindor.]

Well, you could get accommodation abroad for that price.

But then you have to get here.

And the £ is so weak at the moment that you would find going anywhere, shopping or even filling the car quite expensive.

[kickassangel]

actually, for cornwall in the school holidays, that's very cheap.

and, again, during the school hols, transporting 8 people to where there's a guarantee of sunshine is pretty expensive - once you travel far enough to get the warmer weather (I have been rained out of campsites in all sorts of places) then the travel either takes a v long time, so you have to pay for overnight in a hotel, or you have to fly.

I think you should work out how much per person per week & see if people really think you can get that abroad, with the private pool etc. I doubt it

fwiw, trying to get a small cottage in cornwall once, it turned out cheaper to fly to the US! (3 of us), but we hadn't thought to book ahead.

[Fimbo]

I have been abroad in the summer season where it rained constantly. Trying to find things to do in places like Majorca/Minorca etc when it is pissing down is very hard and boring. We went to Cornwall at Easter and it was fab with fab weather, which did make a difference, but we could have still found indoorsy things to do if not.

[Ormirian]

God that annoys me too!

Yes you probably could go abroad for that. But for that many people for a fortnight it would probably be pretty crappy.

I love Cornwall too but have recently boycotted it in favour of Pembroke where they haven't yet learned how to rip off the tourists quite so much I mean,free parking next to a beach? The fools....

[MrsTittleMouse]

Who cares if you can go abroad for that sort of money, or not? If you would prefer to go to Cornwall then that's your choice. I get very about people who assume that a "proper" holiday has to be abroad.

Have a lovely holiday. :)

[SardineQueen]

Ooooh an indoor pool.

Sounds lovely

[UpInSmoke]

I never understand people who visit the same holiday spot every year whether that be in the UK or abroad. My mum goes on the same holiday in the UK every year and my uncle and his wife go to the same spot in Greece every year. There is a huge world out there, don't you want to see it?

[MrsCampbellBlack]

Well we've done lovely villas the past few years in Turkey/Italy and they cost more than that during the school holidays.

But it depends how fussy you are - I am pretty fussy so find it does cost £££ to find nice self-catering accommodation anywhere really.