To think camping holidays abroad actually end up costing much more than hotels?

[Deemail]

I'm not sure if camping holidays through the likes of eurocamp ect, are as popular in the UK, as they are here in Ireland, but after going once I can honestly say never again.

We usually go half board in a theme park hotel, which initially costs more but in my opinion works out cheaper in the long run plus is a lot less hassle.

So many people seem to love camping holidays and reckon it's much better and cheaper than hotels/ apartments, for me it doesn't compare. Aibu, is there something I've missed?

Euro camp is expensive. I've not paid more than £20 a night for a campsite, usually less.

2 weeks in a Eurocamp tent and key camp mobile home in school holidays in France for 600 with crossings for a family.... Is cheap surely?!!

I mean camping in those chalets, rather than a tent. Tents will def work out less expensive, I'm just not convinced the chalets are a cheaper option. We paid €600 for 8 nights plus linen on top of that.

Not if you camp properly rather than in a eurocamp. Last year we did both

Italy camping - £300 petrol/ tolls/ ferry. £15 per night camping by lake = £105 per week x2. = £510 for 2 weeks.

Croatia hotel - £5000 for a week for 4 of us

And how much would 8 nights in a theme park hotel cost?

I am planning a hotel holiday this year with dd 2 and am looking at £1200 for the two of us in august for one week, that is without spending money and half board

Last year we had two weeks camping, ferry, spending money and petrol/fuel for 1200 miles for £1400

Sleepdoger, yes that's cheap. I'll break down our prices. As we are in Ireland didn't go for the bringing our own car option, I know plenty of Irish do but anyone I know prefers fly drive.
Anyway here's the breakdown.
Flights €1000
Accomodation€600
Car hire €350
Linen €70.

Spending money well over €2000 plus kids have their own.

Pricing for next year 1 week half board, €3300, I may get it cheaper DIY but thats the max. Theme and water park entry included.
No car hire necessary.
Spending money €1000 and that's literally not watching it at all.

We don't have to spend time, stocking up on food, cooking and cleaning, or trying to find restaurants which we will all like. To me it's much less hassle, but any one I know who camps loves it.

Lol Kim, I don't know what you'd call them, mobile homes maybe?

There's 5 of us 2 adults and 3 older kids.

Driving over wouldn't be an option, we'd end up divorced, maybe it's the flights but like I say anyone I know here in ireland fly drive, either book direct or eurocamp ( early booking) and they think it's cheaper.

I think what you are describing is more of a holiday park - with accommodation like Center Parcs, Haven etc. Lodges, chalets, caravans etc.

They can be expensive, yes. But that's not what I'd call camping. Camping to me is a tent in a field with a toilet/shower block close-ish by & nowt else. I wouldn't expect to pay £600 for a fortnight doing that kind of camping .

It depends what you want out of a holiday. I hate theme parks and enjoy the peace and quiet of a campsite even if I am staying in a mobile home.

Of course you do have to compare like with like. With a mobile home you will get full size cooker and fridge plus you will also get your own private garden.

We have always preferred to do self-catering rather than having to eat in a dining room every night.

In a mobile home we booked a minimum of three bedrooms (3 DCs) so that DH and I had our own room, the two girls shared and DS had the smallest room to himself.

As I say, it depends on what makes a holiday for you. Work that out and book it. I would hate your type of holiday and I guess you would hate mine!

We are paying £1500 for 10 days in France in static caravan. That includes tunnel diesel and overnight stop on way down.
There's 5 of us.
Please if you can find me a hotel for this money!!

Gnome, we didn't get a garden that sounds lovely. It was a small deck at the front of the home facing 3 others, no privacy at all. It was a smallish site but very very busy. The cooking facilities were poor, we had 3 bed rooms but it was all so small.
The theme park is hectic at times but we usually go in very early and leave when it gets busy. The hotel is very quiet during the day as everyone is up in the park, it's so peaceful and quiet. What I didn't like about the holiday park was there was no getting away from the hustle and bustle and every one we met was telling us how lovely and peaceful this one was compared to larger parks they'd stayed at. Out of everything I didn't like, what got to me most was the lack of privacy and peace. Re the eating we get a choice of hotels and their buffet/ other restaurants to eat at, so there's plenty of variety. This site was recommended to us and gets great reviews. Don't get me wrong it had good points but for me and more so my husband it didn't feel like a relaxing holiday.

No offence to anyone who likes these holidays intended by any means, I'm just wondering if they're not working out cheaper what's the point?

Poorbuthappy, I think the big difference is you're driving, we flew. I see great deals on hotels when you book early and if you were to drive I wouldn't be surprised if you got a good deal but it depends on how many people in your group and how long you go for.

Initially I thought we were getting a good deal, a holiday for 5 in July for just over €2000. It was the spending money that really pushed up the cost plus day trips. Normally we don't do more than 2 as we'd be in the park, which is included. Last time we did 4/5 which ate into the money. We all like doing things, we enjoy the pool but not all day every day and the other activities were geared towards young kids.

The point for us is fantastic sites in amazing locations. We've been all over France, and to Italy with Eurocamp. We hire their bikes when we get there and have all our stuff in our car. This year we're going to The Ardeche and staying in a safari tent. I'm really looking forward to messing about on the river!

I've just come back from a week near Beziers. Our chalet was about 50 feet from the edge of the Med. It was a wonderful week, lots of bike rides, swimming, dinners out and feasts from the boulangerie.

We don't think it's particularly expensive, it's costing around £2000 for 18 nights in August, inc crossings. With a hotel stopover for 2 nights, petrol, tolls and spending money, we will probably double that, but we'll have a fabulous holiday for four, taking in Paris on the way.

The week I've just been on worked out at around £500 each including eating out every evening and food to self cater in the daytime.

Deemail how much do you pay for a theme park hotel for a week?

Poorbuthappy, for next year it's €3300 on a half board basis, or from the UK £2500. Now in fairness this is nearer the beginning of June, we went towards the end last year, ( secondary schools break up here at the end of May, if they've no exams). I did a break down of both holidays a little up the tread.
It's possible if I search I may get it cheaper.
Everyone who's replied so far has driven rather than flown over so I think that amounts for a significant saving.

Shockers, it was our first time and I think we choose the park too quickly and it didn't suit our family or what we wanted.
We went to italy and it was amazing, hired bikes, got to see amazing places and experience so much, that wasn't the issue. We didn't feel the holiday park was somewhere we wanted to spend all day in, some elements like cooking and cleaning up were a pain. If we were to save a significant amount of money then I'd say it was well worth it but because it cost as much if not more I don't think it is.
What shocked me most was spending money, it costs a fair big for a family of 5 to eat out, especially with teens.
There's no doubt you're getting good value for money, 18 nights for roughly €5000 is great, we spent near enough that for 8 nights, plus kids had quiet a bit of money themselves.

Ya Kim, the crossing makes it cheaper, however I think we could end up divorced if we did that, the car hire was scary enough lol.

Also I think our previous theme park holidays have turned the kids into philistines, nothing compares now lol. We won't get too many more family holidays so we are happy to keep them happy for now, hubby and I have great plans for our future holidays all going well. In fairness though we do insist on a balance and explore a couple of new parts of the area each time we go, but a little bit of my heart was left behind in Italy, it was amazing.

we stay in a mobile home in a campsite with loads of facilities. It costs about £800 a week. It comes with dishwasher, power shower, gas BBQ, private garden with decking and loads of garden furniture, fridge freezer, cooker, sink, microwave, kettle, coffee maker etc. There's a large lounge with patio doors, tons of room.
And then we have use of campsite facilities: pools,water slides, parks, lake with pedalos, onsite restaurants and cafes etc.
We far prefer this option to a hotel.