...to just want to find an affordable holiday abroad for a family of 5?

[StilleNachtCarolling]

Posting for traffic really. We have three kids who will be aged 7 and under and want to go on holiday during the next summer hols - somewhere sunny.

All the places we've been quoted have been really - last year was the first time we looked at a foreign holiday during school holidays. We almost fell off our seats I think DH actually did fall off at the prices.

This year we went to France and stayed in one of those Al Fresco park things (it really reminded me of the resort in Dirty Dancing!) for a week, and then drove over to Disneyland Paris for another week. It was good fun but not very sunny and all self-catering. I don't think self-catering is much of a proper holiday

So...does anyone know of a secret place somewhere sunny, half board or all inclusive, that's near the beach and has good pools etc? I'm probably asking for the moon on a stick but we don't really want to spend any more than £4K in total. Is that totally unreasonable??

[sleepdodger]

Just heads up on summer holiday last minute booking- hard for 5, most geared up for 4
Friend found all fully booked for 4 in August last year when she booked in July (could book prior for various reasons)
It's the flights rather than holidays which get full

[ihavenonameonhere]

What is your best airport for you? I'll take a look for you.

But yes if you cant afford to fly then maybe drive further, onto Italy. Just outside of Florence is amazing but of course is self catering

[StilleNachtCarolling]

Midlands airports are best for us. We are happy with Birmingham, Coventry or East Midlands. Liverpool or Manchester is also fine.

We are very happy to book flights and hotels separately too

[ihavenonameonhere]

Right totally guessing your kids ages at 2, 4 and 7

You can go from Birmingham, all inclusive to Sea Club Aqua Park in Sharm el Sheik

www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g303855-d3596009-Reviews-Sea_Club_Aqua_Park-Nabq_Bay_Sharm_El_Sheikh_South_Sinai_Red_Sea_and_Sinai.html#REVIEWS

This includes 3 suitcases of 20kg (can add more) and is in a family suite for £3950

This was on loveholidays

I love love love shopping for holidays :)

[StilleNachtCarolling]

Thanks ihavenoname They are a little older than that (7, 6 and 3 on return) but I'll have a look now ...

[ihavenonameonhere]

No problem, there are a few other options there too such as the Cleopatra Luxury on a half board basis. Says its over the price but when you click through its actually cheaper?!?

Also I didnt add transfers as you can book a private transfer for cheaper separately

[chrome100]

I think you need to adjust your expectations in line with your budget.

We had a fabulous holiday in the south of France this year that cost 500 quid for ten days.

We flew on budget airline and stayed in air bnbs. We went cycling, canoeing, swam in lakes, sunbathed etc for the fraction of a price of a hotel.

[DuchessDisaster]

How about Greece?
Have a look on Trivago for a family-run hotel and slot flights in separately?
Or go farther afield, away from the mainstream "Brit" destinations?

[Bonbonbonbon]

We had a great time in Malta. There's beaches, Roman ruins, megaliths, all sorts. Great food and everyone speaks English. Go in late April or at least by end of June, after that it gets very hot.

[Petradreaming]

Croatia. Just perfect and cheap as chips

[Hippychick73]

Also look at booking as 2 single parents quite a few companies used to offer deals for 1 adult and 1 -2 kids airtours skytours & cosmos used to offer these sorts of deals
That way you get 2 rooms

Another vote for Turkey Olu Denize is fabulous

[Bovnydazzler]

Specific hotel...
H10 Lanzarote Gardens - amazing for children andkids clubs even for under 2s so you could get an hour to relax for yourself. I reckon all inclusive here (and food is fine) will be way less than £4k.

[OnIlkleyMoorBahTwat]

What about half board instead of all inclusive? Have a good breakfast and dinner in the hotel - look for a room with a kitchenette and you can get drinks and lunches from a supermarket, or just cheap light snacky lunches.

The Northern Spain Costa brava and dorada areas such as tossa de mar are lovely and can be good value.

Despite £4k being a lot of money, it won't stretch as far as naice all inclusive for a family in the school holidays unfortunately.

[MyOneandYoni]

Bumping...

[bigbluestars]

Definately otbeach.com, and all inclusive.

It's the cost of all the drinks, ice creams and snacks that send the costs spiralling. Having everything included in the package is the cheapest option. It doesn't stop you from going out, but while you are in the hotel everthing is free. My kids loved the independance of being able to order themselves drinks and snacks without having to ask for money.

[Hippychick73]

If you can stomach the journey then coach trips to Spain/France with Majestic will be pretty cheap
14 nights is 17 days /nights with the travel and they offer a lot of all inclusive hotels

[Dec2013mummy]

Check out teletext. Have had a quick look and some good ones in canaries, mid aug for under that price. I have to say have been to places with 'bad' reviews on trip advisor and they have been fantastic. Firstly people are more likely to complain than compliment, secondly they expect an awful lot for a good price.

[LIZS]

It is often cheaper to look at last week of school holidays and fly midweek to a slightly less used airport There were lots of late cheap offers for Portugal last summer.

[Bonsoir]

Marrakesh is very cheap in July/August. Lots of sun and pools.

[FedUpMilitaryWife]

Try Thomson or one of the other big operators for Costa Brava, Ibiza or Mllorca. A lot of places are half board. We have 4 dc and found good value holidays here. We didn't need any lunch and hardly needed any spending money. Our friends have been rather sniffy (they are the villa in Tuscany types for 20k ) but with dc honestly, package holidays are fabulously stress free. Massive buffets to suit all tastes. Huge pools, water slides. Kids clubs. You won't need a car either (which I think adds stress and expense). Be warned though these places are loud and hectic. But kids love them. And as a final bonus, package holidays mean your money is protected.

[OnIlkleyMoorBahTwat]

Blimey Hippychick can you still go to Spain on a coach? I would have thought the low cost airlines had killed that off . When DP was a child his family used to have all their holidays like that and they still talk fondly of those times now.

I always find Jet2holidays good value and you can go from East Midlands or Manchester OP. We got a week in Tenerife where the B+B hotel, transfer and luggage only cost 100 pp more than the flight alone.

[notthatshesaid]

Be aware that if you've read My Family and Other Animals that Corfu might be a huge disappointment. It was for me. It depends where you go, still lots of unspoilt beautiful bits you just have to drive through some hideously built up, touristy, ugly bits to get to them. It's changed a lot.

Airbnb is definitely a good site to lookon, you might be able to find a lovely local cheap restaurant very close by wherever you end up so you don't actually do any self catering.

[NotYouNaanBread]

Easyjet to Crete, Airbnb.

Easyjet to Copenhagen, Airbnb.

Easyjet to anywhere you fancy, Airbnb.

[Costacoffeeplease]

I don't get the Airbnb hype, they're just another listing site like holidaylettings, homeaway etc and if self catering in an apartment or villa is hard work then I think you're doing it wrong

[OnIlkleyMoorBahTwat]

I don't mind self catering because I love looking at all the interesting food in foreign markets and supermarkets and can generally walk into any independant lccal restaurant and find lots of things I want to eat on the menu, but I can imagine if you have fussy DCs who expect familiar food, this can be a stressy nightmare.