to not want to do self-catering holidays every time?

[MotherofPearl]

DP and I have opposing views on this. He has what I regard as an irrational hatred of hotels (says he doesn't like being around 'all the other people in hotels' ). Also says he doesn't like being cramped in with the DC (we have 3). I think interconnected rooms solves the latter problem, and feel quite strongly that self-catering holidays aren't really a break for me! Although we share the cooking, I end up doing most of the other stuff (laundry, making beds, general cleaning up).
I'd just like it if sometimes we could opt for a hotel, and someone else could think of the meals, make the beds, and supply the clean towels! All-inclusive is something I can only dream of! And it's not a money issue; I've asked him about that. So, AIBU to desperately hanker for a hotel holiday?

There's a novelty value to cleaning it.

I must have missed that chapter.

I am self catering all the way, for quiet and privacy and space. Totally agree with PP that you go tomthensupermarket on Day One for breakfast stuff, drinks, snacks etc. Then eat out for dinner everyday. Minimal washing up or food prep to do. Don't do any washing or cleaning, bring laundry home and pay for house to be cleaned at the end. We're a family of 5 and can do all this on one dishwasher load/unload a day, which we share.

Hell no. Tried it a few years ago and never again.

I'd rather pay extra and go to a nicer all in they have to faff with cooking and cleaning

forgetmenotblue- you visit a supermarket once for all breakfast stuff and drinks for the whole holiday?
We all drinks loads in hot countries, so litres of water and soft drinks a day, never mind the beer and wine etc.
How can you buy all breakfast stuff once if you are away a fortnight? Milk? Fresh bread? Fruit?

I don't do dishwashers on holiday. Food prep also includes cleaning surfaces, floors, sinks, chopping boards.

No thanks.

Making beds on holiday? Wtf?! Drop that task for sure!

livvy- exactly. My kids loved making new little holiday friends, it takes the pressure off the parents so they could amuse themselves under parents' watchful eye. I know many other families feel the same.

My DH is like yours...and I always thought that interconnecting rooms were the answer. We tried it for a few nights once. It was awful (and obviously doubly as expensive). I like the space, but never cook or clean - beds are ready made with towels end when you arrive. We just eat out while we are there (e advantage of that being you choose where you go, rather than having to go to the same hotel restaurant all week).

I love SC holidays with children.
and on an all inclusive hotel holiday I too complain about dining room experiences and crowds (grumpy)
So, you should go on holiday with my DH, he feels the same as you.
But then I do all most of the housekeeping on a holiday.
Still, I have to admit that as the DCs grow, an AI hotel, or just hotel would be a good option for many reasons and I will pull myself together and cope with trying it out for our next holiday.
So, YANBU. compromise is key, it is not fair for him to have his own way every time especially as you and your DCs would enjoy the alternative.

I've never done AI but surely there isn't a laundry service?

We eat our every night so no cooking.

Certainly don't make the beds.

We always went SC with the DC as you get more space.

But we would have breakfast at the cottage then either DH would make a picnic for lunch or we'd get a sandwich somewhere and we'd eat out every night. It worked really well.

We stay in villas with restaurants on site and a maid service at minimum.

Another big supporter of self catering here. i also enjoy the extra room, freedom and being able to take all clean washing home, no effort in doing a wash load and sticking it on the balcony. I am an early riser and love to potter about the apartment in my PJs. I do however never cook proper meals there, I may do toast for breakfast, but that is all and I won't book an apartment unless it has a washing machine and dishwasher. When we are on holiday the beds don't really get made either.

Unless it is a city break for a weekend, hotels feel very claustrophobic to me, and with small children an absolute no no.

I'm with your op.

No way would I go on holiday to cook and clean.

We have stayed in bungalow type accommodation with large gardens to the front and rear and been all inclusive.
The accommodation had a large kitchen and was very spacious.

Either book similar type or tell your dh that he does 100% of the cooking and cleaning.

I like self catering on a Greek island. Simple apartment with a mini kitchen and a pool with a bar on site. Maid service everyday and I don't cook, fridge is really handy for cold drinks etc. I do breakfast, cereals, fresh bread, cheese, fruit, yoghurt etc suit my family.

On the whole I prefer self catering. Hotels were a nightmare when mine were younger, they went manic and we couldn't take our eyes off them for a minute. At Restaurants weren't much better. With self catering we could rustle up easy meals most nights then choose a restaurant we eally wanted to go to, or use the site takeaway. Whilst I do love a hotel and nice restaurant back then it was a trade off between doing a little bit of kitchen cleaning and having a much more relaxing time. The kids used to love the responsibility of going to get fresh bread every morning.

Now they're older we all love going to hotels and often do but for the bulk of our holiday still opt for self catering. My personal limit for restaurants is around 4 days in a row, then my body starts to moan. We try to go away for 3 weeks in the summer and I would put on so much weight eating restaurant food everyday. Its hard to get my teens up for a hotel breakfast anyway.

I do understand why you like catered though. Do you go for villas, cottages or holiday vilages? We mainly use mobile homes in holiday villages but go for ones that have dishwasher, beds made up and end of stay cleaning included. Roan and Yelloh Vilage both provide this in the prenium vans, Yelloh have half board opitons too.

After the first couple of family holidays I noticed that it tended to me getting up to start clearing, start cooking, start packing first which meant that I did around 70% of that crap. I stopped and my husand had to pull his weight, there were a few occasions when he tried to make tea in the morning and had to navigate dirty dishes, then he started to take responsibility. If your dp wants to do self catering then he needs to agree to do his fair share. For a start in the weeks leading up he could do a couple of dishes like spag bol and freeze them. Pack them well in a cool box and then there's your first 2 days meals already done.

I don't even make beds at home! Drop that job. Why do you need to mop the floor in a week? I must be a slattern

Actually it's quite possible our floors at home go two weeks without being mopped

We always have this debate. I don't find self catering much of a break. Even if you dine out and get takeaways you still need to shop for breakfast and wash up every day. This year I get my way for a change and we are staying in a hotel. I'm not crazy about "other people" either, but I would rather put up with other people than shopping and washing up on holiday.

If you don't cook and eat out how much washing up can people really create on a self catering holiday?

Having to be up and dressed a certain time for breakfast ruins my idea of relaxation far more than washing up a few plates and mugs.

I prefer apartments - but never do any cooking - fridge is just for drinks or snacks
Most apartments we've stayed in recently offer breakfast as an option
Tend to be out and about during the day so eat wherever we are - if hot country often don't have a big lunch anyway
At night we enjoy eating out somewhere different every night
I like having the extra room - last year our 2 floor apartment had 2 bathrooms, 4 balconies, a sun terrace area and was one in a complex of 8 with private pool -

Sorry to hijack but could those of you who have stayed in apartments/villas with AI or half board optional (or at least restaurants on site) give me a few suggestions that they would recommend? I'm looking for exactly that, preferably in Spain or the Greek islands but finding it hard to find aparthotels...

We had a week self catering in Devon. The pub was literally up the road, 5 minutes walk, so dinner was easy, and the local takeaways were good too.

We don't do self catering holidays. I remember my mum hated them, YANBU.

Surprised at people commenting about being stuck with the same restaurant at AI holidays. Every one I have been to has had about 5 or 6 a la carte restaurants alongside the main buffet restaurant, together with a 24 our snack bar.