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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Self catering isn't a holiday. It's the same rubbish in a different location.

574 replies

wintersdawn · 24/08/2017 19:40

We are currently 3 days into a 10 day self catering holiday and I'm sick of it already. My DH loves self catering holidays as they are a break from work and a different location and he can spend the whole time winding down from work and enjoying the break from the commuting routine.

But for me it's just the same shit in a different place, DD6 and DS4 still wake up early no matter how late we let them stay up. We either head off somewhere for the day which seems to always cost a fortune or involve lots of driving or stay in the house but without all their normal toys and entertainment options. We aren't near a beach this time which would normally give the children hours of entertainment, as we are staying in a relations house whilst they are away to save money. We don't have the budget to eat out each night and so the same cleaning, cooking, washing crap happens as it would at home.

I know we needed a cheap holiday this year as we've just had to replace the car and we did the kitchen at the start of the year but this is the 4th year in a row of self catering and I'm over them.

I can't be the only one who gets dragged down by self catering? Can I?

OP posts:

capricorn12 · 25/08/2017 21:22

If it makes you feel any better , I've just come back from an all inclusive that was awful and cost us a small fortune. I agree with you that usually SC is just the same shit in a different location although it has got easier as the kids have got older. We had a lovely SC week in Wales last year which was miles better than the week we just had but we ate out a few times and were lucky enough to have good weather so could have very cheap beach days.
I think most holidays with young children don't feel like a holiday in the true sense of the word because your still on duty!

Craigie · 25/08/2017 21:27

I despise hotel holidays, hate being surrounded by people, hate the constant noise day & night, hate fixed mealtimes, hate any form of entertainment or organised trips. I'd rather not go on holiday if we couldn't go self catering. We're all different. If you hate self catering, why bother?

MistressDeeCee · 25/08/2017 21:31

I want to roll out of bed to a breakfast FULL of options...then be able to have a later meal (not prepared or cooked by me or anyone with me - not a single minute of precious holiday time to be wasted on the domestics) if I want + drink out the bar

Self-catering?!!! "shudders"

Magic79 · 25/08/2017 21:32

Yanbu

Herculesupatree · 25/08/2017 21:45

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Crispmonster1 · 25/08/2017 21:47

I could have written this post..

Eolian · 25/08/2017 21:59

Sorry, but no matter what, women always do the bulk of the work on a SC trip. Tell me differently please. I know our partners are great, they cook and so on, and serve up great grub, but omg the mess afterwards.

Umm nope. My dh is a great cook and does much more of the cooking than I do when we're away on holiday. He does all if it when we are camping. He is also a much tidier cook than I am.

I love self-catering. Don't really like hotels - it's either sit cooped up in your room or be in communal spaces all the time. No private space to hang out in.

Turquoisetamborine · 25/08/2017 21:59

Where did you stay Capricorn?
We had a horrific AI stay at The Holiday Village in Mallorca. Well the room was beautiful but the other holidaymakers and the food was horrendous. I lost five pounds in a week and it was when I was breastfeeding so I was unbelievably hungry.

We went half board (order from menu not buffet) the after and had a swim up room so that suited us better but I fancy a villa within walking distance of some restaurants next year.

bonbonours · 25/08/2017 22:01

I don't mind self-catering, in fact being in a hotel can be more stressful because of having to go to meals at particular times, and not being able to provide cheap snacks to the kids if they are hungry at the wrong times. Plus there's the problem of fussy kids not liking the food that was on offer. It makes me cross because I end up having to pay over the odds to buy food or drinks for them in cafes etc, when in self-catering I would have paid supermarket prices and have familiar foods that they will eat happily. A friend of mine took her very fussy 6 year old on holiday and they ate in the expensive hotel restaurant every night, and ordered plain pasta for the kid, and still paid restaurant prices for that. That would really piss me off.

Hulababy · 25/08/2017 22:19

DH pretty does ALL the cleaning up after any meal here, whether on holiday or at home normally. At home I do most of the cooking on week days but DH always does the tidying and dishwasher. On holiday we all do a bit of both, but always simple stuff and always a dishwasher.

Rufustherenegadereindeer1 · 25/08/2017 22:25

Nope not here either

VeryCunningStunt · 25/08/2017 22:28

Was just about to post pretty much exactly this but copying your post saved me the bother!

I loathe hotels. They make me feel like I'm in captivity. On holiday I want to do what I want when I want, without 500 other people in the immediate vicinity and with space to myself.

VeryCunningStunt · 25/08/2017 22:33

Nope. This SC holiday DH has got up with the kids and brought me breakfast in bed every single day bar one, done all of the kitchen tidying/meal clearing (I've cooked around 75% of the meals we've had here as he's a self-confessed crap cook; we eat out around half of all meals), and he's done all of the sun-creaming of kids, sorted out their snacks, taken them snorkelling, etc.

I've really not pulled my weight at all - I've cooked and that's it!

Cailleach666 · 25/08/2017 22:54

On holiday I want to do what I want when I want,

We all do.

But for me having to cook and cater- even with adults each doing a fair share is not doing what I want to do.
On holiday I don't want to be cooking, cleaning, planning food, shopping for food, keeping a kitchen floor clean, clearing away dishes.
I don't want to be doing stuff for other people.
I want to be focusing on fun and pleasure, not sweeping floors.

NapQueen · 25/08/2017 22:55

Nope too.

Ahead of our sc week away tomorrow, dh has packed all of the dcs clothes, toys, additional items, has done all the laundry so the basket is empty for our return, put the top box on the car, topped up the oil and water, charged the tablets, arranged cat feeders and sorted all his own kit too.

Ive packed my bag, done the food shop and just tidied the kitchen - only dinner things as he cleaned the whole house yesterday.

If he does any less than 50% of the work on this holiday I will eat my hat. He sees us as an equal pair, each perfectly willing and able to do whatever a family household needs. Much as any NT adult should.

BlackeyedSusan · 25/08/2017 23:09

ex can bugger up beans on toast when on holiday. which is his evening meal to cook when I am on strike. the children have specific requirements for the toast, spread and beans. if it is wrong we risk ds not eating it at all due to his autism.

mygorgeousmilo · 25/08/2017 23:13

Bloody love Sc. my husband and I take cooking in turns, and we've each done loads of relaxing so far! Can't bear to have no quick access to food when you've just woken up, or being stuck with the repetition of poor quality hotel food. We love eating out, but not x3 meals a day and hunting for something decent. We both cook and both love trying new things, so buying and cooking local food is part of the pleasure. My kids don't want to sit in restaurants for three meals a day, even though they are well behaved, they'd rather have a picnic and keep playing. The key is to have a good/well equipped SC place though.

MistressDeeCee · 25/08/2017 23:17

But for me having to cook and cater- even with adults each doing a fair share is not doing what I want to do

Yep. Domestics are for at home. Holiday is shower , down to breakfast then out for the day. Back later for lunch and drinks, then off out again all day and night if we so choose. Not a finger to be lifted re cooking etc. by either of us. I don't want to cart a load of food from home neither do I want to hit the supermarkets abroad.

Mind you a holiday with little ones is still going to feel like work. Still didn't do self-catering when mine were little tho, couldn't be asked my leisure time is too precious. Great for those who like self-catering. But you don't OP so switch up the holiday arrangement next time

Lweji · 25/08/2017 23:19

SC is not much fun on a tight budget. If you can afford ready meals, take away/delivery and eating out, then it can be great.

Rainbowblume · 25/08/2017 23:27

No I like it. Breakfast in sc flat then picnic for lunch and restaurant for dinner. But we just do one week so by the time it gets so dirty it needs proper cleaning we are off.

OhTheRoses · 25/08/2017 23:32

Intermarche deliver you know .

PissedOffNeighbour · 25/08/2017 23:33

Is it a class thing do you think? Or maybe self-catering preferred by families where both parents work as well as a team?

magratvonlipwig · 26/08/2017 00:12

Love self catering or camping with my sister and all our kids. Because we share it all.

Hate it with DH for all the reasons youve all said !

Cailleach666 · 26/08/2017 07:11

pissed- s it a class thing do you think? Or maybe self-catering preferred by families where both parents work as well as a team?

Can you explain?

dogskidsandcats · 26/08/2017 07:15

Would only go if we could afford to eat out all the time... otherwise it's just a change of scenery really, not a holiday.

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