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

[wintersdawn]

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?

If in the same situation as you then yes, I'd not feel like I was on holiday but I love self catering. We choose it over hotels any day. Own space, own schedule, eat out most of the time but in if we fancy it. I'm always disappointed with hotels and prefer my own space but then I am quite anti-social. My DH shares all the work too x

My DH shares all the work too x

Why work on holiday? Surely that's the whole point of going on holiday?

I absolutely hate self catering holidays! No fun for chief cook and bottle washer of the household if your DH is used to you doing everything.

In your shoes I would feel the same but we love to self cater. To be honest we tend to prefer to be as far away from other people as possible within reach of hills for walking or climbing . If I can see streetlights at night it would be usual
DH is always an early riser so does the whole tea in bed thing for me, deals with the kids and cooks brekkie. Day out somewhere, maybe a hike in the evening with the mutt. Family cook dinner together.
To be honest one a the kids most favourites was an October ht break when we had a power cut for 2 days and cooked on the ancient aga.

yup, same shit, different house, but with a drawer full of blunt knives....... probably just as well.
I used to hate that first shopping trip, when trying to plan dinners & get basics the other half would disappear down the wine aisle....

Cailleach66 - I do like the sound of the AI places you mention in Greece and Turkey (love Turkey - spent 3 months there when I was in my early twenties) and maybe I have a stereotype in my mind which is pretty inaccurate.

I'm off now to finish preparing BBQ and then packing for very early departure tomorrow morning. We will be SC in mobile home in the south of France - no dishwasher in site unfortunately! But can't wait for lazy breakfasts, day trips, pool, beach and meals out. Have booked restaurant for tomorrow night from TripAdvisor recommendation. Yay!

Just came back from a sc holiday. I'm more tired then when I left. .

pissedoffneighbour- I hope you have a lovely holiday,

I am not a fan if AI as I like to eat at a time that suits me, with a different scenery each night, so we always go self catering but I don't ever ever cook. We amble out each night and choose somewhere to eat, but I budget for this and it probably costs us more in the long run, but more than worth it.

Is there not a pool the kids can play in?
Really feel for you OP .. it doesn't sound fun

I love it! But our boys are 13, 10 and 6. Plenty of space, we can steer our own ship, everyone has their own base. Just back from Bruges where we took a house for 10 days- brilliant.

I understand I don't do SC cos on holiday my husband abandoned us great at playing with kids but gets grumpy cooking/cleaning. If he does it for one day he thinks I'm lazy and if I join in he stops. I can't be arsed to argue so I just avoid SC. if I want a villa or gite we eat out or get someone in to cook. It seems extravagant but it's cheaper than divorce.

I like sc. depending on budget we cook. Note WE. Has to be shared. But the stress of the daily juggle is absent. If budget better we eat out. Kids older now so they'll take a turn cooking something simple but when they were small the bliss of not having the won't eat melt down in front of the whole hotel. Wonderful.
I love trips out. Freshens the perspective.
You just need DH to share the load a bit more and crack open the 🍷 and relax.

Glitterqueenx do you have kids?

We've just been self-catering to Derbyshire. To be honest I was worried that it would be a disappointment as our daughters are 16 and 13 and were a little unenthusiastic, but it wasn't! Ate out 2 nights, takeaways (Chinese, Indian, fish and chips) 3 nights, and M&S Dine in ready meals the other 2 nights, so no cooking, but not hugely expensive! Lunches were sandwiches/pasties from bakeries/teashops etc.. Made a nice change to holiday in this country (been to Spain or Greece the last 4 years, but wanted something cheaper) - had a couple of days walking, hired bikes, Go Ape, Alton Towers and a few other local attractions. Everyone enjoyed their week :)

I also don't know why this has now turned into AI vs Self Catering - I have never tried AI, so I am not going to knock it, but even were I to want to try it, they don't tend to have AI resorts where I like to go on holiday. We've also missed out hotel holidays where you eat out mosts nights - which is also possible in some of the less expensive holiday destinations. I can fully understand people's wishes not to cook on holiday, especially if you cater en masse for a large family when not on leave. But I also understand people's wish to sample life and food outside the AI bubble. I have honestly known people visit a country and spend no time whatsoever outside the resort, other than the time taken to transfer to and from the airport. Which is sad.

Can we also lose the recurrent "have you got kids?" question? This comes up time and again here and it inevitably comes across as chippy and annoyed, which I am sure is not the intention. I have it more or less every day of my life (I work in education) and the minute you express any kind of opinion to a parent, they inevitably reply with "Have you got kids, eh ?". Why is this relevant? Are people with or without kids more or less entitled to an opinion? Frankly, it's no-one's business at all.

OP you really don't need to hear that it gets better because that's at least 10 years away. And even then... I did it when they were young and teenagers and it's shite at every age. I also love good food and wine but bit the bullet and went AI one year - never looked back. Yes, the food is slop and the wine almost undrinkable but fuck it, you're not shopping, preparing, cooking and clearing it. And oddly, you get used to that wine and almost miss it when you're home. The kids live the shite they serve up in these places and whilst most of the meat products may be formed from lips and arses, it's only 2 weeks, kind of school dinners in the sun. Save up for next year and treat yourself to the circus that is AI.

SC is great for us because you don't need to be around other people unless you want to be and ds doesn't usually want to be.

I hate cooking so would never go self catering. Your holiday does not sound v fun. Can't you find cheap restaurants in the day and then have bread and cheese and ham in the evening? Not sure why you aren't enjoying your days out though? Finding fun things to do in the day would make up for not being able to eat out and having a simple meal in the evening. For me staying in a cheap B&B and finding cheap restaurants beats an expensive self catering option any day so I do sympathise!

URGH!

Im a SAHM my children are older 10.14.16 and it only gets worse I think.

They only want to play on phones/electrical.

I still have to cook and clean/tidy up.

Had a rule that we eact out at keast 2 a week, then its "mum my x is dirty and I have nothing to wear". IM ON HOLIDAY TOO! I wold have loved to shout.

But DH works full time so cannot expect him to. No holiday this year.

I out my foot down, AI or HB at least.

'Yes, the food is slop and the wine almost undrinkable....The kids live the shite they serve up in these places and whilst most of the meat products may be formed from lips and arses...'

Hmmmm....I'll be sticking to a lovely holiday home in unusual surroundings, different art and architecture, bike rides, walking markets and eating out then.

Murpher that sounds like my idea of utter hell.

We came back from South of France about 10 days ago, DH and DS followed us yesterday.

We have a house that can sleep 10. Mostly 5 of us including Ds's gf but we had friends and dc drop by for a day or two and a group of inter-railerd from dd's year who were tired and skint.

We are a short walk to the village and our little boat. There is a lovely pool and marvellous views and a gorgeous garden. Plenty of space inside and out.

A typical day is a leisurely breakfast by the pool, baguette, tomatoes, melon and peaches from the garden. Intermarche deliver in France like Sainsbury does in

Hmmmm....I'll be sticking to a lovely holiday home in unusual surroundings, different art and architecture, bike rides, walking markets and eating out then.

Stick with what you like - you obviously don't have rugby playing/house trashing/constantly hungry, testosterone fuelled boys. They tend not to find fun in art galleries. I do, but have had to make sacrifices.

OhTheRoses - lucky, lucky, lucky you to have such a marvellous place to go, and such marvellous family and friends all having marvellous leisurely breakfasts in the marvellous South of France.

Is this really helpful to OP? Does she need to hear your bleating on about French Waitrose infused lifestyle?

Probably not.

Have a think.

It's definitely the same shit somewhere else. But I like the change of scenery. We get a cottage in this country every year. But I get to sit on a beach see nice scenary. Kids loved it swam in sea. Rock pooled. We arguentered 😣 error have just been to Greece s.c. but ate out on an evening. Going to Spain s.c. with pool so that makes the difference xx nextra time say the beach or no way. P.s
I don't like cooking or people.

I love food- my family loves food. Eating pizzas and ready meals would would put a real downer on the holiday.

Everyone has different priorities. We eat out a few times. I find that the food in the restaurants the kids would like is not as good as what I usually make. I cook a lot at home so we eat easy things on holiday. No biggie.

I don't buy ready meals, by the way. DD is gf and fussy so it is easier to buy gf ciabatta rolls, pasatta and mozarella and make her a pizza thing for lunch. I usually have something like antipasti.