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?

I'm really happy to be disabused of this, but my vision of AI hols is that you stay in one place....one hotel or resort and use all their facilities. Do you go out and about? Getting a feel of the area you are staying in?
This is an honest question! The most important thing on a holiday for me (and it's not just the kids' holiday, after all) is that I'm somewhere completely different that feels, well, foreign. Hence the walking, markets, art and architecture. Could I get this on an AI holiday?

Maireadplastic - yes of course, why wouldn't you? You're not locked in!

This really isn't helpful to OP, she's stuck in a horrible position having a miserable time. I've been there OP, and that's the reason I now take family hols in a hotel, otherwise you're doing everything you do at home in unfamiliar surroundings. My exh was similar to yours and once I found the AI thing, it changed everything and I actually had a holiday too.

It sounds like your H isn't going to change so next time, finances willing, you make the changes around him and he just has to suck it up and at least you get a break from the drudgery.

There's lots of family hotel options to choose from with entertainment on tap for kids so you don't have to keep being the entertainer as well as the caterer.

Good luck for now and maybe get a pack of cards out? That akways worked with us. Card games are quick, fun and seem to bring out the best in families at stressful times.

In Europe yes you can leave the AI at any time. You pay for the AI aspect but are not obliged to use it.

Think it's more restrictive in areas of the world where there are security issues if you leave the resort (usually outside of Europe).

I just don't get how hard it is to set a table, fill a dishwasher,etc and I'd much rather do that than have a meal in a room with perhaps a hundred other people ever I'm not even served at the table

Yes me too - have always liked the extra space, privacy and freedom of SC, esp when we had children in tow. Teenagers with hollow legs can be remarkably reluctant to get out of bed in time for that prepaid breakfast. They are also able to load a dishwasher and clear a table.
Younger kids with food fads can be more easily catered in SC. Supermarkets deliver even outside the UK.

We always had breakfast as 'help yourself', lunch as a range of deli/picnic style food and dined out quite a bit in the evenings.

We tried packages and generally found they were both very expensive and very restricting. I'd rather spend my food and activity budget on location, choosing the food and activities rather than prepay and be locked in or pay twice to go elsewhere. Horse for courses.

However for the OP - you do have a DH problem. Whatever form of holiday you take both partners need to share the load.

I agree that lack of sharing would be worse in SC although if the DH doesn't do his share generally you will find any holiday hard work. At the very least swap some of those futile and expensive days out for meals out.

We may not being helpful to OP in an obvious way, but maybe we're distracting her with our bitching and oneupmanship.

Yeah, I'm out. Too many fecking middle-class, lets float around our wonderful holiday homes dropping locally sourced ambrosia via pipettes into our angelic children's mouths here.

OP there's good holidays available out there where you can all have fun. Hope yours cheers up a bit and the sun keeps shining at least.

Of course you can leave! But as I said, when I had 4 under 10 I was utterly exhausted and for me those holidays were not above culture or exploring but about relaxing and recharging to be able to make it through until the next holiday. So AI and spending as much of those 2wks doing as little as possible was what it was all about.

And as previous posters have said, before children we travelled extensively and wouldn't dream of choosing AI without young children. But with children who were 9,7,3&1, it was the only way to ensure relaxation.

But I agree it can be overly expensive. Last one cost us 12k and the villa this year was half of that so yes, you probably do pay over the odds but tell me how I could have ensured the same level of relaxation in SC? I just don't think it would have been possible.

Too many fecking middle-class, lets float around our wonderful holiday homes dropping locally sourced ambrosia via pipettes into our angelic children's mouths here.

Really where? Most of our SC when the kids were younger was in tents. Packages (as AI was called then) were incredibly expensive.

You prefer AI - fine do it, but why dismiss other options because you don't like them?

We are lucky enough to have a family house in a spectacular area of Italy. So we get to go there whenever we want but it is ultimate self catering in that we have to do the laundry and make the beds, not just the cleaning and cooking. I love the freedom.
When we are away, the only job my OH refuses to do is make the beds because he hates it.
He organises the cleaning and does the largest share of it.
We do the shopping together wandering around the markets and local shops. We either eat out or have a barbecue. I make the salad and we jointly wash up. He does everything else.
He tries to give me a break on holiday as at home I do 80% of the chores as he works 70 hours a week. Although he does most of laundry at home.
This year is our first holiday without either of our boys and really looking forward to it.
I just don't want to go to a hotel for two weeks, it doesn't work for us.

But I agree it can be overly expensive

I suspect this is the biggest reason people go SC - the cost of good AI is eye watering and most people simply can't afford it and have to find ways to make some form of SC work.

OP has a DH problem - if he pulled his weight and some of the budget went to eating out/buying in the OP might have some chance of a holiday. Telling her AI is better when she can only afford to stay in a relative's house this year doesn't really help her.

We've never holidayed in a hotel, but are going to try a (cheap) one shortly, but only B&B.

We like self-catering for the flexibility it gives. We can eat when we choose is probably the biggest.

But dh does most of the cooking on holiday, the children are fairly good about helping with setting tables/washing up and they never have been especially early risers.

I like the freedom of SC to be honest - no tied to certain meals or times. But then different place different routines so OH and DD get to do chores as well as its my holiday too.

We would tend to eat out at lunchtime and have snacky teas. For some reason lunchtime menus seem to be cheaper. Or we have a decent brunch out.

The cost of a day out with kids is the same all over whether home or away - businesses have cottoned onto the fact that parents will pay (for the most part) for kids entertainment. We try and mix up free, cheap and paid for - but then DD likes supermarket shopping so hey she is easily pleased!!!

I don't really car how other people choose to holiday but there are a lot of misconceptions around AI on this thread. Firstly, the assumption that you'd be sleeping in the same room as your children; we have never done this. Secondly, that meal times are very restrictive and only serve slop; it's true that dinner is only served from 5-9 in most AI places we've stayed at but I'd say that's a big enough window for most people, esp those with young children as most are. Breakfast always seems to be 7-10, again suiting most families with young children. The third assumption seems to be that you don't or can't leave the complex. This is more true of long haul adult only AI complexes which jar with the utter poverty surrounding them rather than family orientated AI holidays to The Balearics or Portugal. There was always lots of trip on offer and easy car hire outlets and most people went out most days as far as I remember.

As I said, as my children have got older the need for such a holiday has lessened and a more relaxed rather than relaxing type of break now suits us better. However, I would never stereotype all SC holidays as a 60yr old caravan in a muddy field costing 25p were the mother slaves away all week so I'm not sure why AI holidays are being stereotyped as cheap, overcrowded high rise hotels serving slop 3 times a day for only 23mins where 26000 people need to queue.
The OP is clearly having a shit holiday because her husband is a lazy arse not because she's SC.

Depends on the holiday. SC somewhere warm, dry and sunny is one thing, SC in a cold wet summer in the UK is very different. I like camping because your living space requires far less cleaning and tidying and cooking is quite good fun. A holiday cottage in the UK is too much like home.

I find it difficult to live in a mess so this causes tension if we do a holiday cottage break too. That said any SC break is easier when the kids are older if they sleep better and are more independent.

tell me how I could have ensured the same level of relaxation in SC? I just don't think it would have been possible.

Not have four kids?

12k for a holiday? That's my p/t salary for the whole year.

I'm not sure why AI holidays are being stereotyped as cheap, overcrowded high rise hotels serving slop 3 times a day for only 23mins where 26000 people need to queue.

For me, it's because I have 12k tastes but only a 3k budget.

I have been on a few AI holidays and don't recognise any of the negative desprictions on here!Last one we were on had four Restaurants as well as the buffet one.

Sc is my idea of hell. I want my bed made for me, someone to bring me cocktails and the biggest decision to be " where are we eating tonight"

I do not want to see the inside of a supermarket

How much more do you pay for that, though, Christina? I really hate spending money, must admit.

I do not want to see the inside of a supermarket

Llijkk

Ah well its not always cheap

Can you ma

Whoops! M

Argh stupid phone. Make it feel different from home by buying pizza for supper in front of Netflix. Sunbathing in garden with sausage sandwiches for lunch, wine at 11am, let the kids stay up really late with a film and popcorn so you get a lazy lie in with optional sex?