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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wonder who can afford this? What do you spend on your holidays?

552 replies

Bridgeofpies · 10/03/2018 11:38

I was flicking through a travel magazine and having the usual envy of the people enjoying sun drenched beaches, bustling exotic markets and artistic sunsets etc. So I had a look through at all the places to stay.

Almost all the hotels and accommodation (or a large proportion) were from £400 per night for a double room! Some were up to £700. It got me wondering - who actually stays in these hotels? They look amazing and I can imagine doing it for a one- off special occasion like a big anniversary or birthday but are there people who spend this on their “normal” holidays?

We are definitely well-off by most standards but wouldn’t consider this for a holiday! (Especially with 2 kids, it would be insanely expensive). Our last big blow out holiday was around £3500 but that was 2 weeks, all-inclusive, with flights and for all 4 of us!

So, just got me wondering, is it just billionaires and business travellers on expenses who stay in these places?

OP posts:
Blinkyblink · 12/03/2018 12:27

ShatnersWig

Was that £300 spending money op or for a couple?

Echobelly · 12/03/2018 12:37

Hotels are so expensive! I'm always amazed when I go to conferences in mediocre London hotels and they are £400+ a night.

We've always done self-catering (usually meaning airbnb). Our holidays vary - my parents have a place in Eastern Europe where we can have holidays for no more than the flight, which will cost £500-800 depending on when we go for the four of us. Going to Italy for a week next month which has cost £500 for flights, £260 for car and probably about £700 for accommodation.

My husband works contracts, so if he's been in one for a bit we might afford long haul to US or South Africa to see his family, in which case flights will usually be a couple of grand.

I would love to know what it's like to fly long-haul on a proper fully flat bed seat, but doubt I ever will as we wouldn't pay the money even if we could afford it and I don't think I'll ever have a job involving executive travel!

BarbaraofSevillle · 12/03/2018 12:40

Conversely, I can't see how some people do it so cheaply. There's always someone who claims to have a family holiday in france all in for about £700 or I've just caught up with another thread where someone said that their family holiday was AI for 5 people for £1800 in Cuba.

Surely even if it was the worst hotel in the cheapest part of the world, the flights alone would cost more than that?

I think some people must forget to include the cost of food and activities while they are there, and things like petrol in hire cars, which can all add up to a substantial amount.

ShatnersWig · 12/03/2018 12:48

Blinky Me. On my own. I did go with a friend and they spent about the same amount. So my total spend for my first ever week's holiday aboard was around £800. Was one of the best weeks ever. I'd love to go back. And do more of Italy.

MinnieMousse · 12/03/2018 13:06

You can easily have a family holiday in France for £700 if you take the Dover to Calais ferry and camp. You could probably get a small gite for a week in the summer holidays if you stayed inland. Self-catering properties in France are generally much cheaper than in the UK.

soulrider · 12/03/2018 13:09

There's always someone who claims to have a family holiday in france all in for about £700 or I've just caught up with another thread where someone said that their family holiday was AI for 5 people for £1800 in Cuba.

Maybe they mean per person? I remember being about 10 and my mum having a load of travel brochures and me and my sister looking at places and picking out favourites and thinking they were affordable and my mum had to point out they were prices per person not for 5 people! (we went self catering in Cornwall every year)

BarbaraofSevillle · 12/03/2018 13:53

No it was definitely in total, in a 'how much was your family holiday' thread. One that was a lot like this, only less aspirational Smile.

x2boys · 12/03/2018 13:58

Maybe they didn't go in the school holidays Barbara?Shock

BarbaraofSevillle · 12/03/2018 14:06

But I don't think you could get those prices even in a wet weekend in November?

Long haul flights, accomodation and all food and drink for £360 pp?

Ferries, tolls, petrol, accomodation, food and drink for a family for a week for £700?

How?

swg1 · 12/03/2018 14:25

Barbara, we book last minute a lot. It means booking a bit over a week off work (because you don't know exactly when you'll be flying) and not being too picky. Especially with AI, prices tend to drop steeply at the last minute and as long as you're not fixed on a specific hotel or location you can get good deals.

Last year our school started a couple of days later than most schools in the area, so we managed a holiday in Menorca coming back on what would have usually been the last day of school. AI, transfers, flights included and picking seats, a two bedroom apartment for 4 of us (one under 2) for, I think it was around £1500 for a week. And because we have two very small kids still we did very little off the complex (it was a rotten year, we just wanted some sun and a rest) so probably spent less than £200 while there.

Turned out there had been a tummy bug going around a month before we went. All cleared up by the time we got there but because it resulted in a couple of weeks bad tripadvisor reviews people were less willing to book (and I suspect they had some cancellations).

CuboidalSlipshoddy · 12/03/2018 14:26

Ferries, tolls, petrol, accomodation, food and drink for a family for a week for £700?

I suspect that people who self-cater often ignore the price of food in their budget because they would have had to buy food at home anyway, and they're not irrational to do so.

People's inability to cost the price of car travel is notorious.

However, outside the peak season, a Brittany Ferries ferry plus gite deal can be staggeringly cheap; both the ferry company and the gite owners are happy to get any income rather than leave spaces empty.

I'm not totally surprised that people might be able to get a week for a family in a gite for £700 net expenditure over and above "normal living".

swg1 · 12/03/2018 14:27

Sorry, that should read first day of school term.

JoJoSM2 · 12/03/2018 14:28

Maybe people don’t add half the costs. We drove down to Italy a few months ago and the cost of the ferry, tolls and fuel was almost £700. Insane.

soulrider · 12/03/2018 14:30

I think the second example is doable outside of school holidays if self catering

Airbnb place for 4 is easy enough to find for around 300 a week, 100 pounds for a ferry, 100 pounds for petrol leaving 200 for food.

purplelass · 12/03/2018 14:36

I went away to Brittany (self drive / ferry / self catering) for a week with my daughter last year and everything including spending money was about £1k.
I can't afford anything like that this year so am lucky that my family live in places I can drive to for a cheap seaside holiday this year.

Do people actually earn enough that they can afford these expensive holidays or do they put it all on plastic? Just wondering...

FancyABrewOrTwo · 12/03/2018 14:41

Do people actually earn enough that they can afford these expensive holidays or do they put it all on plastic? Just wondering...

I factor in the cost of our yearly holiday into savings so by the time the holiday comes around it's paid for. Really wouldn't want to be still paying for a holiday that I had already come back from.

purplelass · 12/03/2018 14:44

I factor in the cost of our yearly holiday into savings so by the time the holiday comes around it's paid for

Ah, my kind of person Smile
Sadly all my holiday savings went on vets bills this year!

grannycake · 12/03/2018 14:48

We have a motorhome and spent two weeks in the Pyrenees last year. We avoid most tolls but our fuel was £366, camping was £227 and tolls were £45 so not too bad. We spent another £350 on food/coffees and a vet visit for our dog. If we'd eaten out every day, used all motorways it would have been much more expensive. Tesco clubcard vouchers paid the Tunnel crossing

Fionne · 12/03/2018 14:48

Do people actually earn enough that they can afford these expensive holidays or do they put it all on plastic?

We grew up in a time when you saved up for what you wanted and if you didn’t have the cash you went without. We still live like that.

Openup41 · 12/03/2018 14:51

This reply has been deleted

Withdrawn at poster's request.

Penguinsandpandas · 12/03/2018 15:00

Always have money for whole trip in advance as you never know what's round the corner. Would never get anything on credit.

juddyrockingcloggs · 12/03/2018 15:02

Do people actually earn enough that they can afford these expensive holidays or do they put it all on plastic? Just wondering...

We book all our overseas trips about a year in advance and put money aside each month to pay them off! We don't have a credit card or any bank loans either!

farfallarocks · 12/03/2018 15:08

We spend a lot on holidays but we both work and it’s our quality time with dc. Also I am really fussy. If I can a family Holiday for £10k I think I’ve done well, have spent as much as £18k for special occasion in school holidays ( flat bed flight back).

pollymere · 12/03/2018 16:24

You may know the famous tower suite at Charing Cross Hotel, over two floors etc etc. It costs thousands on rack rate but I've stayed there for less than a hundred. I never pay more than £100 a night as there are usually great deals to be had.

Patscan · 12/03/2018 16:52

Two trips to NY (Oct half term and week before Christmas) 6 nights each £2400 for both and three of us. Breakfast included so we have £1000 saved for each trip.

Then an AI for two weeks in summer hols. This year AI has cost us £1600 for three to Spain for 15 nights.

We save a year in advance. So this year's hols were pain for in January and we've started saving for next year's hols.

We book everything separately and book direct with hotels.

Never used a travel agent, probably never will.