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

[Bridgeofpies]

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?

My last holiday was 3 weeks in Bali. It cost £850 for flights and same again for accommodation (for 2 people). We could have had a third person with us for just the cost of the additional flight.

And we stayed in some of the most beautiful rooms I’ve ever stayed in. One was a treehouse with 2 rooms, a big private garden, outdoor shower, outdoor kitchenette and living space and a communal pool (shared with 5 apartments) and views across the valleys. - £55 night.

Another was a villa with pool, pool table, two double beds each with ensuite, huge kitchen/ diner area, and on top of a hill with the pool looking out to the sea - £156 per night.

Another was a boutique hotel in the centre of the city - the room was ultra modern, with rain shower, outdoor bath, private plunge pool (and communal swimming pool), kitchen facilities and in-room breakfast (pancakes, pastries, fruit, etc) - £70 per night.

I’m going on a bit but my point is there are some absolute gorgeous places to stay at very little cost if you move away from package holidays and book it yourself.

What I'd absolutely love to know is what everyone does for jobs to have this much disposable income. Is it all things like doctors, lawyers, working in banking/finance

One Accountant and one GP - live and work in Central London

I can't afford this kind of regular spending. I have a significant birthday coming up next year and need to plan it!
Thinking of a cruise in a smaller boat (not the larger ones).
Could I please have some leads to find a decent UK/Europe cruise - for a singleton?

I get really annoyed reading about journalists getting sent to amazing spas to ‘write a report’

I console myself that they are probably not that well paid so it’s a treat and perk

But then we could wonder the same about designer clothes , private schools and Porsche cayenne’s (another bug bear of mine)

Some people are loaded

Two years ago. 13 nights Greece. Two adults. One 5 one 3.
£10k plus about £1k spending.

Ex was on £150k plus £50k bonus. I was a sahm

Divorced since then andholidays going to be somewhat different!

What I'd absolutely love to know is what everyone does for jobs to have this much disposable income. Is it all things like doctors, lawyers, working in banking/finance

Tech start-up and SAHP

We have spent 10k on a two week holiday before for 2 adults. Typically it's more like 8k most years.

Our holidays average at about 2k for 2 adults 1 x child for 2 weeks in Greece. We prefer smaller hotels and definitely avoid all inc. we take around 2 k spending money and eat out for lunch and dinner.

Flights only at Christmas to my home country for 2 children and I cost £3700. We pay for hotels and spending too so another £1000 probably. We do this every year. We also do in-country 1 week holidays, weekend breaks, holiday camps etc during the year. I don't earn a lot but I don't spend a lot in general life either and I find I can easily afford these.

Wow to be able to spend £3500 all inclusive for an entire holiday! I've never actually tried med or EU holidays though.

BarbaraofSeville where would you recommend for scubadiving in Europe July-August?

But then we could wonder the same about designer clothes , private schools and Porsche cayenne’s (another bug bear of mine)

It's about priorities, isn't it? Designer clothes are of no interest to me. I wouldn't ever spend more than about £40 on a handbag. I do not spend money getting my nails done, or having tans/botox/facials/waxes. DH and I have very middle of the road cars. We don't have children in private schools. None of that is important spending to us.

So on a family income of around £150k (he's a senior manager, I'm freelance) we have disposable income that we can choose to spend on holidays and go somewhere nice rather than somewhere cheap.

Totally agree also that advertised prices are often artificially high to make someone think they're getting a bargain. We booked recently for a couple of nights in Berlin - perfectly average, 4* hotel near the city centre. Booking websites said 200 euros a night. Going direct was a lot cheaper as you pay in advance.

Doingthingsdifferently

We did Sani 3x

Absolutely sublime holiday

I can imagine £400 is ok if it is a US-style room with two double beds, and there are four of you sharing. But it’s way too much for two people.

Wauden might river cruises interest you?

Parker231
DH is Specialist manager in large company and I work part-time in the tourism industry in the UK.

You think £400 a night is bad, check out the pp/pn rate for my lottery win holiday!

thebrando.com/

Hospital consultant and an architect ( he had a good year)

It's all about shopping around. You can get quoted vastly different prices for the same holiday. Sometimes it's cheaper to book it yourself but not always. We've spent an incredible amount on holidays over the years and the memories are well worth it. There is only two of us now as our kids have flown the coop. We like to stay in nice hotels with all the extras. Bathrobe and slippers are a must for us!

I can't help wondering if all these expensive holidays are the reason so many people can't afford to buy a house these days?

Like most people, I don't consider myself to be rich, but neither am I on the breadline either. DH and I are about to buy our first house together and have managed to pull together a 50% deposit. Partly, it has to be this way as he's in his 50s and so a long term mortgage is not an option. But, I'm horribly conscious that every £1k we spend on a holiday is £1k less towards the house.

To answer your question, OP, I would not be able to afford that amount - we tend to go self-catering in the UK and my budget is around £500 for a week for the accommodation. This is for a family of 4. In the past we have been camping, which the kids love (me, not so much), and can be very cheap if you go on a farm with minimal facilities.

I live in hope though - maybe when the kids are at work and the house is paid for we will be able to go abroad somewhere nice

Bathrobe and slippers are a must for us!

I want nice public areas. Somewhere I can sit and read a book, maybe have a drink, maybe work, with some people around but not in my way. That's why Citizen M are so good for me (and so horrible for people who don't like them, hence their marmite-like TripAdvisor reviews): small rooms for the money, but in exchange huge and lovely public areas.

What I'd absolutely love to know is what everyone does for jobs to have this much disposable income

Corporate finance. London.

I can't help wondering if all these expensive holidays are the reason so many people can't afford to buy a house these days?

Oh super LoL. And the avacados??

I’m pretty sure anyone jetting off and spending thousands of pounds a year on holidays, already has a house (or is not worried about getting one).

QC and Director.

We spent 130k on 2 holidays this year

We founded and now run a mid size company. We risked everything to get where we are and could have ended up with nothing. Dh only switches off when on holiday and so I think puts a great deal of importance on spending on our trips.

I can't help wondering if all these expensive holidays are the reason so many people can't afford to buy a house these days?

Yes, I’m sure its people who can afford to spend £500+ per night on a holiday that can’t afford the buy a house.