Help, dh and I can't agree, who is bu?

[Notasunworshipper]

Dh and I can't agree on a holiday.

He has decided last minute that he wants to do a package holiday abroad. I'm fine with that, but having researched I don't believe that we can afford anywhere decent.

Dh is talking about going to a 2* in Benidorm because it's cheap, I don't want to.

We usually go to a nice cottage in the UK in a beautiful location and I don't want to trade that for somewhere crap abroad.

It's not that I don't want to go abroad, I want a peaceful, family orientated destination but everything I find he says is too expensive.

]]www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/19511383?location=South%20of%20France&guests=2&children=2&adults=2&check_in=2018-08-25&check_out=2018-09-01&home_collection=1&s=I4zJdzRC]]

Return flights from luton to Montpellier will cost £1100 for the four of you. Slightly less from Gatwick.

You can choose public transport to the apartment and then walk to everywhere you need, or hire a car (more expensive). Close to beach, lovely art of the world, high ratings on the apartment. Available 25 Aug-1 Sept. Best of both worlds?

You are looking in the wrong places in my opinion.

Find a nice apartment on air b and b or booking.com. Get flights seperately. You can find basic apartments in Corfu, the nice non touristy parts, for €90 a night.

Corfu is only 2 and a half hours flight . Croatia just over 2. Cavtat is only 15 minutes from the airport and is lovely.

I'd suggest booking a holiday abroad for October half term instead, when you'll get better deals for less, and make the most of the fabulous UK weather for this summer.

Benidorm has really gone down hill in recent years, I have been going there since I was a child. But saying that it is only the strip area that is really trashy. The old town is lovely and the surrounding towns are well worth a visit. What is the name of the accommodation you have found?

For the past few year as a family we have got the ferry from Plymouth down to Spain, it costs about £800 for a return for the four of us, I'm sure you could find somewhere decent to stay for under your budget. We always drive over to Salou for Portaventura, plenty of cheap places to stay there.

Well actually, Benidorm has lovely parts to it too! We’ve stayed in a beautiful family orientated hotel in Benidorm, admittedly it was 4* but it wasn’t so expensive and was one of the best holidays I’ve ever had! You don’t have to go in the bars and clubs, just walk past them. Old town in Benidorm is really pretty and the beach is all white sand. If you find the right hotel you’ll have a marvellous time.
Interested, what was the name of the 2* your Dhfound?

What's your overall budget?

I wouldn't stay in a 2 star in Benidorm, it will be horrible and full of stag and hen dos.

DH is pretty obsessed with Benidorm too. We have been a few times, I don't think its as bad as people make out, but its not really my thing. Having said that, we have never been out on a nighttime really, even when we didn't have the kids with us, and I hear its awful at night, so yeah. Through the day its alright, anyway.

Oh and we stayed in the Sol Pelicanos, as he wanted to go there because of the TV show, so were on the 'main strip' so to speak.

I wouldn't want to go to Benidorm because of the type of holidaymaker you get, but 2* hotels are fine with me. As long as it's clean and the bed is comfortable, I'm happy.

We recently booked a 4* 2 bed apartment in a golf resort in Spain (murcia airport) for about £1500. We are hiring a car as it’s a bit out of the resort but it’s fine for us. We’re going in the summer holidays.

@Notasunworshipper what about Jersey?

Also I'm going to throw Eurocamp into the mix. The fixed tents are really (surprisingly) nice and there are lots close to the beach, with pools and lots for kids to do. Playing games with the (multilingual) dutch and german children and their parents in the evenings was always a highlight for us. A different sort of people to 2* Benidorm resorts and your own self catering space; very chilled but with everything the DC could want.

@Notasunworshipper the companies you're looking at are very overpriced (Thomas Cook, TUI etc). I've been to the same beautiful hotels several times aware that others have paid 1000s more through using those companies, rather than booking flights direct and the same package, same hotel from another company.

Moneysavingexpert has a guide here but search via icelolly and have a look at holidaypirates too.

What airport do you want to go out of ideally?

Denia is nice! You drive past Benidorm to get to it. Had lovely hol there and lots of Spanish people holiday there too. Not sure what prices would be in Aug but might be worth a look. Def avoid Benidorm!

HIBU.

Benidorm is fucking awful. We went once and honestly I tried so hard to like it but it's awful. Not a Spanish dish in sight! Cottage break sounds lovely I don't k ow why people think that basically anywhere abroad is a superior choice to a U.K. holiday

Plenty of Spanish dishes in the old town in Benidorm. Tapas alley is fantastic.

Is your husband always an idiot?

Wow there are some really unpleasant opinions. Judgey much?! Benidorm, like all other parts of the world, has good and bad. I guess you see what you’re looking for though.

What will you get for the money in Benidorm?

No scenery, no fresh air, no culture, no history, no architecture, terrible food choices, drunk people, noise ......

In a cottage in the UK? Chose your spot and you could go to the Cotswolds or the Lakes or the Peaks. Fresh air, gorgeous scenery, local culture, bags of history with churches and villages and farms. Self catering - try making some simple new meals, Chose who you mix with (if anyone) and enjoy each other’s company without crowds of drunk people. Pick a location by the coast if water sports is your thing.

No comparison for me.

I only go abroad when I can pay good money for a fabulous experience such as climbing Kilimanjaro or trekking through Nepal.

There is always a lot of snobbery about Benidorm on Mumsnet Redrose, yes some parts are shit, but I won't write off a whole town just because of a small area of the new town popular with Brits.

August is a popular month with the Spanish in Benidorm and they arrive in droves. Not a popular month for the the stag and hens either. Usually too expensive to come that month.

To be honest dh thought Majorca and Cyprus were in Greece and he thinks Greece is full of party goers so I don't think he knows his arse from his elbow.

Blimey OP. Does your DH do any research at all regarding travelling? He thought Majorca and Cyprus were in Greece? What on Earth is he doing booking a holiday if he doesn’t know whee he’s going or anything about the culture?

Vickyyyy - you're not 'sticky Vicky' are you? 😂😂

I agree the old town in Benidorm isn't bad, and you can get lovely tapas but the rest of it is rough and seedy. There are much nicer places on that coastline. Denia/javea/

Make him watch ‘Benidorm’. Although the hotel used does not look that bad!

What about Mallorca it’s a huge island and most of it is lovely

Did a wonderful week in Majorca for a fraction of your cost, though it was night time flights. Hotel right on the beach. Perfect.