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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Self Catering "holidays"

125 replies

Nohomemadecandles · 07/08/2021 19:42

Self Catering Holidays are Hard Work...

I just want a self indulgent whinge really. I'm sure it makes me entitled and I know lots of people are worse off but...

Self catering is not a holiday. It's just wife work in a different house!

One of us is always cooking, washing up, planning what to cook/eat, making beds, moving glasses, taking out the rubbish...

We're lucky (I know, very lucky) to have access to a family home on the south coast. We've been here three weeks. We've had various family members join us who also need feeding and clearing up after.

I'm shattered! I want my own bed and a week in a hotel abroad!

OP posts:
FourEyesGood · 07/08/2021 19:46

YABU. Your family should be sharing the workload. Self-catering holidays are great - as long as you take a few basic bits of kitchen kit and don’t allow yourself to be a martyr.

twilightcafe · 07/08/2021 19:47

Why are you doing all the cooking?

Original poster
Nohomemadecandles · 07/08/2021 19:47

It's not always me. One of us. Me or DH

OP posts:
RoseWineTime · 07/08/2021 19:48

I Much prefer self-catering holidays. Maybe it’s time for a few meals out?

FourEyesGood · 07/08/2021 19:49

You could get takeaways or go out for a meal every now and then. I’m struggling to sympathise with you and your three-week holiday.

Chibbles · 07/08/2021 19:49

It's just wife work in a different house!

Yep. And washing up.

We always do breakfast included minimum, and we usually go out for dinner or get take aways.

Otherwise I'd rather just be at home.

ChocolateRiver · 07/08/2021 19:49

Yes, I agree 100%! Like being at home just in a different house. All the thinking, planning and ‘doing’ is exhausting. We went to Cornwall at the start of the holidays and had a lovely time but it’s not really a holiday. Well not what I think of as a holiday anyway. I’ve already been looking up all inclusive holidays for next Summer.

Maireas · 07/08/2021 19:50

How old are your children?
How long are you planning on staying?

JayAlfredPrufrock · 07/08/2021 19:52

I prefer self catering. But do eat out a lot.

Roundlampshade · 07/08/2021 19:54

YANBU

Same shit, different place.

Veryverycalmnow · 07/08/2021 19:55

I'm glad you realise you're lucky to have what you have. Can I suggest a takeaway one night, a restaurant another or just disappearing out for a bit when it's time to wash up?

IceCreamAndCandyfloss · 07/08/2021 19:58

We don’t self cater for that reason, we always eat out. Not really a break if we have to shop, cook and clean.

BarbaraofSeville · 07/08/2021 19:59

Simplify what you do if you're spending a lot of time cooking.

Stick a pizza in the oven, have an omelette, get a cooked chicken and a bag of salad, have a takeaway, the choice is endless.

Visiting family need to do their share too and I don't understand how bed making is necessary or even a chore. I'm the laziest slattern there is but surely it just takes seconds to pull a duvet cover back into place? If beds need changing between occupants they do it themselves?

LaurieFairyCake · 07/08/2021 19:59

I have 'self catering' holidays every year - I just have take away or eat out (or eat very simply)

There's no way on holiday I'm cooking anything

thecatsthecats · 07/08/2021 19:59

On holiday we always eat really simply or eat out. One or the other.

An M&S ready meal. A bbq. Toastie night. Halloumi salad for lunch. And always have a dishwasher.

It's nice to eat stuff that takes five minutes sometimes.

Original poster
Nohomemadecandles · 07/08/2021 19:59

We do eat out a bit. Mainly lunch times because it needs a car and I want a glass of wine in the evening! We've stayed so long because some work needs doing and needed someone here.

I work from home any way so I've been doing some actual work too which probably hasn't helped my grumpiness! Grin

OP posts:
Paul72 · 07/08/2021 20:00

We nearly always go away on holiday in our caravan. We go out for meals so the only cooking is toast for breakfast. To me a holiday is getting things done for us so eating out works well.

Original poster
Nohomemadecandles · 07/08/2021 20:01

@thecatsthecats

On holiday we always eat really simply or eat out. One or the other.

An M&S ready meal. A bbq. Toastie night. Halloumi salad for lunch. And always have a dishwasher.

It's nice to eat stuff that takes five minutes sometimes.

That's exactly what we're on tonight! M&S ready meals. Tesco ones tomorrow.
OP posts:
Boood · 07/08/2021 20:04

Self catering means bbq for us, and we live in a flat so not the same as being at home at all. I like to alternate between eating out and chilling out round the bbq on holiday- it’s a nice change, means we can stay around the pool late and not have to bother getting ready.

NameChange30 · 07/08/2021 20:04

YANBU.

Self-catering is kind of necessary for me as I have two young kids and one has food allergies. But after just one week's self-catering in the UK with decidedly mixed weather (and I'm aware how lucky we were to be able to afford a week's holiday somewhere nice) I was fantasising about an all-inclusive holiday abroad with a crèche and kids' club! When my youngest is old enough and has no/fewer allergies for us to worry about, we will treat ourselves!

Oh and we tried going with family as well, it doesn't help, creates extra work and stress for me and DH, it's just more people to feed and negotiate with about what we're doing, plus bonus arguments and irritations Sad I would love to have family who would take on more of the meal planning, cooking, clearing up and all the other stuff, to give DH and I more of a break (we'd still be taking main responsibility for the kids so it wouldn't be a complete break) but sadly no.

NeverTalkToStrangers · 07/08/2021 20:05

I think it’s bound to be more stressful in somebody else’s house rather than a holiday cottage. And looking after guests definitely adds to the stress factor. I don’t find self catering difficult at all - but that’s because we alternate takeaways, meals out and high end ready meals. If it’s just the four of us then nobody’s going to look askance if I eat a Charlie Bighams fish pie with a spoon straight out of the box while the DC have supermarket pizza…again.

lljkk · 07/08/2021 20:06

I don't like restaurant or catered food, so not really getting the thread.

icedcoffees · 07/08/2021 20:10

YABU. Self-catering holidays are what you make of them.

We always self-cater so we can take the dog. Breakfast is coffee and pastries in the cottage, lunch we grab on the go - normally at a dog-friendly pup or café, and dinner is takeaway or a posh ready meal or pizza.

There's minimal washing up and rubbish. We do laundry but always rent somewhere with a tumble drier so it's no hassle to just put stuff in a machine and press a button.

Much prefer them to a hotel as there's more space (bedrooms, plus a living space and kitchen), a garden/outside space, decent on-site parking and they're normally in much nicer locations so no driving to town everyday.

whatisheupto · 07/08/2021 20:12

YANBU. Same here. I think with different family members coming and going it's like several back to back Christmases. Endless shopping, planning, preparation, cooking, clearing up, cleaning. Exhausting. I am always glad to get home as it feels very relaxing and much less work in comparison. I have never done all inclusive or anything like it but am planning on it one day soon!! Family holiday homes are a double edged sword!

Coasterfan · 07/08/2021 20:17

We eat out, I wouldn’t bother otherwise. There is no chance of me cooking and cleaning on holiday, I d save my money and stay at home if that was part of the deal!!

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