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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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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:

Hardbackwriter · 07/08/2021 20:22

When people say that self catering holiday is no holiday because they just do everything they do at home it makes me think that they must live very leisurely lives day-to-day!

Original poster

Nohomemadecandles · 07/08/2021 20:26

We bbq'd a few nights which was lovely but DH stood at the bbq for 2 hours and I ferried side dishes inside and out and cooked potatoes, made up salads then took it all back in, found room for it in the bloody silly fridge, topped up drinks and we washed everyone's endless cups and glasses that won't go in the dishwasher.

I think I might have lazy adult family members too! And ones who are dancing around offering to help but getting under the feet instead!

I'm being grumpy. I know I am.

OP posts:

CosmicComfort · 07/08/2021 20:27

I love self catering because I like the space. Hotels are okay for a night or 2 but the lack of space to relax depresses me.

Holidays when the dses were little were definitely more tiring but we still normally did very simple meals and made advantage of ready meals and frozen foods. We always tried to get somewhere with a dishwasher as well.

Now the dses don’t come with us, we basically eat out. We are just back from a week away and only ate breakfast at the holiday cottage, eating out for lunch and evening meal. It was expensive but our only week away and we budgeted for it. Definitely harder to do with children!

ShaunaTheSheep · 07/08/2021 20:28

Tesco delivery at the start.
Everyone makes own breakfast.
Everyone makes a packed lunch if we are out walking (fill a roll, throw in fruit, biscuit or cake, crisps).
Dinner - eat out, takeaway, pizza, ready meal etc. Ice cream for pudding.
Dishwasher is essential! I don't mind unloading it while the kettle boils for my morning tea.

MsVestibule · 07/08/2021 20:29

I love them! Easy breakfasts, sandwiches/cafes for lunch, ready meals/restaurants for dinner.

BUT - I only ever go for a week, so no washing or cleaning. Three weeks away really is just 'same shit, different place'.

user1471554720 · 07/08/2021 20:32

I would nearly pay to stay at home, rather than go on a free self catering holiday. When we are on annual leave, I always find being at home more relaxing. I get oddjobs done around the house, sort paperwork, albeit at a relaxed pace. We go for daytrips. Pre covid we would stay in a hotel for 2 nights. The children amuse themselves for some of the time.

Going on holiday, we feel we have to be 'together' all the time. I am with the children the whole time as I can't let them off in a strange place. There is no space to go for a walk or read a book alone. I don't mind this, when on half board hols abroad, because I don't have to shop and cook.

At least at home, when I am shopping and cooking, I get some personal time as children can amuse themselves. Self catering breaks are the worst of both worlds.

NothingIsWrong · 07/08/2021 20:32

Yup. We have access to a family property as well, which while lovely does feel a bit like the same shit in a different location. I LUST after 2 weeks somewhere hot, all inclusive, and with a kids club. Sadly our of our financial reach.

PostMenWithACat · 07/08/2021 20:33

We prefer self catering for family holidays. We once stayed at a Disney hotel with a buffet breakfast and buffet dinner. DH nearly had a meltdown when he realised he might have to queue for his dinner. He marched us all to the a la carte restaurant where we paid extra and avoided breakfast after the first day.

Self catering, breakfast in the peaceful Garden, in our scruffs and no make-up. Barbecue for dinner, again in our scruffs.

We nod and smile and make polite conversation all the bloody time at home. We don't want to have to do it at an ai hotel. We do enjoy a short hotel break though, preferably where breakfast is served from a menu rather than a buffet.

Original poster

Nohomemadecandles · 07/08/2021 20:34

@ShaunaTheSheep

Tesco delivery at the start. Everyone makes own breakfast. Everyone makes a packed lunch if we are out walking (fill a roll, throw in fruit, biscuit or cake, crisps). Dinner - eat out, takeaway, pizza, ready meal etc. Ice cream for pudding. Dishwasher is essential! I don't mind unloading it while the kettle boils for my morning tea.

Do you try to beat the kettle?

That gets me through dishwasher emptying! Last bit of cutlery away before the kettle clicks off gives me a victory dance.

OP posts:

Kite22 · 07/08/2021 20:57

YABU.
I agree with pp that self catering holidays are what you choose to make them.
Personally, I don't host other people / do work on holiday / stay 3 weeks / cook much / have to maintain a property whilst away.
I find it MUCH more relaxing to be self catering than in a hotel.

countdowntonap · 07/08/2021 21:03

To me, self catering means eating out?
Just done two weeks of eating out 3 times a day except for 3 evening takeaways, and 2 breakfasts.
Self catering is what you make of it.

Wjevtvha · 07/08/2021 21:08

I know what you mean; we always plan easy meals but it’s not the same as in a hotel where it’s an actual break from it all

Goldbar · 07/08/2021 21:08

I find self-catering quite stressful as I have to monitor my 3yo to ensure no dirty hands on the wall etc. and there's more scope for mischief and damage then in a hotel. But the catering aspect is easy. Microwave porridge and pastries for breakfast, a fridge to keep milk in, lunch at a cafe and baked beans on toast for DC for dinner and takeaway for us. Lots of ice creams and other snacks not usually allowed.

PuppyMonkey · 07/08/2021 21:09

I like self catering holidays too but that doesn’t sound like what you’re on TBF OP. You’re staying in a family property.

On ordinary family holidays, we budget for breakfasts out, meals out, trips out. I usually veto any big elaborate meal preparation in the place we’re staying as that’s just not relaxing to me - a couple of nights doing pasta and cheese or beans on toast is acceptable but the rest of the time I’m eating out or at the vet least having chip shop chips.

Cereals for breakfast, Tesco meal deal for lunch. It’s all good!

30degreesandmeltinghere · 07/08/2021 21:13

We are going soon. Meal plan meticulously.. All chip in financially. 4 working adults... 4 dc..
Works well and we all take turns cooking. No scope for eating out where we go!!
Will be having a Bbq 2 nights this time!!

ohthatbloodycat · 07/08/2021 21:14

YANBU. If it doesn't involve getting on a plane and staying at a hotel, then frankly, I'm not going to get excited by it.

PumpkinKlNG · 07/08/2021 21:15

When we did self catering it was eating out, I’ve never cooked on holiday

Jumpingintosummer · 07/08/2021 21:16

You need to get savvy with others coming to stay, it’s not your job to host. Hey, lovely to see you.. how about I do dinner tonight, you tomorrow then out the next night?

lalaloopyhead · 07/08/2021 21:19

I love self catering holiday....the alternative to me is having to get dressed for meals! Thd most catered thing I have ever done was a meal plan at Disneyland Paris but in thd self catering accommodation! We even stay in serviced apartments rather than hotels for a couple of nights away..the thought of having to get up snd look presentable enoughj to sit in a shared dining room is not my idea of relaxation :D

PussInBin20 · 07/08/2021 21:21

I am on a static caravan holiday right now and I said exactly the same. Then up popped our all inclusive Majorca holiday from 3 yrs ago on FB memories and I was reminiscing about not having to worry about what food/kitchen stuff I needed to pack!

The caravan is not as big as I was expecting so it is quite snug too and we are not the most organised people - we keep losing things and blaming each other for moving it!

Plus the weather is rubbish.

safariboot · 07/08/2021 21:21

We stayed in a cottage this summer. So yes, self-catering, but a, three of us rotated the cooking, b, there was a dishwasher, and c, we had a fair few meals out, a takeaway, and some convenience/ready meals.

If you've got more spending money and are in the right sort of destination, "self catering" means a free choice of restaurants rather than being tied to the hotel's dinners.

I usually like a late supper so having ready access to a kitchen works for me too.

Deadringer · 07/08/2021 21:23

We have just come home from a week in a holiday home. We didn't cook at all, we ate out or got takeaways, and any housework was evenly split. However i still don't really consider it a proper holiday, but it was that or nothing so we made the best of it. Mind you the shit weather didn't help.

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 07/08/2021 21:24

Not my idea or a holiday at all, it may be a chance for the kids to be in diff surroundings and that’s fine but I wouldn’t feel rested

PuppyMonkey · 07/08/2021 21:27

Yes, kitchens in self catering places are for the kettle and toaster mainly. Don’t bloody cook in them.

LagunaBubbles · 07/08/2021 21:30

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

Yabu. If you spend your time running around after family members more fool you. We love self catering, especially in France, I dont mind cooking when we can sit out at the pool having dinner. And it always has a dishwasher which DH does. Can't think of anything worse than being stuck in a hotel room for more than a few days, without the space and facilities of a cottage.

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