Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think it's more of expensive to holiday in the UK?

248 replies

hibbledibble · 29/08/2021 18:37

Like many, I holidayed in the UK this year, due to covid complicating trips abroad. I work in person for the NHS, and can't risk having to isolate on return, if a country's status changes.

I do feel utterly ripped off though. The holiday hasn't been anything extravagant, just driving to a self catering accommodation. The accomodation costs are astronomical, as are eating out and day trips (many days were nearly £100, and that wasn't even including food). I have looked at TUI and it would have been cheaper to get an all inclusive package, and that way I wouldn't have to cook, clean, and could even have used the kids club for some child free time by the pool.

Instead I've had tepid to cold weather, rain, and didn't even get to go to the beach on our seaside holiday as it was too cold.

Not sure what to do in future. I can't afford expensive UK holidays anymore, but not can I risk letting down my department by having to isolate.

OP posts:
DynamoKev · 29/08/2021 23:21

Why is it so vital to go on holiday?

ChancesAre1 · 29/08/2021 23:23

Rubbish isn't it. We spent as much 'holidaying' two hours from home for 4 days as we would have done for a week somewhere nice abroad.

We were bored and disappointed.

DynamoKev · 29/08/2021 23:24

I mean couldn’t we all take a year or two off from holidays? I don’t get why people seem to think it is compulsory?

Returnoftheowl · 29/08/2021 23:29

@chillidoritto

I'm not sure where you guys have been to have had terrible weather?? There have been plenty of nice days where i am and i have a better tan than i ever get when holidaying abroad!!!

Granted I'm on maternity leave but there have been many sunny days and I've worn shorts since June!

I do agree about the expense though. Days out in the UK can become very expensive, same with eating out.

In my case i'm in Norfolk. I've had one good week mid-July... Other then that I've been wearing jumpers all summer. At best it's been grey and overcast, at worst torrential rain.
mellicauli · 29/08/2021 23:31

I had to work hard to find nice places at these prices..

2019 - 2 weeks gites in Poitou Charentes by plane/hire car - £53 per person per night
2020 - 1 week in Loch Lomond self catering chalet by car/train - £40 ppn
2021 - 3 days in Premier Inn Edinburgh and a week in a croft in Isle of Skye by car/train - £39.50ppn

Eating out was about the same, supermarket food still cheaper in England, days out a bit more in England (and needed more because not so much lounging by the pool)

I could never afford those TUI holidays. So expensive in school hols.

mellicauli · 29/08/2021 23:32

oops..mean Scotland..sorry..

carolinesbaby · 29/08/2021 23:32

@Neverrains

Depends I guess. We did a week in a caravan in Wales. Spent our days on the beach, with one more expensive day trip. Ate out cheaply or cooked simply at the caravan. Total cost around £1600. We also went to Spain. Flights alone were £1000 (family of 5). Covid tests £300. Car hire £300. Free accommodation as we stayed with family but even with that we spent far more on the spain trip.
That £1600 would buy me three weeks with my touring caravan in France, including ferries. In the sunshine, with fresh croissants for breakfast.
JaninaDuszejko · 29/08/2021 23:33

@hibbledibble

Plenty of self catering options on TUI too, which are even cheaper.
Just looked for self catering city breaks next Easter and May half term from my local airport for 5 people and TUI says there are none Confused. Guess I'll stick to airbnb and paying for flights separately. I do think those that think holidays abroad are cheap tend to live very close to hub airports and are happy to have no sex on holiday because they have to share rooms with their children (TUI also said there had to be 1 adult per bedroom).
Feelingmardy · 29/08/2021 23:39

@DynamoKev

I mean couldn’t we all take a year or two off from holidays? I don’t get why people seem to think it is compulsory?
No-one has said it's compulsory. It's something find relaxing and enriching. Feel free to give up the things you find relaxing. They are also not compulsory.
DynamoKev · 29/08/2021 23:48

No-one has said it's compulsory. It's something find relaxing and enriching. Feel free to give up the things you find relaxing. They are also not compulsory.
Not sure how it can be relaxing and enriching when everyone is moaning about the cost and the weather.

Silkiescatz · 29/08/2021 23:58

One of the places we are staying is a 2 bedroom apartment with living room, bathroom and outside table on balcony in a castle on the coast with private use of swimming pool and entry to theme park included every day for 4 of us for £1075 with a sea view from most rooms. Very similar to what we pay abroad for similar without the flights and hire car costs. Another hotel was 515 for 3 nights including swimming pool jacuzzi and sauna, not far from coast and including breakfast, beautiful views from rooms of big gardens and squirrel running past. We did book in February which helped and not really looking for cheapest but one which is best value and works for our family as asd child.

OnTheBrink1 · 30/08/2021 00:08

I really don’t get this at all.
We had a UK holiday this year. Family of 5, huge lovely barn conversion in Cornwall - 3 bedrooms and a hot tub. Activities every day including water parks, horse riding, theme parks, zoo etc. Ate lunch out a few times and bought loads of treats etc. Had evening meals at holiday home mostly.
1 week. Cost around 2.5K for everything.
1 week in a reasonably decent 4 star All inclusive in Europe costs 5k for 1 week minimum! . So no, going abroad is NOT cheaper! Far from it!

goose1964 · 30/08/2021 01:25

We went to the Lake District on Saturdays, pub meals were slightly cheaper than here, South West near an established resort and beer around a pint cheaper. It was busy but not overwhelmed. Extremely beautiful too.

blueshoes · 30/08/2021 02:07

The general rule is:

1 week or less, UK is cheaper
2 weeks or more, abroad can be cheaper (and more fun)

EmmaGrundyForPM · 30/08/2021 05:04

@OnTheBrink1

I really don’t get this at all. We had a UK holiday this year. Family of 5, huge lovely barn conversion in Cornwall - 3 bedrooms and a hot tub. Activities every day including water parks, horse riding, theme parks, zoo etc. Ate lunch out a few times and bought loads of treats etc. Had evening meals at holiday home mostly. 1 week. Cost around 2.5K for everything. 1 week in a reasonably decent 4 star All inclusive in Europe costs 5k for 1 week minimum! . So no, going abroad is NOT cheaper! Far from it!
You are not comparing like for like though. All inclusive in a decent hotel will always be more than self catering.

As I said above, we've booked a week in Crete in a villa with a pool for £600. Flights are £100pp. We will hire a car for the week and have days out, meals out and possibly hire a boat for a day. I can't seei it coming to more than £2k all in.

MaryShelley1818 · 30/08/2021 05:35

YANBU

We do enjoy UK trips and have a couple every year but they do cost an absolute fortune. With activities and eating out we can spent £100-150 per day. Then there's the accommodation costs too.

We've booked an all inclusive trip to Majorca for a couple of weeks time, and for 4 of us, beautiful one bed apartment, all food and drink and guaranteed gorgeous weather its £780.

HollyGrail · 30/08/2021 06:19

Much of it is the weather - the french or whoever aren't paying for the hot sunshine that allows you to spend your day by the pool, on the beach, eating croissants in the sun - none of which cost much.

In the Uk you have to pay for other things to do if the above is not an option.

silkience · 30/08/2021 06:30

@OnTheBrink1 I am in a 4 star hotel in Greece for a week, it's stunning, all food and drinks for four of us included for 2k. All travel costs (inc flights) £500 so £2.5k all in. Five pools and a water park on-site, and 30 degrees every day so no need to pay for any outside activities.

Try shopping around!

Undertheoldlindentree · 30/08/2021 06:44

Just different mindsets.....

"I've heard of some places going for £1000 a week but being surrounded by nothing but countryside"

.....Grin

BooseysMom · 30/08/2021 06:54

Those of us who can't SI are being ripped off over and over.

What does SI mean?

I agree with a pp that you feel robbed when you have to pay hundreds for a caravan in the UK.
We booked early last year and paid £450 for the first week of the school hols for a caravan in Devon. We cracked it with the weather but it was just way too hot to walk anywhere so we stayed by the pool in the shade. I can't stand heat and sun!
The caravan was ok but had a large stain on the mattress so I wasn't loving that tbf!
We would love to go abroad next year for the first time in 15 years but it would mean getting passports which would add nearly £300 to the cost. I remember when passports were £20!
! I think holidays are overrated! Everything is a rip off nowadays.

SallyCinnamon3009 · 30/08/2021 07:01

Completely agree. My kids are 7 months and 3 so at the moment with free child place/infant place it's costing us less for a week AI at decent hotels in places like Crete and Turkey then it would to stay in the UK. Upfront costs may be more but as we go AI we barely spend any money when we are there

Dyrne · 30/08/2021 07:13

It’s not really comparable though (comparing a week of sitting around by a pool with a week packed with paying activities), and it does depend on what you like doing with yourself on holiday.

I do wonder if there will be a shift in the UK to an “all inclusive” model for some resorts to compete?

Ariela · 30/08/2021 07:33

Really depends what you want to do on holiday. For me I can think of nothing worse than sitting in the sun on a beach (what a waste of time).
I hate it when it is too hot too.

Neverrains · 30/08/2021 07:49

Of course a week self catering in the U.K. with meals out and paid activities every day are going to be more expensive than AI holidays where you just sit by the beach. It’s not a genuine comparison.
We love going abroad but we like to self cater with a private pool. We also don’t stay in the same place and like to combine with a city break etc. We eat out a lot, putting a lot of research into restaurants and go to local landmarks/museums etc. That’s generally far more expense than our week in a caravan in Wales was this year.

Neverrains · 30/08/2021 07:49

*expensive