Holidaying abroad is not an option for most people - is it???

[Heyduggee123]

So looking for next year - looking at Ibiza in June for 10 days AI - costs for a half decent hotel, not in the middle of nowhere are coming up at nearly £4k!!

By next year I'll have 4 year old twins and haven't been on holiday outside of the UK yet. This isn't even in the school holidays. How on earth does anyone afford this?

For context yes there are cheaper options, but anyone wanting anything other than just a room with separate bathroom for 4 of us with half decent reviews the costs just spiral.

I think I'll have to stick with our annual 2 weeks in Wales for a few years longer

Have u looked at the cost for 14 nights? 10 nights can be more expensive in some cases, you also find free kids places on 1 or 2 week holidays very rarely on 10 nights

We got 10 nights in Majorca for £1300, two adults and two kids, one free child place, early June but overlaps with half term. Self catering but it’s an apartment so separate space for us and the kids. It’s basic but has good reviews and is close to the beach. Plus we’re spending £400 on car hire so we can explore a bit.

AI is nice when you want to splurge, but the supermarkets in Spain are good and it’s so much cheaper to just stock up and self cater. Even if you go out for dinner nightly, I think you’d probably spend less than you would on AI. It’s also a bit wasted on us as DCs just want a sandwich for lunch and stuff like fruit and crisps, and generally aren’t bothered by the big buffet spreads. DH isn’t a huge drinker either, so never really feel we’ve got our moneys worth!

Im a travel agents/holiday websites dream.

I do package holidays with 3 kids in school holidays., all inclusive, i want everything booked and sorted with 1 click of the mouse.

This year we are going to Turkey in July for 2 weeks costing us £10k as a family.

HOWEVER, this could be done waaayyyy cheaper with more planning, booking a self catering apartment, flexible dates and booking all travel and accommodation myself, i have done this before when money was alot tighter and would do it again.

You pay for convenience.

@girlmom21

Who stays at 5 star hotels when price is a factor???

That's the point isn't it. If you can get an AI 5* hotel for £2.5k you can get a holiday much cheaper than that.

Really? We are staying 5 Turkey AI in July for 2 weeks with 7 & 12 year old and it's £8k. We did choose something that was more expensive but cheapest 5* Turkey we ever saw was c. £5.5k.

Try Tenerife in September... I've just looked for me and DP to go. Excellent deals as low as £300 per person some all inclusive
On easyJet holidays- booked through them before and not had a problem. 60pp deposit and the rest can be paid off at will (I think balance to be cleared 6-8 weeks before travel)

And it's beautiful there that time of year :)

YANBU. Just paying for the passports for a family of four is the cost of a self catering getaway weekend for us - in non-pandemic times a whole week away. Add in the cost of travel insurance (pre-existing condition that we daren't travel without insurance for) and we're on the backfoot for £500 before we get started.

Then there's not just the cost of flights/hotels. There's food and transfers too. We are completely out of reach of even the most basic of foreign holidays...frankly with UK hospitality trying to recoup costs from the battering they've taken since early 2020 we're also priced out of UK holidays at present.

My eldest is almost 15 and has never been abroad, the bank were incredulous when I told them she doesn't have any photo ID aka passport

We don't live extravagant lives, but holidays are a pipe dream for us. The tone deaf responses on here show how utterly out of touch with reality some MNers really are and explains why the Tories think their behaviour is normal and acceptable

Try different airports, some are a lot cheaper than others!

With 4yos I'd recommend magic natura in Benidorm. It's not the cheapest but I'm going in June (our 2nd visit!) with a 6yo and 2yo and it's £2.3k for the 4 us AI with a 2bed upgrade option lodge with whirlpool (cheaper without whirlpool and the upgraded lodge). It has a zoo and water park as well as splash pool, swimming pools and playgrounds so loads to do. Booked with jet2 so I could pay monthly and do the easier check in.

If you're going all in inclusive that's pretty reasonable (in the current climate). We spend more going to a relatives property in Spain once we've factored in car hire and eating out, snacks etc, €€€ on sun beds.

Your not comparing like for like though are you? In wales your booking a self cater holiday cottage, in Ibiza an all inclusive hotel.
If you booked a nice 4/5 start all inclusive hotel in wales for 2 weeks that would cost a fortune too.

Find a reasonable area, book similar ie 2 bed holiday cottage. It will the same or cheaper.

Ibiza flights are always going to be expensive, especially in summer as it’s an island so only one way on and off. Look at France for a gite or Germany/ Austria/ Italy and fly or drive

Turkey is usually a bit cheaper than the Balearics.

@HopefulProcrastinator but they are not tone deaf...a lot of people go on foreign holidays. It's the norm in my circles for people to go on multiple holidays. Just because you don't (and yes I am aware PLENTY of people don't) doesn't make people that do and who are trying to suggest alternatives "tone deaf"

Yes, we’re going abroad but it’s going to cost a fraction of what you’ve quoted.

Ibiza is very expensive. There are loads of cheaper places. You are unreasonable to give up looking. Keep going and you will find something far cheaper.

My DT's start nursery in September so next year is really our last opportunity to take them in non school holidays.
Firstly nursery isn’t school and secondly even once in school you can take them up until the term after they turn five.

YABU. I could literally travel for a year with a budget of 4k. You need to get better at booking travel and choosing destinations. Why Ibiza with 4 year olds?!!!

Ibiza is very expensive
I am going to mainland spain, to a 2 bed villa with pool, with my dh and adult kids and is costing less than 4k- and that is the school holidays!

@Caspianberg

Your not comparing like for like though are you? In wales your booking a self cater holiday cottage, in Ibiza an all inclusive hotel. If you booked a nice 4/5 start all inclusive hotel in wales for 2 weeks that would cost a fortune too.

Find a reasonable area, book similar ie 2 bed holiday cottage. It will the same or cheaper.

Ibiza flights are always going to be expensive, especially in summer as it’s an island so only one way on and off. Look at France for a gite or Germany/ Austria/ Italy and fly or drive

I'm not looking to make a direct comparison to Wales, and as I've learnt Ibiza wasn't my ideal starting point. I would like to go abroad, but it would have to be worth the cost of passports etc. So if we were going to go abroad it would be our one holiday of the year, so I suppose it will have a lot to live up to.

Not ibiza but we have booked 10 days at the euro camp just outside Paris for a family of 5, in August for 2k. That is self catering but we prefer that as we can Come and go. It's near Paris, the site is amazing for kids, loads to do. We are driving but you could fly. Flights aren't expensive in comparison

@HopefulProcrastinator

YANBU. Just paying for the passports for a family of four is the cost of a self catering getaway weekend for us - in non-pandemic times a whole week away. Add in the cost of travel insurance (pre-existing condition that we daren't travel without insurance for) and we're on the backfoot for £500 before we get started.

Then there's not just the cost of flights/hotels. There's food and transfers too. We are completely out of reach of even the most basic of foreign holidays...frankly with UK hospitality trying to recoup costs from the battering they've taken since early 2020 we're also priced out of UK holidays at present.

My eldest is almost 15 and has never been abroad, the bank were incredulous when I told them she doesn't have any photo ID aka passport

We don't live extravagant lives, but holidays are a pipe dream for us. The tone deaf responses on here show how utterly out of touch with reality some MNers really are and explains why the Tories think their behaviour is normal and acceptable

Just because YOU cant afford a holiday doesnt mean other people are "tone deaf".

OP was asking how people afford a summer holiday and posters are offering up tips.

You my dear, sound bitter.

We are going away in May 10 days ultra all inclusive with my DH, 7 year old DD and 9 month old DS. For flights, hotel, transfers, bags etc we are £2400 and that's flying from Scotland which is usually dearer. There are good deals around

You are booking for twice as many people now, despite how holiday companies spin it the cost is fairly similar once you have passed two years old. Free child places don’t really save you much cash as the cost is added on elsewhere. Ibiza is one of the most expensive options, look elsewhere. Consider self catering. Now is not a cheap time to book, it’ll probably be cheaper by July.

I can personally recommend this hotel and its coming up less than half the price you have quoted
"Alua Miami Ibiza Hotel & Apartments - Playa Es Cana hotels | Jet2holidays" <a class="break-all" href="https://www.jet2holidays.com/balearics/ibiza/playa-es-cana/alua-miami-ibiza-hotel-and-apartments?ds_rl=1206481&ds_rl=1296397&ds_rl=1296397&gclid=Cj0KCQjwjN-SBhCkARIsACsrBz7xdHcbEMkA1_N8XRP6TXYNe0n9BbPQTe8v8uuNySlZOSm13QxJg0YaAlopEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.dswww.jet2holidays.com/balearics/ibiza/playa-es-cana/alua-miami-ibiza-hotel-and-apartments?ds_rl=1206481&ds_rl=1296397&ds_rl=1296397&gclid=Cj0KCQjwjN-SBhCkARIsACsrBz7xdHcbEMkA1_N8XRP6TXYNe0n9BbPQTe8v8uuNySlZOSm13QxJg0YaAlopEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.jet2holidays.com/balearics/ibiza/playa-es-cana/alua-miami-ibiza-hotel-and-apartments?ds_rl=1206481&ds_rl=1296397&ds_rl=1296397&gclid=Cj0KCQjwjN-SBhCkARIsACsrBz7xdHcbEMkA1_N8XRP6TXYNe0n9BbPQTe8v8uuNySlZOSm13QxJg0YaAlopEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.dswww.jet2holidays.com/balearics/ibiza/playa-es-cana/alua-miami-ibiza-hotel-and-apartments?ds_rl=1206481&ds_rl=1296397&ds_rl=1296397&gclid=Cj0KCQjwjN-SBhCkARIsACsrBz7xdHcbEMkA1_N8XRP6TXYNe0n9BbPQTe8v8uuNySlZOSm13QxJg0YaAlopEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

@Heyduggee123

I've been told that old town ibiza is absolutely beautiful and not at all to be associated with the clubbing and hedonism that most people associate it with

I’ve had many family holidays in Ibiza and we’re off there again in June. San Antonio is the party resort but the rest of the island has plenty of family friendly hotels and resorts. We were meant to go in 2020 so I’m not sure how much it would be if we booked now. My mum has paid for us but I can’t imagine being able to afford to take our family with the costs of holiday and then rising prices at home.

Have you looked on loveholidays? I just looked for 10 days in June, Al, with 2 children, flying from Manchester, and the first one that came up was under £1600.. that was for Turkey though, but you can obviously have a hunt around for different destinations and airports