To ask if this is too much effort for a holiday

[Auntiejohnfromjamaica]

Am I mad to try to make this holiday work?

PILs have surprised us with a villa booking in Greece next year, for them, us and BIL and his wife.

We were so excited as it’s somewhere we have always wanted to go, but I’ve been looking at travel and it’s so complicated.

PILs and BIL+SIL live near London and don’t have kids. We are further north, don’t live that close to any airports, the closest ones to us don’t fly to this destination, and we will have a 18 month old and 4 year old with us.

I think we have two choices. Drive 1 hour to nearest airport, take a low cost flight to one place then another low cost flight to actual destination. would have to be Hand luggage only :(

Or we drive four hours (setting off midnight) to London and take direct flight.

First option seems more expensive but I haven’t priced up fuel and parking.

PILs won’t be impressed if we don’t go. And won’t really understand about the kids, and how long it’ll take, and the price (we are on a budget).

So I suppose my question is - would you bother?
YABU - make it work, it’s worth it!
YANBU - too much effort, don’t go

Could you fly out a day or two before, if it makes a difference to which airport you use? Then get a cheap hotel in Greece for a night or two? Might make things easier?

If not, it's really not a big deal to travel 4 hours to the airport, especially if you can travel down the day/evening before. If you want to go, you can make it work.

The big question though, is can you afford/do you want to do on this holiday? It's very odd, imo, to book a surprise villa, with no previous consultation. I mean, it's a nice gesture, but could end up costing you a fortune in flights, parking, food, holiday spending etc.

PILs won’t be impressed if we don’t go. And won’t really understand about the kids, and how long it’ll take, and the price (we are on a budget) If you choose not to go, they'll just have to accept that. Unless they had asked you beforehand and you agreed it. Which it doesn't sound like they did.

@Alarchbach thanks! This sounds just like what I need to plan

Drive to London the day prior.

@Auntiejohnfromjamaica - yes just work out your costs <I'd advise booking a cancellable airport hotel asap rather than leaving it> and see what option is best.
A four hour drive for a paid for holiday sounds ok to me.

I guess the question is a) do you actually want to go to Greece at whatever time of year it happens to be and b) do you want to go on holiday with your in-laws? If not, there should be no guilt attached to politely declining the offer. If you do want to go, staying overnight at an airport hotel rates about 1/100 on the Holiday Bother Scale.

OP

Like everyone has said - do the drive the day before and stay overnight.

Especially if you're flying from Stansted.

We did similar just before lockdown - there's quite a few places to visit near to Stansted, and there's a castle-thing in Stansted itself which looks quite good for kids.

Do you even want to go?

i literally can’t imagine being this flappable over something which has so many solutions to the point of wondering if it’s worth it.

Why does it have to be a morning flight? A few hours later won't make much difference. Just do what's best for you.

Have you tried sky scanner it’s easier than checking all airports

I would do the 1 hour drive. Pay for a suitcase to take a d pull it along it will be easier.

I often travel from Manchester along with my DC and I do it alone too.

Genuinely, what are you talking about. Is it only the really desperate that can complain about rise of cost of living?

Devices are essential for many people, including for work. I don't have a fancy phone, my phone bill is £10 a month. Given that it is my means of contacting people and making arrangements, that's well worth it. The rising costs of things means I can't afford a holiday or new clothes. This is bad and it's fine for me to complain about it, despite having a roof over my head and a phone.

I don't see issue, either book airport hotel or stay with the family you are going with who live near airport

Sorry in my rage over the lady who thinks we shouldn't have phones I've posted on the wrong thread!

I don’t see a problem. We always travel 3 or 4 hours to get to the airport. It’s a long journey, with travelling to airport, flight then sometimes long transfer the other end but it’s worth it to go away.

My DC love it, for some reason, if we have to leave or return during the night. We take pillows in car, snacks, build in rest breaks - and take it in turns to choose the music we listen to, when everyone is awake.

If you don't want DH to miss the Fri off work, have you thought about driving down on Friday night (late). Put kids in bed in pj's and put them in the car about midnight, one of you drive for a couple of hours then pull in wake the other with a strong coffee and let them take over for the next couple of hours. You'd get to the airport at 4 or 5 which is ideal for a 7am ish flight. It doesn't matter if you're both a bit knackered outbound, you can snooze on the plane or in the afternoon when you land. Saves the cost of a hotel room and ime, travelling with young children asleep in the back of a car is a lot less painful than hours of trying to entertain them

@Auntiejohnfromjamaica book overnight hotel near airport and make it part of the trip. Do likewise for the journey home (hotel on arrival). Book in advance through Holiday extras. I do this all the time for early flights as never want to be rushing thinking we will miss it. Check the reviews and distance to airport - eg some you can walk across the road. Premier Inn has family rooms and also sometimes Park & Go deals. You can book hotel and parking or do it separately (personally prefer the latter).

@Auntiejohnfromjamaica cheap if you book well in advance and make sure you select ‘cancellable/flexi booking’

Why do you need to book an afternoon off work to go down before?

Surely everyone is packed by end of Thursday. Get everyone off work ASAP Friday and set off from home. (Assumes the toddler will sleep in the car though!) Park up at airport hotel at 10pm, transfer in sleeping toddler?

There are a few hotels near Stanstead that offer free parking and a shuttle to the airport. We used one once cost about £100. If you can't save that in a year I'm not sure how you can afford to go on holiday tbh.....

Why does it have to be a Saturday morning flight?

If you book in advance it can be surprisingly reasonable. I booked the thistle hotel with 8 nights parking included for less than £100 at Heathrow for my dad recently. Takes the stress out of journeying to the airport on the day! Sure there would be something similar whatever London airport

@Suprima good for you 👍🏼

this is a lot of money for us and I’m nervous about travelling with two young kids. Not even done a long car journey with the youngest. I read some threads about travelling with children on here just a few days ago and it was a little nerve wracking!

However this thread has been very useful, thanks for all suggestions and reassurances. I’m excited again for the holiday. Will be looking at hotels for the night before. And if that’s too expensive we’ll do as @RelentlessForwardProgress says and drive at night.

Also @Auntiejohnfromjamaica just seen it’s Stansted. It’s a doddle, honestly. There’re two hotels next to the terminal and lots of parking. We’ve had a room there for as low as £29! Premier Inn and Holiday Inn by mid stay - you can pay £12 to park there overnight then drive to short stay red orange or green - blue is too far with tinies - book far enough ahead and you will find similar price for short, mid and long stay. Personally don’t like meet and greet parking but it is an option.

yes that’s true. I said that thinking of a previous suggestion to make a day (or afternoon) of it, have a ‘normal’ bedtime at the hotel

I think you'll be able to make it work. However I do think this is a bit of a thoughtless 'surprise'. A surprise shouldn't involve you spending a shitload of money and effort that you haven't even agreed to!! I've organised holidays and trips for groups setting off from different places and always look at somewhere that we can all fly to, at roughly the same time, from everyones nearest airport. Watch out for the transfer costs as well, I've found they're much higher post covid