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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To go on holiday somewhere expensive but live frugally?

38 replies

Esoverina · 14/11/2022 14:40

AIBU to want to go on holiday to an expensive destination without having heaps of money. What I mean by that is, to somewhere really far away like Fiji or the Caribbean and rent a normal standard airbnb, self cater, eat at local restaurants etc.

I know the usual idea of a ‘holiday’ is to go and stay in a luxe hotel and be pampered. But I’m bored of doing that. I’ve done the 5* resorts in Egypt/Spain/Thailand which cost next to nothing for what you get. I want to go somewhere exotic but can’t quite afford hotels when there.

OP posts:

MightyAtlantic · 14/11/2022 15:57

I know the usual idea of a ‘holiday’ is to go and stay in a luxe hotel and be pampered

Er, nope! I go on holiday to explore a new place and to relax. Which funnily enough can also be done in a budget hotel or a self catering place. I've never stayed in a luxury hotel in my life, wouldn't enjoy it at all.

Username917778 · 14/11/2022 16:03

Sounds like every holiday I've ever been on. Didn't realise I was being frugal 😁

FarmGirl78 · 14/11/2022 16:12

I know the usual idea of a ‘holiday’ is to go and stay in a luxe hotel and be pampered.

Looks like I've been doing holidays wrong my whole life!! In fact, apart from honeymoons, and one very rich friend, I don't think ANYONE I know has been doing holidays correctly either. This is all news to me!

Puzzledandpissedoff · 14/11/2022 16:22

... rent a normal standard airbnb, self cater, eat at local restaurants etc.

This is my idea of a good time anyway, especially eating in local places, but then I've always preferred a more "local" experience to staying in a resort no matter how fancy

Providing it's safe you're NBU to holiday however you want to; after all there are plenty of options for everyone

LBFseBrom · 14/11/2022 16:57

Why not? Follow your dream, treat yourself.

FelicityFlops · 14/11/2022 17:26

We got a last minute self-catering in Jamaica one Christmas. It was OK, we frequented the local market quite a bit, but I wouldn't do that again as it was quite a pain in the neck to have to remember to buy food etc. in unfamiliar surroundings.

FindingMeno · 14/11/2022 17:29

I'd hate a fancy hotel.
Much more fun to suit yourself.

Panicmode1 · 14/11/2022 17:30

We never stay in hotels - too peopley - 😂

We always self cater, or stay in airbnbs. Although we do AI for skiing as can't be bothered cooking for 6 of us after a long day on the slopes....and DH and I did a really cheap, last minute AI holiday to the Maldives about 15 years ago which was rather lovely. Aside from that, a large hotel with lots of people is our idea of hell!

Mrsjayy · 14/11/2022 17:31

Justthisonce12 · 14/11/2022 14:44

To be honest with you my mother did Disney on a budget with my brother when he was about 12 and frankly it was a bit shit. Whilst of course he was grateful to be there they couldn’t do a lot of the things that makes Disney what it is. If perhaps they saved up for another 6 to 8 months maybe the holiday would’ve been worthwhile because I think is the flights are the most expensive part of the trip

What was shit about it ?

mast0650 · 14/11/2022 17:33

Of course not! I've never done the 5* luxe resort, AI type holiday, and we're quite high income. I'm not particularly interested in sitting around and being pampered. I can do nothing at home if I want to. I want to explore interesting places and would rather spend money doing that than on luxurious accommodation.

Longtimelurkerfinallyposts · 14/11/2022 17:44

YABU to use AirBnB for this!
Please don't be part of the problem - the existence of AirBnB drives up rents all over the place and makes it harder for local people to afford to rent a home - but instead investigate alternative forms of budget accommodation in your dream destinations.
This could include hostels, home-stays, small family-run hotels... for an even more frugal but enriching non-holiday experience you could even look into WWOOF or Workaway...

Princessglittery · 14/11/2022 18:01

Absolutely fine to do this.

Have you thought about house/pet sitting? I believe this can be a really good option.

Byfleet · 14/11/2022 18:18

@Esoverina
I know the usual idea of a ‘holiday’ is to go and stay in a luxe hotel and be pampered

We could afford holidays like this but have never chosen to do it. I actively dislike 'luxe' hotels and pampering.

I find that type of holiday as bit flash and naff tbh and find more active holidays with activities or sightseeing much more of a break. I also actively prefer shopping in local markets and cooking myself, much more relaxing than being at the mercy of hotel timetables, staff and menus.

Almost all of our family holidays over a period of nearly 30 years have been self catering or hotel+ breakfast only. It's not about the money, but the experience.

However, we did holiday in Iceland in a no-frills hotel and planned to cater for ourselves as cheaply as possible. We heard that food and drink was so expensive that we might regret going there. I thought we could get all our food in supermarkets and do without alcohol. This was a mistake as supermarkets were incredibly expensive too. I think before you do this you need to find out whether it's easy and affordable to shop locally for food and drink. In some places it's cheaper and less hassle to eat in the hotel. The applies to some countries in the middle east too, where it's not that comfortable to shop in markets without a male chaperone.

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