To just want to book a holiday - take my money!

[ItsCalledAConversation]

Whyyy is it so hard to find a fucking holiday?!

Made harder by the fact DH can't/won't decide or make up his mind about anything. He 'wants something to look forward to' (as do I) but what this is seems to change every five minutes. Meanwhile summer is creeping closer, prices are going up, availability is going down and our budget is shrinking.

We want a relaxing beach holiday, to be looked after, but to have freedom to explore and stuff to do.
Two kids 7 and 10.
Dislike typically 'all inclusive' type places, but don't have the budget for Ikos/ Sani etc.
Don't want to camp or even self-cater - need a proper break.
DH won't use a travel agent as thinks they're all out to steal his money.

So far we've had a look at:
Northern Spain - no resorts, shit weather
South of France - all too built up/urban, and too £££
Portugal - don't play golf and it seems to be all golf
Devon/Cornwall - been there done that
Scotland - unpredictable weather
Thailand - too expensive

I am slowly losing my mind. Please can someone just tell us where to go on holiday, down to the location, the hotel/villa, what to do while there, etc. I simply cannot waste any more of my life googling or on Airbnb or booking.com. Help!!?!

I'd go to Jet2 or Tui for this so that all transfers etc are included and the hassle is taken out of it. Jet2 flight times are usually really good and the hotels they use are decent. They also do villas.
Majorca - Puerto Pollensa or Cala D'or would be lovely or perhaps Menorca.
If it were me (mine are 8 and 12) and I was going in August (which we aren't as it's way too hot for me abroad in August) I would go Majorca, Menorca or one of the greek islands where you get a nice breeze. Loads of options within your price range on Jet2.

If u want to split one week hotel one week villa I would suggest flights to Dalaman. One week in a villa or apartment in Kalkan. There are loads on VRBO/airbnb though late in the date for booking. Then one week all inc at Letoonia in Fethiye. Book private transfers through Seagull. I don't know if it will come in in budget. Turkey is expensive to fly to but accommodation usually quite good.
Alternatively flights to Dubrovnik. Hire a car book an apartment or villa near Kotor in Montenegro. Have second week in nice hotel in Cavtat in Croatia.v close to Dubrovnik.
I like to split a week holiday in hotel and a week self catering but it is time consuming to organize and package holidays don't seem to let you book flights for two weeks and only one week accommodation.
I have also wondered about a Lanzarote/fuerteventura double . Flights into Lanzarote...villa for a week, ferry to fuerteventura all inc for a week, fly out of there...

DH has just u turned and is now suggesting two weeks in a cottage in Cornwall. So the opposite of being looked after, then. Just kill me now!

Ask him if he knows this means he is doing all the cooking and cleaning for the fortnight then

That would cost FAR more than a holiday abroad, and if the weather is shit? Good luck x

We've done pine cliffs in Portugal twice. Yes it has a gold course there but none of us play golf, you don't have to use it.
We also had family stay at martinhal. They stayed in a villa which is on the resort so had the best of both

It'll be cold, wet, crowded, expensive and someone will have to shop and cook. Don't do it! Get away, get some sun and have a proper break - seriously.

Pefkos, Rhodes, plenty of apartments to choose from, only 1 is All inclusive, everywhere else is mainly self catering, couple half board, b&b, very family oriented resort, many bars have play areas, a good mix of traditional tavernas, more English type burger/ breakfast places, a Chinese, an Irish bar, lovely beaches, car hire has always been reasonably priced, plenty of hidden gems nearby.

£5k is a large budget and you can definitely find something. I'm going to Billund in Denmark. It's expensive but I'm going with about the same budget. Self catering doesn't mean cooking. We eat out and just want the bigger space. You simply need to decide what you want and book it. I can't imagine Portugal is all golf. If I were to go there, I'd look at Lisbon. For southern Spain I have Andalusia on my wish list.

For Spain, I can think of Bilbao and San Sebastian. Both will have city and beach stuff to do.

Italy. Lake Garda

I’ve been doing the same but looking online with a TA, it’s cheaper than DIY now. But many of those places ain’t up to much. Thailand’s about the best, & Cape Verde is good for the weather but there’s not much to do there. Cornwall here you come 🥹

The south of France is wonderful, but you need to be further west than the Riviera - same weather and just as much to see, but better beaches, better service and much better prices

Either that or somewhere in Greece ...