Is a self catering holiday still a holiday?

[bagpuss90]

Very light hearted thread. I’m just curious as to opinions on this. So I was chatting to a friend last nite and I mentioned I was off on holiday next week to a self catering cottage . She said she would rather not go on holiday than go self catering because it’s not a holiday . Personally I think that’s nuts . I love the flexibility it gives. We will eat out a good bit . I’m not at work , I’m in a beautiful place away with my family . How is that not a holiday ?

Personally I don't really consider it "self-catering" if you eat out for most meals. If someone described a holiday as self-catering I would assume they were planning to prepare at least several meals themselves. Which wouldn't really appeal to me, but obviously there are good reasons to

@mellicauli

to add: you don't come back from your day out to find that the cleaner has hidden away all your toiletries, wrapped your bed up so tightly it's a hell of a job getting back into it, and piled up all the unnecessary cushions, blankets and throws back on the bed that you shoved down the side of the wardrobe, to avoid having to piss around with them every night.

You don't find that, even if you spend 90% of your waking hours out and about, every time you pop back to the room to get changed or pick something up, the cleaner is trying to service the room.

You don't have to dodge a load of people faffing at the buffet, as if they've never seen a coffee machine or had to choose between apple and orange juice before.

There would never be a situation where I was cooking all the meals every day for the whole family though, because my DH isn’t a dick.

Of course it is!
Holiday is what you make it.
I don't personally choose sc because I like hotels and going down for breakfast/having others do all the cooking and cleaning/ going to the bar etc, but can see why it suits people!
It's cheaper, it's very flexible, you can eat what you want when you want. I'd say it suits alot of people!
We don't all like the same things!

Self catering just means you have kitchen facilities and no meals provided/cooked for you at the accommodation.

Family of 4 here. Self catering saves us a fortune as we have breakfast at the place, can take picnic bits and snacks out for the day. Save money on coffees/drinks.

doesn’t mean you have to cook every meal- we eat out loads still. Plus it’s not like being at home where you still do housework or clean or do laundry. Or DIY or whatever like you would with a week off work at homeZ

‘Personally I don't really consider it "self-catering" if you eat out for most meals’

Self catering just means meals not included! And access to a kitchen. Like staying in a cottage versus a hotel with no cooking facilities or proper fridge.

@bagpuss90 🤣 if course it's still a holiday. I even consider camping a holiday where it's bring your own accommodation too, I can imagine your friend doesn't do camping.

That said if I'm going abroad I do often quite like a decent AI holiday because it's a treat for me not to have to worry about what fussy kids and food intolerant dh will eat.

I really hate all-inclusive holidays; being trapped in a place and expected to eat what they offer, 3 meals a day... that's my nightmare holiday.

I like self catering. But I'm not the maid/cook in my family, and there is no expectation that I will cook most days, or at all. I'd feel very different if that was my assumed role!

I like having the option of eating in - great for breakfast, for cooking up what you find in local markets, if you just fancy a salad and some fresh bread and local cheese, etc.

I like independent travel, that's my preference. But I can understand why people might prefer the opposite. Everyone's different.

I much prefer SC, you get so much more space and you i find it a lot more relaxing.
I just can't relax in a hotel suite.

We don't cook on holiday, we may whip up.a sandwhich for our DS or a bit of snacky something but we mostly do brekkie, lunch and tea out. I dont like the option of the same 3 or 4 resteraunts for 10 days. We just go where we want.

I do understand people saying its much cheaper if you have kids to go All inclusive as they get endless drinks and ice creams so you are not buying them while you are out and about, but I prefer it.

And washing....no i dont do washing on holiday as a rule.

We go self catering and eat out.

We go AI and eat out. AI is great for pool/ beach days for breakfast / lunch / snacks / ice creams and drinks.

Self catering and cooking is not my idea of a holiday.

We do self catering in various guises more than any other type of holiday.

The beds are made with clean sheets on arrival (and sometimes Sheets/towels replaced while we are there), to a clean house (again sometimes cleaned while there).

I have a box of essentials to make it easier on me - things that we've missed in previous holidays and bought while away or I've picked up knowing I've often bemoaned the absence. Like a couple of sharp knives (in covers), a corkscrew, small chopping board, handful of pegs etc.

We buy lots of naice foods to enjoy, treats and snacks, easy dinners or a few special meals we don't get time to make normally.

We enjoy slowing down and doing things at our pace. Finding a local bakery for morning pastries, or bringing a bag of frozen croissants for morning baking. Proper ground coffee for the cafetière. Easy dinners that require minimal prep and lots of sitting with G&T while things cook etc. We also enjoy long walks, swimming, going to local tourist or historical places, etc. And usually a chance to do some shopping at a relaxed pace.

Some places have needed us to do some cleaning at the end. But normally the materials are provided and as we have packed our things in the car, it is much easier and quicker around a clutter free cottage compared to home.

An AI hotel in a very hot country surrounded by hundreds of others all the time is not my idea of a holiday. I can manage Centre Parcs as the cottage is quiet and we have space to unwind, but a small hotel room doesn't give that space.

I should add we also eat out a lot - generally at least once a day and often more. So the SC part is not that onerous.

My Dh cant cook at all so i loathe self catering holidays. Its not much of a holiday for me and DH refuses to eat out most nights due to cost.

I much prefer self catering as I can suit myself, avoid too much social contact and eat out every day at the best local restaurants.

My absolute nightmare would be fully-inclusive, I'd feel very miserable and confined if I had to do that.

Currently on a self catering holiday in France. Like a pp I have a child with SEN/food issues so it's so much easier and less stressful to organise our own food.

Meals can be so simple; we've had croissants/cereal for breakfast, bread/cheese for lunch, tonight we're having sausages, chips from the campsite takeaway and salad.

You also get much more space, two bedrooms, a living room and a large outside deck to enjoy.

Call me a saddo I'm also looking forward to doing a wash and putting it out to dry tomorrow!

Depends what you like doing. I’ve stayed in some gorgeous areas in self-catering cottages and lodges. We wanted rural and peaceful and so it fitted our requirements in the way a hotel wouldn’t. But we did spend more on nice food than usual, including things like a cheese board instead of cooking, and also found a pub for dinner one night. I agree it only works if you have nice equipment, dishwasher etc.

I hate hotels and will only ever go self catering. Often eat out, but love having my own kitchen, bathroom and not being cooped up in one bedroom (like would be in a hotel). Also means DD can go to bed at a reasonable time if she’s tired without it impacting on me.

YANBU

Just because you go "self catering" doesn't mean you have to "self cater".

We've done it for years just for the convenience of having kitchen facilities such as a fridge, kettle, etc. We still eat out for nearly all lunches and evening meals. Just basically make our own breakfasts and sandwiches etc.

He can't cook, or won't cook?

And eating out is too expensive, according to him.

So what is his solution to this? Does he expect you to cook everyday?

My MIL said she wouldn't go self catering, but they had very little money to do anything else, so my DH never had a holiday as a child.

We mostly go self catering and have not long come back from a very nice holiday park, where we stayed in a very swish caravan with its own hot tub. I did spot that they have some nice looking lodges on the same park, also with hot tubs. I might investigate them for another time. There were a few large supermarkets nearby, so a quick visit to get basics to snack on while we were in the caravan was all we needed, we ate out the rest of the time, either on the site or in the local towns, or we got a takeaway from local venues or on site.

A few times we have stayed in Butlins and gone for their posh accommodation that included daily housekeeping.

Each to their own, but I much prefer it.

I'm not entirely sold on any trip with kids under 8 being really a "holiday" rather than "same shit but more stressful".

I feel like a ski holiday with kids in lessons could creep back into "holiday" territory but only if there is some non shared with kids private space.

I'm going on 2 UK "holidays", both in cottages, 1 with in-laws and am very much tolerating the idea because DH wants to go "away" rather than looking forwards to my holiday. We only moved to our current house just over a year ago and I'd be quite happy with tourist stuff from home with my nice comfortable bed...

I love our holidays with our 3 kids under 9! But then I don’t think life at home with them is ‘shit’ either.

I like SC because I like getting up late and having breakfast in my pyjamas. Obviously, having a house is much easier than sharing a hotel room when dc are small.
I hate SC if I end up cooking more than toast though, although happy with naice supermarket food, stuff bought locally, takeaways and fish and chips if the budget doesn't stretch to eating out.

I'll never do an AI again. Was struck down with gastroenteritis on my recent holiday and spent 8 days in bed. Self catering for me going forwards.