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 ?

Yes, I am well aware of how a hotel operates, I travel a lot for work. The vast majority of hotels operate a “breakfast between X & Y hours” which I would dislike on holiday as I like to be up and out.

I don’t tend to cook much in self catering, we have young children so will usually have big lunch out and easy supper at accommodation or vice versa, sometimes fish and chips etc. not having the option to cater for the children and having to eat out wouldnt work for me.

When the kids were little we mainly self catered - now we do both. We've got more money now, so happy to pay for two rooms at a hotel (hate hate hate family rooms), and the kids are old enough to entertain themselves with phones/TV after dinner, so less need for space to play. I love SC though -and I have no problem cooking (quite enjoy the ubiquitous challenge of finding the cheese grater!). Some of my very happiest childhood memories are of helping cook on holiday and then long lazy dinners outside while my parents drank too much cheap local red wine.

Generally now we do hotels in cities (where there are loads of places to eat and the days are packed with sightseeing) or for a one ir two night stopover, and SC in the countryside where there might be fewer restaurants and I want the space to spread out, make noise, feel alone. I can't imagine ever wanting to do AI, half the fun of holidays is eating out in different places.

Of course its a holiday. All our holidays are self catering. I rarely cook on any of them and I'm sure that's true of lots of people who book holiday cottages and the like.

Having said that I think a sc holiday where I had to cook just like I would at home would make me a bit resentful. That's just a personal opinion.

Obviously I am very lucky that we can afford to eat out on holiday. Not everyone has that luxury and they can still have a great time and it would still be a holiday. I would hope that all the adults would share the load and it's not just left to the default cook. That would be grossly unfair.

Dh hates being round other people on holiday so massively prefers SC. I could go either way but to be fair he takes on the lions share of food and cooking as it’s a novelty for him he goes to local markets etc so that suits me fine. I also prefer the space and peace of our own property.

I think probably a lot of this comes down to how much you like restaurant food Vs how much you like cooking.

I don't especially like restaurants - as a family we have a few dietary requirements and it can be a pain to communicate them. A lot of the time, I find the food disappointing. I like eating out occasionally but a whole week of it isn't really an treat for me.

Whereas I do enjoy cooking and trying out new ingredients, especially when there is less time pressure.

I also - like a lot of women - am watching my weight and I find it stressful not being in control of my food. (As I have dietary requirements, I can't just pick anything off the menu)

To me it's about space, not about cooking.

We are in the heart of Tuscany, I paid 630 euros for a one bed apartment with a separate lounge and enclosed garden and a swimming pool. A basic hotel was coming out at about 1100 euros for the same duration.

But when we go to Canaries in October with DS17 and friend, we will pay for hotel because the premium for entertainment, food and drink on tap and a heated pool is worthwhile for that particular holiday.

Oh and I'm not cooking- we have eaten in local restaurants and one memorable evening had pizza and anti pasti at the football club run outdoors pizzeria.

We always self cater, both home and abroad. Living in a hotel room for a week would drive me insane.

Of course it is, it’s my favourite plan as it’s so flexible. Abroad I might butter a croissant and eat out other meals, it’s hardly taxing. In the UK I might cater more but just simple pasta dishes etc. I personally can’t stand AI (and I’ve done several ultra all inclusive sun Caribbean, Indian Ocean etc). I definitely wouldn’t choose a one in Europe. On the whole they are repetitive, unhygienic, uninspiring and the dining areas resemble school canteens. I’d much rather go out, choose a restaurant with service, a nice view and an interesting menu.

Also what are people doing cooking all the time (if they dont want to), surely you go out and eat.

I like self catering holidays, very flexible. But I am veyr relaxed, and still take things very easy. Eat out loads, minimal cleaning. Minimal food prep.

I think a lot of my problem is budget, I'd like to spend more money on less frequent holidays and push the boat out properly. So spend a week skiing in the Alps in a HB hotel or catered chalet and skip the UK holiday in the mid/low range holiday cottage with the saggy, tired mattresses and just enough plates for 1 meal so you have to wash up or run the dishwasher every meal, barely enough "soft" seats for the number of beds.

We've only had 1 "cottage" holiday where the mattresses didn't have a nest and I went home early from a cottage holiday because I was 6 months pregnant and had a baby wedged in my diaphragm meaning I could barely waddle let alone enjoy fun walks. Couldn't hang out in the cottage as neither the bed nor any of the sofas/armchairs were comfortable for more than 15 minutes...

DH wants to go away to get "away" from work while I'd like to just do the fun bits of a holiday (eat out, museums, beach, walks) with my own comfortable bed and sitting room furniture and do a big holiday less frequently. I'm happy to camp in the interim but don't find anything other than a very high end cottage any more comfortable than camping.

Years ago on holiday there was a german family in the ground floor apartment. Looked like two families with maybe 5 children. The men lounged out all day long, but the two whole weeks were were there, we never saw their wives unless they were bringing out snacks and drinks or clearing dishes. Then the kids would run past their dads to get their mother to fix their goggles, put on suncream, dry them off, change them, get them a drink or a snack or soothe ouchies. The men just lay there with their hands out for the women to swap in full beers for empties.

Then on that same holiday, we met a couple from an AI resort on a boat trip. They paid quite a bit for AI so even though the food was shit, they didn't have much money to eat elsewhere.

That put me right off self catering+cooking and AI .

So while we opt for self catering for the flexibility and space, lunches and dinners are eaten out all the time. Best of both worlds really. A big part of what we enjoy on our holiday is going to different restaraunts and trying different things so we budget for it..

I find being forced "out" every evening a bit tedious after a while. I love good food, but in some countries and cultures, it can dominate in a way that takes over sodding hours every day, and leaves you full up for carrying on the adventure. So self catering is especially good for packed lunches, snacks etc.

I really like a mixture of being able to chill and read one evening on a sofa, then out in a bar the next.

I guess if you're doing SC to save money, then you might not be able to afford to eat out all the time. Tbh we've spent a small fortune on meals out recently when we've been on city breaks. Two teenage kids who love adventurous/high quality food and are always hungry, eating out every night in a European capital, costs a LOT. Even if you're SC in the British countryside, a meal out in the local pub can be pricey. I'm perfectly happy doing a bit of cooking on holiday, as is DH, and I actively enjoy it when we're overseas, so in a SC week we'd typically eat out (well) three nights and cook for ourselves the rest. I don't ever clean on holiday though (beyond the bare minimum). We don't have a dishwasher at home, so having one on holiday feels like a bit of a luxury!

Omg this made me laugh so hard!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!! 😂😂