To feel like I'm being fleeced - glamping

[SaffronYellow]

£1,000 plus, to stay in a TENT for 1 week in Devon?
Some are £1,200 for 1 week.
Just seen one for £1,500 for 1 week.
This is to stay in a bell tent in a field.
To me, these are insane prices!!
AIBU to think over £1,000 to stay in a tent for a week is absurd?
I can't afford to stay in a holiday cottage.
Air BnB prices are out of my price range.
So I thought camping might be an affordable alternative.
I just want to go away for a week in this country in the school summer hols with my 2 DC, I want to give them a week away. Devon is my favourite place, used to go there as a child.
I'm not well enough to take my own tent and put it all up by myself, I've got ME and fibromyalgia and long Covid, so I really need a tent that's already erected and one that has a few more comforts to it than sleeping on an air mattress on the floor.
I thought a tent in a field would be a financially viable way to go away with my DC, who really deserve a week away, but the prices are eye watering and completely unaffordable.
I'm not asking to go abroad anywhere....just a week in my own country! But I'm priced out of this! I can't believe it, feel so sad for DC.😥

I have fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue and chronic pain. No way would I glamp. That would be agonising.

I would go for something like this or Butlins in Minehead (which I appreciate isn’t quite Devon). It’s brilliant for entertaining the children… https://www.butlins.com/booking/accommodation/silver-rooms?break=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&resort=MH&startDate=2024-08-02&endDate=2024-08-09&duration=7

It is a bit over budget if you want 2 single beds but you’ve got all your swimming and fair ground rides included… if you can stretch to the price. Otherwise an option to do a Monday to Friday. It’s just by the beach. Do be aware that you may have a trek from the car so I wouldn’t go with very small children, who can’t lug stuff for you.

@ToGoOrNotTo I use holiday supermarket,

Have also booked through https://www.dealchecker.co.uk/

Booked 4 holidays in total to some amazing places all under £400 per person, Greece, spain and turkey. turkey is definitely cheaper and i even got a holiday there all inclusive for £198 a year ago

Another vote for Butlins Minehead (rooms from 553) or Haven. I love bell tents, but if you've got health conditions you need somewhere warm and dry when it's raining outside.

Another option is Eurocamps, if you are happy to take a ferry across the Channel. They are good value with static lodges and you can pay in instalments for the holiday.

Glamping is such a ripoff. I was looking at a weekend in Yorkshire in July and a yurt was £450 for 2 nights 😳. A 5 star hotel was only £90 more and you don’t have to share toilets and showers with strangers, plus you get 5 star service. It’s insane, but there must be people paying that otherwise they’d have to lower their prices.

Definitely look into a budget hotel as others have suggested. At least you get your own toilet and you’re not so dependent on the weather.

You'd do much better for your money in a static caravan park. They are loads cheaper than that. They often come with other facilities on-site that you can access as well, not to mention that the statics are like little houses, and much more comfortable and homely than even the most glamorous "tent".

I have booked a three bedroom two bathroom house in Cornwall for £996 in July. It’s a period property but modern interiors finished to a high standard. I’ve stayed in this seaside village before - village shop, three great restaurants - but not this exact house, and I know the letting company well.

you can afford to stay in a holiday cottage if under £1000 is your budget.

I would not ever pay £1000 to stay in a tent.

That's a ridiculous price. It's usually cheaper to go abroad.

We had a week in Devon recently on a "lodge" site. It wasn't expensive to stay in the lodges that weren't on the lakes and they had apartments too. They had a pool, did water sports, and had a cheap bar/restaurant on site too. Bit in the back arse of nowhere but about 25 minutes to Bude in the car.
https://www.clawfordlakes.co.uk/

We booked it after I asked for recommendations on here.

How about looking at the YHA?

You can get a private room for 4 people in Okehamoton for £492 for 7 nights in the first week in August.

We have done YHA with 3 kids in a private room. Most have cooking facilities so you can self cater. Some have cooked food on site so you can choose.

Get a ferry to France.

Eurocamp.

Riva Bella Campsite | Normandy | Eurocamp

£360 in August for 7 mights.

Hi OP, I know a few places (Dorset and devon) that are cheaper, not on air b and b. Also, try to find a Facebook group for some of the towns you'd like to stay in and you will often find owners advertising on them for a cheaper price as you can book direct. Also May half term is a nice time to be in the west country and often a bit cheaper than the summer holidays.

Message me if you want details of a few places x

If she's looking for a seaside holiday for kids Okehampton doesn't really fit the bill, not sure what sort of location she's looking for but Okehampton is good for Dartmoor. Each to their own but you'd have to pay me to go to Okehampton.

@Iwasafool

Yes agreed. But there are YHA in Beer, New Forest, Cornish coastline, Pembrokeshire. So that was a bad example. The Treyarnon Bay one is right on the beach.

Glamping is still going to feel ''damp'' with condensation and dew, {not to mention rain.

Yurts would be the ONLY feasible type of ''tent'' as they generally have a wood burner and chimney.

Yes I wasn't saying YHA holidays are an issue, just that lots of people think Devon = seaside and a 30 odd mile trek to the nearest beach might not be what they expect. If you like walking on Dartmoor it would be fine. Horses for courses.

I live in Devon and it is far cheaper to take the car on the ferry to France for a weeks Eurocamp (ferry and fuel included) than to drive 20 minutes up the road and stay in a static in north Devon. Even if you have to buy a new set of passports you will still save money. Plus the weather is better and you get to experience a different culture.

The people suggesting package deals abroad don’t seem to be factoring in: airport parking, travel insurance, potentially passports, and a myriad of other extras.

camping is cheap once you’ve got all the kit to make it comfortable, but if not…£££

OP, the ideas of youth hostels or a premier inn have far fewer hidden costs. If Premier Inn, consider adding on breakfast. The kids eat for free, so you only pay for yourself. You can fill up so you probably won’t want lunch and they can have a cheese roll on the beach for pennies. One evening, take a pizza back with you to eat in the room.

Hope you can find something. Sounds like you deserve a break!

Have a look on AirBnb, there are few places that look nice an within budget. Some are in stunning locations.

Ferries are very easy and travel insurance isn't much for a week.

Would it be possible to PM me the property if you are able please?

YHAs are great though - especially if you get self catering.

A good base to explore. But they are getting expensive now.

Camping in September is cold, there will be mist at night, things get wet.
Try late rooms or travel lodger or premier inns, you can book it for slightly more and get a refund or pay when you arrive.

Hot water nice beds and freedom.

Glamping is different from camping, so it is more than a tent. But some of the accomodation posted here are quite nice and affordable, so hopefully you find something nice in your budget.

A hotel for a week would cost that much or less, depends which week in the school holidays and how close to the beach.
£777 for week in July
Here

Sykes holiday cottages, Devon, 7 nights from 24th of August, one adult, 2 children - 92 results. 20 results that are within one mile of the sea. It's totally doable! Clamping is nonsense.