AIBU to think a cottage is not a holiday?

[Jogonpolly]

Looking to go away in half term (DH and 2DC age 7&10).

I'd ideally like a short haul all inclusive somewhere - good weather and easy for them kids to be occupied. But with the jet fuel issue I don't feel confident booking incase we lose our money.

I suggested going somewhere in Europe by train. A hotel, pool and play area some places to visit, maybe a city or something.

DH has suggested a cottage in the UK, Devon or somewhere. Problem is, I just don't see a cottage as a holiday - in a hotel someone makes your bed and cleans the bathroom. You can choose to eat out or in the hotel restaurant, you don't need to drive anywhere, decisions are easy, everything is easy. My experiences of cottages in the UK are of same shit, different (and more difficult)place. There will still be cleaning to do, breakfast to sort even if we do go out for lunch and dinner, there's more planning and organising. I think I'd just rather not go.

AIBU and a misery?

And before people say it, yes, DH will do some of the organising and cleaning but still, it's just like being at home!

I'd also be happy with a city break, sightseeing etc. doesn't need to be an all inclusive place!

I mean, it might not be a holiday for you, but a cottage is certainly a holiday for me!

If we stay in self-catering places, we don't do any cooking beyond toast in the mornings or maybe putting some bread, cheese and cold meat on a plate. We eat in restaurants every day. And we don't clean anything other than wiping crumbs off a worktop or something.

@Jogonpolly i completely agree. What is the fixation in this country with damp and draughty cottages? We can never afford to do anything other than self catering and I absolutely loathe it. A few years ago we managed to afford a hotel in the Tatry mountains for a few days. Breakfast and evening meal. I came back to our room on the first afternoon and the cleaning team had made the beds, taken away our cups and glasses and left us fresh ones, with tea and biscuits. All I had to do was have a cuppa, a nice bath and go down to dinner. I literally cried. I couldn’t have loved them more.

Centre Parcs is brilliant for adults and children. All activities on site (cycling the woods, in-door waterpark with rapids, kayaking, go ape to name a few). Eat out for lunch and dinner or order in. Barely any washing-up, maybe cereal bowls, if you haven’t gone for a pancake breakfast.

We’ve been to many all-inclusive packages abroad and we’ve been many times to CP here in the UK. Both equally great holidays.

It is very odd that lots of people are convinced you all have to sit in one room in a hotel and tip-toe around. This is usually addressed by booking the right size accomodation for the number of people (so a small suite, inter-conected rooms, making sure you have a balcony etc) and then using facilities such as the lobby, pool area, grounds if you want to. There are also some amazing apart hotels, best of both worlds!

I have tried it. I know I don't like it!

Last year we went abroad and the kids literally entertained themselves, in and out the pool and splash park, time on the play ground and games room. Coming back for top ups of suncream and to ask to go to the cafe for a snack. We did a couple of days sightseeing. It was bliss. I genuinely didn't lift a finger. We only went to one of the restaurants twice, loads of variety.

I’m really bad at getting up in time for hotel breakfast so I tend to book Airbnb apartments. Pick up croissants and fruit for breakfast and eat out the rest of the time

i do tend to go places that have lots of restaurants and lots to do within walking distance though - Brighton, York, Newcastle, etc.

but still, it's just like being at home!

Only if you make it like that.

On a cottage holiday I scale back catering to really simple meals such as pasta and salad, M and S ready meals, pick and mix deli foods and eating out. Minimum effort and minimum washing up. It's even easier if there is a dishwasher.

Breakfast is usually toast or cereal anyway and lunch is either eaten out or a sandwich.

It’s a very different holiday from going AI granted but definitely still a holiday. We’ve done loads over the years.

My tips would be choose location carefully, we like to be near a pub/somewhere you can walk to to grab a pasty or fish and chips. Find out where is good to eat and plan a couple of meals out, do a food delivery to arrive just after you do with some easy dinners and lunches that don’t require a lot of equipment or effort fajitas, pasta bake, bread cheese, cake, breakfast stuff you don’t let them have at home, supply of booze etc. Plan to do fish and chips or take away pizza a couple of nights. Scope out a couple of activities eg surfing lessons, bike hire, crabbing. Bring games in case of rain. Stay somewhere nicer/more interesting than home that has a dishwasher.

I don’t do any real cleaning in a holiday let, bit of cooking and washing up, literally a 15 min wipe round of kitchens and bathrooms on last day, take bins out, strip beds if asked.

I guess it just seems weird to pay for a cottage and then never be there. With an AI hotel, we use all the facilities.

I love a holiday cottage as it allows time away in a different place. Some are nicer than others.
We can't afford to eat out all the time. Wish we could but it is so expensive now.
I did alot of camping and festivals for a while. Holiday cottages are so much better than that. Genuinely feel too old for all that now.
If I am on my own exploring or walking ( my great love but not shared by any of my family ) I happily stay in Youth hostels. I don't like hotels especially, they remind me of miserable work trips. And again sadly I can't afford a nice enough one so stick with a yha.
I am the poorer side of mumsnet !

I think it depends on the cottage and where it is and what there is to do. I have stayed in remote cottages near a beach that I would have stayed in forever, and at other times have just wanted somewhere easy with a pool and facilities. I am easily pleased though because I spent my childhood holidays in a tent.

I agree bad weather is not a holiday . I would risk the flights and go abroad , Greece , Cyprus south Italy and even Portugal or south of France . You will pay the same anyway , uk cottages cost a fortune

as already mentioned, why would you lose money? Airlines will refund you if they cancel the flights and you can book accommodation you can cancel.

Damp UK cottages are not my idea of holiday. Same housework in a different house.

I don’t clean in a holiday cottage. We don’t cook, we go put for every meal including breakfast, that way you don’t even have to load the dishwasher. It’s a change of scene, new places to go and things to see. I’d have thought with small children it’s better - you don’t spend evenings confined to your bedroom.

Why would you be doing housework in a cottage? Everything will be clean when you arrive and then be cleaned for you when you leave.

We usually eat out once per day as a main meal and then just have easy snacks/breakfast at a holiday cottage.

Days out mean you are out lost of the day anyway! And it is much better for everyone to have their own space rather than be cooped up in one room.

I’ve had extensive debates with my partner about this 🤣🤣🤣 he doubles down that if it’s not a hotel + pool + beach then it’s not a holiday.

It’s a freaking holidayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy I have said this til I’m blue in the face!!!!

If you’re taking time off from your daily obligations, it’s a holiday. It doesn’t matter if it’s in a cottage, a mountain, the beach, the moon. It’s a holiday. It’s also the hill I’ll die on.

I guess it's also stuff like having to drive, find parking etc just to go out to dinner (finding it hard to find places in walking distance of nice restaurants and cafes). Having to plan loads of days out and have contingency plans if the weather is miserable.

So I think you don't really have a gripe about cottages, but that you want to go on an AI holiday somewhere hot where there is a pool. Which is totally fine, but the premise of your thread is flawed.

A city break abroad, or staying in a hotel in Devon would give you the same issue with having to plan days out. And if the weather is miserable, being stuck in a cramped hotel room is much worse than being in a cottage.

We've done several uk cottage holidays - haven't had to do a lot of cleaning, you can choose to go out for meals if you like. Stripping beds wasn't a big deal.

Self catering in a hotel with full facilities like swimming pool, games rooms etc. is fine IMO.

Cottage on its own? No thanks.

These are by far my favourite holidays now!

Could you compromise by driving or taking the train. The South of France will be nice by the end of May. Eurocamps are great for DCs of that age. But half board in Turkey would be cheap and relaxing.

@Jogonpolly* *I complete understand your post about children just having the freedom to use the pool etc. My DD is now in Uni but is still in contact with some friends thay formed a little gang living their best life on abroad holidays in the pool, kids club etc. I understand this may not be for every child and people want different things from holidays, but lots of people are being very dismissive (maybe snobby) about the joy this kind of holiday brings for everyone. We are not all just lounging around a pool being smelly and drinking cheap alcohol until we pass out. There is a lovely sense of freedom that sunshine, making friends from across the world and a little bit of independence going to get your own slush or ice cream brings.

People get weirdly defensive about UK self-catering holidays. I was forced to go to a cottage (usually in Wales) growing up and days were regimented in that we had to plan what we were going to go and see (churches and castles and parents with national trust membership), walks, windy beaches and the treat of a pub meal. It was fine, but not fun.

You don't take your own bedding or towels or tea towels these days, it's all provided. You only take beach towels.

Sounds like what you actually want are the facilities of a resort and loads of kids for yours to make friends with…

what about a static caravan site? Pool, beach, playground and packs of children zooming around. Food will be cheap and cheerful but stil a break

It sounds as though the kids left you alone to chill, eat and sunbathe last year (plus no washing-up or cooking) and this is what you’d like again. You’ll have to do some research into whether this type of holiday exists in the UK.

We never got that type of restful holiday until they became older teenagers, our kids always wanted us in the pool playing, doing all the activities on offer with them and chilling only when they were tired. So it really didn’t matter to us whether we holidayed abroad or UK - both actioned packed! But highly enjoyable, they kept us young and fun!