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!

You need better standards in cottages, OP.
A cottage gives you freedom to choose whether you eat in or out, flexible eating times, a good standard of appliances and every one I've ever stayed in provides quality linen and towels and no requirement for us to clean it before we leave.

We tend to buy easy meals for days we are self catering and enjoy the space and privacy.
I also go where there are decent washing and drying facilities meaning we can travel light.
The only washing I come back with are the clothes we are wearing and pyjamas!
We've stayed in amazing places that hotels just aren't built. We've been so lucky in being able to have quality experiences on our own terms. I also get fed up of the noise of others in hotels and the cramped rooms.

I think the other issue with a UK cottage holiday is they are also pretty expensive (sometimes they are more than going abroad in a hotel) and if the weather is crap it’s better to be at home! (Or you spend a small fortune trying to keep kids happy)

OP have you looked at Potters resorts? The one in Hopton is for families and it's all inclusive. Loads for children to do. We go to the adults only one in Essex and it's quite nice!

I've never enjoyed a hotel holiday. I'll go as far as self catering that's part of a complex. Id much rather have our own space, separate bedrooms for DC, able to buy and cook things we like, to our own timetable then relax on a sofa. Eating out every day would be a chore. Good thing we are all different I guess. In fact I like camping too so a long way across the spectrum from OP!

Yabu to say a cottage isnt a holiday but yanbu if you dont fancy it. I expect dh only suggested as you were worrying about fuel issue.

Book the all inclusive, get insurance and hope for the best.

Well, it is a holiday. It wouldn’t be a holiday that I would enjoy or book myself, but it’s a holiday nonetheless the less.

Yes it's a holiday. I love a cottage holiday! With 5 kids we've always done self catering, we both muck in and make meals and is it really such a hardship to make your own beds? I wouldn't like to do all inclusive and be tied to hotel meals. Devon and Cornwall are beautiful and there's loads of stuff for kids to do. We've done caravan park holidays too, with pools, kids activities and a clubhouse with evening entertainment. My kids loved it!

The cleaning/bin emptying/take your own bedding/cooking etc don’t feel like a holiday at all. It’s just housework in a different location.

Cottage holidays are nothing like that. It's a cottage not a camp site.
I keep cooking to a minimum or eat out. Bins don't need emptying that often and you don't need to take bedding or towels. I don't do housework on a cottage holiday.

What I do like is the space you get - several rooms and not just a hotel bedroom. A chance to make tea and coffee whenever you like and a fridge to keep milk and wine in.

I do genuinely get where you are coming from here.
Having said that I have stayed in an apartment in Croatia and enjoyed that.

I’m totally with you on this!

Our next holiday is a cabin in the forest with hot tub and we’ll be climbing Snowdon. Absolutely can’t wait. But I equally enjoyed the Al mini-break to Cape Verde in Feb just gone - sun, sea and soooo many restaurants to eat at. Just to be away from the daily grind is a ‘mind holiday’, so anywhere is great 😊 as long as I get the break!

What do you do if it's chucking down with rain? Stay in a hotel room watching TV lying on the bed as they rarely have nice comfy chairs. I found hotel lounges rather uncomfortable as well so I actually would feel like I was in jail.

I agree, a uk cottage doesn't feel like a holiday abroad does. Different strokes and all that but the airport routine, landing in an unfamiliar place and exploring a new country or city with no "to do" list, no cleaning, no cooking, no washing clothes is bliss.

I see your point. I happen to like cottage holidays but they are not restful like a hotel where everything is done for you.

Bring wellies and rain coats and carry-on as normal!

I don't wash clothes on holiday in the UK. I wait until I get home, like I do with a Med holiday.

One of my all time favourite holidays was to a cottage in Wales - it was a very nice cottage and cheap! (We went in the English Easter Hols when the Welsh schools had already gone back)

I prefer self catering to hotels, more space and we can eat more simply (DS2 is very fussy).

How about here? www.pottersresorts.com/ All inclusive in the UK. I haven't been myself but it has activities and all inclusive food

We always do.self catering BUT we massively prefer going abroad and doing Eurocamp than UK cottages. It all has much more.novelty value... different food, better weather, and loads of things to do on site. Summer half term is great value too as it's not a holiday week for most other European countries.

I’m the same. I rather be at home than do a self catering place, cottages, air BnB, or the absolute worst is camping. I also don’t want a bowl of cereal for breakfast or making sandwiches or 30 seconds of washing up. That is not a holiday.
I want to go to the spa while the kids are busy with something, or phone for room service at 11pm if I feel like it.
luckily dh is the same.

im not sure what AI posters have been to but a proper 5* one is so worth it. There’s evening entertainment, so so much for the kids to do, food on tap, swimming, no cleaning , exploring if you feel like it, a proper holiday.

What about somewhere like this? We went here - Jersey - with our DCs and we had a fantastic time.

https://www.seymourhotels.com/merton-hotel/the-resort/aquadome/

Or friends of ours have been here.

https://watergatebay.co.uk/whos-coming/families

I know we can afford it, he agrees. I have 100% visibility of the household finances.

Why not a hotel in the uk?
or why not an apartment at a hotel I know of a few then you get the best of both worlds?
this is one I’ve been considering for a while after a recommendation
https://www.devere.co.uk/cotswold-water-park-hotel
look at the apartment section, plus there’s some really easy days out for kids close by.

I don’t know how it compares to holidays abroad as I’ve only done self catering in thr uk in caravans or cottages for the last 20years. But I do think there’s some reasonable prices and it was highly recommended to me as something i would like.

We nearly always self cater, or caravan/camp. I find it more relaxing than a hotel. Thats what we did as kids, I didnt go to a hotel til I was nearly 20.
However my DH does a lot of cooking.
I dont do anywhere near as much cleaning/chores as I would at home. Less cleaning/clearing up in the kitchen as we eat out more, id sweep if it was sandy but otherwise not bother. I might do one load of laundry but there would be no bedding or towels to wash (or bedding to iron) i dont hoover on holiday.

You are not being unreasonable to prefer another type of holiday, but it is still a holiday.

Well I think it depends what you want from a holiday. We like mooching around small towns, beach for long dog walks, lots of history, and cottages are perfect for that. But I guess if you want non stop entertainment then a hotel in a resort is better. I can see the appeal but think I'd get bored after a bit.

Different strokes for different folks OP

I personally find staying in a hotel with kids for more than a night or two hellish. There’s never enough space for everyone and everything and it feels like we’re on too of each other constantly. And I just find a lot of all inclusive resort boring.

But I’m not going on holiday with you. There’s tonnes of holiday options in uk so there mist be something that you and dh will both like the sound of. Maybe a park holiday type place?