Holiday under £300 for three

[1980cat]

I'm wanting to go away in Febuary but I'm pretty skint at the moment with xmas and a kitchen to pay for. Rekon I can stretch to about £300 for for Dp, Dd and me. It's still to cold to go camping and Dp hates the idea but has said we'll go camping in the summer whether he likes it or not. So would need something like BB or cheap hotel accomodation. I live in Scotland so would need to include flights if I was to go to London (where Dp wants to go).
Anyone had a really nice cheap holiday at this time of year as we really need a break.

Sorry pressed the button three times whoops

How about seeing if Arundel Youth Hostel is open 1980cat? Fabulous hostel, one of their best, run by a family for families. Quite a lot of interesting things to do not far away, eg historic dockyards at Portsmouth, Arundel Castle, Drusillas, etc.
Youth Hostels Association

If you drive, check out the Travelodge website as they have some £10 per night room offers on atm.

And there is a deluxe Travelodge in wonderful York...as well as a deluxe Youth Hostel.
1980cat, you are going to find your options limited with availability etc if you have to go in half-term (13-17 Feb in London)

Have a look at skyscanner for cheap flights.

Hadn't realised it was hlaf term in England that week. Flying from Scotland shoud be ok hopefully.
Haven't been to a Youth hostel in years so i'm away to have a look at what they have to offer.
The same with York Haven't been there in years and hadn't though about it, the rail link is really good as I don't fancy driving as Dp doesn't drive so we can't share it between us.

What age is DD, I think you still have to be five plus in YHs. Unless it is in one of the family units.

Have a look at ryan air, see if there any cheap flights on the dates you want to see what destinations you could look for cheap accom at. There was £10 travel lodge rooms at Heathrow, not a bad base for London.

Paris could be fesable if you get a good price on flights.

No, you can take babies and toddlers now skribble. But it is wise to head for one of the increasing number of hostels that do offer family rooms with ensuites, or who can do travel cots and high-chairs. I think York and Arundel are strong on this front and either Ilam or Hartington in the Peak District. Also Leominster and the smartypants new-build one in Worthing, although Worthing in February is maybe best not contemplated
But obviously in the old ones with bunks it's much harder to cater for children under five, agreed

we had a very succesful half term holiday in October at a youth hostel - Exeter - with three young children. it was very suitable for them. we had a 4 and a 6 bunk room with ensuite, and there was a common room, playroom, kitchen, dining room (with restaurant) and garden. all extremely suitable for young children.

it was £55 a night for the 4 bed and £70 a night for the 6 bed room. not particularly cheaper than a cheap hotel but far nicer really with young children. they had loads of space to run around.

clarification - we had the 6 bed room for one night and the 4 bed room for 2 nights. we booked only the week before for half term and it wasn't full up.

We usually go for the self-catering option - cottage, forest lodge etc, which at this time of year can be got for a reasonable price but if you need to include flights too, it could be over budget. Is there anywhere else other than London you would be interested in?

which week in Feb can you go?

I would second searching the Travelodge site. We had a brilliant weekend in Brighton last year for only £26 a night in a fantastic travelodge with huge rooms.

You could probably get 5 days in center parcs in Sherwood Forest for around £200-£250 if you avoided half term. Don't know if you could drive there.

Re the YHA, Marina/Fennel - I have just looked at their website and it says "Rooms are available for families with children aged three or over." Is that not for all hostels then?

HD, certainly some accept babies. maybe there's a general rule but many hostels do now have provision for babies and toddlers. ours had highchairs, a travel cot to lend, etc.

Thanks, sounds interesting...

i definitely preferred it to our experiences at hotels and B&Bs. we generally like self-catering. in smarter places we just get embarrassed at our general excess of toddler exuberance.

ps youth hostels let you take wine now, things have moved on since the old days.

I agree Fennel. My personal choice has not been to family hostel until dd is potty-trained because of the nappy hassle but I can't wait. It really is a great way to meet other families and see some lovely corners of the UK.
HD, check with the hostels you are interested in direct. Mostly they are super-prompt at replying and ever so helpful. Arundel has a reputation as being one of the best in the UK for families and I know for a fact they "do" babies there.
Thank goodness the days of volunteer wardens chopping down the wooden privy for firewood and then claiming it sank into a bog (Achiltibuie, 1950s, my father ) are gone gone gone.
The YHA does need support and on all fronts (low environmental impact, offering holidays to families on low budgets, encouraging a love of the British outdoors) they are a top organisation IMO

Thanks, both.

Good luck in your search for a holiday 1980cat!

try welcome cottages!

If you can do centre parks 30/1/05 for 4 nights you can get a 3 bed villa for £109.50 at Whinfell, in the Lake District not too bad a drive form Scotland, use cpweb as code online

Thnaks for the ideas might use them for summer hoidays now as the budget has just gone straight out the window and I've booked us a week in Tunisia so no summer holiday this year.