Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

What holiday would work best?

27 replies

stainesmassif · 02/04/2013 14:50

We've had a windfall and I'd like to spend a bit of it on a foreign holiday. Max £3k. Dh can't come but mil can. The dcs are 4, 2 and 6 weeks.
I can't decide if it's better to go for a hotel with kids club and have no domestic responsibilities whatsoever but have to share relatively cramped area with the dcs and obvs I don't want to share a room with mil even though she's lovely. OR go for a villa, but miss out on kids clubs and everything that staying in a hotel means. WWYD??

OP posts:

Original poster

stainesmassif · 02/04/2013 14:52

Typing one handed whilst bfing has made me slightly illiterate.

OP posts:

Geordieminx · 02/04/2013 16:06

I'd be tempted by a hotel. All inclusive, interconnecting rooms if possible.

Are you restricted by school holidays? What time of year are you thinking?

If you go to a villa you will have to entertain kids 24/7... And MIL

Hotel will have other kids and a little bit of dire entertainment of a night and at least a little bit if adult company.

Geordieminx · 02/04/2013 16:07

Interconnecting rooms mean kids could take it in turns to camp in with Granny, although beware you will pay a premium fir this.. Money will go further if you can suck up sharing a big family suite

Branleuse · 02/04/2013 16:25

can't you wait till your Dh is able to come??
does he not get holidays ever??

IntheFrame · 02/04/2013 18:17

Cruise! Two rooms, kids club (plus evening babysitting), sun and somewhere new to visit everyday.
Lots of med ports are beached based so you can do a lovely beach holiday as well as a pool type holiday

malteserzz · 02/04/2013 18:18

I'd wait till dh could come too seems a bit mean to go without him

Original poster

stainesmassif · 02/04/2013 18:42

Cruise is a good idea. It's the last chance we will have to take advantage of not adhering to school holidays. Don't worry about dh. He's a big boy.

OP posts:

Portofino · 02/04/2013 19:20

Do many companies offer kid's clubs for children 4 and under? I thought Mark Warner/Pierre et Vacances took them from 3 months, but it was otherwise limited. KinderHotels might fit the bill. I think they also have FT child care and big family suites. Spas and lots of lovely food. Mountains rather than beach though that might not be a prob in the summer. Not TOO hot for littlies.

Portofino · 02/04/2013 19:24

I could cope with this for example.

Original poster

stainesmassif · 03/04/2013 05:03

That's v interesting. I'm not looking to get rid of all the kids tho, prob just the eldest for a few hours while the other two nap in the afternoon. I would like to lie on a sun lounger and read a book next to a pool for an hour. That would be amazing!

OP posts:

MrsShrek3 · 03/04/2013 05:35

yy to cruise... lots going on to be taken or ignored, listening service if you want an hour out in the evening.

Original poster

stainesmassif · 03/04/2013 07:08

And is a nice cruise in that budget??

OP posts:

Geordieminx · 03/04/2013 07:47

Cruise would be fab.

Have a look on cruise nation or igloo or similar. Give them a ring... There is always a deal to be had.

Would recommend a royal carribean from Barcelona round the med

verygentlydoesit · 03/04/2013 07:50

Sounds to me as though what you are (understandably) craving is a break and a bit of chill out time. IMO going on an expensive holiday with 3 small children may not give you any opportunity to do this. I think the accepted MN phrase is 'same shit, different place'.

I'm sorry if I sound horribly negative, I just mean that you could find the experience frustrating and exhausting if you were really hoping for a few hours of 'me' time in the sun.

Could you put a little money on one side to facilitate a couple of days somewhere after your family holiday without DC so that you can get a break.

Original poster

stainesmassif · 03/04/2013 08:12

That's why MIL is coming! I'm happy spending time with the kids and would like to entertain them somewhere warm, with a pool. After dc1 I agreed, same shit different place. With 3, a bit of nice weather really helps. It's same shit, same place ATM!

OP posts:

3MonthMaid · 03/04/2013 09:28

I've just booked a first choice holiday village (the one in Cyprus this time) and I'm hoping it will be exactly what you describe.

They have a kids club included (even have a crèche for the youngest if that's what you want) and its all very clean and child friendly.

I went to the one in lanzarote before with 2 just 3 year olds and it was perfect! The entertainment was funny enough and the kids loved it. Plenty of playgrounds on site etch.

At the Cyprus one you can even book a kids suite which has a separate kids bedroom all done out for children

I paid much much less than your budget too.

Original poster

stainesmassif · 03/04/2013 09:30

I LIKE!

OP posts:

Branleuse · 03/04/2013 09:43

why doesnt your dh want to come?

IntheFrame · 03/04/2013 09:46

Had a thought about the 6 week old on a cruise as some don't take under 6 months I think ? Would have to check with individual cruise lines though.
You can get a get great deals from £500 pp up. Children are half price or less and you can get 3 children in lots of cabins

Geordieminx · 03/04/2013 11:04

Tbh much as I love cruises I would probably try and go for a hotel. The pools aren't great on a cruise ship (very small and over crowded)

Have a look at the Anthelia in Tenerife, without a doubt the best hotel I have stayed at. Lovely pools, inc a shallow warmed one for kids.

Original poster

stainesmassif · 03/04/2013 12:10

Why the dh curiosity?! We are already going on a couple of breaks w friends and family when his boss is on holiday in the summer and he doesn't want to go away when his boss isn't. In addition he's had several hols away without me since we've had kids and is happy for us to go without him.

OP posts:

IntheFrame · 03/04/2013 13:16

As a lone parent though the hotel option doesn't work. It's pants in the evenings even if MIL does the kids you are on your own.

The cruise works better because everyone is sort of "stuck in" albeit on a bloody massive boat. It's not like wandering the streets at night or stuck in a hotel bar.

Pools are small but I sat lay by the baby one (which wasn't as crowded as the main deck and the lovely waiters brought me cold drinks all afternoon while DS (4) splashed around. As I said most days we went to the local beach. Can you tell I miss it!!

Fluffy1234 · 03/04/2013 15:37

I love cruising with my DC but definitely wouldn't recommend it as OP's first choice with such young children. I'd phone up a company like Thomas Cook or Thomson and perhaps ask for a complex which offers apartments or an apart/hotel which has also clubs and activities for children. I saw a good one in Zante when I was looking in the Thomson brochure. In an apartment you would get a bit more space than a hotel room and also more going on compared with staying in a villa.

sunnyday123 · 03/04/2013 19:30

Thomsons family resorts - have done them every year! All inclusive, there are kids pubs but my dds don't use them as we like to spend the days together - however I like all the kids discos, entertainment round the pool etc that goes with family resorts. I'd not fancy a cruise at all with kids and a villa etc would be harder with kids nd you'll spend time cooking and cleaning etc!

sunnyday123 · 03/04/2013 19:30

Kids clubs

Flip

1 2

Swipe left for the next trending thread