2 weeks in August for family of 5, under 2k... If has to be camping doesn't it- any other ideas??

[staverton]

I am going slowly crazy trying to research our summer holiday

Budget 2k which covers travel, accomm, tolls etc but not food (would need to self cater unless v cheap restaurants or inclusive)

Have been looking at eurocamp or similar, or even buying our own tent etc and going independently. I camped loads as a kid and think it would be ideal for my sporty 6 yr old Ds BUT what I really want is a villa or hotel with a pool near a beach in Greece/Sardinia etc.

It's not doable on this budget is it? Or is it??

www.ownersdirect.co.uk/france/FR20209.htm?src=LS

£900 for accomodation . Should manage the rest of the expenses for 1k surely?

Meant to say cottages art often cheaper than eurocamp type place that charge silly money in high season. Look for French river beaches rather than sea beaches too. Nicer IMHO and don't bump the prices of nearby accom up!

My sister has an apartment here
www.villarenters.com/rent-villas/spain/lomas-del-golf/

None of those in case I get accused of advertising, but places like that are relatively cheap accom- but it is very British and flights / car hire aren't cheap in august- however if you like the look of it and can be flexible with dates/ flights you might be able to work out a bargain for a similar place.

Thanks for reply Thea- I can't get tha link to work or find it by entering reference. Is it £900 for 2 weeks?

www.ownersdirect.co.uk/france/FR20209.htm

I think it was this one? Put FR20209 as property reference in the search box in owners direct.

It isn't avail for August though.

Are you planning to drive?

We are a family of 5 looking at going to the med in July but flight are around the £1000-£1200 mark so that will eat a big chunk of your budget.

Thanks!
Yes we are planning to drive - so budget includes tolls/overnight stops

That's the problem, flights in August easily £1200 and my littlest one doesn't even need a seat yet. I think days of cheap but nice packages are over

Camping it is!!

Well this mobile.ownersdirect.co.uk/Property.aspx?token=aWQ9MTEyNDA3&h=Xa7ra%2fVy%2biI2Vs1O8mTeDw%3d%3d is Eur350 per week.
It's not at all what you're looking for, but I was wondering if you'd consider something totally different! Mountains a d lakes - great fun for the kids; driving to Austria - no toll roads; European school hols finish mid August so lots of ski resorts reduce prices at end of August. May be worth investigating?
Consider also Italian Tirol eg Merano...

If you check out Travel Republic I think you will get a holiday in Costa Brava or Dorada for that budget if you didn't want a driving holiday.

Why not do 1 week away and 1 week off work but at home?

My friends squeezed family of 5 into a studio apartment with 2 double sofa beds and one single in a quiet area of Cannes-apartments had huge empty pool, air con, 5 min bus to nice beach, cheap local eats. Not a very romantic option and you'd have more room in a tent.
It was about £500 a week and flights to nice were about £150, but friends got eurostar.
They said they didn't need a car as buses took them wherever they wanted to go from bus stop next to apartments.
I prefer self catering myself as breakfast and lunch can be very cheap. It was on Homeaway and I think it was Residence des Golfeur-seemed to be lots of apartments in same block.

I have looked at ready set up tents as being cheaper than vans but easier than taking my own tent. A lot of French sites seem to rent them out separately-you don't need to go through eurocamp.

You could go for a week sun/beach in August for that(no villa though)-I am going sc to Zante with Thomas Cook and my friends were looking at going for a week and it was going to cost them £1600 for 4 I think. We are staying at Costas apartments-they seem quite unique and are next to beach!

We found that hiring a gite/villa/cottage in France was cheaper than Eurocamp, which is not a cheap option in school holidays! There are loads of options on Owners Direct for places with pools (usually shared but in our experience works better for kids) in France.

Greece or Sardinia would be a v long drive - ferries are also expensive with car. Sardinia is certainly more expensive in school holidays as is "over run" with Italians who quite rightly see it as a very good holiday destination. Personally I wouldn't choose to go in July/August for that reason (although was beautiful in May/June). Sardinia and Greece would also be v hot at that time of year - is that going to work well for your kids?

Greece you can probably get a decent place, and food etc wouldn't be too expensive - Owners Direct again?

Driving not necessarily cheap option by the time you've paid for petrol, ferry, tolls, overnight stops.

Personally if I were in the UK at the moment (which I'm not) - I would repeatedly do France by car for summer holidays - west coast or South west in a complex of gites with shared pool. I think it's the best value for money / weather option. But then when we were in the UK we used to also budget to have a winter-ish holiday somewhere further afield.

The end of August is often much cheaper. Eurocamp is often overpriced, try:

www.venueholidays.co.uk/

www.vacansoleil.ie/

www.selectcamp.co.uk/

www.suncamp.co.uk/gb/en/home/uc33-l2-n804/

For part of this years holiday; We've got a mobile in spain for a week for £550 with one of the above, Eurocamp wanted nearly double for the same site.

Look at Germany, lovely place to holiday, and the high season can be different from France.
www.vacansoleil.ie/camping/info/germany-black-forest/steinach/campsite-kinzigtal/VAC/5/2503000/
The last two weeks in August, pre-erected tent, including the added booking fee at the end, converts to about £515

You'll easily be able to fit in a trip to Europa park and be in budget.

If you look at places like the Languedoc, or the Alps on holidaylettings.co.uk, or owners direct there are lots around £600 a week. This website has some nice apartments in Morzine for example that aren't too pricey- and there is loads to do with kids.

The Alps in the summer are amazing. Like a huge, real life centre parcs! We go every year and ride mountain bikes (DH road bikes too), have picnics, swim, go horse riding, white water rafting, walking. There's paint balling, go karting, an adventure park (zip wires, treetop walkways etc), tennis...the list goes on. Self catering apartments v cheap. We drive to Serre Chevalier and the weather is always amazing (though it does get cooler in the evening than it does on the coast).

Agree with PortofinoRevisited

Morzine is absolutely fabulous for families and even better in the summer. It isn't somewhere you would automatically think of, but it is just so easy to get to (only 50 miles from Geneva).

We went to the indoor swimming centre pretty much every day we were there - the kids loved it!

www.aiglonmorzine.com/index.php/summer/stunning-summer-vacation

We always rent a house/villa in France now. You can probably get something for about £800 per week or less - if you are happy to squeeze in. (our's won't share a room, so we end up having to book a 3 or 4 bedroom place..).

Prices are generally peak until mid/late August. If you can leave it until the end of the school hols you could save a few hundred pounds.

IMO the mobile homes on Eurocamp etc are overpriced. Of course you are paying for the facilities on site - but you would be able to find a nice gite on a small complex for much less - and it would be more comfortable than a tin caravan.

It's a very long drive to Greece- especially with 3 kids. Flights are also expensive. There are some good flight deals to Portugal, Balearics, Malta, find your own accommodation.
You may consider going for a week.

Europarcs are more reasonably priced than the bigger companies.

www.aferry.com/quote/Booking/AFRYBook2.asp?A=A&SD=13854530409420140319170553

Two weeks in a 2 bedroomed mobile home, in Les Sablines in the Llanguedoc region of France - incl a dover-Calais ferry crossing is £1500.