£6500 for a weeks holiday?!?!

[schoolsgettingonmynerves]

There are 3 adults and 3 kids (2 toddlers one new born), going to a 5 star all inclusive for a week in Greece….

Does this price seem wildly high?? I know its high and I choked when I saw the cost but is this what you have to pay these days to stay 5 star?? I am in shock.

For that price I would book a villa and and hire a cook for the week and possibly take an au pair.

We did 5* all inclusive last Christmas and it was hideous. That was Sharm though, not Greece.

whether it is expensive depends on how you will fly, where it is in Greece, the time of year and the quality of the hotel. I would not expect to pay that sort of money. I probably would not look at AI with young children, I might go for full board.

A 5 star rating does not always mean a better holiday than 3 or 4 star. Do look at things like type of pool, facilities for children and safety of accommodation.

If it wasn't for the wedding I'd say go elsewhere, Greece is over-priced for the quality of the accommodation.

Last summer we stayed in a 5 hotel. Last week we stayed in a 4. There was a noticeable difference between the 4 and 5. The 5 rooms were more luxurious; marble tiles and bottles not sachets of naice productsin the bathroom,, a flat screen tv, amazing shower room, huge beds. The bars and reception areas were stunning. The food was more varied and cooked to order. Was it worth the extra money? Yes, for me it was. However, the 4 hotel was also great and the dcs didn't really care as long as they had swimming pools and icecream.

IMO, the difference (in our case about £1000 difference) in price didnt really justify the costlier hotel but I would pay for that extra bit of luxury if I could afford it.

I would say that when you are going to be back in your room by 9pm is exactly the time to spend more on a good room in a good hotel. When the DC are big enough that you are all only going back to the room to crash at the end of the night, that's the time to be spending as little as possible on the hotel and saving the money for the other stuff.

Pre-DC, DH and I used to do "touring" holidays staying in cheap motel chains (keeping to the chains to avoid the real horrors). It was a great way of getting lots of holiday for our money and it really worked as you were literally sleeping, showering and moving on each day. The first time we stayed in one for more than 2 nights I got really, really depressed - and we moved the next day into a much nicer hotel.

The thought of sitting in a budget hotel room night after night with small DC is too grim for words - which is why I would go self catering for a budget option, or 5*AI (ideally with room service included in the AI) if you can afford it.

The daftest thing about this is you think you will be sunbathing next to a sleeping newborn.

First holiday post child is a big shock.

I took DS1 and DS2 away at 10 weeks to two different countries and had lovely relaxing holidays. I sunbathed and the babies slept in their bouncy chairs next to me. We had a good routine going by then, so nights were no problem. Both holidays were ideallic. So much easier than when they crawling and pulling up on all the furniture.

There are a huge range of 5* hotels some of which will be worth it and others won't. Could you tell us the name of the hotel so we can assess it?

I agree with stealth. I think it is even more important when you are staying in self catering in the UK as the weather can be so unreliable. It is absolutely worth staying somewhere as comfortable as your own home, with space to spread out and things to do in inclement weather - TV/DVD player/Wi-Fi/books/board games etc.

I can't think of anything worse than being cooped up in a caravan or tent in the rain.

I'd avoid certain online sites such as on the beach etc as their hotels are often overbooked and when this happens it's companies like this that lose the rooms. I know load of people who've booked with them and had a call the week before offering a different hotel.

You can get marble tiles etc in some 4 star hotels. What you should get in a 5 star hotel is superior service. However that can sometimes be better in 4 star too. Without knowing which hotel it is it's impossible to say if their are better alternatives.

stealth really good point about having a nice room when you are going to be spending time in it. And minnie this is my third child so I'm no stranger to going on holiday with young children, my little one has luckily settled into a nice routine so I can't think why I wouldn't be able to sunbathe whilst she snoozes next to me.

I think what I have gathered is that some of you would happily pay this and some of you wouldn't dream of it. I really wanted to know if the price was over and above what I should be paying but it seems some of you have spent that sort of money on holidays which makes me feel better.

If any of you are looking for a super nice place that costs the earth but is amazing for catering for small children (not teens). Then have a look at the sani resorts - amazing. Well that's if you are the type of family who like sunbathing, eating in nice restaurants, walking round a marina and not backpacking round Bulgaria for a fiver

I don't know if they do Greece, but I can recommend Kenwood Travel. Using them was the first time that I have really felt that a travel agent was negotiating intelligently on my behalf and providing value over and above what I could have done myself online (they specialise in high end holidays, I think).

Just had a look at the resort Op wants. I can't see the AI option. It does gave full board but that's not the same thing at all.

Just for comparison you can get a balcony cabin on a P&O cruise round Greece for less than a £1,000 pp. So they can provide 24 hour luxury, food, kids clubs and fuel to travel round the Med for less than your hotel.

Sorry to confuse revealall -Sani resort that I mentioned is another place in Greece I went a few years back and it's lovely just very very expensive - more expensive than where I have been quoted this year! The difference is Sani ticks all the boxes so I don't mind paying the high price. The holiday I am going on this year is due to a family wedding so my hands are tied. I just wanted to see if others had paid a similar price for 5 star Greece. Bare in mind I have two rooms and it's all inclusive for 3 adults and 2 toddlers (pointless for them I know) and a baby...

have come to the conclusion this is simply about stealth boasting - so my last 5 star holiday cost less than that for 3 adults for a fortnight. We didn't have children in tow but it was a long haul flight rather than Greece. The service was too slow but it had excellent accommodation and childrens clubs if needed.

Alreadytaken please.
I'm anonymous as are all of you so what difference would it make if I told you I was a millionaire? The reason I ask in this forum is because I would never dream of discussing this with friends in real life.

peaz sorry for your duff holiday, very disappointing I know.

but please people, don't buy holidays on brochures or tripadvisor reviews! go get a rough guide from the library and find out what the town is really like!

If you aren't going to leave the hotel (each to their own) then ask some very specific questions about menus and facilities. AI is a high-risk of Brit-central and is often not the place for those that like local food.

5 star is of no relevance at all for a baby. The place isn't going to be any more or less likely to collapse than a 1-star. And 5-star can indeed mean 24 hour bar, late night entertainment, free jet skis, pool but no beach; all my idea of hell!