Cheap family holiday abroad? Any suggestions?

[ElizabethShaw]

I have around £1000 put aside for a family holiday next year - I know its not much in holiday terms but its a lot for us! Our last holiday was 3 years ago so its quite "special" and I don't want to book something that ends up being crap

I would like to go abroad, somewhere warm at the end of May/beginning of June - by warm I mean I'm happy with sunshine and temperatures in the mid 20s rather than roasting on the beach weather.

We will have children of 7, 4 and baby and would ideally like a kids club for the older two.

Happy to do flights or ferry and driving but don't want to drive more than a few hours (maybe 4).

Please hit me with your suggestions!

Eurocamp style in France? You don't have to camp because you could hire a mobile home. Have a look at Camping Castels, they are the French version of Eurocamp but much cheaper. Sites have pools, kids clubs, sports, etc.

Eurocamping in the vendee?

Check the website then double check costs when booking directly with the campsite.
Mind you, if you book early you'll get a discount so it might be cheaper why eurocamp.

Turkey? Are you going in term time?

We've just done air b n b in Portugal - definitely in your budget but no kids club that route.

I'm looking at the May half term plus the week after as we have some inset days which means it would only be a couple of school days missed. Am more than happy with eurocamp/staying in a tent holidays.

I'm going to book eurocamp at cala gogo Spain but I'm not actually booking with euro camp I'm going to book with lifestyle as they're much cheaper (found them through reading reviews on the euro camp sites on trip advisor) it's £168 for a three bed caravan for 7 nights in May school hols.

Will be booking flights As soon as they're released (easyjet) in September. I'm hoping that will only cost me a grand in total (me dp dss13 and ds2)

Then there's car hire which will be about £100 and insurance and obviously food but will be still a lot cheaper than an all inclusive resort somewhere and I'm hoping more suited with a toddler in tow.

Kids club is an absolute must for me I'm afraid - much as I love my children a break for a couple of hours a day is what turns it into an actual holiday for me

Eurocamp is looking like a few contender at the moment.

Do you have any recommendations for Turkey?

Book a villa direct lots on facebook seek and sell. The book flights. Ideally fly from Scotland at the end of August.

Managed a few holidays on your Budget.

You may find that Eurocamp don't run the kids clubs outside July and August. £1000 would be tight for Eurocamp if it is for 2 weeks and needs to include travel.

I've had a look at a few Vendee eurocamp sites and it seems like we could do 10-12 days at the end of May/beginning of June for almost exactly £1k. Kids clubs start 27th May at a few sites, and actually work better for us then as my 4 and 7 yos could go together, whereas by July lots of sites seem to split by age.

I would opt for Spain or Greece, cheap and not too hot in May

Check out Venue holidays - they are similar to Eurocamp but can work out cheaper.

We looked for May half term next year and as that week is not peak time in France, Spain & Italy you can get some great deals. We looked at booking a holiday to Lake Garda that week & the biggest air conditioned static home was just £350 for a week as they give you 7 days for the price of 5. They also have sites in Spain & all over France.

Just looked up 14 nights at the Vendee site with Venue holidays for you. The very largest home would cost you £505 for a fortnight as you get 14 nights for the price of 10.

fififa - can you recommend anywhere? I haven't seen anything near my budget.

Obviously you need to add flight prices here but these are the prices for 14 nights in the Costa Brava in Spain with Venue holidays at the end of May.

We went to Turkey during May half term but it was above your budget, I'm afraid.

It was with jet2holidays (Leeds Bradford) flying to Antalya and stayed at a 4 star AI hotel near Side (pronounced Cedar). It was in a quiet location (just a few other hotels - no town or village), with direct beach access, two large pools and waterslides, kids club and our room was a family room and had bunk beds.

The holiday cost us £1800 and that included insurance plus seat allocation. You get 22kg of hold luggage for anyone aged 2 and over and 10kg of hand luggage. The flight times are not great; arrive late into the evening and then you have a 2 hour coach journey. One year we arrived at our hotel at 2:30am and this year it was midnight. The return journey is always at night; arrived back at 1:30am.

But it was a good £1000 cheaper than Thomas Cook, Thomson's and First Choice.

It is easy to do a budget search on the main travel company websites. It is probably easier to have a look, see what comes up in our search and research the areas from there.

Lifestyleholidays.co.uk are great! We've been with them to Spain 5 times. Cheap flights to Gerona or Barcelona and cheap car hire, you'll easily come in under budget. Food, wine restaurants and car hire really reasonable in Spain too. I love France, but boy is it pricy! Weather should be better than France too. Most campsites have loads of activities for kids.

I don't find Eurocamp to be that cheap for what you actually get; the popular places can be £800 per week for what is essentially a caravan with no wifi. There are often off the beaten track so a car is necessary too. If you are seeking kids clubs then they usually only operate in peak season July/August.

I think you might be hard pressed to get all you want for May half term. You might be able to get flights and an apartment but not kids club. Let us know how you come on.