I want to go abroad next summer - family of 5, how do i get it cheap? any recomendations

[Tigi]

I want to go abroad next year, we havent been for a few year because it is so expensive for 3 children. It must be in the school summer hols, and I'm not bothered about a kids club. It needs to be a room for 5, with things going on for the kids at night. Definatly a pool. But I don't like noisy places, needs to be scenic and pretty! We like to walk along the coast. It needs to be a Cornwall abroad really! Big order really, but are there any shortcuts you can share you get the bill down? Any recomendations would be great. Thanks.

Brittany is Cornwall abroad. We went here.

Depending on your children's ages you may save money by booking independently. It's worked for us in the past because we stay in apartments and it saves on the under-occupancy supplements.

They will be 6 8 13.
Have sent for a brochure , thanks surfer mum.

Any more suggestions welcome please.......

You can save loads by booking accommodation direct with the owner, try holidaylettings, ownersdirect, holiday-rental and homelidays, choose a destination that budget airlines fly to, then find cheap flights.

Yes if you go to France in a mobile home and book directly with the campsite it shouldn't be much more than a week in Cornwall!

Agree with Surfermum and grapefruitmoon. If you ahve loads of tesco vouchers you can use them to pay for a holiday with canvas Life or Siblu. BUt Siblu is Haven Europe so it will benoisy and British!!

With canvas Life (used to be French Life) we've been to a few sites in Brittany:
Baden - campiong Mane Guernehue - best pool complex!
Le Guilvenic - Camping Village la Plage - right on beach
Raguenes - camping les 2 fontaines - fab pool complex and walking distance to beach but restaurant not v good.

oh! i went to raguenes last year. fantastic campsite! buy a cheap tent and drive over. do all your own cooking.

We were looking at holidays during the summer holidays and the best deals seem to be in spain.

If you move quickly you can get some pretty cheap midweek flights to Malaga or Alicante and then look for a villa or apartment in those areas. I saw some apartments for a few hundred pounds that would fit your family and then your main expense is the flights.

Hi went to spain for christmas with our 3 kids and it cost us £397 for 10 nights self catering in an apartment. We used skyscanner to find the accomodation and flights.

Cheap flights to Murcia in Spain too.

France is a definate but don't stay on the coast as its loads more expensive, just go inland a litle bit, so you can visit the coast but - far more peaceful, quiet - real france - lovely countryside, ideal for cycling and walking. Go independant in a self catering gite. Far cheaper than a campste on the coast and far nicer. Go to one that has a few gites together so there are other children to play with. Cheap flights to places like La Rochelle are on now - don't wait until late as all the places will be gone (and all the gites !) ut with 3 children its probably cheaper to go by ferry (plus you can bring lots of wine back !)

Last year we went to the south of France (so got warmth too) but previously have done Normandy and Brittany. Obviously Brittany stands out because of your Cornwall abroad comment. I would decide to either drive to Brittany or fly somewhere further south on a budget airline. We are thinking of flying to Girona and going to the Costa Dorada this year.

We went for Monday flights to Marseilles last year but you need to check that the accommodation is flexible re changeover dates.

If you like things going on a night for the kids I'd go for a campsite or hotel complex. Friends went to a gite with their kids and the kids fought all holiday as they were so used to amking friends etc at kids club, round the pool or at mini discos!! Obvioulsy not all families are like that but must admit it has put me off as my dd is kids club mad!!!

This yr we're going to a camp site in Italy and have booked cheap flights so no car this year!!!

French /Canvas Life do really cheap sites in the Italian Lakes and Portugal. If you don't have enough Tesco vouchers to pay for the holiday, find some campsites you like and try booking direct - loads cheaper!

Thanks for all your replies, I keep popping in for a look! We go camping in this country, for long weekends, so not soo bothered about that. My eldest son will be 14 next year, so could do with something to keep him entertained, such as a pool all day, and the entertainment at night. He is growing out of his younger brothers company, hence i think we need to do something for him next year. He is starting to get bored, I think, with families, as teenagers do!We always go down to cornwall, and just love the beaches and scenery, so would like somewhere as pretty as that, so not too built up, and overly commercialised. we went to Puerto Pollensa for a day trip a couple of years ago, if i could get it 'cheaper' that would be great

i forgot to add that everyone keeps saying about France, so am definatly going to look at that - sent for a brochure that surfermum recomended. prices were really good on that - cheaper than Cornwall cottage!

Consider a house swap: we've done them through Homelink and they are cheap (just travel costs) but best of all you get a proper house with toys for kids, bikes, decent cooking equipment, possibly friendly neighbours. Virtually all French towns have excellent municipal pools withtennis courts etc so teenage son can mooch around with soulmates... maybe bring a friend for him?

As Bozza says you nwill need to be careful with cheap flights (often midweek is cheapest) and changeover days (often w/ends for holiday apartments etc).

Firms like Canvas and Eurocamp are flexible - come and go when you like - but are more expensive than booking with the campsite direct.

Another tip, see when your school goes back in september, ours don't go back til the 8th so we have booked a place in france for the first week in September and it was half the price as the peak price in july/august.

Hi All,

We have a lovely cottage to rent in Normandy and are only 40 mins from the coast but we have a pool too.

Having recently had a baby girl we now are very baby and child friendly so you dont have to cart everything over with you.

Take a look

www.labellepetitemaison.com

Good Luck
Rach