Am I being naive with expecting too much for my money!?

[Stargirl2707]

I’m looking to go away in august as a family (2 adults and a 3 year old). Haven’t been abroad since before little one was born so have never needed to think of family friendly holidays before.

Anyway, I’ve done hours of searching and can’t seem to find many holidays below £2k which are short haul. I’ve been looking at All Inclusive thinking this would be the better option with a 3 year old who is likely to consume his body weight in ice cream 😂

But the hotels coming up are really big and I just don’t want to be rammed in where there’s 600 families all wanting to access the pool etc!

can anyone help me? Am I missing a trick somewhere with prices? Are there any recommendations on best holidays with a 3 year old where hotels may be smaller!?

thann you

September

Def go out of school holidays...as late as possible in august. Time it so schools go back when your away, it will be loads quieter and still warm most places

Why would you go in august? Surely the perks of having a 3 year old are that you can go early June or September?

I work in a school so unfortunately have no choice but to go in august. I believe going towards end of august is slightly cheaper than start of august.

Ferry to France and sone kind of camping ?

I'd go out of school holidays if you can as it will be cheaper. If you can't try very end of August.
Holidays have gone up a lot in last two years. We went all inclusive 4 star 1st week of Easter holidays last year was £415 each, same hotel equivalent week this year cost £500 each, we booked 9 months in advance and nearer the time it had increased by £100 per person. Next year the same hotel and equivalent week is £725 each (we're not going).
Have you tried Jet2holidays and played around with dates, airports etc. Just had a quick look you can get free child places and from about £1400 all inclusive. So is doable.

Unfortunately I think £2k all inclusive in the school holidays is a really good price so I don't think you'll find much for less while remaining all inclusive.

Holidays really have shot up in price recently.

Not sure which places you've looked at going but the Canary Islands, (some part of) Croatia, and Montenegro are generally cheaper than say Portugal, Mallorca, Greece. Although some places in Greece are cheaper than others but I think it's due to lack of things in the area/being further away from amenities in those cases.

I'd really recommend Croatia we've been to quite a few places there both pre kids and with our young daughter and it's one of my favourite places.

I'd really recommend .... saying you work in a school so are restricted in your OP as you're going to get a zillion replies saying go outside school dates now - oh for a Mumsnet edit button!!

Last week of August is the cheapest.
All inclusive is great if you are big drinkers or have teenagers but otherwise not cheaper. We did it with teenage boys who could eat 5 meals a day and mainline pop.
Price the same holiday up as half board and look at the cost to upgrade to AI- you'll probably fing it adds £4/500 to the holiday. Now think about how much you might spend on drinks, snacks and compare.
Look at where you are flying from and flight times. Jet2 often do a choice of flight times and the more unsociable times are cheaper.
Think about a self catering complex. Not to cook but just to give yourself more space and flexibility. Eating out is cheaper in most holiday destinations than UK.
With a 3 year old you might want to have a quiet drink when they are in bed, more doable in a 2 bed apartment.

August AI will be steep, you'll be better off looking at May or October half term and taking a bit of a gamble with the weather depending on location. You've likely left it a little late for this May, but if you look for next year you may find free child places.

Also, try to look right at the very end summer holidays, if you tip into September it usually drops (I appreciate as school staff you may have to go in on those straggler September days as inset days!)

I have to go in school holidays as well but book so the flight returns the day before I'm back in school. Have been know to get a flight late evening so have only had a few hours in bed before having to go to work!🥴 Makes a big difference in price and we book flights and villas separately.
Also where in the country are you as flying from Scotland is generally much cheaper.

https://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/rentals/playa-blanca/45764
Flights just over £1000 but no checked luggage ( flights pricing higher as supply and demand comes into play closer to departure).
Need to factor in transfers, think we normally pay about 150 Euros.
Plus points of a villa is own pool, visit supermarket and fill fridge with drinks and snacks. Breakfast by pool as well as an easy lunch. Meal out in the evening. Everything walkable no rush for sun-beds etc.

Also some of our best holidays when our Dc were younger were Eurocamp style holidays to France. They loved the ferry, Chanel tunnel, sometimes we would have a night in a hotel or and overnight crossing. You could just load up the car. DVD player in the back and lots of eye spy. Cool bag for picnic and snacks plus a frozen tub of bolognaise for the first nights meal. Could take their scooter, favourite toy etc. Always booked a mobile home with decking ( to contain said children) and often direct with the French site as cheaper if outside their school holidays.
We could sit outside in the evening having a drink when they gone to bed! Great fun to collect your baguette, croissants from the campsite shop in the morning. Miss those days!
Example of booking direct here

https://www.vacansoleil.co.uk/camping/france/loire-atlantique/la-bernerie-en-retz/camping-les-ecureuils-2022092/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI3L6HiZungIVp4BQBh0pDwKtEAAYAyAAEgJmKfDD_BwE&arrival=2023-08-26&departure=2023-09-02&datemargin=7

For peak season my slightly strange tip is not to book with the usual package holiday providers (Tui etc) or with a budget airline. I looked at long haul on Tui and British Airways, same hotel, BA was cheaper. Not by a lot when you consider the total holiday was thousands but a few £100, enough to cover airport parking! Similarly for this August EasyJet flights to a European destination are more expensive than BA business class by the time you add on seats, hand luggage and extra baggage that you take for a toddler. A quick search with BA found me 4* Canaries AI for £1400 (does tip into Sept and not sure when you’re back at work). As PP have said, holidays have shot up!

AI is only really good value if you're intending to drink a lot.
I'd look again for either Half board or Self catering.

we did Spain in august for £1200 for 4 which included flight’s villa with shared pool and car hire for 14 nights.

we flew from Scotland to Alienate
hired car from airport
villa was about 40 minutes south of Alicante.

we tended to have breakfast at the villa and eat out for lunch or tea.

unless you’re a raving alcoholic AI is not necessarily value for money add to that large hotels full of Birt’s abroad my idea of hell.

there’s a hotel we like in Portugal in January but in august it would be my idea of hell.

Somewhere like this in Menorca?

I think a lot of the cheaper all inclusive resorts will be those big hotels you describe - personally I don’t like that sort of holiday as I don’t find it relaxing. We tend to spend £2k for a family of four on flights and a week in an air bnb villa - have done the last few years in a few European destinations. Obviously we pay for food etc on top though.

if You aren’t in Scotland, is it possible to fly from Scotland once our lot go back to school which is usually around 18th August.

I think you’ll find it hard to find all inclusive in the summer holidays for that price now. Most of the good deals will be gone already. The canaries are probably your best bet and the last week of the summer holidays is usually cheaper, that’s when we tend to go.

I booked with On The Beach this year. We are now 4 adults. £1600 in July for a week in Greece. Lots of tavernas near by that are great value (I do not cook on holiday). Self catering but lovely apartments in a gorgeous area. That was with seats, luggage and private transfer added on. I hate large all inclusive hotels (unless you can afford the 5 star luxury ones!)

Thank you everyone. After hours of searching I dropped down from AI to half board. Found a beautiful hotel in a quieter part of the Algarve. Went to book and it was over £400 cheaper to be bed and breakfast instead. It worked out about £70 a day saving and there’s no way we’d spend £70 on tea out.
So £1700 for a 5* (not intentionally looking for such a high star rating but I think because it’s in a quieter area money goes further) bed and breakfast for 7 nights - flights/seats/baggage and transfers towards end of August.
thank you everyone x

@Stargirl2707 that's amazing well done, can you try to remember to pop back on and tell us what it's like?!

That's excellent. Well done