How do people find holidays??

[Imnotdrinkingmerlot]

I know we've left it late, but currently trying to find a summer holiday. Budget is around 4k for for of us (2 adults, 2 primary dc) for 2 weeks in Europe in August. Is this unachievable? Wonder if we're being unrealistic.

Prices for flights are sky high (esp once factory in car hire), cross Channel ferries to brittany are sold out of cabins, dc don't like it too hot so ruling out southern Europe. Denmark appealed and not too expensive to get there, but prices really started racking up once in country costs were added.

We're looking to self cater, somewhere with hot tub/ pool. Possibly split site with mobile home in a campsite and house. Have we left it too late? Any websites people would recommend? Usually use air bnb/ sky scanner, but just can't find what we want. Every night is spent trying to work things out and I feel increasingly stressed! Anyone use an old fashioned travel agent who can put a trip together for you (rather than sell a package)?

Have a look at centre parcs in the netherlands, they go back to school earlier than the uk so prices can be cheaper towards the end of August. But i think your budget is probably low for 2 weeks and flights / ferry at fairly short notice.

Netherlands might be good as suggested above. Look at Roompot.com or landal.com as well as CP.

Eurocamp also have a number of sites in northern europe and prices don't look too bad.

Avoid first two weeks of August if possible as many European schools return mid August. Try Hoseasons, Interhome, tui villas, eurocamp. Pierre et vacances

If you don't have a specific destination in mind then start with your nearest airport and see where it flies to within europe. Then price up flights and decide what you can afford. Then search accommodation within an hour of that destination airport using at least your budget and traveller ratings as filters - (i use booking.com or Airbnb). £4k should be enough to get flights and accommodation and possibly car hire but you'd need spending money on top I would think.

The problem is your budget I’m afraid. You might get one week for that, but as you say car hire is £££! We just just spent £800 for a week in Italy, tiny car in September!!!

It might be cheaper to go for a city where you don’t need a car eg Barcelona, Dubrovnik, Stockholm and use Airbnb

This lady puts holidays together. We’ve used her several times. She’s great but you do have to be realistic about your budget (ie she can’t find holidays that just aren’t there).

You need to do the actual booking but she does all the research and gives you a fantastic list of options.

https://www.bookitbecki.com/

4k should be doable for flights and a non fancy apartment. Where would you be flying from?

We do mobile homes on campsites and search through the websites of the campsite operators. We’ve often gone to SUNELIA in Île de Ré and haven’t needed a car - taxi from La Rochelle and then bikes once there.

Why not try Skyscanners ‘everywhere’ in the destination box, if you are flexible. Maybe look for a town or city near a beach to save on car hire?

Try amivac.com

I am out of touch with it now, but campsites in the South of France used to be excellent value with good facilities

If DC don't like hot weather, I'd look at Northern France. Shortish journey. Domaine des Ormes is lovely with loads to do and there are several other Eurocamp places all with pools and on-site activities, all self-catering. You might be able to drive over which saves on extortionate car hire. If not Eurocamp have some fly-deals for as little as £1.4k flights inclusive for a 3-bed self-catering place in the Vendee over summer.

Eurocamp deals

Try Netherlands - we’re doing two weeks at the end of August for well under that budget. Ferry crossing only £200 (booked recently) and no hire car fees so rest of your budget can go onto accommodation.

https://www.booking.com/Share-235wXr

what about something like this in Holland. Plenty to do a round there and you can drive up from the ferry pets in Belgium quite easily and go for a day out into Amsterdam.

Have you looked at getting the Channel Tunnel? We’re going to a Eurocamp site in the Netherlands so the Tunnel is more convenient than the ferries.

We also did Normandy and Paris last year, two weeks for about half your budget.

How about South Central France? You can fly to Limoges, Poitiers or Brive reasonably and get a lovely gite and a hire car within budget. The weather should be hot but not unbearable. Personally I wouldn't choose the Dordogne (too many Brits), but you've got Charente, Creuse, Haute Vienne and Correze (which is stunning). If you base yourself in Haute Vienne or Creuse, you've also got Lac Vassiviere which is a fantastic place to visit.

I find most of mine on Holiday Pirates www.holidaypirates.com/packages/turkey-lalila-blue-suites?utm_source=UniversalAppAndroid

Or On the beach.

You can fly to Billund from Stansted in late August for £40 pp return on Ryanair, leaving loads of budget for accommodation, food and activities. There's a Center Parcs style resort and Legoland there and buses to other parts of Denmark (not sure on car hire costs). What does 4 days there and the rest of the time in Copenhagen look like?

Southern Germany? You can drive from Calais with maybe one overnight stay.

They often do more appartments than houses but you have brilliant public outdoor pools and waterparks/lakes.

We use Vrbo a lot for self catering.

If you don’t like it too hot but would still enjoy a nice sandy beach holiday try the polish riviera - it’s lovely and cheap. We are going this summer just by the German border in a place called Ahlbeck/ Swinoujscie. It’s an easy drive from the UK. You could stay on the polish side of the border for cheap accommodation prices and drive to Germany every day and explore the coast. Or fly to Gdańsk and do a beach stay in Sopot (city next to Gdańsk) with a massive pier and white sand wide beach. It’s my children’s second favourite place after Florida so that says it all!

www.landal.com

Many thanks all for the suggestions. I'm going to have another look tonight and feel a bit more inspired! We couldn't book earlier as for various reasons we couldn't commit to dates, and now panicking everything has sold out/ prices ramped up. But some new websites in your suggestions that I'll definitely check out. Wish we lived a bit closer to the south coast as shorter ferry crossing is much cheaper!

We often stay in the premier inn in Dover. Cheaper than getting the overnight crossings