Potentially booking a villa abroad rather than an all inclusive package holiday - some help/ advice please

[Motherof1and2dogs]

So I have always booked my holidays via TUI or Jet2 where accommodation and flights are already sorted for you plus the option for all inclusive which I always opt for, but I am looking at booking a Villa holiday for next year to try something a little different. I have never gone anywhere self catering but I quite fancy the idea of having our own space, going out for food with the occasional meal at the villa (we will have a 3 year old and 10 month old at the time I am looking to go next year).

Just two things I wanted to ask but please any further advice or comments please tell me!

1. Is going self catering with 2 very young children more stressful? Baby will only just be weening but still mostly on bottles anyway
2. How do you even start the process of booking?! I can’t wrap my head around how you book flights and accommodation desperately making sure the dates of flights and accommodation match up. Do you book flights first or the other way around?

Thank you in advance!

@Doteycat it is this one. https://t.vrbo.io/zTviTSbpsUb

Thank you, STUNNING choice.

I never even thought of that site!!
Thats my morning sorted.
Waiting on a new washing machine to be delivered so im stuck at home lol

@Doteycat it does suck you in though. I must have looked at every villa in 5 countries before I chose!

The only - but major - issue I had with a villa holiday when ds was really small was pool access/open staircase - my mother kindly booked us a place but had forgotten what it is like looking after a small one. I had to watch ds 24/7 and the one time Dh gave me an hour off, ds fell in the pool. So look very carefully at how you can section off access to different areas of the house. Other than that, self catering is fantastic.

We always booked villas when the DC were young. Cheaper than all inclusive and more flexible re meals for them. I always made sure that the villa description included a dishwasher so I wasn't washing up. They usually come with a few basics like washing up liquid etc. Hire a car and do a supermarket shop. On occassion if the flight was getting in and supermarket would be closed I have asked the villa manager to get some milk bread etc in for me, sometimes a welcome pack is included. You just have to ask and figure out.

When my son was young I preferred Eurocamp or apartments in a nice resort complex and with facilities, also had a villa once , but all on one level and with no pool. As others have said I feel iffy about easy access to pools and stairs with very young kids- once my son Got to around 6 though and could also swim then villas were great - with pools too . Personally though I’m not keen on things in the middle of nowhere as I like to be able to get some space on a personal level without all going out ‘en masse’ ( and I don’t drive) I like to just be able to pop out for an hour - on my own -my H is the same too . I think with villas in particular it’s really important for them to suit what your expectations are - if you want to eat out and have a drink out every night , useless being away from some life ! If you intend to cook or BBQ and sit round the villa with kids in bed, then it doesn’t matter nearly as much .

I hate villa holidays, I also thought it would be better with small children. It wasn’t. It was boring and hard work and not a holiday at all. Are you sure you don’t want your breakfast served and your bed made and the mini disco? Not to mention all the drinks and the ease. If you holiday in a villa you are just looking after your kids in the same way but less convenient because you don’t have all your things!

It's rare to find a kids club for a 3 year old and the baby also means the OP will look after children.

What is good when breakfast is served when my child is up and hungry at 6am and the buffet only opens at 8.30am (8am only for bread, jam and cereals).

It all depends on the family and I do know people with toddlers who slept long but that wasn't us.

I also shudder thinking of the mini disco bit. But we always went out most days, hardly stayed at the hotel for a full day anyway.

We've done both and there's definitely pros and cons to each but I think the OP was looking fir advice re the booking side of things?
I would say to chose the location first as it's overwhelming looking at all the villa choices!!
I have found the standard of accommodation is better in France. And I've rented villas lots of different countries. Short flight and lots of them or the Eurostar is fantastic with children.
The pools in France I believe have to be fenced: covered.
Quite often the villas rent Saturday to Saturday so not a lot of flexibility with the flights. Maybe air b and b is more flexible,
It's so difficult to get it right though we went to Ibiza last year and booked through a local agent . Yes the local restaurants were with walking distance but up a huge steep flight of stairs so carrying pushchairs kids etc was a nightmare.
I would also say if you hire a car take out specialist car hire insurance! My friend was stung very badly for a tiny mark on the car that she doesn't remember happening.
It is lovely to have space and privacy though!!
Good luck hope you find a perfect villa.

You can still book a self catering package holiday. However, you can also just book your own flights and then book a villa on booking.com or similar. We found self catering better at that age (and any age, really). The children can be put to bed when they are tired and you don't have to sit in the hotel room in the dark with them. You can drink wine on the patio, or in the living room. Obviously you'll need to pack some toys for them. Back when mine were toddlers we had a nice holiday we booked on a site called "baby friendly bolt holes". Don't know if they are still a thing, but everything was childproofed, stair gates were on, and the property had a little shed with garden toys in it.

If you want self catering but also activities for children, you could try something like a euro camp or similar. Not as spacious or private as avilla, but you have the facilities and pool onsite.