Have you had a good holiday with under 4s? Need inspiration for a cheap but all round holiday!

[bintofbohemia]

We haven't had a holiday (apart from camping in the UK) since we had DS1 nearly 4 years ago and we really want to have a holiday this year before DS1 starts school.

But, as we've never done it with kids we have no idea what to do. A pool would be good but obviously the days of lounging by it are gone, so we need loads of other stufff to do which will keep us all entertained.

We have up to about £1000 for 4 of us for up to two weeks. Any advice appreciated!

I hope the silence doesn't mean that no-one has ever had a good holiday with small children?

Really - no one? Help!

Haha. Well they aren't holidays so much with under 4s are they?! Just normal life, but more awkward because you're not at home!

We have a holiday cottage in Brittany available to rent this year. Not going to say any more as don't want to be done for advertising but if you are interested you can email me - sophie @ rabbitandco co uk

I went to a caravan park in Cornawall with my 3 year old daughter and 10 month old son. The sites have pools and playgrounds and the beach is close by. One of the best and most unexpected parts was the club house bar, every evening around 6.30 - 7, they had an hour or two of kids entertainment and played games like musical chairs and statues etc and then just a little disco. My 3 year old daughter loved it, and the 10 month old was entertained just watching it. A couple of evenings we ate in there too which saved all the hard work cooking in the caravan. By the time we got back to the caravan at night the kids were dog tired and slept really well. I sat back and watched tv and had some red wine enjoying the peace. Good Luck . Just make sure you are close to a beach.

Ooh thinker's sounds much better than my idea.

Oh and a friend of mine went here last year:

www.trevathanfarm.com/

Thank you for the tips! Cornwall is my favourite place but we were thinking about going abroad for a change (last time we went to Cornwall we spent a fortune and the weather was pants, at least if we go aborad we'll spend less!)

Probably not want you want to hear but our unexpectdly best holiday was at a haven holiday park last year with 3DSs aged 4, 2, and 10 weeks.

The boys thought it was fantastic and because it was so child friendly we were more relaxed than ever. It was only 4 nights but the boys still talk about it regularly as the best holiday ever!

I would say anywhere with a beach, my two are happy as larry with one.

We went to Portugal last Oct (to Prai da Luz), which was quiet and lovely....depends if you are stressy about the M McCann thing though??

Second the beach/pool thing - and a playground. Since having dd we have done a variety of Siblu/Canvas holidays and have always had a fab time. Last year dd went to the kid's club for the first time and really enjoyed it. Always other kids to play with, entertainment for them in the early evenings etc then you get them in bed and chill out with a bottle of wine. We normally alternate pool/beach/day out somewhere.

We've also done Pierre et Vacances - similar vibe but apartment instead of mobile home.

I really depends on what you and your family like doing.

We have had great holidays as a family since DD was borna nd she is now 8y.

We like self catering. We like to hire a lovely villa somewhere with a pool, and have a car for exploring. Lovethe freedom and flexibility it govesyou.

In terms of shorthaul, we have really enjoyed France and Majorca, and also had a lovely time in the countryside of the Czech Republic.

DD is not a beach person, but loves a pool (or if in an apartment a hot tub). I need to be doing stuff - visiting places, etc. I can't be doing with sitting doing nothing. And I hate the idea of all inc hotels, kids clubs, etc. DH loves a pool and also likes a mix of being out and about, and playing in the pool with DD.

Agree with anyone who suggested self catering/ beach anywhere you can afford. If you can get away during term term it will obviously be a lot cheaper too.

I love being in the water so a pool on the doorstep would be essential, and near the sea... I woudl really love to go somewhere like Pompeii (big historical site freak) but need to balance that with the kids not wanting to do that kind of thing.

Packages are by far the cheapest, but I don't really want anything packagey, IYSWIM. Can villas and flights seperately work out cheaper/the same?

(Rabbit - sounds interesting, where is it? Will email...)

We found a very cheap package to Corfu, a small resort, a basic ground floor apartment in a very small block which had a shared pool and was within walking distance of the beach. It was lovely.

Have a look on the Thomson late deals page, search the next 6 weeks, Greece, Turkey, Spain, Portugal, Croatia (untick all the long-haul etc) self catering, lots of nice places for the end of June from about £200 per person, for 14 nights!

I Don't think you will be able to get anything around the Amalfi coast for around £1000 unless you go very out of season and even then I think it may be a struggle.

When are you looking to travel?
Self catering accommodation and flight can work out cheaper than a package but it just depends where you are planning to go. Remember you may have to factor car hire in too.
Maybe start looking at pricing up some flights to where you would like to go and then see if you can also get accommodation there within your budget.

You can get packages that are simply s/c accommodation, flights and transfers that can be v cheap out of school hols, aren't all big highly developed hol resorts / big hotels, and have the convenience of transfers if you don't want the expense of hiring a car.

or else look at a site like OwnersDirect or OwnersAbroad for accommodation and then check out flights.

Last year we went to Turkey in v reasonably priced accommodation (through a company called PeninsulaVillaCare or something) and found our own cheap flights.

We have been with our two girls to Turkey several times. We stay in an apartment right by the beach and they are happy in the swimming pool or playing on the sand.

Turkey is great value for money as it is cheaper to eat out than anywhere in the eurozone it is also very child friendly.

I have been to Pompeii and it is wonderful but I wouldn't take our children there until they were a bit older as it would be too tiring for them. Italy is also quite expensive. There are plenty of historical sites in Turkey too.

I would rent a cottage with another family with young children. Someone who has similar ideas on parenting would be a better idea than your best friend.

DCs play and you have adult company in the evning. You can even agree to babysit for each other a couple of times so you have a night out as a couple knowing the DCs are safely tucked up and under the care of someone you trust

camping in france, if you don't mind driving and as you can go out of school hols, can be aound £600 for 2 weeks in a tent - we've had some lovely hols with DTs who are now 6, just relaxing by the pool, playing on the swings etc

We've been to Centerparcs in Holland with our DD several times. From there we've been to Amsterdam, to the Efteling theme park (ideal for littlies) and some lovely beaches.

Where in Turkey, Nefret?

We go to Gumbet near Bodrum as we used to live there.

Package holidays may be your best bet with the ash cloud. Pretty sure that if the return flight is cancelled then your holiday company will sort accomodation for you.

I have been to quite a lot of places with my dc's and I find greece is great. They are so welcoming to children. Off to menorca this year which is also supposed to be child friendly.

We've had fantastic holidays with under-4s and they generally involved a self-catering villa with a creche i.e. what Simply Travel offers. We have done Greece (Crete), Zykynthos, & Corsica with Simply.

Its your budget that brings me to pause but its much more achievable in term time at the beginning or end of the season (June or Sept) which is when its the best weather to go anyway.

Otherwise I'd try Siblu/Canvas or similiar in France, and drive there using tesco vouchers for the eurotunnel.