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Living overseas

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Original poster

Where do you stay when you visit UK?

39 replies

Mummysaysno · 29/01/2013 08:01

Just that really...previously we've stayed with my parents, but I find it hard work keeping children quiet, getting them to sleep with time difference, making meals for them etc. This year thinking of renting a short term let in the South East...really interested to know what others do, and any good websites to use!

OP posts:
EIizaDay · 29/01/2013 10:19

I think it's much more relaxing having our own place so we rent privately usually. Airbnb is a good website.

Original poster
Mummysaysno · 30/01/2013 10:01

Thanks...I'll look at that site!

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MELanglands · 01/02/2013 18:03

If family and friends have the accommodation and we are welcome, then we stay with them. However we can't always see them all but there is an ongoing invitation each year for them to come and visit us. We only stay in rented accommodation if the alternative is impossible. The cost of the air fares and kennels is enough.

RichManPoorManBeggarmanThief · 02/02/2013 05:08

I go home for a month and base myself at my parents for 2 weeks, and then DH's parents for 2 weeks.

It's effing expensive to rent in the UK short term. I was looking at a holiday cottage in Poole for 2 weeks, and it was going to cost close to £3.5k (admittedly it's Poole, and it's July, but even so). It was nice, and there were more basic places available, but I'm slightly reluctant to pay money to stay somewhere that isn't as nice as my own home.

I stay at my parent's when we're over that way (which is great, as DH not there and so my parents help with the DC a lot), and then holiday home when we're near PIL's as they moved to an apartment and cant put us all up. This year a lovely friend of MIL's is lending us their home as they're on holiday, which is such a godsend.

Before I had DC I was happy to move around all the time, but now it's just too much hassle. I cant deal with living out of a suitcase and different beds/ total lack of any routine for the kids for a month.

BlameItOnTheBogey · 02/02/2013 05:26

Can I strongly recommend this website which pulls together a number of other rental sites (such as airbnb mentioned above) into one site. Am currently MN'ing at from a lovely rental place in Notting Hill thanks to that site (and a good does of jet lag...)

ClaudiaSchiffer · 02/02/2013 05:30

I go over on my own with the kids, dh stays here (oz). So we base ourselves at my folks and then do a round of lovely friends for a few nights each. My children are now 5 & 7 though so happy to trundle around with me, when they were younger we just stayed at my parents (and I jollied off on my own).

When dh did come back with me (the first time) he racked up a HUGE bill at a London hotel and spent $$$$s going out partying with all his mates. It's far cheaper for him to stay at home Grin

ClaudiaSchiffer · 02/02/2013 05:35

Jeezus BlameItOnTheBogey, I've just had a look on that website for places to stay near my folks (Cotswolds) and it's all SO EXPENSIVE! I'm massively out of touch with the cost of accommodation but crikey! It would double the cost of our stay if we had to stay elsewhere.

Longdistance · 02/02/2013 05:54

I stay at fils and mils.

We would stay at my mum and dads if their house was bigger and if my 40 year old brother moved out, they'd be bags of space for us all

C0smos · 02/02/2013 05:56

With my parents, couldn't afford to go otherwise, a few meals out, car hire and day trips usually cripples us financially. The UK is so expensive for holidays.

Original poster
Mummysaysno · 02/02/2013 09:42

Oooh thanks everyone. There'll be three kids and a new baby this summer...I think we'll need our own space as it's been so stressful last couple of times with three kids, as my parents don't like sharing the washing machine/kitchen...I spend most of the days trying to avoid arguments!...can't imagine how my parents would handle baby crying in the night and all the extra stuff like baby bottles in fridge etc. In laws are totally unhelpful so they're not an option. If it's too expensive I'd rather not travel!

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MrTumblesBavarianFanbase · 02/02/2013 17:46

We stayed in a static caravan on a holiday/ caravan park last time - the fact we weren't staying with my parents meant my DH actually felt like coming with us, and the whole thing was less stressful than previous visits, and I even managed not to have a major row with my mother...

We were half an hour's drive from my parents and walking distance to the beach and a little town - much more conveniently located than my parents' home and made it a holiday rather than a duty visit (though the caravan got cold at night and the park was a bit Butlins-esque, which my husband grumped about as our previous caravan park experience has all been in Italy and Croatia)!

It was a bit cheaper than a holiday cottage or flat of comparable size, especially in a comparable location. We have 3 children who were 6, 4 and 13 months at the time. I have done caravan holidays with almost newborns but in warmer climates, not in the UK...

sleepdodger · 02/02/2013 21:19

Can you house swap?

ClaudiaSchiffer · 03/02/2013 07:42

Good idea sleepdodger, has anyone actually done it though - obv SOME people have actually done it, just wondered if it's worked out for anyone on MN.

Salbertina · 03/02/2013 09:33

We did but only thro local connections, not one of the online sites...were v v lucky
Tend to mix it up on our stays- normally includes a couple of Travelodge stays. They're not characterful in any way but have cheap, clean family rooms (if u book way ahead) and are normally centrally located.

Original poster
Mummysaysno · 03/02/2013 13:45

Finding these posts v helpful...hadn't thought of travel lodge either.
We did a holiday a few years ago while still living in UK in caravans...I loved it! Yes I do remember how cold it would get at night, and generally bring afraid one night after three days of heavy rain in Cornwall that we would be swept out to sea...but it was fun! (And the terrible 'entertainment' at the campsite club, which ended in the entertainer getting angry at all the children for not laughing....cringe!!!)
House swap...I don't know if I would...not sure why really!!!

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soapnuts · 04/02/2013 04:31

We always used to stay with PILs for a few days to a week max (couldn't last much longer as house is teeny tiny) then to my parents for a couple of weeks - often PILs would come down for a couple of days (luckily PILs and parents get on like a house on fire - v odd!) while we're there. This usually meant though that DH didn't get to see much of his parents for the short time he'd join us and he didn't see the rest of his family at all.

Last summer we bit the bullet and rented an apartment close to his family which worked out brilliantly - we saw the family every day but weren't under each others feet. It actually worked out so well that we ended up buying a house to stay in when we go back (of course that's only possible because of the ridiculously low house prices in PILs area - couldn't have afforded it elsewhere!!) Eventually we'll rent it out for holiday lets to help pay the bills but at the moment we're still doing it up - I have to say it's made the world of difference to the length and the enjoyment of our stays - we were there for two months over the summer and even longer over xmas (though that was unusual circumstances). We'll be there for 8 weeks again this coming summer and it has been amazing for DS to spend more time with his cousins and the rest of the family.

Of course renting/buying somewhere is costly but we look at it as our annual holiday and only ever take short breaks away from here now. weirdly enough we've become total home birds (after years and years of saying we'd never go back) and thoroughly enjoy our holidays back in the UK - it's really hard to leave! also MIL and I have become much closer as we're not under each others feet all summer and don't get to the "I'm going to kill her" stage like we did when we were staying with her. It's also become a bit of a regular holiday jaunt for friends/my family (well my parents virtually live there anyhow!) who come over everytime we're back for a weekend which is fab as it means we don't have to traipse around visiting.

SissySpacekAteMyHamster · 04/02/2013 04:37

We have always stayed with family, however, it is a bit of squash, so this year we have decided to rent an apartment. I think having our own base will make things so much easier.

ClaudiaSchiffer · 04/02/2013 07:22

God soapnuts that sounds ideal.

Would your finances stretch to a little place in the Cotswolds for me? Grin

Original poster
Mummysaysno · 04/02/2013 09:45

I always thought Virgo Fidelis was Catholic...thanks. All the replies are so helpful as so want to find the right school that can accept him at his speed!

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Original poster
Mummysaysno · 04/02/2013 09:47

Of course previous post makes no sense as it was for another thread I'm on...never try to text during kids dinner time!!!

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differentnameforthis · 04/02/2013 12:03

We stayed with relatives & it was difficult. Next time we go we will find a cheap rental somewhere, that way people can also come to us instead of us being the ones who do all the travelling.

Be careful with Travel lodges. We stayed in a couple for a nigh here & there & some of them are grim now. Premier Inn are much better!

Engelsemama · 04/02/2013 14:06

If staying for a week we tend to rent a holiday let, but were disappointed with last one. For the last year we've gone with Holiday Inn as so close to my parents, good value if you book early enough (and we often only go over for a long weekend). Often we get with breakfast but not always. Close enough to my mum and dad's to go and rustle up dinner there if we want to, or a really nice Beefeater over the road.

Original poster
Mummysaysno · 05/02/2013 01:25

Very impressed with airbnb so far...great selection of lets, with price range of an apartment in central London through to cottage on Kent coast...so suits a range of budgets. Hopefully about to book and that will be straightforward! We may have the odd night or two inbetween our holiday lets in which case I will look at travel inn...hopefully if it's just a night and isn't great we can grin and bear it!

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Binfullofmaggotsonth45 · 14/02/2013 21:20

We have mixed it up on our last few visits.

Usually we have a little tour of friends around Brighton and Hampshire to stay with for a few days as we make our way from Dover to the west. Sometimes a stop at a Premier Inn (agree with the comment on Travelodge btw).

Last Feb we rented a wooden chalet in Yorkshire. It had two spare rooms and a hot tub so people came to see us thanks to the lure of an evening in the hot tub under the stars! It was through Forest Holidays. We then got the overnight ferry back from Hull to Rotterdam which was an experience (stag night prison).

In the summer we met halfway in a campsite near Brugge. That meant both DB and his family got a holiday too and it was nice to adventure together.

We tend to luckily be out of UK school hols a lot of the time.

We have a wedding in Wales in the Autumn which thankfully is in DS holiday time so I have rented a cottage through Owners Direct. It had a spare room to invite a family member round to look after DS as it's a no kids affair, even though we have no option but to bring him with us.

But as most people probably experience, you have to do all the legwork in organizing trips and visits and shelling out for property and travel, dinner etc, as it's your fault you chose the lifestyle. Yet if I make one visit here due to work and don't manage to see every last friend and family member they all get the right hump!

This half term we've said arses to all and rented a luxury apartment in Dubai! Everyone is welcome to come over if they can make it though! Wink

Lavenderhoney · 16/02/2013 05:26

The first time I stayed with family and friends alone with the dc and it was awful. The second time I rented in the Cotswolds and it was much better. I used google to see private websites and holiday lettins/ owners direct. I also use the trips to the uk to stay in different places like Cornwall for a week and see the beaches etc. I also stay in France and rent there. If your home trip is all summer then you could look at a week or so in a villa in Spain too and people join you.

It's the car hire that makes me gulp though! Can't do without a car though.

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