has anyone spent the whole summer in holiday accommodation in the UK?

[blueskiesandforests]

Idle pondering for 2018 really. We're reading Swolliws and Amazons at bedtime and before that read Five Children and It - obviously both books are coming up to 100 years old... But the kids have become very keen on the idea of spending the whole summer in the UK instead of just going on a week's holiday or staying with relatives.

I couldn't cope with more than a week staying with family an even that's pushing it and a holiday cottage for the summer would probably be far too expensive. I could save up my holiday days and take 3-4 weeks off work though, it's something colleagues have done in the past...

Has anyone found a more economical way to stay for a longer holiday without staying with friends or family? Glamping or university or boarding school accommodation maybe? Any ideas? House swap probably not an option as DH probably would come for the entire time.

*for 2019 that should say

Airbnb will often do longer stay discounts.

I have looked into this in the past and not been able to do it affordably. Even with long stay discounts you’re looking at 10k plus for 6 weeks in well equipped houses in ‘swallows and amazons’ type locations, albeit to be fair I was only really looking south of London due to where our families live. Also it’s often hard to get 6 straight weeks as owners have repeat bookings from long standing stayers. We now spend 2 weeks in our own house in the West Country ( don’t need to pay but there’s still the opportunity cost of not renting it out for those 2 weeks) and then I spend 3 weeks with my parents who live in a nice part of the country. It does require compromise on both sides but they are hands on with the dc and look after them while I work ( do 2 days a week in my employer’s London office). This year has been helped by the amazing weather so we’ve been out all the time. Last year I spent a week going to soft play everyday. It was long .

I think the cheapest way of doing it is to buy a secondhand touring caravan with decent facilities and sleeping arrangements and hire a semi-seasonal pitch on a campsite of your choice. Semi-seasonal run from approx Whitsun to the end of September. You leave your caravan totally set up for that period.

Thanks Chilli - I read this then did some Google research. I guess it would work if we could buy a caravan in the UK and sell the caravan on again afterwards, perhaps after paying to have it stored in the site over winter... A decent enough second hand 6 birth caravan which would be nice enough to be happy to spend a whole month in looks as though it would be at leadt £7000, so it'd be a gamble on reselling it. If we could it would be a perfect solution.

That's what I thought Johnny - I'm just not capable of being a good house guest for very long, that combination of being uncomfortable and inconvenienced and managing everyone's expectations and keep the kids quiet and calm, stop them grumbling and keep them safe 24/7 while having to be grateful, unrelentingly cheerful and humble about it because you know you're inconveniencing your hosts is something that I can only maintain for a few days! It's infinitely harder work than being at work! I'm in awe of people who can do it, I'm not a good enough actress, or selfless enough.

Happy Airbnb might well be worth investigating, I've never actually used Airbnb. Have you successfully managed a long Airbnb stay at a non astronomical price in the past?

Sort of. We plan a circular route around the UK, rent a car, and stay in a mix of short-rental houses, Centreparcs locations, and motel/hotel. For the coming summer we might stay put in Lake District and Bath. Another good site for bookings is holidaycottages.co.uk

That's what I thought Johnny - I'm just not capable of being a good house guest for very long, that combination of being uncomfortable and inconvenienced and managing everyone's expectations and keep the kids quiet and calm, stop them grumbling and keep them safe 24/7 while having to be grateful, unrelentingly cheerful and humble about it because you know you're inconveniencing your hosts is something that I can only maintain for a few days! It's infinitely harder work than being at work! I'm in awe of people who can do it, I'm not a good enough actress, or selfless enough

This is brilliant, so spot on!
Following this thread with interest, sounds like an excellent plan in theory!

Ha- my first thought was... unaffordable!
Do any relatives live somewhere suitable and you could camp nearby? You’d have privacy and independence and the option to do washing, shelter if you get flooded it rains.
Do you livey somewhere swappable? If so I’d contact some schools in the Lake District or South Hams offering an exchange with a teacher.

Typically we do 8-10 weeks in the uk.
First few days, and last week, with my parents. The rest in rented accomadation, with one week as a holiday for us, not visiting people and buying school shoes etc!
BUT, we have the advantage of being off set from uk holidays (summer holidays start early June), so visit the more expensive places (London) early on, and leave the cheeper (Midlands and NW) til peak season. We don't stay in one place more than 2 weeks - but want to visit people in at least 4 locations.

Most of the families leave Saudi for the summer. People either stay with family, use the family house which remains empty most of the year, some have a static caravan. I'm not aware of many (any?) who do it like we do, but i just take it as part of the cost of living here. I would climb the wall with 13 week holidays in 50C heat. My father wouldn't cope with us all there all summer, and the family house is rented. Its the next choice.