Summer Holidays

[mhvp]

Has anyone any great ideas on somewhere easy and good for Mum and Dad to go on holiday with 1 year old?

mhvp, have you looked at babygoes2.com, lots of good ideas. Have you checked the mumsnet list of best holidays voted here.

Do you want to be here or abroad?

Do you feel able to hand your baby over to nannies, or do you want to be together all the time?

At age one you need somewhere where baby can keep pretty much to routine, simple journey etc.

We kept to Cornwall for first few summer holidays and are now braving venturing abroad, aaagh!

We enjoyed Fowey Hall in Cornwall, very homely, nursery if you want to book baby in for an hour or two, babysitters in eve, fantastic food, lovely beaches and places to visit. We felt we'd actually had a holiday too, which when you've got children is a very pleasant surprise!

Thanks ems I will try website you suggest. Would love to hand baby over to nanny but feel she might be a bit cross as she likes mums but will try to for a hour or so. I would prefer abroad somewhere anyone with other suggestions?

here's a great idea for this years summer holidays.The sun newspaper does 9.50 holidays,they offer holidays for families for £9.50 per person per break. you just collect the tokens that are published in the paper beginning 5th January. The breaks are for 3 or 4 nights or combine both for a weeks holiday.There are 230 parks to choose from throughout Britain and this time round they are offering breaks in France,Spain and Italy also.These holidays are totally fabby especially if you have young kids and cause they are so cheap(costing £56 inclusive of insurance for 5 people for 4 nights)they are ideal for single parents,those who are financially challenged(skint in other words)and those of us who wish to have more than 1 holiday a year. I go with my friend and our kids in about April then go another later on in the year with dh and kids.You find yourself in the same accomadation as those who paid brochure prices and are entitled to all the same facilities.The paper lists all the parks to choose from but if you get the Haven brochure and the British holidays brochure you can look up all the parks in Britain.And p.s no i dont work for the sun i just think these holidays are such a bargain and hardly anyone seems to know about them so thought i would let everyone in on them.

Loobie, my friend takes her nieces and they have such a good time, dressing up for the early evening discos together, swimming pools etc. A real bargain.

Mmmm, but you'd have to buy the Sun!

Ah well I have a bit of insider info here!! I just happen to work for a parenting magazine,and my client just so happens to be Haven and British holidays! Now I know that they do this offer in the Sun, but it isn't just them there are lots of other smaller companies who also offer allocations to the Sun. They also do loads of other offers like this elsewhere (usually at about £13.50 per person) such as Take a Break or Chat magazines and the like) they are also doing an offer with us very soon, but this won't be available until March.

I think these Sun breaks are great and this year will certainly look at them. No-one has to actually see you buy the Sun (you can hide it in your shopping!)

Other than these I went two summers ago (with a 15 month old) to France in a Moblie home type jobby. It was great, at this age it is easier travelling by car(since they sleep and you can take huge amounts of kit) However this year with one 3 yr old and one year old we are sticking to England, and looking at a max distance of 3 hrs. Centre Parcs is great and they also have a creche at the Elevden Forest one. This is a slightly cheaper option to the posh hotel thing.

Another thing to look at is specilised companies like Sun Esprit (they do summer holidays in the Alps, like their Ski Stuff) or Mark Warner. Really it depends on budget, a cheapie will be harder work but maybe better on the purse strings, a posh one will give everyone a break. I was looking into other companies (for work purposes) and saw that Thompson even have proper creches now, they have a special family brochure which covers certain places. You can even book baby food packs, buggies, cots, highchairs, play equipment etc in advance. This seems to be a middle ground pricewise, and may have some nice places. It depends on what you want form a holiday, and how near other yelling kids you want to be!!!

Yeah, but it's still money for the reptile Murdoch though , isn't it?

Loobie and Crunchie, thanks for making a cold January day feel a bit warmer! I've never heard of these Sun breaks. They are incredibly cheap! Do they offer any kids clubs or is it stricly no frills?

Sorry Tinker, I do agree with you in principle, bu I'm just so weak...

I'm going to stick my head above the parapet here and confess that I work for said "reptile". The reason I have changed my nickname is not because I'm ashamed of this fact but because I want to preserve my anonymity in case a work colleague was to log onto this site and could work out who I was.
Anyway, firstly the holidays are a huge success and loads of people take them up. Secondly, I've got to just say this...compared to other places I've worked, this is the best for family friendly working arrangements, benefits etc. Loads of women work here and the company is flexible about working hours/days, offers good maternity/paternity leave and even childcare vouchers. I won't comment on business policies as I'm sure you already have your opinions on those, but I just wanted you to know that there are genuine human beings who rely on businesses such as the Sun to be able to provide for their children.

Undercover, fancy a job swap? eek! did I just say that?

Tigermoth these holidays have all the usual kids clubs well the ones i went on had.I'm from scotland and have been to Haggerston castle park and the Haven park in Ayr with this one being the best. They have a kids club called paws for 1 to 4 year olds then a club for 5 to 10 or 11 yo then one for teenagers.Obviously with the really young you are required to stay with them but the older ones have activities on their own.The Haven brochure advertises these clubs at all their parks(i think).They have pantomimes,quizzes,theme nights and everything else you can expect from a holiday camp site.If you get the brochures (haven and British holidays)you can look up any site you fancy and see exactly what is offered on that particular one.I dont know how to find out about the foriegn sites only the British ones sorry.Hope this enlightens you a little.

I know I go on abou C.Parcs but the creche at Elveden Forest has just had a major refurb. Costs £8.50 per 2.5 hour session from age 3 months. Both mine loved it, for the older kids they do themed sessions like Native Americans so my DS came back with a headdress he'd made.

Babysitters are excellent value at £3.80 per hour and you can book during the day or eve. Ours was wonderful and read them stories she'd brought with her and tucked them in.

I'd recommend the restaurants especially the Italian and the fondue night and can't wait to go back at Easter. R.

I get enough stick for being a DM reader, I think I would get pelted with rotten eggs if I was caught reading The Sun!
Joking apart, if these Sun hols are as good as they sound, I'm game, seeing as I am still paying for last years holiday and the bank is already sending snotty letters about being past the overdraft limit.

Ah but do you let anyone see you buy the DM?

My vote goes to Center Parcs. We went last May with our two sons, then 2 1/2 and 5 months. It was just so set up for children and their parents. Restaurants and coffee shops with play areas, toddlers gym sessions, places to walk/paddle/swim, parks, no cars, cots by the pool etc etc. We all enjoyed it so much, we are going back in Feb. The one downside is that it is expensive in high season (hence February!) but to balance that against other holidays, you don't use your car, you don't need to eat out as you can walk back from wherever you are to eat at your villa and you can keep your child perfectly busy without doing anything that you pay extra for. There is a babysitting service too.

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We have had all our holidays at Bedruthan Steps Hotel in Cornwall, apart from one because we couldn't get a booking and we went to their sister hotel up the road - Sands Resort, whilst our two eldest boys were young. The creches are fantastic, evening baby listening or clubs/creches, soft play, swimming pools inside or out, over looking great beach - if the weather is great there is no where better than this country in our opinion and if it rains then there is plenty to keep a toddler occupied in the hotel and lots of places to visit. Great food for adults and entertainment, only if you want it - we were too tired - from 9.30pm. This year, we now have another boy who is currently 10 weeks old, we're braving abroad and driving to Northern France to stay in a Key Camp mobile home.

DH and I (and the kids of course) go on the Sun holidays every year, if we are going abroad we will do a couple of weekends, if we are not going abroad we apply for enough offers to make up a full week or fortnight.

The sites we have stayed on so far;

Riviere Sands - Cornwall
St. Ives Holiday Village - Cornwall
Bude Holiday Park - Cornwall
Widemouth Bay Caravan Park - Cornwall
Woolacombe Bay Holiday Village - Devon
Ruda Holiday Park - Devon
Torquay Holiday Park - Devon
Greenacres - Wales
New Quay - Wales
Haggerston Castle - Northumberland

Every one of these holidays we have enjoyed, even if you're not keen on the accommodation (which you can upgrade at most places once your booking is confirmed), who says you have to stay indoors?

All but one of the sites had kids clubs, but we rarely use them, most days we tend to go out.

For those of you that don't know - The Sun also do these breaks during the summer. I think the cost is £15 per person (minimum 4 people) - still a bargain.

mhvp - we went to Majorca for 2 weeks when dd was only 9mths, we had no problems at all. In fact we went to a casino to see a variety show, took dd, food was included for DH and I but not dd, but, the waiter asked if he could bring anything for her - we asked if she could have an omelette, when we had our meal, she had one too. We usually find foreign holidays more accommodating for youngsters. Went to Ibiza with dd age 3yrs 10ths, and ds age 10mths - again no probs. On both occasions we went out of the main season and got good deals. Good luck with whatever you do.

robinw - I've just seen your posting, this years offers include the Easter holidays, June half term, and October half term. And as I mentioned on my previous posting the summer. Usually we put together a couple of offers and go away August Bank Holiday week!

Ha ha Tigermoth - see, that got you thinking at least! I may complain about my job at times but I know which side my bread's buttered.
Robinw and others who may be interested...I can't promise anything but if your principles can stand it (! ) I might be able to snaffle a few tokens from work when the offer is running (trouble is, everyone goes for them so it's a case of getting in first) I'll let you know.

Who needs principles when you can get really good holidays at prices like that!!

I told my DH about the Sun offer. His response was "It looks like we'll be staying at home this year, then." Methinks I'll be sneaking a look at the papers in the newsagents tomorrow, though.

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Ailsa, do they do the Isle of Wight, do you know. THen I may be persuaded!.....