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UK travel

Welcome to our UK travel forum where you can get advice on everything from holidays to exotic destinations, to tips on London travel.

Original poster

How much do you spend on a UK holiday?

29 replies

ReluctantEarlyRiser · 25/08/2020 07:05

I'm asking because we always end up in shitty caravan parks in run down sea side towns. One day I'd like to go to somewhere a bit more luxurious with a hot tub and a TV that works when it rains! My friends seem to manage to find nice places. Why can't I? Or do they just have more money Hmm

OP posts:
Howcanwehelp · 25/08/2020 07:07

This week 550 for a week in an apartment in Wales. It's fine and with the weather I'm glad I'm not in a tent or caravan. It's not a tourist area but we're having day trips out and seeing the beautiful countryside. Normally it's a bit more for 5 days at a haven park.

Yearinyearout · 25/08/2020 07:10

Depends when it is and where it is. We don't have school age kids so can go out of holidays when it's a bit quieter.

Normally we would do uk holidays in May or sept and pay about £600 for a small coastal cottage (not luxury one with hot tub).

Because of COVID pushing prices up a bit we've paid nearer £800 for our next uk holiday but it is situated overlooking a beach. Didn't mind paying more because we aren't likely to be going abroad this year.

beela · 25/08/2020 07:10

It depends on how many of you there are, and where and when you want to go. It's difficult to find a decent cottage for 4 people during the summer holidays for less than £1,000 per week. But if there's just two of you, happy to go for a random week during term time, you could probably get somewhere lovely for around £400.

FlyingFlamingo · 25/08/2020 07:17

Howwecanhelp I am also in a cottage in Wales listening to the rain and wind battering the windows feeling thankful we chose not to camp this year Grin

We paid around £600 for this small cottage, it’s clean and well kept but it took days of research to find something for less than £1000 that wasn’t a) rundown or b) a caravan. We aren’t in a particularly touristy spot but we are near enough to the mountains and beaches for them to be accessible by car.

zebrapig · 25/08/2020 07:26

We paid £880 for the lovely (sleeps 4) cottage we had with hot tub last week. I've looked at it again for next summer and it's gone up to around £1000. We've found there's much less choice atm and prices have increased quite a lot.

Aramox · 25/08/2020 07:30

900 for a seaside cottage in the southwest. 700 for a more basic one in the north.

Original poster
ReluctantEarlyRiser · 25/08/2020 07:35

Yes I think this year has been particularly bad for options. We're away now, it's going to rain the whole time and many indoor attractions are not open. You have to book the swimming pool and it's only 45 min sessions. The TV not working has tipped me over the edge.

Forgot to say we are a family of 4 with a school kid and a toddler. First year we've had to go away in the holidays. Think we need to up our budget significantly to get something non-depressing!

OP posts:
clary · 25/08/2020 07:37

We used to go to a lovely big cottage in a seaside town very year in the school summer holidays. Normally that all means top dollar but in fact it was about £800 pw (a few years ago). This was Wales. In Cornwall the same thing would have been £1400 or so.

It depends tho - this summer I have managed to book a three bed place in a complex with a pool for £590 for a week. It's just after the holidays tho for most schools anyway and also nowhere near the coast - tho it is in the middle of the same holiday area.

So you pay a premium for a) coastal b) resort c) Cornwall d) space e) school hols f) space g) facilities.

clary · 25/08/2020 07:39

haha you clearly really pay for space!! Actually op it is seaside and school hols that push prices up. I think it's worth going inland for somewhere more luxurious for the same money.

Original poster
ReluctantEarlyRiser · 25/08/2020 07:43

Yeah and being by the seaside is pretty useless when it's pissing it down anyway.

OP posts:
MurderousChicken · 25/08/2020 07:45

We do a holiday cottage most years and always book one with a swimming pool if we can. DH likes to go to Cornwall and that is definitely pricey. You can't get a cottage with pool for under £1000 in school holidays, this year we paid £1800. That's for one that sleeps 8 though. Wales, Scotland, Lake District, New Forest etc are cheaper.

ILoveAnOwl · 25/08/2020 07:48

We go in February half term for luxury. The price is about £350 for the week in an 8 bedroomed amazing house with sea views. It's in a beautiful part of Cornwall. Because its February we have no expectation of the weather, but for the past four years it's been great (as in dry and warm enough to get out abd about!) Also, obviously far less people. It's currently £2500 for the week as its August.

zafferana · 25/08/2020 08:08

Totally depends on how many bedrooms, what amenities there are on site, whether it's a popular holiday area or not, the level of luxury and the exact week you want to go. But as a rule of thumb I'd say a 'nice' cottage in a popular area will cost you anything from about £550 to £1500 in the school summer holidays. If it's remote and there's not a lot going on nearby it will tend to be a lot cheaper than a popular area.

Before I book anything I do a lot of research. I find the property on Google maps and take a look, I find reviews from previous guests, and I check how far it is from the things we want to do. I'd never just book something without doing my due diligence - big mistake!

AriettyHomily · 25/08/2020 08:08

Depends when you go. Just paid 1500 for a week on the south coast in a 3 bed house. Garden but nothing else.

Littlepond · 25/08/2020 08:19

We are currently 3 days into a 5 day Premier Inn holiday in UK. Having a wonderful time (my kids are older than your OP)

Cheap as chips for the room but obviously have to eat out every meal. Tailoring this to our budget - there’s a Tesco nearby which helps!

Our room has a sea view. We play cards in the bar every evening. I’ve really enjoyed it so far!

InDubiousBattle · 25/08/2020 08:23

The school holdays make a big difference, a couole of years ago we stayed in a nice (but not luxurious )house for £650 and when we looked for a year and two weeks later, tipping into the school holidays, it was a grand. We went for an apartment instead of a house and it was £750 for the week, that was for two bedrooms, good location in a seaside town (bit tired town but good for kids), decent sized apartment and a working TV!

DorisDaisyMay · 25/08/2020 08:30

We paid £700 for a two bed cottage in The Gower in Wales.
The scenery is amazing but beaches are limited if you aren’t able bodied/have toddlers because some of the walks to the beach.
Actual cottage was soooooo tiny, everything was flimsy but it was clean. No washing machine which is a must for a holiday like that. It was one up from a mobile home and I didn’t think worth the money. (I say that as someone who has been on plenty of mobile home holidays).

MaidenMotherCrone · 25/08/2020 08:33

For DH and I about £800 for a week in a Dorset thatched cottage in May.

Family Holiday in Fowey £2.5K for a week in August.

TSSDNCOP · 25/08/2020 08:46

£1000 for a top of the range, everything spotless and working, lodge on the Isle of Wight.

user1487194234 · 30/08/2020 12:25

We spent £2590 for a lodge with a hot tub in Ashbourne Slept 8
Was lovely

funnyoldonion · 30/08/2020 12:32

We spent £750 on a cottage in Whitby and about the same for a week's spends, and it was great, think it's gone up about £200 for next year but we might have a year off and do a staycation next year

SundayReilly · 30/08/2020 22:36

This year £900 accommodation for 3
Spends approx £750

TokyoSushi · 30/08/2020 22:43

£800 last week for a dinky but very lovely cottage in Cornwall.

SJaneS48 · 31/08/2020 10:58

Usually £7-800 for the 3 of us somewhere inland in the West Country in August. I’m not paying more than that as then it starts getting in to going abroad money (which would be the option I’d always go for).

This year we had 3 nights in. Travelodge in Shropshire for £90 which we really enjoyed and was a complete bargain!

paulox · 01/09/2020 16:13

As others have said, price depends hugely on location and time of year, plus size of property and level and quality of facilities. However there are some ways of getting better pricing. (I'm considering buying a place as a holiday let so have been doing lots of research!). The big online agents (e.g. Skyes, holidaycottages, cottages.com) all charge owners large percentage fees (20-30%). If you find a place you like, Google the name of it and see if they have a website, owners will often discount for bookings made direct. Also there are a lot of Facebook groups for owners to advertise direct to customers, again cutting out the commission. E.g. Cornwall and Devon holidays direct: www.facebook.com/groups/cornwalanddevonholidays/?multi_permalinks=3095056937258452
There are also groups for dog friendly, large groups etc. Cancellations and short-notice availability get advertised for discounted rates, but you obviously need to be flexible and risk getting nothing.
AirBnB only charges owners a few percent, so again you might find cheaper looking there.
And finally, consider going with extended family, or another family. The cost of a 4-bed is less than the cost of 2 x 2-beds.
Paul