Have you ever done a holiday on your own?

[Longingforthesummer]

I need a break, Im exhausted due to various stresses. Any suggestions? I want peace and quiet, nice hotel and spa. 2-3 days

I've done loads of short breaks on my own. Mostly trips to London for theatre and museum visits that no one else is interested in.

I went to Costa Rica on my own for 5 weeks this summer. It was lovely.

That's the spirit. Some great hotels in Manchester. Have had some good stays at The Palace.
Just having a night or two away from family (and away from being lovely Mum and lovely wife) is great for your well-being. The best bits for me are watching a film without being interrupted by cats, kids, making tea etc and sleeping in a bed with crisp sheets washed and made by someone else. Also indulge in being untidy which I can't be at home.
I love my lot to bits of course - just need to recharge and then I come back on good form.
Blokes have bring doing this guilt free for years cf football away games, cycling weekendsetc etc

I've holidayed solo many times. Herefordshire/Wales, Cornwall, Scotland, Yorkshire, Lake District, Germany and the Netherlands (my favourite destination).

Have a great time with whatever you decide, OP, and dont let anyone put you off, in real life I mean. Some people I've known seem to think it's fine to comment in a pitying way about people who holiday alone. Not quite sure why it irks them, but it does. Hopefully you won't know anyone like that 🙂

Oh, I’m craving this.

When the kids got past needy early toddler stage, I went for a one-night spa hotel break a couple of times to reset. Promised myself it would be an annual thing but it quickly fell by the wayside.

When we go on family holidays we need to stay in airbnbs due to food issues, so I’m still cooking, cleaning and getting everyone sorted every day because I’m the early riser.

Don’t get me wrong, I love going away with them and it’s fun, it’s just exhausting and I do fantasise sometimes about going away to a hotel on my own and being looked after, cooked for, getting up and out to see the sun rise and going to ALL the churches and art galleries I want, that they have limited tolerance for!

I do it a lot. My personal rule is no more than 4-5 nights by myself as otherwise I go a bit mad for lack of company - but that's partly because I'm not great at chatting to strangers. I do mini breaks to cities I want to go to (but no-one else does), but also take detours on the way to group holidays/holidays with friends. So, earlier this year I went the long way down by train to Amalfi which took 3 days down (and 2 back) but did a group walking holiday in the middle. I also went up to Scotland to holiday with friends, but drove round the entire top first (up to John O'Groats and across and down to Ullapool...). Eating out in the evening has got a lot easier since mobiles arrived - I often whatsapp friends while I'm there, showing off what I'm eating and so on - and I then tend to retire to my room relatively early with a bottle of wine to plan the next day's adventures...