Family Holidays on a Budget? Self-Catering is the answer

self catering holiday

Are you planning a family holiday this year? Looking for ways to keep the holiday costs to a minimum?  Let’s face it family holidays can work out to be an expensive expenditure, especially in the height of summer.  This is where I am going to tell you all about the benefits of Self Catering holidays which are kinder to your bank balance.

Now a few of you may be deterred by the term self-catering, you want time to relax and not worry about cooking…you need a break from all of that? Well I can assure you, Self-catering truly is the best option and the majority of self-catering holidays work out cheaper than a holiday in a hotel. so here are my reasons why a self-catering holiday can suit everyone’s needs on a budget and create the perfect holiday;

Firstly you don’t have to go abroad, if you are happy with the great British summer there’s no shortage of self-catering accommodation across the UK from the Seafronts to the lakes, it’s all down to personal preference. I love jetting off to new destinations in warmer climates.

Venice vacation

The types of self-catering accommodation can range from a plain and simple apartment, a quaint little cottage or chalet, or even a  Luxurious family villa. You can take a holiday with the whole family and all stay in the same place, some self-catering facilities can sleep up to 16 people so the whole family including grandma and granddad can come along to (that’s if you like) We have been lucky so far when renting self-catered villas, they have all been set up with children in mind, cot beds, high chairs, family eating areas and some even provide books toys and children’s dvds, it’s like a home from home.

Every time when jet off on our holidays now, the self-catering villa is our option of choice. We’ve stayed in some lovely villas with private pools, gardens and even bbqs and it has worked out a lot cheaper than 2 weeks in a hotel. The majority of self-catering accommodation is let on a weekly basis and the price you pay for your holiday is for travel and the accommodation itself rather than price per person per night.

With Self-catering holidays, you can go out and experience food from many places as you are not tied to a hotel. The option to eat out or stay in, it’s completely up to you. There are no set meal times which mean no getting up early rushing the whole family to breakfast in a crowded hotel restaurant. I know with my family there is always at least one person that comes down to breakfast late and either misses it completely or all the good stuff is gone.

Most have a fully equipped kitchen with mod cons unlike when you go camping, even if you have top of the range equipment it’s still a camping stove and has to be done outdoors. The simplest of apartments will have a fridge and basic cooking equipment which means you can create your own meals, perfect for fussy eaters or those with delicate tummies. You can eat as cheaply or as extravagantly as you want and sample local produce from small eateries to visiting the local fish markets for the fresh catch of the day and then bbq in the evening whilst relaxing with a beer or two

Taking turns when cooking, the men in my family believe that they are individually the “king of the bbq” this results in them competing to produce the best meals whilst I sit back with a good book and a glass of wine…well I am on holiday.

self catering vacation

Some self-catering properties  have their own pools which is an added benefit. The private pools are perfect for me, I love a swim but unfortunately not everyone wants to see me in my swimwear or my partner in his speedos.  It’s bound to keep the children entertained and you are not restricted on times and best of all you have to battle for those pool loungers. We all know that the standoff with the beach towel to claim a seat often ends in disappointment. I also know that not worrying about your child harassing the poor couple by the pool would allow me the ability to relax.

Privacy is also a bonus point of self-catering holidays, for those of you that are fruity, adventurous and have the cahoonas to bare all (no pun intended) in the art of creating the perfect tan with none of those tell-tale white marks then there is nobody to stop you.

Like the hotel counterpart having your own private bathroom unlike those lovely communal showers and toilets when camping is definitely more appealing but when you go self-catering there’s no dashing back up to your room when nature calls. I know from experience that waiting for the lift or chancing the stairs is never a pleasant experience in a hotel, especially when you really need to go. You also have the relief of not having to ring the reception and explain that your room requires extra toilet roll because of the *whispers* bad stomach. You also don’t have to worry about the maids service whilst you are pottering around.

Have you ever purchased drinks in a hotel bar? Unless you opt for an all-inclusive holiday package then those drinks can work out to be rather expensive. I know as I like a cocktail or two, and why not, I am on holiday after all so that’s where a trip to the local supermarket where they often have a larger variety of food and drink for a fraction of the cost. That certainly has its benefits when on a self-catering holiday.

Self-catering provides the perfect solution for a short break to, booking a 4 night mid-week break can often work out the same cost as a weekend break. You don’t have to book a whole two weeks away.

With self-catering holidays the opportunities are endless, car hiring can mean you can go out and visit places that you wouldn’t have the opportunity to see if you were tied to a hotel stay. You are in total control of how you spend your holiday and can visit local and tourist attractions, sight seeing is my favorite part of the holiday

Self-catering is the perfect option for our family, I can tailor my holiday to suit the children’s needs and have a flexible timetable. There is an absolute great sense of freedom, it’s all about independence doing what you want, when you want, which is why we choose to go self-catering every time. I love having the privacy, if my toddler throws a tantrum; I am ever so relaxed without the glare of others thinking I have a badly behaved child and worrying what others will think or say about my parenting.

So there we have it, with all that information going self catering is by far the best option for families wanting to take a holiday this year.

For a little bit of fun you can vote for your favorite summer holiday here

Vote Self-Catering as your perfect holiday 

If you are looking for things to do this summer, how about a family tripe to Thorpe Park? You can win a family day ticket admitting two adults and two children, or one adult and three children on behalf of Nelsons Travella® here, enter before 6th July for your chance to win.

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5 Comments

  1. […] so, says Karina from Not Always Right. In fact, when you have small children, hotels are just one big headache. Self-catering means […]

  2. I love family holidays of all type but there’s so much more flexibility when you’re in charge of your own routine – especially with little ones. Places like Center Parcs always feature high on our list for that reason, plenty of places to eat if we wish, but the chance to sit on our own patio in our pjs enjoying our cornflakes in the sun.

    That said, my favourite holidays of all are on a campsite….

  3. OK I am just a little biased with our farm based self catering holidays but you get my vote hands down!

  4. Excellent post. I enjoyed reading. Self-catering holidays can make one’s vacation easy and relaxing. I love the idea of having no worries about cooking. Thanks for sharing.

  5. […] Snowtrex, they tick all of my boxes to provide the perfect winter wonderland package for me in a self catering lodge, for information on snowtrex or to book your winter getaway you can visit the […]

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