Those with 3 children - holiday advice
Discussion
Hi All,
We currently have 2 sons, one whom is 3 yrs old in October, and another who turned 1 in March. So very close.
Also, we have a little girl due in the next 2-3 weeks.
So, 3 kids in 32 months. Yes, we're mad!
However, just been looking at a holiday online this morning for around this time next year, nothing too exotic - just Balearics or Canaries or somewhere and nobody seems to want to do a 2 adult, 3 baby/toddler room.
So, just wondering - what's the norm? Is it 2 rooms with 1 adult and 2 kids in one, and 1 adult and 1 child in the other??
Also, is this the case as the children grow up?
I'm one of 2, as is my wife - however, when i try to remember being younger myself and playing with other children on holiday, i never remember their families having to have 2 rooms.
We currently have 2 sons, one whom is 3 yrs old in October, and another who turned 1 in March. So very close.
Also, we have a little girl due in the next 2-3 weeks.
So, 3 kids in 32 months. Yes, we're mad!
However, just been looking at a holiday online this morning for around this time next year, nothing too exotic - just Balearics or Canaries or somewhere and nobody seems to want to do a 2 adult, 3 baby/toddler room.
So, just wondering - what's the norm? Is it 2 rooms with 1 adult and 2 kids in one, and 1 adult and 1 child in the other??
Also, is this the case as the children grow up?
I'm one of 2, as is my wife - however, when i try to remember being younger myself and playing with other children on holiday, i never remember their families having to have 2 rooms.
Please do not take this the wrong way... but I dont understand why families with young children would want to go abroad... the stress of flying etc etc... plus the fact the kids wont appreciate the location etc or benefit from it much atall... Give it another 5 years (provided you stop spawning) and then yes, go abroad to widen their horizons!
Stay in the UK for the time being... there are some amazing places to go, things to see...
Stay in the UK for the time being... there are some amazing places to go, things to see...
tegwin said:
Please do not take this the wrong way... but I dont understand why families with young children would want to go abroad... the stress of flying etc etc... plus the fact the kids wont appreciate the location etc or benefit from it much atall... Give it another 5 years (provided you stop spawning) and then yes, go abroad to widen their horizons!
Stay in the UK for the time being... there are some amazing places to go, things to see...
I'm with tegwin on this one, it's hell from start to finish trying to take one small child on a foreign holiday, lord knows what 3 must be like. I see familes laden with push-chairs, changing bags, toys and all the usual baby/toddler survial kits at airports. Doesnt look like they are having much fun to me, kids or adults.Stay in the UK for the time being... there are some amazing places to go, things to see...
Then you get to spend a week worrying that your kids are about to pass out in the 40 degree heat! My GF used to nanny in hot resorts (various places in the med), most of the little kids spent all day indoors with the aircon as they just couldnt cope with the heat.
I tried it once, never again until my lad was 7 or 8, and that was only a hop over to France! He's 10 now and will be coming on skiing trips and "proper" summer hols.
we had 4 children in 40 months ... and my best advice would be this:
STOP AT 2 CHILDREN
But, as to holidaying with more than 2, we have had to go self catering / cottages / villas as the cost of hotels has been silly. We pay for 2 rooms, 1 adult and 2 children per room. Children don't count towards occupancy, so we end up paying 2x under occupancy supplements. We've been to Disneyland Paris a few time, and have managed to get adjoining rooms so it's not too much hassle.
Before we had the twins, I used to work for a large UK tour operator so used to pay peanuts for holidays - meaning that I have been on lots of "package" holidays, and have no desire to do any more. Over the last few years we have concentrated on UK holidays, visiting places that this island has to offer. Places we can drive the family bus to, rather than having to fly!
I think maybe next year we will try a foreign holiday, if nothing more than to give the kids a taste of flying. Our youngest will be 6 then, I would concur with the poster above that teenies need to be kept out of the sun as much as possible, super high factor sun cream applied often.
STOP AT 2 CHILDREN
But, as to holidaying with more than 2, we have had to go self catering / cottages / villas as the cost of hotels has been silly. We pay for 2 rooms, 1 adult and 2 children per room. Children don't count towards occupancy, so we end up paying 2x under occupancy supplements. We've been to Disneyland Paris a few time, and have managed to get adjoining rooms so it's not too much hassle.
Before we had the twins, I used to work for a large UK tour operator so used to pay peanuts for holidays - meaning that I have been on lots of "package" holidays, and have no desire to do any more. Over the last few years we have concentrated on UK holidays, visiting places that this island has to offer. Places we can drive the family bus to, rather than having to fly!
I think maybe next year we will try a foreign holiday, if nothing more than to give the kids a taste of flying. Our youngest will be 6 then, I would concur with the poster above that teenies need to be kept out of the sun as much as possible, super high factor sun cream applied often.
I've got plenty of experience of this.
I have 3 (now 7, 5 and 2).
We've taken all 3 abroad since before their 1st birthdays.
I have always limited flight times to no more than 4 hours, both for the kids sake and also this is prob. the max. young kids can handle and that parents can placate their offspring for (feeding on take off etc).
The Canary Isles are your friend in our colder months. Cyprus and North Africa are also do-able but in my experience the Canarys offer better standards and more importantly ease of access to quality healthcare, which you WILL need at some stage with 3 young kids!
We've done the 5 star hotel thing all over the place, but in all honesty, with 3 in tow, you need space and access.
Some hotels offer "family" rooms, some offer adjoining rooms, but for value for money i always seek out private villas with heated pools (during our winter). Most of the quality hotels during school hols ramp their prices up and when you're paying for x2 rooms it hurts!
n.b. to those that said holiday in this country, at this time of year, i can only assume you either don't have kids or are a glutton for punishment! Paying roughly the equivalent for a x1 week stay in Lanzarote to stay in a grotty hotel in Cornwall, then having to drive everywhere, pay top dollar for half decent grub in restaurants that don't welcome young kids and then spending the whole time dodging the rain isn't my idea of a weeks r&r.......but hey-ho, takes all sorts!
I have 3 (now 7, 5 and 2).
We've taken all 3 abroad since before their 1st birthdays.
I have always limited flight times to no more than 4 hours, both for the kids sake and also this is prob. the max. young kids can handle and that parents can placate their offspring for (feeding on take off etc).
The Canary Isles are your friend in our colder months. Cyprus and North Africa are also do-able but in my experience the Canarys offer better standards and more importantly ease of access to quality healthcare, which you WILL need at some stage with 3 young kids!
We've done the 5 star hotel thing all over the place, but in all honesty, with 3 in tow, you need space and access.
Some hotels offer "family" rooms, some offer adjoining rooms, but for value for money i always seek out private villas with heated pools (during our winter). Most of the quality hotels during school hols ramp their prices up and when you're paying for x2 rooms it hurts!
n.b. to those that said holiday in this country, at this time of year, i can only assume you either don't have kids or are a glutton for punishment! Paying roughly the equivalent for a x1 week stay in Lanzarote to stay in a grotty hotel in Cornwall, then having to drive everywhere, pay top dollar for half decent grub in restaurants that don't welcome young kids and then spending the whole time dodging the rain isn't my idea of a weeks r&r.......but hey-ho, takes all sorts!
cinque said:
n.b. to those that said holiday in this country, at this time of year, i can only assume you either don't have kids or are a glutton for punishment! Paying roughly the equivalent for a x1 week stay in Lanzarote to stay in a grotty hotel in Cornwall, then having to drive everywhere, pay top dollar for half decent grub in restaurants that don't welcome young kids and then spending the whole time dodging the rain isn't my idea of a weeks r&r.......but hey-ho, takes all sorts!
Last year we spent a week at my father in laws caravan on the Anglesey coast. Cost - £zero. Facilities - also zero (the caravan is 50 years old, only just had electricity run to it). Spent every day on the beach, messing about in the sea, climbing rocks, walking to the next village, that sort of thing. The only thing we had to pay to do was one day we decided to visit the Anglesey Sea Zoo. Every night we had 4 exhausted kids sleeping soundly by 8pm at the latest. The rain didn't bother us so much, when it showered we stayed inside and played board games.We asked the kids (8, 6, 5 & 5) if they wanted to go abroad, fly somewhere, alternatively drive somewhere in norhthern France. Unanimous - and loud - requests to go back to Anglesey.
But as you say, takes all sorts.
OP - I would book your own villa. Try www.ownersdirect.co.uk for some possibilities. Then book flights with Easyjet to Tenerife / Cyprus. Then book a car with www.holidayautos.co.uk. It will probably end up much cheaper and you'll get a nice villa.
randlemarcus said:
And then comes the "family" ticket which is 2+2, so you have to buy another full price childs ticket. Damn our fruitful loins 
(3 in 36)
Under two they sit on your lap though (which brings its own set of issues...) (3 in 36)We've just had twins and have a 2.5 yr old so we've hired a house in France that we can drive to in September.
randlemarcus said:
. Damn our fruitful loins (3 in 36)
(3 in 36)Indeed!
tegwin said:
Please do not take this the wrong way... but I dont understand why families with young children would want to go abroad... the stress of flying etc etc... plus the fact the kids wont appreciate the location etc or benefit from it much atall... Give it another 5 years (provided you stop spawning) and then yes, go abroad to widen their horizons!
Stay in the UK for the time being... there are some amazing places to go, things to see...
Tegwin - not taking it the wrong way - just wanted some advice!Stay in the UK for the time being... there are some amazing places to go, things to see...
We took our eldest away when he was 6 months old - it was just us grabbing the chance of the Mrs getting away whilst still on maternity leave rather than going back and having to take it as holiday. Was OK, however the flights were hard work. There were other passengers tut-tutting at us because our little fella wouldn't sleep or stop crying. I did feel like saying 'it's not like we want it either, and he's not wriggling on your knee aswell'!
On reflection, most of you here are right - we need to go down the villa or cottage route - and probably in a few years.
The wife's parents have a small place in the South of France, near Perpignan. It's great - nice and quiet, however i can imagine the kids would want a bit more 'busy-ness' in a few years. Saying that though, if we carry on taking them there, they'll learn that holidays abroad don't need to be all english fun pubs and 3 euro all-day breakfasts!
We drove there last year, with the current youngest aged just 3 months. We'd been told that we didn't need to book a hotel as motels are ten-a-penny out in France. They are - however, the problem came in that we were doing it the day when France went on holiday! So we ended up driving pretty much 24 hours in a row. Not ideal, however it was ok and we were more organised on the way back.
The family was questionning why we were doing it in the car.
To drive was approx £300 fuel (1000+ mile each way) miles, ferry £50 return, tolls (circa)£50, overseas insurance green card = £20, increased breakdown cover premium £20, travel lodge in Kent at either end = £100 etc etc = £540 ish + 1 day of our hols time.
The sister in law did in via plane, to Gerona and hired a car = taxi to airport = £60 return, flights £50/ea way x 4, car hire for week = Toyota Auris = £300 for 2 weeks = £560. So, £20 more - but a lot less hassle in her eyes.
We still think we did the right thing with the kids though, and had a good time in the process!
(I think im answering my own original question here!)
What do you all do with kids aged say 8 yrs+ with regards room arrangements? Doesn't appear to be an option to get 3 kids in a room on a lot of these travel websites.
Took three young kids to Spain a few years back.
We had a double, a single and two cots in the one room without problem.
This year, with the kids now being 14, 12 and 12, we've gone for a twin room (wife and daughter) and a three bed room ( me and the boys) for a night travelling in each direction, on our way to the villa.
We had a double, a single and two cots in the one room without problem.
This year, with the kids now being 14, 12 and 12, we've gone for a twin room (wife and daughter) and a three bed room ( me and the boys) for a night travelling in each direction, on our way to the villa.
aclivity said:
cinque said:
n.b. to those that said holiday in this country, at this time of year, i can only assume you either don't have kids or are a glutton for punishment! Paying roughly the equivalent for a x1 week stay in Lanzarote to stay in a grotty hotel in Cornwall, then having to drive everywhere, pay top dollar for half decent grub in restaurants that don't welcome young kids and then spending the whole time dodging the rain isn't my idea of a weeks r&r.......but hey-ho, takes all sorts!
Last year we spent a week at my father in laws caravan on the Anglesey coast. Cost - £zero. Facilities - also zero (the caravan is 50 years old, only just had electricity run to it). Spent every day on the beach, messing about in the sea, climbing rocks, walking to the next village, that sort of thing. The only thing we had to pay to do was one day we decided to visit the Anglesey Sea Zoo. Every night we had 4 exhausted kids sleeping soundly by 8pm at the latest. The rain didn't bother us so much, when it showered we stayed inside and played board games.We asked the kids (8, 6, 5 & 5) if they wanted to go abroad, fly somewhere, alternatively drive somewhere in norhthern France. Unanimous - and loud - requests to go back to Anglesey.
But as you say, takes all sorts.
Must be those wet days playing board games
Amateurish said:
OP - I would book your own villa. Try www.ownersdirect.co.uk for some possibilities. Then book flights with Easyjet to Tenerife / Cyprus. Then book a car with www.holidayautos.co.uk. It will probably end up much cheaper and you'll get a nice villa.
Useful links - ta.Any recommendations for anywhere in particular?
I'll hopefully be taking the family (with 2 young ones) away in Sept/Oct. Cost not really an issue (as we've not had an abroad holiday for around 5 years due to building a business, not because we are condsiderably richer than yooouuu!!). Quite fancy a villa near a beach, ideally with use of hotel facilities nearby?
For obvious reasons, flight time to be minimised - and the place to be child friendly (although I'm not sure we'd feel comfortable using an unknown 'nanny').
I'm thinking Spain, South of France, Portugal (Algarve) etc
(Greece, Cyprus too far? too hot? for little ones)
Book
(i) a villa/apartment through www.holidaylettings.co.uk or similar. Pay the owner direct. Book one with a private pool and you won't regret it.
(ii) flights through a budget airline
(iii) a hire car through any one of the hire companies such as www.carjet.com
Book holiday insurance early just in case anything gets cancelled beyond your control.
3 kids can be a hassle but it's manageable. We've just been with a 9, 4 and just under 1 year old and my 70 year old mother. With a reasonably compact twin buggy you should manage OK. The downside is that the hire car companies always fleece you for the worst car seats ever devised so if you can, take a belt-restrained light baby seat and booster seats for the older kids (the latter will go in one of the kids' hand luggage Disney suitcases).
(i) a villa/apartment through www.holidaylettings.co.uk or similar. Pay the owner direct. Book one with a private pool and you won't regret it.
(ii) flights through a budget airline
(iii) a hire car through any one of the hire companies such as www.carjet.com
Book holiday insurance early just in case anything gets cancelled beyond your control.
3 kids can be a hassle but it's manageable. We've just been with a 9, 4 and just under 1 year old and my 70 year old mother. With a reasonably compact twin buggy you should manage OK. The downside is that the hire car companies always fleece you for the worst car seats ever devised so if you can, take a belt-restrained light baby seat and booster seats for the older kids (the latter will go in one of the kids' hand luggage Disney suitcases).
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