Holidays - talk to me - 2 adults and a 14month old??
Discussion
My misses is banging on about going to that there abroad as we haven't been for a while. I personally don't care for "holidays" as they invariably entail stress, sunburn, sunstroke, gastroenteritis and nearly divorce. I can only imagine this will be worse with a nipper in tow. Cheerful I know 
She's been looking at a med cruise for 2 weeks but I can't help thinking I'd be throwing myself overboard after a few days of negotiating a cheap version of the titanic with a buggy and a toddler to pilot. Then she's been looking at an all inclusive in mexico, fair enough, but 10+ hours on a plane drove me mental before I had to worry about a sprog, the thought fills me with dread. Being 6'4" and being too tight to fly business class makes any distance uncomfortable for me.
So, what would you guys recommend/avoid given all the practical implications wrangling a 14month old toddler entails. Max budget 2.5k
Talk to me.......
She's been looking at a med cruise for 2 weeks but I can't help thinking I'd be throwing myself overboard after a few days of negotiating a cheap version of the titanic with a buggy and a toddler to pilot. Then she's been looking at an all inclusive in mexico, fair enough, but 10+ hours on a plane drove me mental before I had to worry about a sprog, the thought fills me with dread. Being 6'4" and being too tight to fly business class makes any distance uncomfortable for me.
So, what would you guys recommend/avoid given all the practical implications wrangling a 14month old toddler entails. Max budget 2.5k
Talk to me.......
We book a villa with a pool through the private owner's sites, book a flight and a car and enjoy a quiet holiday. It's a bit of a pain doing the initial "shop" at the locval supermarket and buying toddler-suitable bottled water but we do it every year and it suits us. One thing we did get pissed off with was the sh*t quality of child seat offered by the hire car companies. If you can, take a lightweight child seat with you as extra luggage, it's well worth it. they generally allow this in addition to your normal luggage.
We usually go to Spain or Majorca as they are only two hours away or the Canary Islands (4 hours) this year for better weather which was about the limit for a young child without a seat of it's own.
We usually go to Spain or Majorca as they are only two hours away or the Canary Islands (4 hours) this year for better weather which was about the limit for a young child without a seat of it's own.
levron73 said:
Mark Warner - Kids club for as little or as much as you or the nipper wants!
Done it a few times - even took the 3.5 year old and 6 month old skiing with us this year - fantastic - well set up and the kids loved it - we had a great time too!
Go for that too....Wnet for about 7 years on the trot when kids were that age.Done it a few times - even took the 3.5 year old and 6 month old skiing with us this year - fantastic - well set up and the kids loved it - we had a great time too!
LuS1fer said:
We book a villa with a pool through the private owner's sites, book a flight and a car and enjoy a quiet holiday. It's a bit of a pain doing the initial "shop" at the locval supermarket and buying toddler-suitable bottled water but we do it every year and it suits us. One thing we did get pissed off with was the sh*t quality of child seat offered by the hire car companies. If you can, take a lightweight child seat with you as extra luggage, it's well worth it. they generally allow this in addition to your normal luggage.
We usually go to Spain or Majorca as they are only two hours away or the Canary Islands (4 hours) this year for better weather which was about the limit for a young child without a seat of it's own.
We usually go to Spain or Majorca as they are only two hours away or the Canary Islands (4 hours) this year for better weather which was about the limit for a young child without a seat of it's own.
What he said. Mallorca is an easy option with young kids and renting a villa or apartment through the likes of http://www.ownersdirect.co.uk/ means that you can choose somewhere in a great location well away from the naff anglicised resorts that a tour operator would send you to. Although I haven't booked a holiday through them http://www.babyfriendlyboltholes.co.uk/ also have a lot of options both in the UK and abroad.
You can't beat this place. The only place we've ever been back to(6 times!) Many of our friends have now been as well,and all have been back. http://www.lykiaworld.com/Cultures/en-US/Default.a...
Edited by sjc on Monday 17th May 22:58
LuS1fer said:
We book a villa with a pool through the private owner's sites, book a flight and a car and enjoy a quiet holiday. It's a bit of a pain doing the initial "shop" at the locval supermarket and buying toddler-suitable bottled water but we do it every year and it suits us. One thing we did get pissed off with was the sh*t quality of child seat offered by the hire car companies. If you can, take a lightweight child seat with you as extra luggage, it's well worth it. they generally allow this in addition to your normal luggage.
We usually go to Spain or Majorca as they are only two hours away or the Canary Islands (4 hours) this year for better weather which was about the limit for a young child without a seat of it's own.
Same here. With a villa you can do things in your own time and best of all, put the sprogs to bed at their usual time, to retire to the poolside with a beverage of your choice. Sometimes we eat out at lunchtime and have a BBQ in the evening, or have a light lunch an eat out early evening. Villa's give you are loads of fexibility with young kids in tow. We usually go to Spain or Majorca as they are only two hours away or the Canary Islands (4 hours) this year for better weather which was about the limit for a young child without a seat of it's own.
We used these th last time and would recommend them http://www.optimavillas.com
Edited by SwanJack on Tuesday 18th May 09:23
levron73 said:
Mark Warner - Kids club for as little or as much as you or the nipper wants!
But book more than you think you will want as you can take him/her out if you feel like it. I know ours really enjoyed it (aged 12 months) and we'd have used it more.We went to Hurghada but tbh I wouldn't fly that far again with a toddler.
This year we're taking a 3 year old and 6 month old twins to a villa in France
Thanks for the suggestions so far chaps.
Plenty to look into.
I've just had a look on the MWarner site and forgot to factor in we can only go in the summer holidays (wife is a teacher).
Budget might have to go up a bit. They really take the pi$$ in that respect. Another reason to be a grumpy old man, don a hanky tied at the corners and sit on blackpool pier for a fortnight
Plenty to look into.
I've just had a look on the MWarner site and forgot to factor in we can only go in the summer holidays (wife is a teacher).
Budget might have to go up a bit. They really take the pi$$ in that respect. Another reason to be a grumpy old man, don a hanky tied at the corners and sit on blackpool pier for a fortnight
Have a look at this lot. Their larger "holiday resorts" offer kids clubs and they should come in much closer to budget. Their resort in the Vendee is a reasonably easy drive from the Channel ports and you could always stop at a Novotel or similar en route if you wanted to break up the journey.
http://www.pv-holidays.com/index.php
If that doesn't seem sufficiently glamourou for the missus then offer her a weekend at this place in the Autumn as compensation:
http://www.woolleygrangehotel.co.uk/
http://www.pv-holidays.com/index.php
If that doesn't seem sufficiently glamourou for the missus then offer her a weekend at this place in the Autumn as compensation:
http://www.woolleygrangehotel.co.uk/
dave_s13 said:
Budget might have to go up a bit. They really take the pi$$ in that respect. Another reason to be a grumpy old man, don a hanky tied at the corners and sit on blackpool pier for a fortnight
Aha! That changes things. How do you feel about camping? We stayed here (when miniBill was about 6 months IIRC). There are various UK Eurocamp type outfits that have cabins/tents there and we liked it although that wasn't high season and we went in our own campervan. Lots to do locally and the town is pretty nice.
If your kid is well behaved and can be quiet for more than just an hour or two, Mexico is blinding.
However, I suggest that the main reason holidays senda shiver down your spine when you think of them is proabbly you, mate. You need to take a huge chill pill and relax when you go on holiday, not get stressed out and fight with the missus. Two weeks where you try just a little bit ahrder to be a nice bloke, its not that hard, is it? Do the things she wants, help out properly, forget work, turn the phone off, chill out and kick back.
If however you cant manage this, I suggest you need to rethink your holiday plans long term. We now go on holidays every years with some really good friends. Means the girls have got company and someone to chat to all the time, you can have a mate to have a laugh/drink with, everyone has a good time, and the kids have friends to play with. Give it a try.
However, I suggest that the main reason holidays senda shiver down your spine when you think of them is proabbly you, mate. You need to take a huge chill pill and relax when you go on holiday, not get stressed out and fight with the missus. Two weeks where you try just a little bit ahrder to be a nice bloke, its not that hard, is it? Do the things she wants, help out properly, forget work, turn the phone off, chill out and kick back.
If however you cant manage this, I suggest you need to rethink your holiday plans long term. We now go on holidays every years with some really good friends. Means the girls have got company and someone to chat to all the time, you can have a mate to have a laugh/drink with, everyone has a good time, and the kids have friends to play with. Give it a try.
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