Our minds were made up for us!

[Gagakev]

Myself & the OH have been thinking for a good few months now about giving up the caravan.
Not had the chance to use it much and a lot of expence sat on the drive with both the caravan & the tow car.
Then the usual extra's with insurance, servicing the additional breakdown cover, maintenance etc etc etc.
BUT before we were to let it go we decided we had to find an alternative path.
So off we go last week and had one night in a hotel, enjoyed that one, then 6 nights in a chalet near Great Yarmouth.
Oh my days we left after 4 nights, couldn't bear it any more, so much wrong with the place it was a dismal experience.
(Too much to list so wont bore you all)
So not to let this get us down too much we booked a lovely Inn for the remaining two nights, Oh my days here we go again,
The room was across the road in a separate cottage type of house, walk in wet room shower, drain blocked, had to put your shoes on in the night to go to the loo!! and the first ever loo I have been to with out a loo roll holder, still flooded in the morning, The bed was that uncomfortable I should have slept on the floor, ceiling stained from upstairs bathroom leaking, OH.......... and the gent above us went to the loo at 5,30 that morning...............WE HEARD HIM!!
Straight to the bar/reception in the morning, they thought we we wanting a breakfast, FULL refund requested and given.
Still working on a refund for the first one.
So 6th and final night back to a hotel, again enjoyed but cant see us doing that for say a week at a time.

So folks we are here to stay with the caravan, AH.............. home comforts, own loo, shower, heating you can control, and a comfortable bed.

And of course the expense of it all !!!!!!

Happy vanning folks

 

[Hutch]

OMG, Kev, Mrs H and myself have thought the same over the last two years, We haven't been out due to health and waiting for appointments, best we get out in the van again soon, just to make sure that we make the correct decision.
Thanks for your input.

 

[Gagakev]

OMG, Kev, Mrs H and myself have thought the same over the last two years, We haven't been out due to health and waiting for appointments, best we get out in the van again soon, just to make sure that we make the correct decision.
Thanks for your input.

Hutch believe me, keep that van as long as you can.
I too have been waiting for appointments, got the first one early June and hopefully the second one (for something else) wont be long after.

 

[otherclive]

Not a good experince for you and your wife. We sold our caravan in 2022 and have holidayed in cottages, hotels and inns, and in two weeks we are off to Snowdonia in a static on a working farm. Thankfully our experience has been a lot more positive than yours, but even so it’s not the same as your own home from home.

 

[Gagakev]

Not a good experince for you and your wife. We sold our caravan in 2022 and have holidayed in cottages, hotels and inns, and in two weeks we are off to Snowdonia in a static on a working farm. Thankfully our experience has been a lot more positive than yours, but even so it’s not the same as your own home from home.

It was actually our 42nd Wedding anniversary as well last week. But did make her happy as I booked a cream tea at Sandringham for us to enjoy.
The annoying thing about it OC is that both places had good reviews. ( I reckon they are all fake!)

 

[Dustydog]

Well done testing the water Kev. 👏
Glad to hear the grass isn’t greener on the other side!🙀
The last “Travel Lodge “ type place we used was gross. The stains on the bed spread were legendary. There were various noises throughout the evening, late night. We think it may have been a pop up brothel!🤮
Conversely we have stayed in some great hotels but at eye watering prices per night.

Excellent decision sticking to the caravan. And now you can have a bit more time on your hands you can put the caravan to greater use. Can you hear the bagpipes beckoning🏴

 

[JRT]

We tend to do both TBH.

We use the 'van in the UK but if we go to Europe we now tend to book self catering accomodation rather than take the 'van. We are off to Andalusia next week. We are driving so still making a bit of a road trip of it.

Heading for a nice villa (all be it a small one). We did the same for the last two years in France. We only use hotels for transit so book cheap and go for the big chains like IBIS. Often quite basic but clean and good enough for one night at a time.

Health allowing we hope to be still be caravanning for a few years yet but we may start to increase our use of fully serviced pitches as we get (even) older.

But never say never. Only last night we were discussing a short hop to Northern France with the 'van for later in the year.

 

[otherclive]

We tend to do both TBH.

We use the 'van in the UK but if we go to Europe we now tend to book self catering accomodation rather than take the 'van. We are off to Andalusia next week. We are driving so still making a bit of a road trip of it.

Heading for a nice villa (all be it a small one). We did the same for the last two years in France. We only use hotels for transit so book cheap and go for the big chains like IBIS. Often quite basic but clean and good enough for one night at a time.

Health allowing we hope to be still be caravanning for a few years yet but we may start to increase our use of fully serviced pitches as we get (even) older.

But never say never. Only last night we were discussing a short hop to Northern France with the 'van for later in the year.

We did a similar approach to yourself when visiting northern Spain. Started in Santander and drive a meandering route via Picos, Somiedo NP, Corunna then Santiago de Compostella. Some places in cities we prebooked others we just played it by ear. Taking the caravan wasn’t an option giving the tour that we planned. But some take their caravans!

 

[Gafferbill]

Not a good experience Kevin

I agree caravanning is now expensive if you accurately add up all the costs.
Difficult to justify especially if you can't get away that often because of work or health reasons.
We stuck with a frame tent until a couple of years before retirement!
Son and daughter, now in their mid forties, tell me airbnb is the way to go

 

[Hutch]

We have done the Airbandb, in the Alsace are for a few nights, very acceptable, but it didn't say it was three flights of stairs up. Ok if you are fit.

 

[Sam Vimes]

We've done Airbnbs around the world and they've all been good bar one in the UK.

This year we want to go back to Cornwall but it's just too far in the Caravan and we want to tour around more, so AnB again. Not a lot of difference in price I suspect if you take into account stopovers and fuel etc

 

[otherclive]

We've done Airbnbs around the world and they've all been good bar one in the UK.

This year we want to go back to Cornwall but it's just too far in the Caravan and we want to tour around more, so AnB again. Not a lot of difference in price I suspect if you take into account stopovers and fuel etc

Have been looking at Cottages.com for a break in September. They have reduced the booking fee down to £15 and quite a number of places are showing good price reductions. So perhaps business isn't that buoyant. Our booking for mid June is a three bed static at £400, paid £100 deposit with balance on arrival by cash. But that is a private booking. We tend to try and select places where we ant to be based, so within reason price isn't a real driver. Thats how we were with the caravan too.

 

[Gagakev]

Well done testing the water Kev. 👏
Glad to hear the grass isn’t greener on the other side!🙀
The last “Travel Lodge “ type place we used was gross. The stains on the bed spread were legendary. There were various noises throughout the evening, late night. We think it may have been a pop up brothel!🤮
Conversely we have stayed in some great hotels but at eye watering prices per night.

Excellent decision sticking to the caravan. And now you can have a bit more time on your hands you can put the caravan to greater use. Can you hear the bagpipes beckoning🏴

The two hotel nights were both Premier Inns (pub next door )
Both were clean and comfortable, in fact the 2nd one the only room available was the "accessible" room, this is usually allocated for the disabled but let out on the last day, it was massive as you can imagine allowing wheelchair space, so to us it was a real treat.
yes we have also done a couple of high end hotels but for weekends and a special occasion's only,
Bagpipes??? i cannee speak Scotland

 

[Gagakev]

Not a good experience Kevin

I agree caravanning is now expensive if you accurately add up all the costs.
Difficult to justify especially if you can't get away that often because of work or health reasons.
We stuck with a frame tent until a couple of years before retirement!
Son and daughter, now in their mid forties, tell me airbnb is the way to go

Goodness Bill a tent, well done for sticking with that for so long.
Sticking with the caravan now even if its 3 miles down the road for a weekend.

 

[Sam Vimes]

AnB, have a similar type of pricing structure as some airlines. The initial price isn't what you actually finish up paying. A cleaning charge and fee are added later.

The cleaning charges vary considerably. In one instance the other week, the property we were interested in, in Cornwall, had a £130 cleaning charge for about 6 nights. Some others were around £50. £130 was just too much of a rip off.

 

[Buckman]

Have been looking at Cottages.com for a break in September. They have reduced the booking fee down to £15 and quite a number of places are showing good price reductions. So perhaps business isn't that buoyant. Our booking for mid June is a three bed static at £400, paid £100 deposit with balance on arrival by cash. But that is a private booking. We tend to try and select places where we ant to be based, so within reason price isn't a real driver. Thats how we were with the caravan too.

Which organistion do you use to book cottages? Thanks.

 

[Gafferbill]

Goodness Bill a tent, well done for sticking with that for so long.

.....not that bad

Still fondly remember tent holidays in France and the UK with our children.
Particularly remember one in Cromer where we enjoyed a week of fine weather.

 

[otherclive]

AnB, have a similar type of pricing structure as some airlines. The initial price isn't what you actually finish up paying. A cleaning charge and fee are added later.

The cleaning charges vary considerably. In one instance the other week, the property we were interested in, in Cornwall, had a £130 cleaning charge for about 6 nights. Some others were around £50. £130 was just too much of a rip off.

In 2018-19 I was staying in Leicester with frequent visits to my father. I looked atcAirbNB and for a room with facilities the prices were on a par with Premier Inns. So I used the PIs and booked whichever one was cheapest for a particular stay. In many visits I only had one reason to complain. That was because in one PI there were construction works that had temporarily rerouted a walkway from a car parking area close to a number of downstairs rooms. I had a disturbed night due to inconsiderate visitors talking loudly vin to the early hours of the morning. Then again as early leavers went to their cars. So I put in a complaint when I got home. Next day I received a full refund to my card, plus a complimentary voucher for breakfast, supper including a drink too. Excellent service, wonder if Airbnb would have been so good had I cause to complain?

 

[otherclive]

Which organistion do you use to book cottages? Thanks.

I use a wide mix of sites ranging from national cottage agencies, VRBO, etc. Will PM you as it may not go down too well on a touring caravan/motorhome forum.

 

[Buckman]

I use a wide mix of sites ranging from national cottage agencies, VRBO, etc. Will PM you as it may not go down too well on a touring caravan/motorhome forum.

Thanks as it may be useful in the cooler months.

 

[otherclive]

Thanks as it may be useful in the cooler months.

Yes no awning to act like a spinnaker, or wet pitch to vacate ! Suitcases/holdalls and doggy things and you are away.

 

[Sam Vimes]

Which organistion do you use to book cottages? Thanks.

One of the places we've booked through AnB is actually managed by Booking.Com.

 

[GaryB]

I have stayed in various hotels over the years if working away, usually part of a chain group (Holiday Inn etc) and thin walls, furniture falling to bits, poor food and extortionate parking charges are among the reasons why the caravan has so much appeal! Last year we went to Tenerife for October half term, we paid a lot of money for a luxurious break and the hotel was certainly nice, but it still didn't feel like it was "our" accommodation. The odd weekend break in a hotel is okay, but the caravan is always our preferred option.

 

[Beachball]

Not good experience Kevin, we had to stop caravan holidays due to my health where they were no longer possible. We are now going in cottages etc and finding [on the whole] a positive choice and have happy memories of past breaks away, I"m sure you will continue to enjoy your breaks in the van for as long as it is the right choice for both of you, happy holidays.

 

[Beachball]

Not a good experince for you and your wife. We sold our caravan in 2022 and have holidayed in cottages, hotels and inns, and in two weeks we are off to Snowdonia in a static on a working farm. Thankfully our experience has been a lot more positive than yours, but even so it’s not the same as your own home from home.

Hi could you PM me about the place you are stopping in Snowdonia thanks