Different types of holidays have different appeal to different people, so it's totally wrong to try and "justify" one type or another, whether just on cost or other criteria.
We like different types.
So we are having a "cheapie" week in Benidorm in March flying from our local airport. About £800 for the 2 of us half board.
Then in April we have an apartment, Via BF's winter sun deal. 28 nights inc ferry for the car, with cabin both ways £2400 I did a price comparison taking the caravan for the same period. The apartment was about £150 more, with more space, better facilities and not having to tow the caravan the depth of Spain/Portugal (Inc increased fuel cost and time)
Then August a 3 week cruise to Iceland and Norway (been saving up for that for a few years, Mrs P has a significant milestone birthday)
We wll probably take the caravan to France in June/July. Pricing up the difference in campsite cost in the UK compared to France (ACSI of course) 3 or 4 weeks in France works out around the same amount as staying in the UK. The lower French campsite fees over a month equate pretty much to the cost of the ferry (Poole-Cherbourg with club Voyage discount) So why would I stay in the gloomy (and probably wet) UK?
The one thing we really enjoy ababout the caravan is that we can be totally flexible. If the weather or campsite are not what we want then we can move. We can also eat what we want, when we want.
So all sorts of different holiday types, but all very enjoyable in their own peculiar, etc very different ways. Both being around 70 our attitude is now do what you want whilst you still can, as medical "issues" prevent an awful lot of People, including forum members, from doing that.
Both our children are doing exceptionally well for themselves so have both instructed us to "Spend what you've got and enjoy it as we don't need/aren't looking for, any sort of inheritance. And DONT let the taxman/care home have it!"