Holidays are about exploring, and that’s not just limited to trips and the destination itself. I believe in exploring every facet of my holiday, from bars, restaurants and entertainment, and dragging every last drop out of it. This is what holidays are about – fun!
Whilst all inclusives are a fantastic option for those with children, or those who don’t want to venture too far out, if you’re in a group, or you like to get out and about, then self-catering is the way to go. You’ll probably save money on your initial booking this way too, meaning you can set yourself a budget whilst you’re away.
I found a fantastic self-catering deal recently, flying from Heathrow, and because I have to travel a distance to the airport, I booked into one of the hotels near Heathrow Airport, to cut down on travel stress and tiredness. This is a good idea for long haul flights, if you have to travel further like me, or simply for an early start to your holiday. I found the whole experience more than relaxing, and I was up to date on all relevant information by checking real-time Heathrow departures for the few days before I was due to travel. This is a great idea for finding information on an airport you don’t usually fly from, so be sure to check it out at your airport.
Once you’re in your resort, the first thing you need to do is head to the nearest supermarket to stock up on basis supplies. Water is your absolutely necessity, because unless you’ve been living in space, you’ll know not to drink local tap water, and always drink bottled instead. The beauty of a self-catering apartment is that have cooking facilities, and whilst you’re not going to be cooking a Sunday roast every day, you can make basics like toast, and you can have cereals. If you do want to cook a basic meal one night, to save money, then you’re free to do that too.
This is the beauty of self-catering in my eyes, it’s basically freedom.
Despite the option of eating in, which I generally do for breakfast, I like to explore the restaurants in the area, trying different cuisines if I can, and by half way through my holiday, I’ve usually found a few favourites which I’ll return to again at some point.
The only down side of self-catering is that you are going to have to set yourself a budget and stick to it, unless you have cash to burn, which most of us don’t have. A good way to do this is to only take a set amount of money out with you, and that way once you’ve had a few drinks, you won’t get careless and spend too much, which you’ll regret the next day when you’re short.
For holiday freedom, self-catering has much to offer, and the initial cost will certainly be an attractive offer.
Explore and see what gems you can find!
