When it comes to travelling abroad, we all like different things. Some people adore self catering stays, others hotels and others opt for bed and breakfast options. The type of accommodation you opt for will often depend on your preferences and past experience which can influence what you are looking for. Self catering abroad usually appeals to people who are looking for the following:
- Home from home environment
- More privacy and space than is usually available at a typical hotel
- Cooking facilities so you can eat in as well as out
The type of accommodation available abroad varies according to where you are going and the size of your group. Options include:
- Self catering apartments for city, town or seaside breaks
- Holiday villas, some with pools
- Holiday gites in France
- Self catering cottages
A Home from Home:
Self catering accommodation abroad usually offers that comforting home from home feeling that can be attractive. There is something about you and your family or you and your group having a place to yourselves that can be oh so appealing.
More Space than a Typical Hotel Room:
People may seek privacy for a number of different reasons and a big pull of self catering accommodation can be that by and large it tends to offer greater privacy than you would find with a typical hotel stay. Whether you want additional privacy as a couple or have other reasons for wanting more privacy, as a general rule, self catering accommodation does offer a bit more privacy than you get with a simple hotel room.
The other thing with self catering villas, apartments and cottages is that by and large, they do offer more space than you get with a hotel stay. With a hotel, unless you book a suite, all you usually get is a bedroom and a bathroom. With self catering accommodation you get the use of a whole apartment or villa during your stay. How much space you need can depend on how big your group is and also what you are used to at home. If you are used to a spacious apartment or house at home, a hotel room can feel on the small side, whereas self catering accommodation tends to offer more space.
Eating in, the New Eating Out?
If you enjoy cooking you may really enjoy getting food in and then preparing your own dishes at home. Some people abroad like to have more British type food than is usually available out in the restaurants and one great thing about self catering is that so long as the food is available locally, then you can cook it and have those all important favourite dishes. The cooking facilities at self catering properties are also appealing for those with allergies for whom eating out abroad can become a bit of an ordeal.
If you are holidaying as part of a family or a large group you may want to rent somewhere with a barbeque. A big advantage of going abroad, in summer, is that, provided you choose the right destination, the weather is often ideal for eating al fresco. You may want to find somewhere to rent therefore with an outdoor dining area and/or barbeque facilities where you can soak up the summer atmosphere and enjoy dining al fresco.
Other Facilities:
Some people seek properties abroad to rent that have added extras like swimming pools. Where villas have pools, very often such pool facilities are private, for the use of guests during their stay. With self catering apartments though, very often such facilities are shared, for the use of all those staying in a complex for example. The type of self catering accommodation you are seeking will very much depend on your own preferences and budget.
Where to go?
If you are making your mind up about where to go on holiday take a look at our section on holiday destinations to give you some food for thought. |
