How did this happen?

We are not into hotels - cost aside, we like to be able to have a lie-in, eat when we like and make our own personal space to settle down in.

Jane that hotel is my idea of hell on earth, one reason I think why I never go on holiday nowadays.

DH and I quite like hotels but usually head for quiet ones in nice locations and with good food. I think the family would hate them! Oh well that's life.

Jane, I'm so sorry, are you using sticks to keep people away? You must be feeling so vulnerable. I was surprised both travelling and shopping to find how much courtesy and consideration the sticks elicit. I did have a bad time in the poorly signed, staircase infested, labyrinth of The Barbican however. I guess the children and teens in the hotel are just too hyped up to notice you and the parents are possibly wishing they, and their offspring, had stayed at home.

I imagine you can't wait to get home. A lesson learned I think. My good friends have gone to a hotel in the Lake District. I received a txt on Christmas eve afternoon, which said, weather atrocious, hotel full of old people, food mixed and neither of us feel well!!! By the way they are 78 and 74. I wonder how old the old people are.
Christmas at home for me thank you.

Not my idea of a happy holiday destination either. I find I am less tolerant of noisy children and enjoy peace and quiet more. At least at home there is only your own family to deal with.
A lot of people disagree but I find the idea of adults only hotels quite appealing.

I am using my stick but even as we tried to enter the place a young woman pushed me aside to get into the revolving door. A bad start and downhill from there. Currently marooned in our room. Can't face the scrum to have a cup of tea. This seemed like a nice way to spend time with the DCs and DGCs but have already been snapped at for complaining. You live and learn. We've certainly learned!!

We do go to a resort hotel but always in school time so very few children, and we always have tea making facilities in our room its very civilised at meal times too.
Sorry its been disappointing but I'm sure you've enjoyed being with family despite the difficulties..

All three I think Jane10, at least you now know for future ref! Good intentions /ideas sometimes go awry . Grit your teeth & look forward to the journey home & a large glass of your choice , may even be coco & an early night ! Best wishes you gave it ago ??

I recently went away with one of my sons and his family. I lied I said I couldn't get the exact dates. We went one day earlier which meant we left one day earlier and we upgraded? So we only had five days and we had some comfort to escape when we'd had enough. I think it worked really well for all of us. I just find that my tolerance is starting to waver as I get older. I love them so much but only for short spells. I'm happy when they arrive but just as happy when they go. All this loving is hard work.

I know how you must feel. We went to a renowned Scottist Hydro Hotel en route to elsewhere, as a treat. We forgot it was their half term! What a night mare, people everywhere, the spa was full and the pool had relaxed its children's policy.
The only good thing was our tower suite, the lift did not go that far up so it was a peaceful haven. Also they put families dining in a different part of the restaurant.

Of course I'm not anti family or children, love them all. It was our fault for not checking the school holidays!

The best hotel holiday we ever had was a Warner's Hotel. No children so we could all act our mental ages rather than our physical ages. They even had an adult size swing in the grounds which was in almost constant use by people reliving the exhilaration they'd felt as children.

Don't get me wrong, I love children but sometimes some can be a little irritating especially when the parents don't seem to notice them running riot.

A Warner's break frees you from all of that. There were so many activities taking place and the hotel had a spa. You could join in as many or as few activities as you wished. We found we never left the hotel which was a first for us but by the time we'd had a leisurely breakfast, a walk in the gardens, a game of bowls, coffee, read the paper, lunch, a swim, more coffee, a dance class, more coffee, our evening meal and then more dancing and entertainment the days just whizzed by.

vq I was going to say the same. H and I are regular Warners guests. Our next being April '17.

My DGC are noisy, lively, often quarrelsome (when tired/bored) children. That is normal. If you choose to take children to a hotel at a particularly excitable time (Christmas!) then I think there will be a certain level of boredom as they cannot relax in the saame way as at home and everyone is in even more forced proximity. This is going to lead to more fractious moments, silly behaviour etc! However rudeness and deliberate barging is not right!

We didn't choose to come here. DD and SiL were most insistent and enthusiastic about it. It seemed like a nice idea.
I've grown accustomed to the general abandonment of all normal conventions of behaviour. However, its the rudeness of adults that is most (literally) jarring. I've been barged in front of and pushed aside by grown ups so often. My stick might have to be alternatively deployed!!
I can't get over how polite and helpful the staff are. All eastern European by the way. Full marks to them.

I suggest you do use your walking stick in the same way as my late MiL. She wasn't above rapping someone 'accidentally' around the ankles with it or tripping up rude people who barged past her. She then used to hold them up by insisting in apologising profusely to them and explaining how unsteady she was. I think that annoyed them more than the assault.

?? like it Anya!

Excellent plan! Will definitely implement it.

We go self catering, maybe not so restful as a hotel but we can please ourselves 're food etc. My DIL has a real knack for choosing nice holidays, we've stayed in some lovely cottages . Some parents seem to absolve themselves of any care of their children and allow them to run amok when on holiday. My family went on a self catering holiday to Croatia and spent a happy week in a quiet hidden area. They stopped going to any beaches as the Russians were even worse . So they used their own pool instead.

We spend 3 to 4 months of the year staying in guest houses out here in SE Asia, they are a cross between our b&b and a hotel. We avoid any with young backpackers and groups of young people, breakfast is whenever so no problems with lie ins. I think the trouble tis these days parents bring their children up different, they believe the world revolves around them and there is largely respect shown for anyone. An example went i to Waitrose toilets and a young mum with a child came in, smiled and said my son is only four and he needs the loo, so you dont mind if I go first? My reply, i am 69 and so have a weak bladder and in I went!

Dear Jane10- places never used to be like that. Children sat down and were quiet and well behaved.
My daughter and I went away in in school time this summer but found there were still lots of British children in the hotel. Also the Spanish schools had already broken up. We decided the parents were to blame for the children's poor behaviour such as
Playing in the hotel foyer (mum and dad in the bar)
Playing football in the dining room
Small children running around with plates of food
Children in the night club at 11.00pm
We are going to an adults only resort next time.

annesixty I'm sorry your friends are not enjoying their stay in the Lake District, but I live here and I think the weather here for Christmas/December has been great. Ok Christmas day was wet and blowy but so was everywhere else from what I gather. Yesterday we had blue skies and we were able to walk up in the fells without coats on. Wonderful for December.

I went on a family in the med at the height of summer and will not do it again. Loved having the family around but it was far too hot and going to the water parks was hell as there was no seating and it was most uncomfortable sitting on the ground and having to move round to stay in the shade.
For my own holidays I go on tours and ensure they pick good hotels.
Would love to go to Warners but am on my own and it seems to be for couples.

amt101 Warners isn't just for couples. I have seen ladies who go there regularly on their own.
One lady I met goes there while her husband is having respite care.
The staff are always very attentive.
Everyone is so friendly. You would soon find people to chat with.
Try it. I'm sure you would enjoy. It is so relaxing.