How to find the perfect child friendly holiday cottage for October half term

How to find the perfect child friendly holiday cottage for October half term (and how being flexible with your search can return your perfect cottage!)

If, like many of us, you are mourning the passing of your summer holiday as the new school year gets underway, then now might be the time to look ahead to a half term break!

Recent years have proven the October can produce some fantastic weather and the recent Brexit outcome means that more and more families are holidaying here in the UK.

So how do you go about finding the perfect October half term child friendly holiday cottage?

Here are our five of our best tips:

1. First decide what matters most

What matters most to you? For October half term, you will obviously be restricted by the 7 days of the break itself.

But making a note of what else about a property is an absolute must for you and your family can really help narrow down a search.

It might be a holiday cottage with an enclosed garden. Or a stairgate. Or a washing machine. They are all searchable on our site.

And being open and flexible with the rest of a property’s attributes can often pay dividends and give you results that you might not previously have considered.

2. Be flexible with your dates

Holiday cottages have different changeover days – often a Friday or Saturday. So by choosing the ‘exact dates’ option, if you can be flexible with your start date by +/- one day, you may well find you return more cottages in your search, giving you greater choice about where to stay.

If this doesn’t suit you and you want to narrow down your search, then simply ‘none’ in the ‘Any flexibility on arrival date?’ box and we will then only show you what is available to rent on that day.

3. Be flexible with your location

Staying in some of the more popular locations around the UK can come with a higher price tag. For example, a cottage in Padstow in Cornwall is likely to cost far more than one in nearby Wadebridge. But Wadebridge is a lovely town and arguably gives you better access to other parts of Cornwall, including Padstow, which is only 20 minutes away.

Similarly, if you are interested in the Lake District, consider searching for properties in Cumbria. It’s the county that houses the Lake District National Park – but it also has thousands of holiday cottages just outside the Park, which may prove better value for your budget.

So search by typing the popular location you would like to be near and then using our distance or drive time sliders to find places within, for example, 5 miles or 15 minutes drive.

A difference of just a few miles can mean a much larger property with equally good amenities for the same price as the more popular destinations. And if you’re feeling brave and the only thing that matters is that hot tub, then choose ‘I don’t mind where’ on our home page – you might be pleasantly surprised by what you find!

4. An all-weather holiday cottage

October half term can bring with it glorious sunshine, making you glad you booked that house with a BBQ and huge garden.

But if the weather takes a turn for the worse, you might also be relieved you booked one with a games room – think pool tables, snooker, table tennis – to help keep the kids occupied.

Hot tubs are also brilliant fun for a cold and rainy day – there’s no better feeling sitting outside in 40C bubbles in the middle of a downpour!

But if you prefer to be indoors then consider a wood-burning stove, board games, a Wii or PlayStation. Again, they are all searchable with Holiday Cottage Compare.

And if a pub, restaurant or shop nearby matter, then make sure to add them to your search.

5. Research the surrounding area

Once you have found your ideal property in your chosen location, consider looking around the area online in advance to make a note of what’s on whilst you are there. Wet weather options in advance can be a great help – as can the nearest beach, play area or indoor swimming pool.

For more information and assistance with finding the perfect holiday cottage, just contact Holiday Cottage Compare. We’ll be happy to give you a hand.