As the summer season beckons and school holidays inch nearer, families are beginning to think about potential holiday destinations for the year.

Increasingly, families are shunning holidays abroad in favour of simpler and more affordable UK staycations. Center Parcs, a favourite among adults and children alike with locations throughout the UK, offers a plethora of activities. However, those hoping to stay for longer or travelling with big groups may want a cheaper alternative.

To offer a solution, Louise, a mum of two kids aged nine and six, has revealed a budget-friendly alternative that she claims provides a similar experience at a fraction of the cost.

“If you’re looking for a cheap Center Parcs alternative, then this could be right up your street. We spent three nights here for just under 500 quid, or £40 per person per night,” Louise announced in her TikTok video introduction.

She’s referring to Sherwood Castle Retreat in Newark, situated between Sheffield and Nottingham.

Through clips in her video, Louise said: “It is heavily influenced by its location near Sherwood Forest and by the film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. There are loads of original props from the movie here, including the actual reception.”

The mum then showcased their lodge, featuring a kitchen with a dining table connected to a living room complete with TV, bunk beds for the children, and even a log burner.

“The woodland lodges have hot tubs, and are pretty similar to the Centre Parcs ones with the layout,” she detailed. “We even had a log burner here, which was lovely at night.”

She added: “Plus you have tennis, bowling, and swimming available before five pm. You can actually book out the whole pool for yourselves if you wanted.

“They even have a little animal farm here too. Although you probably don’t wanna be staying too close to it as they have two massive cockerels and these woke us up before five am every morning.”

However, she cautioned that the resort lacked Wi-Fi and felt the play park and mini golf courses didn’t meet her expectations.

“However, it is less than half the price of the cheapest Centre Parcs lodge, it’s in a beautiful location, and there are loads of lovely places to visit nearby,” Louise concluded in the video.

The video prompted several viewers to share their thoughts in the comments section, with one person sharing: “We stayed there was amazing and the booking out the pool to our self was great as it was good for our 4 year old.”

Others expressed gratitude to Louise for sharing her discovery, with one commenting: “This place looks great and brilliant price.”

Sherwood Castle Retreat has been approached for comment.

As summer approaches, many of us will be planning a getaway to make the most of the good weather from the likes of one of Europe’s best beaches, or perhaps lounge by a pool with a swim up bar. Getting the most out of a holiday without having to go over budget is also an added bonus, and even if you’re planning to travel during the busier summer months, there are some ways of avoiding excessive prices. 

Making sure you’re prepared ahead of getting to the airport is always guaranteed to save you some money, especially in destinations where food can be extortionately priced, or you find yourself having to buy an adapter because you forgot to pack one. Avoiding destinations that are tourist hotspots where prices for hotels and restaurants are often driven up, which can also help you stretch your budget further, with transport often being more expensive in areas where there’s a lot of demand too. Some destinations are cheaper than others, but if you’ve got your eyes set on your next holiday and don’t want to compromise on location, you might want to consider the time of year you go away instead.

KAYAK’s new Summer Savings Report has revealed the best time to fly to bag a bargain overseas trip and avoid the crowds. Summer is a particularly busy time of year, especially with schools breaking up for the holidays, meaning more people are travelling.

But it’s also an ideal time of year to get away, especially if you want some sunshine. While the report doesn’t suggest avoiding going away at this time of year altogether, there are two months that you might want to book your holiday during if you’re looking to make some savings.  

Based on the travel website’s findings, June and September are the best months to fly without breaking the bank. Narrowly missing the school holiday surge, they still guarantee a sunny getaway. 

The report found that the price for an international return flight from the UK was £791 in late July, compared to just £491 in mid-June, and £233 in September, £558 cheaper than July’s peak prices.

They also revealed that the busiest days to fly are the 18 and 19 of July, while domestic flight prices drop to an average of £94 in early June and £92 by mid-September. 

Rachel Mumford, Travel expert at KAYAK, said: “Winter’s chill is fading, and wanderlust is heating up, and the great news is that so many sought-after destinations are seeing drops in prices this summer.

The travel search engine also has a handy tool, which means travellers can search for holidays that save on costs and avoid crowds, using the Best Time to Travel extension to help find the best deals.

Martin Lewis’ MoneySavingExpert (MSE) is alerting holidaymakers to a simple rule ahead of the summer travel season. In this week’s email, MSE urges travellers to take one crucial step ‘ASAB’—As Soon As Booked—before even setting foot in the airport.” In their weekly newletter, they explain “the most important thing to do first is to sort out travel insurance.” They say: “When it comes to travel cover, Martin’s rule is simple: get it…ASAB.” This stands for “As Soon As you Book.” They warn: “If you’ve booked and not done it yet, DO IT NOW.

“Half of what you pay for is protection in case illness or other issues before you travel mean you can’t go – though insurance must already be in place for that. However, around one in five of those who have booked DON’T have insurance yet,” according to a Martin Lewis social media poll from 42,000 votes.

One reader described it as a “dangerous risk” to go without it. They replied to the poll to say: “My parents made the mistake of waiting until closer to the date and mum got diagnosed with cancer and had no choice but to cancel as she needed life-saving surgery. They only got 10% back. An expensive mistake.”

In more travel insurance advice on the MoneySavingExpert site, Tony Forchione, MSE’s senior insurance analyst, states that good travel insurance should cover you for:

• Cancellation because you can’t travel
• Covid
• Personal liability
• Sports, excursions and other activities
• Cutting your trip short (curtailment)
• Baggage and personal belongings
• Medical expenses while abroad

Travellers with pre-existing medical conditions are being urged to inform their insurers ahead of their trips, with experts warning that failing to do so could lead to rejected claims. While declaring a condition might feel “daunting,” it’s essential you do so, even if you think your illness won’t cause problems during your trip. Experts stress that having a medical history shouldn’t deter people from seeking out affordable travel insurance as the purpose of cover is to safeguard against the unexpected, such as illness, injury, or theft while abroad.