Self-catering is the biggest single saving available. A static caravan holiday, with its own kitchen, means you're choosing when to cook and when to treat yourselves to eating out, rather than paying restaurant prices for every meal of the trip by default. For a family or group of any size, this alone tends to be the single biggest saving compared with a hotel-based break, where every meal usually comes at hotel prices.

Finally, don't assume last-minute means limited facilities. A short break booked at short notice still comes with full access to whatever's on site, whether that's a pool, a clubhouse or coastal walking routes nearby. It simply means less choice over which specific unit you get, which for a quick, spontaneous trip is rarely the deciding factor anyway.

A static caravan holiday gives you a proper living area, a kitchen and usually two or three bedrooms, so it works well for families or groups who want room to spread out rather than one hotel room shared between everyone. Mornings tend to be more relaxed, you can make breakfast in your own time, let the kids potter about in pyjamas a bit longer, and plan your day without waiting on a restaurant sitting. Evenings work the same way. If you've had a full day out, cooking something simple and settling in with the caravan's own living space beats getting everyone dressed again for a dining room.

Explore this further at family holiday Parks.

Confirm exactly what's included in your stay versus what costs extra. Bedding, towels, a welcome pack, use of the pool or clubhouse, these vary considerably from park to park and even between different unit types on the same park, so it's worth getting a straight answer before you book rather than after you've paid.

Booking your first stay at a UK holiday park can feel like a lot of small decisions rather than one big one, so it helps to work through them in order rather than all at once.