A new holiday index has reported the most and least family-friendly staycation spots in the UK, aiming to highlight areas where families may face challenges in planning an enjoyable and cost-effective getaway. Newport, in Wales, has been identified as the lowest-ranking location for families, with a score of just 1.4 out of 10.¹
The index by Go.Compare assessed 55 destinations across the UK, focusing on three key factors – family-friendly accommodation, attractions, and affordability during school breaks.[2][3][4]
The lowest-ranking UK staycation destinations:
1. Newport (Score 1.4)
2. Cardiff (Score 2.0)
3. Swansea (Score 2.1)
4. Aberdeen (Score 2.3)
5. Glasgow (Score 2.5)
Newport offers just 72 family-friendly hotels and 20 attractions tailored for children, contributing to its low score. The Welsh capital, Cardiff, and the neighbouring city of Newport ranked second and third in the list. According to the index, families visiting Wales during school holidays face a 47% average price hike in accommodation compared to term time – the highest in the UK.
Scotland similarly sees costly accommodation during peak seasons, with a 31% increase in hotel costs. This is partly why two of its major cities, Aberdeen and Glasgow, also appear in the five lowest-scoring spots. Though culturally rich, they offer limited options for families.
Rhys Jones, a travel expert at Go.Compare said, “It’s surprising to see destinations like Newport rank so low on the list for family-friendly staycations. As a Newport resident, I can boast about its many charms, like the Celtic Manor (home to the 2010 Ryder Cup golf course) and plenty of neighbouring countryside. But a combination of fewer attractions for kids and price hikes during school holidays make it less accessible for families on a budget.”
In contrast, the top-ranking destination, Kent, boasts affordability and plenty of family activities. Hotel prices increase by just 6% during school holidays—the lowest price hike in the UK. Other high-scoring areas include Norfolk, East Sussex, and North Yorkshire.
For more information on the family-friendly UK staycation index, visit Go.Compare.
References:
¹ The weighting for the family staycation index was based on three key factors – family-friendly accommodation, kid-friendly attractions, and hotel cost trends during term time and school holidays. We assigned scores for the number of family hotels and attractions, with higher numbers earning better ratings. Accommodation costs were adjusted for peak season price hikes, with lower increases reflecting better affordability. The final scores were calculated as a weighted average of these factors.
[2] The number of hotels suitable for families was sourced from uk.hotels.com through a search for hotels by region using the “family-friendly” filter.
[3] The number of family-friendly attractions was sourced from TripAdvisor using the “good for kids” filter.
[4] Average hotel prices were calculated for 11 UK regions (North East England, Yorkshire and the Humber, West Midlands, East Midlands, East of England, South East of England, South West of England, London, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland) We used the prices of the recommended hotel for those regions using uk.hotels.com.
The holiday search criteria consisted of a seven-night stay for two adults and one child. Hotels were filtered using the “family-friendly” option. Some luxury hotels were not included, as this would skew the data.
Prices per person were found for each week over 12 months. These were then used to calculate the average price for holidays during term time and school breaks throughout the year for each region.
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