How can I avoid paying the third-child holiday ‘tax’?

Ever since we had our third child, who is now nearly 10, I realised that pretty much everything – from hotel rooms to villas, rental cars and tourist sights – is geared towards families of four.

I remember the first time we tried to book a holiday in the UK at a wellknown family resort after our youngest was born. She had just turned three and had grown out of her cot. We were told that, because she was over two years old, we would have to book a three-bedroom property – double the price of a two-bedroom lodge.

These days, our car hire situation is also far from ideal – having three underfives makes it tricky to find a vehicle that can accommodate two child seats and a booster seat for our eldest. So we always end up paying considerably more to hire a seven-seater.

So how can you save money if your family is ever so slightly larger than average, like ours? Jacqui Cleaver, an expert from the BH14 Travel company, says many hotels will try to make you book at least two bedrooms or more if you have more than two children.

“However, there are many resorts and hotels that offer family suites, interconnecting rooms or one-bedroom family suites,” she says. “And although the word ‘suite’ tends to make travellers think it will be super-expensive, that’s really not always the case.”

There are also several countries, including Spain, Portugal and Abu Dhabi, where children under 12 often go free at popular attractions, and many hotels offer dining upgrades or halfboard options.

“You might not consider yourself to be an ‘all-inclusive’ family but, if there is the offer of an upgrade or the option of half board for just £100 a head, you will absolutely save money – even if you also want to explore the local area,” says Cleaver.

When it comes to booking tickets for family days out, it always pays to book in advance too, she advises: “Booking on the day is always more expensive. If you are exploring a city, try to book city passes as they are always cheaper.”

And if you thought cruises were just for retired travellers, think again, says Cleaver: “Cruises are still typically seen as an ‘older traveller’ option, but this simply is not the case anymore, and it is a wonderful way to see multiple places as a family. Some cruise ships, especially those run by NCL, MSC and Royal Caribbean, are brilliant for families. There are family cabins that will take five – but bear in mind that they are limited, so booking in advance is a must.”

Consumer travel expert Jane Hawkes, a money-saving blogger at Lady Janey, says house-swaps can also be a great way of saving money if your family is on the larger side.

“You can get your holiday accommodation for free by choosing to houseswap in a wide range of places, both in the UK and abroad,” she says. “And house-swapping also gives you the chance to get tips and advice from your local home-swap partners as to where is best to go for less.”

If you have a pet or two at home, you can cut kennel or cattery fees by doing a holiday swap with another family.

If all else fails, haggle, says Hawkes: “If you don’t ask, you definitely don’t get. Negotiate with your tour operator or agent about the price per person, not the total, so the discounts appear smaller. See if a deal can be price matched if not beaten. With wheeling and dealing you could get a nice discount, upgrade or another perk.”

i Unfair: families that are ‘slightly larger than average’ risk paying more for an extra room or a larger hire vehicle – but there are solutions