Space is often the deciding factor for families. A static caravan holiday gives everyone a bit of breathing room, somewhere for the kids to watch television while the adults have a cup of tea in a separate area, which a single hotel room rarely manages without someone being under everyone else's feet.

A static caravan is bigger inside than most people expect from the outside. Most units have a separate living area with a sofa and television, a kitchen with a cooker, fridge and the basics you'd find in a small kitchen at home, and two or three bedrooms depending on the size you've booked. It's closer to a small, self-contained holiday cottage than anything resembling camping.

Midweek arrival is the other thing worth trying. Weekend slots get booked up first, particularly for short breaks, so a Monday or Tuesday arrival often has availability when a Friday one doesn't. If your work pattern allows it, a midweek break also tends to mean quieter on-site facilities, since most other guests are working to the same Friday-to-Friday pattern you're avoiding.

On arrival, you'll usually collect keys from reception or a check-in point, where someone can point you towards your caravan, talk you through anything specific to that unit, and flag opening times for the pool, clubhouse or shop if the park has them. It's worth asking any questions at this point, staff on site tend to be used to first-time guests and are generally happy to run through anything that isn't obvious.

Food shopping on arrival, rather than eating out on your first night, is a small habit that adds up over a week. A single supermarket shop covering breakfasts, lunches and a few home-cooked evenings, topped up with the odd meal out as a treat rather than a default, keeps a self-catering break comfortably within most budgets without anyone feeling like they went without.

See the details at www.tingdeneholidayparks.com.