A holiday in the UK offers an easy route to decompression: no passport panic, no last-gasp airport rush. They’re familiar but unexpected, interesting but still comfortable. Going solo is even better: you can do exactly what you want, when you want.
It is pricier though. Hotel rooms for one tend to be the same price as doubles, and single supplements are common. However, through trial and error, I’ve learned how to cut costs without packing lunches or sleeping in a car. Cheap and successful solo travel means throwing money at the right problems, and cutting back in other areas so that you can still afford a few luxuries.
Start with cheap transport
There are a couple of straightforward ways to save on rail travel: booking 12 weeks in advance for the best fares and buying a railcard for up to a third off.
If, like me, you’re ineligible for age-related railcards, the Network railcard for London and the South East is worth it if you travel a lot in that area.
Alternatively, you can save by splitting tickets – buying individual tickets for different segments of your train journey, rather than one single. Websites such as Split My Fare or TrainSplit will do this automatically, giving you up to 40 per cent off fares. Sometimes this requires changing trains, while other times it simply means holding multiple tickets for one direct journey.
Coaches can be more stressful than trains (traffic), but are usually cheaper. Among the nice, affordable options are the Oxford Tube (connecting the city with the capital from £15) and FlixBus, which operates routes between Inverness and Penzance, including London-Bristol from £3.99.
Timing can make a difference, too – going off-peak is an easy route to rail savings. And if you leave early and return late, you’ll save on hotels; you can explore a city for three days, with only two nights in spent in accommodation. Hotels struggle to fill rooms at the end of the weekend, so prices often drop on Sundays.
The interior of Durham Cathedral (Photo: StephenBridger/Getty/iStock Editorial)Embrace off-season
This does not necessarily mean stomaching the bitter cold. You can save money simply by evading the peaks, particularly the busy school summer holidays.
June is a surprising option for the solo traveller, when going abroad can be costly, but staycations are cheap. According to data from VisitBritain, June is one of the cheaper months to travel in the UK. You’ll also get good weather, plus relatively quiet cities and towns.
I personally enjoy winter staycations, particularly after Christmas when I need a holiday from the holidays. Yes, the weather is a disgrace, but the collective urge to hibernate provides a few small mercies to the solo traveller: everything is quiet, everything is cheap.
Transport promotions abound, while restaurants and bars entice the few brave enough to venture outside with deals. Hotels lower prices too, especially at the last-minute.
A female kingfisher in the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (Photo: Jane Barlow/PA)Save on accommodation
I typically pick cheap accommodation – I’m happy to share a toilet, sometimes a bunk. I often use the “sort by price” option when booking and pick from the cheapest options.
But, for others, a staycation may demand at least a modicum of luxury. Use comparison sites, such as Skyscanner and Trivago, and check out last-minute Airbnbs as hosts seek to fill their rooms. The bravest among us book stays on the day, with reduced prices on apps like Hotel Tonight.
Don’t overlook hostels, either. They’re not all horrible, nor are they only for youngsters. Many private rooms in modern hostels are much nicer than low-end hotels; you can find great deals on Hostel World.
There’s also no such thing as a free breakfast – you’ll be paying for that “complimentary breakfast” in the rate. I’m veggie and avoid the choice of loading up on hash browns and beans.
A tour group at the Old Bodleian Library in Oxford (Photo: Carl Court/Getty)Keep activities low-cost
My staycations usually involve books with coffee, afternoons in pubs and a curry or three-course meal. I like consumption and I take steps to afford it by cutting back on proper “activities”. I’ll go for just one a day, always choosing the cheap option. I’ve visited Nottingham Contemporary, Sheffield’s Millenium Gallery, cathedrals in Durham and Chichester, Cambridge colleges and the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh, always making a donation at these free-to-visit places.
Students offer low-cost tours of university cities, often just asking for a tip. They’re one of the best ways to see Oxford, for example, because the students and graduates who lead the tours tend to be absurdly enthusiastic. Alumni Tours even throw punting into the mix for just £25 extra.
Free Tour or GuruWalk have options across the UK and operate a “pay what you want” model. The guides work hard for their money, so they’re often funny as well as informative. Alternatively, save your cash, wander alone and learn as you go.
The Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon (Photo: Tomasz Bobrzynski/Getty/Moment Unreleased RF)Set a daily budget – but don’t be scared to break it
I budget about £70 per day (more for larger cities), including accommodation and travel. But I will spoil myself at least once per trip, because life is for living.
I splashed out on All’s Well That Ends Well at the RSC in Stratford Upon Avon – it was Shakespeare in Stratford, after all. I went to a great gig at the Jazz Bar in Edinburgh. And I’ve seen the Welsh rugby team lose several times in Cardiff.
Spend money on whatever is a priority for you and cut back elsewhere. I will happily sleep in a tent so I can splash out on a meal, whereas others will book a five-star hotel and eat cornflakes from the box. In the end, that’s the entire point of the solo staycation: do what you like.
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