We get asked this a lot, usually by families weighing up a Eurocamp against an all-inclusive hotel or a UK holiday park. Short answer: it depends on when you go. Here’s how it compares, and what it really costs in May half term versus the summer holidays, with real numbers from our own trips.
Is Eurocamp an all-inclusive holiday?
No, not by default. Eurocamp does now sell dining packages at a handful of parcs, running all season in 2026. You can add full board, half board or breakfast only, from £8.53 per adult and £7.07 per child a day for the buffet options, or from £6.03 per adult and £3.45 per child for breakfast only. You book it for your whole stay. Everywhere else it’s self-catering.
Eurocamp vs. all-inclusive resorts
Eurocamp holidays are self catering, so whether you book a tent or a mobile home, you get a kitchen with a hob. Some accommodation has an oven, some doesn’t, it depends what you’re allocated. Read my accommodation guide for the full breakdown by tier.
The main reason we choose Eurocamp over an all-inclusive is the freedom. In the mornings I sit out on the decking in my pyjamas with a coffee while the girls run around outside. I can’t imagine going back to a hotel room where you’re stuck until everyone’s dressed and ready.
Bedtimes are better too. We love that we can shut the door on their room, go and sit on the terrace, and get some real couple time. An all-inclusive hotel room with the kids next door doesn’t give you that.
It would be nice if someone else cooked for a change, I won’t pretend otherwise. But self-catering means we pick up local produce and cook what we actually fancy, not what’s on a buffet that night.
Outdoor activities are far more abundant with Eurocamp. You’re not restricted to resort-based entertainment or booking everything through a rep, you can just get up and go.
And it’s usually cheaper. With Eurocamp you pay per accommodation, not per person, so it works out a lot better for families with more than one or two children.
Meal planning without an oven
Stick to stove-top meals and you won’t notice if your mobile home doesn’t have an oven. We plan for no oven as standard, and if we get one, it’s a bonus. I know a lot of families rely on an oven or air fryer at home, so here’s what actually works in a Eurocamp kitchen.
We make these meals whether we’re in a tent or a mobile home, so they’re genuinely versatile and the girls are used to them too.
You’ll also find many campsites have restaurants and takeaway options. Sometimes we’ll make a salad and grab chips from the takeaway to go with it.
If you have a BBQ, you can make pizzas on it. And if, like us, you like the occasional chicken nugget and smiley face meal, those cook fine in a frying pan.
Eurocamp vs UK holiday parks
Both do a good family holiday, but they suit different things. Eurocamp wins on weather and on feeling like an actual holiday abroad, a UK park wins on convenience, no ferry, no language barrier, no packing the car for a Channel crossing. For me it rarely feels like a real break unless I’ve crossed a border, but that’s a personal thing, not a fact.
There’s a real difference in the accommodation. European static caravans are generally more basic than UK ones, mostly because you spend far more time outside than in. You didn’t drive or fly all this way to sit inside with the fire on.
The honest downside of a UK park is the weather gamble. We’ve had UK holidays rained off that would have been fine with better planning around Eurocamp’s longer, warmer season.
Eurocamp vs traditional camping
There isn’t a massive difference. You’re not in your own tent, caravan or camper van, you don’t have to bring the kit, and you usually don’t have to use a public toilet block unless you’ve booked a pre-erected tent.
You’re still on a European campsite, with the same facilities and the same freedom. The accommodation’s just already there when you arrive.
We absolutely love tent camping, and when we’re not on a Eurocamp holiday that’s where you’ll find us. Outside school holidays, a Eurocamp mobile home can land cheaper than you’d expect against a pitch. We booked Domaine des Ormes two days ahead and paid €159 for 4 nights in a mobile home, which beats what we’ve paid for a tent pitch at some sites. It isn’t always cheaper though, it depends on the parc, the dates and what’s left to sell, so don’t take it as a rule, just as something worth checking before you assume camping is automatically the budget option.
Is Eurocamp worth it? What a week actually costs
Yes, for most families, but not at every time of year and not for everyone. We checked Eurocamp’s prices for Camping Bel in October 2026 (we stayed there over May half term) to show you the real spread.
A week in a mobile home at Camping Bel, where we stayed over May half term, starts from around £181 outside the school holidays and about £198 for the May half term week itself (arriving 31 May 2027). That’s for the whole family, for the week, with beds, a kitchen and a pool complex on the doorstep.
To put that in context, we paid €590 for 6 nights on a tent pitch at Parc de Fierbois, and that was before we’d even got the tent out of the car. So a Eurocamp mobile home isn’t the splurge a lot of people assume it is, especially in May, June and September. Like everywhere, the summer holidays cost more, so if you’re tied to August, book early and keep an eye on our deals page for the latest offers.
So who is it not worth it for? If you love the whole tent camping experience (pitching up, cooking on the stove, the lot), you’ll probably want to keep doing that. But if you’d rather arrive to made-up beds, a full kitchen and no tent to pitch in the rain, Eurocamp is worth it, and it’s what we book whenever we want a holiday that feels like a real rest.
Eurocamp costs and how to save money
Eurocamp runs regular discount schemes, which makes it a realistic option for budget-conscious travellers if you time it right. Early booking discounts, last-minute deals, off-peak bookings and loyalty discounts all stack up. For more detail on stretching your budget, read our post here, where I cover cooking in your accommodation and making the most of the free facilities.
Why is Eurocamp so cheap?
Eurocamp is cheap for three reasons. You pay per accommodation, not per person, which helps bigger families most. You can self-cater with local ingredients instead of paying restaurant or all-inclusive prices. And there are plenty of free or low-cost activities on-site, plus the option to explore nearby independently.
It isn’t cheap everywhere though. Premium and Ultimate accommodation, peak season and popular parcs near the coast all push the price up fast, so “Eurocamp is cheap” really means “Eurocamp can be cheap if you’re flexible on parc, tier and dates.”
FAQs
Is Eurocamp cheaper than a UK holiday park?
Often, yes, especially outside the summer holidays, because you pay per accommodation rather than per person. In the summer holidays the gap closes and some UK parks can come out cheaper, so it’s worth pricing both for your actual dates rather than assuming.
Is Eurocamp worth it if we already own camping gear?
It can be, even then. We love our tent, but once you add up a good pitch, electricity and a fridge, a Eurocamp mobile home outside the school holidays often isn’t far off, and you skip the packing, pitching and the soggy tent on the last morning. We do both, depending on the trip.
Is Eurocamp good for families who don’t want to camp at all?
Yes. You get a kitchen, real beds and a full bathroom without owning or packing any kit, which is the whole appeal for families who want campsite freedom without the camping part.
Do I need to bring cooking equipment to Eurocamp?
No, every accommodation comes with a fully equipped kitchen and a hob. Some have an oven and some don’t, so check the specific accommodation listing if an oven matters to you, and plan some stove-top meals as a backup either way.
When is Eurocamp worth it, and when isn’t it?
It’s worth it for most families, and especially in May, June and September, when prices are at their lowest and the parcs are quieter. For the summer holidays, book early to get the best prices and pick of the accommodation. If you only ever want the cheapest possible week and love pitching a tent, stick with your tent.
More of our Eurocamp guides
This page is part of our Eurocamp holiday guide, which covers everything from who Eurocamp are to the best parcs in each country. If you’ve decided it’s worth it, start with our pick of the best Eurocamps.
