Are we going on a summer holiday?

Never has there been a year quite like this one. First, in a rush of relief at the end of Brexit uncertainty, we piled into the travel agents. Tour operators and airlines were slapping themselves on the back in January and February, as they took record bookings for July and August.

Then came lockdown. Millions of us lost our Easter holidays and many are still waiting for refunds. Millions more were held in suspense for weeks – unable to cancel summer breaks without forfeiting money, yet uncertain if they would go ahead.

When we finally got the go-ahead to travel again, look what happened. Spain, our most popular holiday destination, has been all but cancelled overnight. Those heading to France, Greece, Turkey or Italy know that a surge in the infection rate could mean the axe will fall, even as they drive to the airport. That’s if they aren’t forced into a local lockdown themselves.

The only safe alternative? A staycation. The result? Huge stress on the British coast and countryside. Never in my wildest imaginings did I think I’d see stories like those which have emerged this week. Of people being gazumped out of rental cottages by desperate holidaymakers offering to pay extra. And of owners reneging on bookings because their own trips have been cancelled.

A growing number of people who had booked accommodation on Cottages.com, a popular rental platform that offers 18,000 properties, have been complaining after receiving emails telling them their reservations were suddenly unavailable. Most were due to check in within days, had paid the full balance and received confirmation.

Yvonne Moulds, 43, an A&E doctor, was due to stay in a cottage near Inverness with her partner Chris, a teacher. Both key workers, they had booked a week off for some much needed respite

“I paid straight away, as you do when it’s last minute. But the email we got didn’t have any information about how to get there, or collect the keys,” says Yvonne.

“Finally, three days ago, we got an email from Cottages.com and I thought ‘oh it’s going to be OK’. But a few minutes later, the owner of the cottage phoned me really distressed. She explained she had decided not to rent it out this year, and had informed the agent at the start of the season. She’s had no money from them and it’s not her fault.”

The site has admitted that trips have been cancelled because of technical errors caused by “unprecedented” demand on its website, which meant some listings were double-booked.

A spokesperson for Cottages.com told the Telegraph: “Due to the large number of last-minute bookings we have received there have been a small number of double-booking issues within our system. We have apologised to those customers involved and are working with them to ensure they can rebook, or receive a voucher or a cash refund.”

They added: “Some [proprietors] are choosing to use the property themselves as they are unable to travel abroad for their summer holiday.”

Yvonne believes the site may have marketed cottages they knew weren’t available.

“You’d think if it was a one off it might have been a mistake, but from social media it seems to be a common theme. We know we’re not going on holiday now. I’ve spent my days off sorting this, instead of relaxing.”

I have been one of the lucky ones. My Greek sailing holiday, booked for June, never looked likely to go ahead. I cancelled in May, postponing it for a year. And, because I live in North Norfolk, I’ve had the consolation of blue skies, country lanes and deserted beaches. It has felt more like the 1930s than the 2020s.

One glorious Saturday in May, after a week of responding to the developing dramas over cancellations and refunds, I cycled to Holkham beach – one of our local holiday honeypots. The mile-long drive, which runs down to a swathe of sand dunes and pine woods, is normally used as a car park for thousands of day-visitors.

That morning, it was empty. I didn’t see a single other person. In 25 years, I haven’t witnessed anything like it. But, just a few weeks later, the pendulum has swung the other way. Norfolk is besieged by camper-vans and cars; bikes on the roof racks, wellies in the boot – a manic invasion of pleasure seekers.

I have no beef with it. Those that have been cooped up in the towns and cities desperately need some sea air. But I wouldn’t dream of heading back to the beach myself.

In fact, unless you are desperate, maybe this isn’t the summer for a staycation after all.  If you haven’t got anything sorted, you might want to look ahead to an autumn break instead. Those glorious wide beaches and sand dunes will be waiting.

How to plan a last-minute Plan B holiday

By Anna Hart

When holidays go wrong, it can feel like our optimism has been cancelled, not merely the flight. But it is possible to rustle a good time out of nothing, and sometimes, the very best holidays are the ones we’d never have chosen in a million summers.

So if you’re wrestling with abandoned plans, here are a few smart tricks to salvage your summer...

1. Crowdsource

Don’t be shy. There is a pandemic on, and people are being kinder to each other. If your family vacation to Portugal has evaporated, post a polite plea on Facebook, or even a local noticeboard. Be specific about what you’re after: say, four nights somewhere rural, for two adults and a child. If you’re up for pet-sitting, shout about it. You never know, someone might come up with the goods; a spare yurt in their garden, or an empty home while they visit family.

2. Day tripper

If your Plan A, Plan B and Plan C holidays have fallen through and you’re resigned to staying at home, fret not. Start looking into local attractions – anything under a 90 minute drive – and plan a week of day trips. The money you save on a hotel means you can splash out on meals, and you can tick off those nearby places that tourists rave about, but you’re embarrassed to admit you’ve never seen. You’ll get all the benefits of a domestic holiday, and amazingly enough, the bed you fall into every night will be precisely the sort of bed you love.

3. Farm it out

If you’re willing to get your hands dirty, there are all sorts of possibilities on farms, even city ones. At one end of the spectrum there are posh farmstays, but if there are no rooms at the inn, sites like WWOOF offer 1-2 week working holidays, often at charming independent organic farms. Many are desperate for pickers right now, and you might strike gold. If you can’t quite handle a week as a farmhand, ask to volunteer at your local allotment, or look into pick-your-own places. Just remember to call it “Agroturismo”; everything sounds fun in Italian.

4. House-swap

With thousands of European holidays in tatters, owners who’d cannily rented out their homes during their Spanish sojourn are now reneging on their guests, causing a secondary ripple of cancelled staycations. But swapping remains an option. You could spread the word through WhatsApp or Facebook groups, or check out a dedicated website like lovehomeswap.com or homeswapper.co.uk. And don’t dismiss keeping it simple and swapping homes with a family member or friend – a change of scene might be all it takes to lift your spirits.

5. Voluntourism

So you’re all dressed up, with a week off work, and nowhere to go? Plenty of local organisations – community gardens, charities, historic attractions, museums – are struggling, and might be able to offer volunteers enjoyable work and good company. Okay, so volunteering at your local National Trust property isn’t quite the same thing as touring the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, but you might learn more and you can save your pennies, and good karma, for a cultural feast further down the line.