We have had great holidays with numerous other families for almost two decades and have found the fairest way is:
- split villa costs by number of bedrooms used
- split food/meal costs by the number of persons going using the Splitwise app so the admin is almost zero. Babies and toddlers don’t count as a person/unit for the split, children aged about 5-10 are counted as a half person as they usually eat less/children’s meals in restaurants, and from age about 11 up they count as a full unit as they order off the normal menu in restaurants, eat huge amounts of snacks, and soft drinks cost almost as much as wine abroad. You can set these percentages/units up in the app in advance so you don’t need to do endless calculations and discussions when the bill comes or someone goes out to the supermarket.
- treats beyond the core meals/foods eg a few people go out for an ice cream or a drink together are just offered as gifts between friends in whatever way you’d normally do, without being counted.
We’ve found that if we agree it in advance it feels fair and no-one feels like they’re subsiding others or being subsidised- neither of which is a comfortable feeling.
Enjoy your holiday!

As an aside, I think I'd ensure the property has a separate "wing" for their family as otherwise it sounds as if it could be a nightmare at nighttime for you and your family.

I've always used the app splitwise while travelling with friends and it saves you that awkward convo of who's paying for this one!

There was a similar question to this on Mumsnet last week and I echo what was said on there, you need to split the cost by room, just as you would if this was a hotel. Your friends require 4 rooms, you require 2, so that's the split. I am very surprised that your friends wouldn't have automatically offered this, especially as this is an unusual setup. You are already going to be paying more than your friends, as they are a family of 5 and you are a family of 4, when it comes to meals out and food in the villa, assuming you are splitting things 50/50. If your friends aren't happy about this, then I would abandon the plans and say that it isn't now affordable and not what you were expecting; even if this means falling out. True friends wouldn't expect their friends to pay for their (neurotic) choices!

Why don’t you find out the cost of a four bedroom villa of the same standard and then subtract that from the cost of the six bedroom one and ask them to pay the difference. Hopefully they’re reasonable people and understand it’s only fair for them to pay their share.

I’d suggest dividing the cost of the villa by bedroom and working it out that way. 6 bed villa will be quite bit more punchy than a 4 or 5 bed, wherever you’re going so it seems fair and reasonable to do it this way.
The other family probably won’t like this, but it’s kind of absurd to expect 3 young children to have their own room on holiday! It might be awkward to bring up, but you’ll only feel resentment when you’re there if you don’t.

Would anyone be happy to share how they split holiday accommadtion costs when going away with friends.

We have committed to going away with another family but didn't expect that their toddlers (3 of them under 6) will all need their own rooms because they are poor sleepers. Don't mind booking something bigger at all but hadn't then expected to split the villa cost by person.

We are a family of 4 (similar age children) but ours will share. Wondering how to be fair. What do others do? Any insight would be useful.