18 December 2024

Hong Kong was a place I always wanted to visit. Just fascinates me when I have seen it in many films.. On the way to Borneo we decided to have a few nights here to break up the journey. For this trip we decided to fly with British Airways from Heathrow on the direct flight. Arriving into Hong Kong in the afternoon we booked a Family Room in Kowloon which was perfect for us. With only having a few days to explore Hong Kong we tried to cram as much as possible without tiring the kids out too much. We did a day trip out to Hong Kong Island and also an afternoon at the amusement park, Ocean Park. The cable car ride up to here gave spectacular views of Hong Kong Island even if I did feel uneasy at getting on - i have the same feeling in Matlock Bath! We also saw the famous Jumbo Floating Restaurant which sank back in 2022. This was located around the fishing boats and it was great to see and listen to local fisherman on how they go about their daily lives. In the evening we visited the main harbour and were lucky enough to see an amazing technical light show that was over on Hong Kong Island. You can hire boats out here to get a better view. One thing that amazed me about Hong Kong is one side you have the designer shops and then around the corner you have the 'slums' as they are known. Two very different ways of life yet minutes from each other. I would recommend spending no longer than 4 nights here and if you are heading to the Far East / Australia, Hong Kong offers you the perfect destination to explore and relax with many of their high end hotels.

18 December 2024

When it comes to Mauritius you may well be surprised at the value this island offers in comparison with a like for like Summer Med destination. Travelling in our summer (August) is actually winter in Mauritius. Some may argue that this is the best time to visit as it actually has less rain than the Summer months. As our family are not particularly sun worshippers this offered us a great time to visit. We flew direct from Heathrow with Air Mauritius (now only direct from Gatwick) but you can also fly from Birmingham or Manchester via Doha or Dubai which makes it the perfect destination for a twin centre holiday. I am a big fan of the Beachcomber Hotels and they have 8 on the island all offering something different whether travelling with families or as a couple. We had decided on the Mauricia because it offered everything our family wanted in terms of facilities but also because it was walking distance to bars, restaurants and shops. They offered half board or all-inclusive and we opted for the latter which is always a popular choice when travelling with kids (especially when you have 4!) You can also dine and use the facilities at other Beachcomber Hotels. After an hours transfer from the airport to the North West Coast we were greeted with a nice cold refreshing drink and showed to our rooms. We had decided on 2 rooms for this trip and chose to be in the ground floor beachfront rooms which gave us access to the beach and pool from our balconies which again is another handy thing to have with kids. One of the great things about staying at a Beachcomber Hotel is that all water sports are complimentary. So if you fancy Kayaking, windsurfing, pedal boats and water skiing etc then this will be perfect for you. It was nice to see the kids get better day by day especially on the water skiing which can be quite tricky to master. Whilst away we took in a day trip to the capital, Port Louis. This is very much an interesting city. One side you have brand new buildings which are very modern and then around the corner you have the old town with its bustling markets and where the locals love to barter with every purchase you make. Two very different experiences in one city. We also hired out a speedboat for the day (no I was not driving!) which was great fun especially whizzing around the bays where other hotels were located. We stopped at various points for snorkelling and headed to a remote island for some lunch which was surreal. I say it was remote, there were some locals on there that had nipped over for a BBQ, talk about living on the doorstep of paradise and certainly beats having a BBQ in my back garden on a Summers day. The guides were informative and stopped at the best places where there were lots of tropical fish to see and would recommend if part of a large group or family in doing this so you can pretty much customise where you go and how long you stay somewhere. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay on the island and it’s a great alternative in our Summer months for your holiday over a European trip.

13 December 2024

It's been over 25 years since I was last over in Florida so was really excited to see how much had changed over this time... In reality not much, they still have plenty of my favorutie restaurants and shopping malls that I remember visiting as a kid! As a family of 6 with 4 of them being children ageing from 4 to 16, getting hotel accommodation for us all can be tricky. More often than not we have a boys and a girls room, fair to say one tidier than the other! This time around we decided to opt for a private villa and I guess there is no better place than Orlando for choice. However, I have never fancied driving abroad so when the opportunity came up to stay at a brand new complex located just off International Drive in Orlando it was a no brainer. No car needed, bonus! The Villatel Orlando Resort offers 2 bed condos all the way up to a 10 bed villa. Before we travelled I was aware that the complex was not fully ready yet with its resort facilities such as waterpark and restaurants. These will all be ready for 2025 and will be a great addition to the resort. We opted to book a 6 bed villa that came with a large private pool, games room, cinema room and a kids themed room which was a wow moment for our youngest. One of the key selling points to these new villas are the themed bedrooms for the kids, some complete with slides! Location was absolutely perfect. A short 5 minute walk and we were on International Drive, which if you don't know Orlando is where all the action is. I would recommend purchasing an I Drive bus pass which allows you unlimited travel up and down International Drive. This is valuable as you can visit the shopping malls and restaurants with ease. With us having no car it meant no trips to the supermarkets. We used the numerous apps available to order in the shopping and did this every couple of days with ease. We decided it would be best for us a family to focus on the Universal Parks so we purchased the 3 Park Universal Pass which gave us 14 days unlimited use of Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure and the amazing Volcano Bay Waterpark. The resort complex offered complimentary shuttle transportation should we want it throughout the day which was a bonus. However, with the ease and simplicity of Uber we just used them to travel to and from the parks. With the dedicated drop and pick off points at the Universal Parks it was all too easy. With the 2 girls liking Disney we decided that Mum and the girls would visit Mickey's not so scary Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom. Yes in August! They arrived at the park around teatime and stayed until just before midnight taking in the great fireworks show that is associated with Magic Kingdom. Staying in a villa gives you great flexibility as visiting the parks, especially with kids, can be tiring. So to have that downtime where they could relax and enjoy the benefits that came with the villa meant it was a great choice for us. Problem is they now want a cinema room at home!

12 August 2021

So we finally booked a holiday through our son Nick - our first ever cruise and we went posh and booked a suite. What a wonderful experience and we were pampered big time. We chose the Celebrity Silhouette UK cruise for 6 nights. We just wanted a short break away after a stressful two years and to celebrate last year’s 40th wedding anniversary ???? and I wanted to see the sea. That’s what Nick’s brief was and he definitely delivered, but then I’m his mum, so he would wouldn’t he? ?? Nick sorted everything out for us including making sure we got a wheelchair accessible suite, assistance with boarding and the before cruise hotel too. Highly recommend this as it was quite a long journey to Southampton. Nick booked us in the Holiday Inn Southampton and what a good choice as the ship docked practically outside the hotel at gate 8 and was just by the City Cruise Terminal. Again, the hotel was fully accessible with a huge wet room and very Covid secure. We had to wear masks except if eating and drinking. We had booked a blue badge space with APB at the Terminal car park right by the Terminal and was sent a badge to display. They had a free offer on car parking which was great. When we arrived at the car park they were so very well organised and two people collected our cases. They suggest you take your own blue badge with you on the ship as you already have the car park disabled people’s badge. Nick had booked assistance, but the terminal was so organised and accessible that we didn’t need it in the end and made our own way through and on board the ship as there was ramped access throughout. So glad I printed off our PCR test results and vaccination certificates by the way as people were struggling all over with their phones and told me they wished they had printed them off too. We used Randox at East Midlands Airport for our PCR tests and what a great service and results in a record 2 hours! We had booked a Sky Suite and it was huge and so was the wet room. Our balcony was huge too. In fact the suite was twice the size of the usual suites. There was an automatic door into the room and everywhere was accessible for me. I did notice outside one of the accessible cabins there was another type of shower seat available if you couldn’t manage the one fixed to the wall. Our suite really was lovely with all mod cons such as a fridge, safe, tea and coffee maker, hair dryer and designer bathroom goodies. We had a sofa and chairs and sun lounger on the balcony. And get this, we even had a butler!! I found everywhere except Deck 16 to be accessible for wheelchair users, with plenty of lifts including a lift to into the swimming pool and hot tubs. The theatres had plenty of wheelchair accessible spaces and a ramp up to the stage. As a suite user we had access to the Retreat restaurant, lounge and sundeck which was great and made us feel really special. Food was superb and you could choose from two menus. As a faddy eater this was ideal for me! We did try the afternoon tea once in the Retreat Lounge with sandwiches, scones, jam and cream -so tasty, but too much for me before a big dinner. I did go for a manicure in the Spa and found this accessible too with low level counters for manicures. They also put on several free pamper and beauty advice sessions. The shows and entertainment were brilliant and we thoroughly enjoyed them. I love Rod Stewart so when Danny Smart put on an evening of Rod’s music I was there in the front row bopping away. What I found best of all is that all around the ship I could see the views through the glass with no obstructions. This is a rarity for me as there are usually rails in the way, but not here. My only negative was the plush carpets. As a manual wheelchair user I did struggle to push myself on them and they are nearly everywhere and my husband struggled to push me too. I am a petite 7 stone so not heavy to push either. Most disabled people I saw were either in mobility scooters or motorised wheelchairs, so this was not an issue for them. There are quite a few shops on board to sober your on-board credit and more in my case! Staff are fantastic and can’t do enough to help and their in depth customer care training shows through. We did not go on a trip ashore, but I noticed some other disabled people did and there were accessible mini buses for them. This was my first cruise and as it’s an American ship and we visit the States regularly I am used to their great access for disabled people so it came as no surprise to find the ship so accessible. We usually fly first class to the States and all the trouble with access to the first class cocoon seats, whether they have the on-board wheelchair so I can get to the loo (yes they forgot it one time) whether my chair is in the closet on board, just were not there with the cruise so I can’t tell you how less stressful our trip was. Yes it was UK and yes the weather was rubbish most of the week, but wow what a place to be with hardly any barriers to face. I am so recommending this trip and look out for the dolphins and whales and the grey seal at Inverness too. This is a very popular cruise so if you fancy being pampered by a great crew, having lovely views, fantastic food and excellent entertainment then you’d better see Nick quick, but don’t have my cabin as I may need it soon too.

08 August 2021

Like many of my clients, this was our 4th attempt and also 4th different destination for our family holiday this summer. So what's it like to travel during these strange times armed with certificates, vaccination proof and 4 kids, let me tell you... First and foremost I had taken our eldest to East Midlands Airport 48 hours prior to departure as he needed a negative antigen test to enter Greece. A very simple process that took 10 minutes, probably would have been less if I hadn't spent time chatting to the staff, result actually arrived as we were driving back to Derby so was very impressed. We were departing just after lunchtime with Easyjet from Luton. As always the meet and greet process is very simple here and before we knew it we were in a very quiet airport terminal waiting to check in. Armed with boarding passes, proof of vaccination for adults, a negative antigen test that was required for our 13 year old and a Greece entry PLF form, the check in process was very simple. The check in staff checked my printed documents and much to my relief, everything was fine and we proceeded to the bag drop. As soon as we entered the airport we all wore masks - except our 1 year old who was exempt. Once through security I noted how very quiet the departure lounge was, this was school holidays season after all. I felt sad that perhaps many had been put off but at the same time you relish in the ease of browsing the shops and grabbing something to eat without it being chaos. Pretty uneventful flight over to Crete which was fairly busy and was lovely to see lots of families travelling. Obviously during the flight you are allowed to take your mask off if you are eating and drinking and none of us felt this was an issue. This was also my youngest's first flight which she seemed to enjoy! On arrival into Crete it was so nice to feel that warm air as you walk off the aircraft, nothing beats it does it. A short wait to proceed through passport control, the nice feel of hearing and getting that immigration stamp - okay I am a geek like that so glad its back! Nothing apart from passports was checked here. So off to baggage reclaim we went where another member of staff checked our Greece PLF form. A glance and we proceeded through to collect our baggage. This is the point where I was expecting to be randomly tested but we were just waived through. Even if I needed to be tested I was aware this would only take 15 minutes or so. Bags collected and private transfer waiting outside, we may just make evening dinner yet! A short 25 minute transfer to the hotel we arrived at the Stella Village and Greek night was well and truly under way with some dancing which was lovely to see. A very quick check in at the hotel and before you know it we headed for dinner (we made it!) and a few drinks to celebrate the start of our holiday. Since arriving at the hotel we just relaxed and enjoyed the week. It was fairly busy which was good to see and after speaking to the manager they were fully occupied for the next few weeks. One thing I did note was the lack of British visitors which is quite rare at a resort like this. So what was different at the hotel? Actually hardly anything. The only difference being that you needed to wear a mask on entry to the restaurants and you had to wear it whilst using the buffet along with some gloves that were provided each time. Once at the table, you obviously took your mask off. You also needed to wear a mask to enter any shops. That's it. Throughout the week it just felt like things were how they used to be. It was also so nice to see the staff working so so hard, whether it be the bar staff, entertainment or restaurant staff. They were really enjoying themselves and it reminded me how important tourism is for their livelihood. To come back to the UK, 4 of us needed negative Antigen tests (lateral flow tests). On arrival to our hotel I had filled in a few forms and arranged for the tests to be done on site with the medical team the day prior to coming home (currently required at least 3 days prior to coming home). A very quick process that took around 10 minutes and 4 negative results received on email 2 hours after taking the tests. Very simple. Finally to come home we needed to complete the UK arrivals form. Probably took around 20 minutes (there is 6 of us after all!) - once completed the form it was received on email to me and I forwarded them to our reception team who printed everything off for us. On arrival back to Heraklion Airport the process was just as simple as going out. Required documents checked and bags dropped off. Uneventful flight home as was an evening flight and not very busy so was blessed to have 3 seats to ourselves and thankfully our 1 year old slept most of the way as well which is always a bonus. Back at Luton airport where it all began. Quite a fairly long queue to proceed through passport control but this was due to many not having documents ready. Before you knew it we were back up on the M1 heading back to Derby and feeling blessed that we had such an amazing time away together. The final thing we had to do was take a Day 2 PCR test once home for 5 of our party. I had ordered some home kits and these were ready and waiting for us to use. Simple process and once samples were taken I dropped them off at the nearest drop off point which was up at East Midlands Airport. So do I have any concerns travelling during these strange times? Absolutely not. Am I put off by all the form filling and testing? Absolutely not. Would I go again next week? Absolutely I would. Throughout these times I have been advising all of my clients to ensure that everything required is printed off and in paper format. This quickens the process up. It was actually quite infuriating at times as people were spending alot of times getting their phones out and this was causing delays throughout. I guess you could argue that you knew who booked with a travel agent and those that had booked independently.

19 November 2018

Having visited Thailand the previous year as a family with 3 children aged 5, 8 and 10, we decided this year to be a little bit more adventurous and book a twin centre holiday to Malaysia. The Thailand trip was very much a dry run to see if the kids could handle such a long flight with connections and pleased to say they did so well, so without hesitation we booked to visit Kuala Lumpur for a few nights before heading to Penang for some relaxation on the beach. We flew from Heathrow with Singapore Airlines via Singapore to Kuala Lumpur making sure that we arrived in the evening so that the kids would be all tired out and we could start afresh early the next morning. I always think its best on such a long flight to arrive in the evening if you can to allow you to rest before starting the holiday. No parent wants 3 tired grumpy kids do they!? I was really impressed with Singapore Airlines, from the check in process to the onboard service. Worth noting that the Singapore Airlines cabin crew uniform is probably the most unique and smartest I have come across. On arrival into Kuala Lumpur we had arranged a private transfer and it took around 45 minutes for us to reach our hotel in and around the centre of Kuala Lumpur. As a family of 5 it can be sometimes hard to find a suitable hotel that can sleep us all in 1 room, so we opted for a 2-bed apartment staying at the Somerset Ampang Hotel. It had nothing to do with the gorgeous rooftop infinity pool that it had, honest! The apartment was perfect for our requirements and had some great views of the city and we could see one of the Petronas Towers from our rooms that looked particularly amazing at night when lit up. Breakfast was served next door and was perfect for what we needed. Now going back to that rooftop infinity pool.... Fair to say the kids absolutely loved it! It was a brand-new experience for them in not only swimming at such a high level but also the opportunity to be able to swim in the evening and see the city of Kuala Lumpur all lit up. The pool was most busy in the evening and you could see why. On our list of things to do in Kuala Lumpur was most definitely a trip up the Petrona Towers. Not a big fan of heights it must be said but I knew that my fear had to be conquered. We took the complimentary shuttle bus from the hotel that runs every couple of hours, although it was only a 5-minute journey, and proceeded to head up the towers. They looked absolutely amazing from ground level and certainly unique. It’s important to note that you must book a time slot when visiting the towers so don't expect to turn up and then be able to head up. We booked a time slot for a few hours later so headed off to a gorgeous park that is just behind the towers. The park was set within a big garden and offered a big shallow knee-deep swimming pool where the kids cooled off before heading to play on the swings and adventure zone that was there. After that we headed into a shopping mall that is linked up with the Petronas Towers for some shopping before it was time to head back to the reception of the towers to begin the tour. In the two full nights that we were there we headed into Chinatown which has a great night market with some absolute bargains to be had. There are also some great restaurants around the Petronas Towers that you can also eat at. Many of the hotels also offer skyline dining whilst taking in the views of the city although I would only advise this if you are travelling as a couple as non-seemed suitable with kids. On our final full day, we decided to head to the Batu Caves which is a famous religious Hindu landmark in Malaysia. We decided to book a private transfer that took us to the caves as this was very cost effective and the most practical way. On the way to the Batu Caves we stopped off at a chocolate factory and sampled a few delights which were very tasty. We also stopped off at a silk factory and was thrown aback by how some of the garments they that were producing (by hand) were so detailed with the artwork. On arrival to the Batu Caves I was struck by how beautiful it looked. I was also gearing myself up ready to walk the 272 steps to the top of the caves. Before heading up we were advised by our driver to dress respectfully and warned to look out for the very cheeky monkeys. I was somewhat confused by this comment, but it all made sense later. We finally made it to the top and you could spend some time here praying if you wished before heading down the steps again. We really enjoyed the half day trip and it was perfect for the kids to learn about the local culture in Malaysia. After spending a few days exploring it was now time to head to Penang which was only an hour’s flight away from Kuala Lumpur. As much as the kids enjoyed the delights of the city, I think they were super excited to get to the beach! On arrival into Penang we were met by our private transfer and within 30 minutes we were checking in at the Shangri La. We had chosen this hotel as it was perfect for families and only a short walk out to the bars and restaurants in the evening time. Whilst in Penang, apart from relaxing by the pools and beach, we took in a day trip to Georgetown using the free hotel shuttle. Georgetown was a great experience for the kids again to understand and enjoy the local culture from local markets to the everyday way of life here. Perfect for half a day or a full day. As we had experienced from our recent trip to Thailand a year earlier eating out was the way forward and each evening, we would head out to find a local restaurant. Majority of the local restaurants served both eastern and western cuisines so would suit everyone. My wife is a keen fish eater and was impressed with the offerings, particularly one night when she had literally had a whole fresh fish on her plate! It had been caught earlier that day so was fresh as you could get. We had an amazing time exploring Malaysia and were very glad we had decided to opt for a twin centre to experience the city and beach. Malaysia is such a warm welcoming country and is perfect for families. Our next trip will see us head to Hong Kong for a few nights before heading across to Borneo.

15 October 2018

After a fantastic and hectic summer with the kids we always like to try and squeeze in an annual Mr and Mrs break. Some adult time to recharge our batteries shall we say. This autumn we decided to visit the beautiful city of Ljubljana in Slovenia for a couple of nights. With direct flights available from Gatwick and Stansted we opted with the latter due to the flight times along with making sure we could drop the kids off at school before we headed to the airport. Arriving into Ljubljana I had pre-booked our private transfer as I think it’s always reassuring to have this in place where you can. Not only is it the quickest way from the airport to the hotel but also means there are no extra costs involved and somewhat often higher taxi rates when booking there and then. 25 minutes later and we were at our hotel checking in. I had opted for the City Hotel which was a in a great location of the city with literally everything at our doorstep. For our first night we headed out to a local restaurant as it was early evening time. I always think a city looks extra special in the evening, whether that's the lovely smells coming from the restaurants or the vibe I'm not sure, maybe they come hand in hand. After sampling some local Slovenian dishes and in particular a favourite of mine which was Lamb Goulash we headed out across the local landmark of the 3 bridges and spent some time browsing in the lovely boutique shops that are dotted around. Whether it was the designer shops or local shops there was something for everyone, I always like to add to our Christmas tree so picked up a couple of locally built wooden decorations that look amazing. The next day we had planned in to go and visit Lake Bled which took up most of the day. We used the local bus service which was a 5-minute walk from our hotel. At a cost of €14 return we hopped on the bus and headed out to Bled, the journey took around an hour and a half. The sights along the way were beautiful from local villages to the mountains. We mentioned to each other how nice and relaxing it would be too live out here and in particular in the mountains. Maybe one day.... On arrival into Lake Bled we were struck with how calm it was. Naturally a popular landmark for Slovenia and we straight away realised why. A lovely huge lake where the water stayed calm and flat surrounded by the mountains, a perfect place to relax and unwind. After walking around the lake, we decided to visit the little island that is in the middle of the lake. It cost around €14 return and was worth every penny. The boat that took us was like a gondola you would expect to see in Venice. Going back to the calmness of it all, it was nice that the boats were manually rowed as opposed to any electric motor, so we sat back and enjoyed the short journey over to the island. The man rowing the boat for us, who must be very fit doing this all day, explained a few things about the island and was keen to tell us that you can actually get married on the island. What an amazing experience and setting that would be! It took around 20 minutes to get to the island and although the weather was sunny no one was swimming in the lake. I imagine during the peak summer months that this would be very popular in the designated area. We had 45 minutes to explore the island which literally consisted of a church, small restaurant and gift shop. The views from here though were amazing! No photos I took would do it justice. We climbed the church tower and had a walk around taking lots of photos. It would have been rude not to have an ice cream which tasted delicious. Having a sweet tooth, I know my ice creams well, and I can honestly say that these were one of the best, if not the best, I have ever tasted! When we returned to the mainland, if you want to call it that, we had another walk around and a drink whilst again taking in the spectacular views of Lake Bled. We decided to head home late afternoon, so we could do some more shopping. That evening we again headed out across the 3 bridges and found a lovely restaurant, you know those that have pretty lights and portable heaters which make the setting perfect. That night consisted of finding some more boutique shops that were hidden down the cobble streets. Going back to my sweet tooth, we decided to stop off at a coffee and cake shop before bedtime. I am a big fan of such establishments and Ljubljana didn't disappoint. A great relaxing setting eating some cake with coffee. The only problem was deciding which cake to go for as they all looked delicious!! Our final day was spent hiring out some bikes directly from the hotel. Ljubljana is very much a bike heaven, perhaps not as big as Amsterdam, which can only be a good thing if you don't want to crash, but by hiring the bikes we got to explore the city even more. There was also a hidden agenda of burning some calories from the past couple of days might I add! We also took a visit in at the castle which offered great views of the city and was a perfect picturesque moment. Before our flight home we decided to take lunch at the local food market. Wow is all I can say about this. From local cuisine to around the world cuisine, there was something for everyone. The only problem, what to choose? My wife opted for the Thai dish where as I went with the ribs and coleslaw. If you are foodie, you will really like this! Taking our pre-arranged transfer back to the airport from the hotel we were somewhat downbeat that the days had flown by but also naturally excited to see the kids. Ljubljana is only a small airport and much smaller than I had imagined. I quite like that though, a quick dash through security with no wait is always a good sign. We both really had a fantastic time here. Of all the city breaks we have been to Ljubljana is definitely up there for one of the best we have visited. I think mainly due to the size of the city. Everything is walkable, and the vibe is brilliant. The food is amazing, and the locals were friendly and accommodating. What more can you want?

30 April 2017

So having been to a few longhaul destinations when it was just Mr and Mrs it was time to take the kids on their first longhaul holiday. Kids ages were 4, 7 and 9. We had decided on Thailand as the weather is very good in March and it's always good to get a bit of sun during the cold English winters. Aiming for a family resort we settled on Phuket, as we thought it would be perfect for the kids. Knowing we would need to get a connecting flight we managed to fly out of Birmingham with Qatar Airways via Doha and finally onwards to Phuket, a journey consisting of around 16 odd hours. On departure from Birmingham the kids were amazed at the fantastic entertainment system on board the Dreamliner aircraft, added in with the bonus that they were fed and watered throughout the flight, something they were previously not accustomed to travelling with low cost airlines. I think it's fair to say flying really is fun when you have the added extras and benefits of flying a full service airline. We had a connection time of around 2 hours in Doha which made it comfortable to follow the transit signs and head to the gate in Doha. Our luggage had been transferred all the way to Phuket so no stresses of having to recheck them in. On the flight to Phuket, with the time difference, it was an overnight flight so we managed to get the kids to have a couple of hours sleep despite them still being very excited! On arrival into Phuket we cleared immigration fairly quick and our private airport transfer was waiting for us to begin the final hurdle of the long but so worth it journey. It took around 1 hour to get to our hotel which was located on Karon Beach. You can imagine the kids' faces when we turned one corner and saw an elephant in the middle of the road. Just another day in Thailand we explained! On arriving at the Centara Karon Resort we were greeted with a lovely cool drink which was soon consumed by all 5 of us! As I knew we were arriving at the hotel around 8am I had decided to book the room from the night before which I think under the circumstances is always best so you can get some rest if you wish. Our luggage was taken by the porters whilst we completed the check in process and within 10 minutes or so we were reunited with the porter explaining a few features of our room. I had booked us into a lagoon room which was perfect for families as they happen to be opposite the family pool which can only be a good thing when you have kids! We had opted for the bed and breakfast option as planned to eat out during our stay. The breakfast was typical Thai food but you also had cereals, toast, croissants (tasted lovely!) etc meaning that there was something for everyone of all tastes. At lunchtime we didn't tend to eat as were full from breakfast but if the kids were hungry then a smoothie at the poolside bar filled them. In the evening we would always head out to Karon which was only a 5 minute walk from the hotel. There are so many restaurants that on some evenings it became a tough choice where to eat as the food looked and tasted delicious. Rather than have a dessert we would head to one of the many street vendors and in particular the fried ice cream booths! Never had this before but certainly will recommend it. Fried Ice Cream - who knew?! You could have kit kat, oreo, strawberries and lots of other fruit and it was mixed in with the ice cream mixture and then fried on a hot kind of plate whilst mixed in with what I can only describe as wall paper strippers! This became the dessert every night is was so good! During the day we would either spend the day at the pool with the kids occupied on the waterslide or playing water polo that got very competitive but great fun or we would head down to the beach which was only a 10 minute walk. The entertainment team worked very hard to entertain the kids which I felt was important as we all know happy kids = happy parents. We also went on a couple of excursions. We went to an Elephant sanctuary and we all got to feed the baby elephants and wash them which was a great experience. The main highlight though has to be the boat trip to some of the Thai Islands surrounding Phuket. Picked up from our hotel around 8am it was a full day trip which we had preferred to the other offerings of half days. On arrival into the port in Phuket (45 minute road trip) we were greeted and briefed about the day ahead. We were all given safety life jackets and advised to wear them on the speedboat trip. During the trip we stopped off at Phi Phi Don + Phi Phi Leh + Khai Island + Bamboo Island + Mosquito Island + Yao Yai Island. All of the islands were unique and special in their own way, whether that was because of the beach or because it was an isolated island. We had lunch on one of the islands which was provided and at many of them you could snorkel as well (mask and breathing tube provided). The speedboat trip in itself was an experience as we had never been on one and the journey home was a wet and speedy affair but so much fun! I would recommend this trip as you get to go to so many unique islands that surround Phuket that it wouldn't be possible to do so individually. All in all we had a wonderful time and have to say that the Centara Karon Resort Hotel matched our expectations as a family hotel that would be perfect for anyone travelling to Phuket with kids. The kids really enjoyed themselves and learnt so much about the Thai culture as well as having fun.

08 November 2016

They said the Maldives Islands wouldn't be about for much longer when I last visited for my honeymoon back in 2006. They are still there and still as beautiful as ever by speaking to friends who have visited them recently. I was lucky enough to spend eight days on Rangali Island and at the five star all-inclusive Hilton Hotel and Spa. We had already spent a week in Dubai so it was a short hop over to Male, the capital of the Maldives and in itself a small island, to wind down. On arrival in Male we headed for the Hilton executive lounge before transferring over to Rangali Island on a sea plane. It was the first time my wife and myself had been on a sea plane and what a fantastic experience it was! Some of the sights we saw whilst flying over the other islands were nothing short of beauty and at a low level we even saw some of the fish in the water. Unfortunately it was only a short flight and I already had visions that the flight back would be that of sadness with my bottom lip well and truly out. On arrival to the hotel we were personally greeted and taken to our gorgeous deluxe suite. “An outside shower?” asked my wife with shock and surprise! I hesitated for a while before she came back saying it's lovely and it's even got a massive bath in amongst the trees. A lovely perfect setting that felt very open yet obviously private to us. We even had a bat we later nicknamed Bert who seemed to keep popping in and saying hello! The room was located literally on the beach so during some heavy rain (it was Christmas time) we spent half hour or so each day on the beach terrace just admiring the scene. Then as soon as the rain stopped it was a 40 yard walk to the warm sea. There is something nice about it when it rains in hot climates like the Maldives as opposed to home in England that's for sure! To impress Mrs Webster I had booked us one night for dinner at the impressive undersea restaurant. You must visit this, what an experience it was! As we stayed on an all-inclusive package the restaurant for breakfast, lunch and dinner were absolutely out of this world. I have never eaten so much and also never tasted so many different foods from all around the world cooked by some of the finest chefs. My favourite part of the stay here was the evenings and the walks we would go on. The stars looked beautiful and so low as well. We would walk over to the other islands, attached by a lovely long walkway, and head over for a coffee before relaxing in comfy chairs just watching the night pass. You really had to be there to understand it! A truly relaxing week and yes my mardy lip did appear on the sea plane home to Male, then to Dubai and then onto Birmingham. In fact it was out for a while and we have both vowed that we will visit the Hilton Hotel on Rangali Island for one of our anniversaries when the kids are all older. They will still be there I am sure!

08 November 2016

For our family holiday in 2016 we decided to visit the island of Kos in Greece. Did you know that there are 6000 islands or islets that are scattered around the Greek coast, 227 of them are inhabited? This were our first visit to a Greek Island and we were not disappointed. Having three children of ages 3, 6 and 8 the only requirements from them were a waterslide and a hotel on an all-inclusive basis. The Aegean Sea View Resort in Psalidi ticked all the boxes. Arriving into Kos airport I was surprised by how small it was for such a popular destination, many flights were arriving in from the UK but also the Netherlands as well. We arrived smoothly through immigration and collected our luggage and had departed the arrivals hall all within around 25 minutes. We had booked a shuttle transfer to the hotel and this took around one hour after a few drop offs on route. We arrived at the Aegean Sea View Resort just after midnight. We were greeted at the reception and were in our room within five minutes of arriving. Reception guided us to the bar where drinks were available for us late arrivals. Our room was a family suite, sometimes it can be very hard to find a room with three children but this was not a problem. The family suite had one large bedroom upstairs where all three children slept and downstairs there were a double bedroom with a small lounge area accompanied by a sofa. As parents it were great that the kids had their own little space to explore upstairs and also meant we could have some peace and quiet throughout the holiday if needed! The room was located in a little complex of similar rooms around a small pool, one of many pools at this hotel, so within 20 yards of our terrace we could be in the pool. Ideal if you have kids and don't want to travel far for them to have a splash. This pool was mainly frequented by guests who had a room next to it but other guests could use it. Naturally the guests around this pool also had children so it had a good feel to it and you didn't feel bad if the kids were making too much noise. As mentioned there were lots of pools around the hotel but the Aquapark on the top level of the hotel was something else. Inflatables and slides for the kids to play with whilst a lifeguard was on duty. The view of the Aegean Sea with Turkey in the background was spectacular, more so in the evening. A pretty much relaxing break but we ventured into Kos during the day to visit the beach. The hotel offered a shuttle bus which were ideal and this only took around 10 minutes. It would not be possible to walk to the beach from the hotel as it were located in the mountains. We also got a taxi into Kos town in the evening and this cost 9EUR which I thought were reasonable. We did lots of shopping at night as the heat had died down and it was lively suited for families at this time. We were undecided on which boat trip to take. There were plenty around at the harbour including trips to some small islands or a day shopping in Bodrum etc. We decided to book onto the Katerina three island cruise on the well named Pirate Ship. It even had a water slide! We left the harbour at 10am and returned around 1730 so a full day. You get to visit three islands including Kalimnos which were the first stop. We stayed here for around 1.5 hours and visited the sponge factory and also had lunch at a restaurant which was provided in the price, minus the drinks. After that we headed to a remote island for an hour or so where you could snorkel and jump off the boat into a good depth of water. My two boys 6 and 8 loved jumping from the boat's edge even if I were a little nervous! The waterslide was also a good feature on the side of the boat and all the kids loved that. The final island we went to were on a nice sandy beach where you could swim and snorkel in shallow waters. We stayed here for around 1.5 hours before heading home on a lively boat full of Greek music and dancing alongside guests using their own mobile phones for music. We had a truly unforgettable day and would definitely recommend the three island tour, cost for the five of us were €55 which as mentioned included lunch. All in all a fantastic trip. Would we return? Yes without doubt. Very impressed with the food at the hotel who source much of it from the farm they have on site. The BBQ nights and the burgers cooked on the BBQ were to die for! The staff were also very friendly, in particular the bar staff who were lively and chatty. Happy kids = Happy parents.

22 March 2016

HI had an absolute fantastic holiday with the family in 2015 visiting Costa Teguise on the island of Lanzarote. It was my first visit to this island in the Canary Islands and what a fab 10 days it was. We were quite particular in what we needed the hotel to offer to make sure our three kids would be occupied enough to maybe even get a quick five minutes on starting our tans! We had a mid-morning flight going out and had pre booked a private transfer to our hotel in Costa Teguise which took around 30 minutes. The taxi driver met us in arrivals and before we knew it we were on our way to the hotel. I always find booking a private transfer as opposed to a coach transfer more beneficial, it only takes for someone to have a missing bag or for someone to have gone missing just before boarding the coach to delay you jumping in that pool or having your first cocktail on holiday. All very important novelties in my eyes anyway! We had booked the Barceló Hotel on an all-inclusive package. The room was perfect and we had a garden terrace that was basically artificial grass full of rocking horses and plastic slides (all in the shade) which were fantastic for the kids when you just want to try and restore order to your room and need them outside yet in a gated area so it was safe. The room we had was a family suite incorporating one master bedroom and then a smaller room with a bunk bed for my two boys aged 5 and 7 at the time. We then had a cot supplied by the hotel in our bedroom for the youngest aged 2. At the time she was going through the phase of sleeping in our bed so thankfully the bed was a king size and massive! The hotel also allowed you to hire a Nintendo Wii console should you wish and DVD's which I thought were a nice touch. I think the best thing for me were the pools. They were fab! There was a kid’s pool about knee deep to an adult that had a slide and other water features. Suitable for a baby up to the age of around 3 or 4. It were perfect for my girl aged 2. She could run around and go down the slide all on her own whilst one of the adults would follow just in case she fell. Another pool next to this was for adults and teenagers and then just next to this was a separate area with three straight slides which was amazing for my two boys aged 5 and 7. They must have gone down these slides 100's of times during our stay. The water they were sliding into was just the deepness for them to be able to swim/paddle to the edge to have another go. This was a major selling point for me prior to booking the hotel and I was glad I was proved right. There was also a crazy golf on site, tennis and even football. We didn't really experience the kids club too much but looking at them around the pool it looked like the kids were having fun that's for sure. In fact both my boys joined them to play football for an hour whilst we topped that tan up! The restaurant was set out beautifully and the food was very good quality with different foods used from different cultures on different nights. The main town centre was a 10 minute or so taxi ride and we often went in the evening costing only a few euros. The main beach was also in this area and the hotel do supply a frequent free shuttle bus that you can return on. Additionally there was also another beach that you could walk down a long hill, and back up! This was like a private beach and was great to stay there for a few hours. There were a few rocks and the kids loved trying to catch some fish that had got caught in the coves. I would recommend this hotel without doubt for anyone with kids. We didn't want to leave and you know you have had a good time when the kids end up in tears the day we leave. No drama, we will return soon!