I am pretty easy going when it comes to where, how and who we travel with whether it be inter-railing across Europe, enjoying a chic city break or getting muddy in the countryside, from family friendly glamping to high end hotels as long as you do your research nothing should have to be off limits. John however prefers the comforts of a good hotel with excellent amenities and I really like being able to cook my own meals which is why I often lean towards self catering so we tend do a mixture of both.
If your one who likes the finer things in life you really don't have to worry or feel that because you have children that your travel preferences have to change, of course you may now be more open minded in your approach but a luxury holiday shouldn't be off the cards especially as travel is such a great opportunity for kids to learn about different countries and cultures. Saying that I have found that some feel that it's best to leave luxury travel for when they are older or you are having a child-free break but there is no need as most resorts and hotels no matter if they are 5 star or 3 are very welcoming to children and will provide you with the essentials to make sure you are comfortable. A place that has been on both John and myself bucket list is Hawaii and I have been researching a lot about it. We would love to stay in a villas or self catering resorts are always a brilliant option and if price wasn't an option I would love to stay at
Big Island Home Rentals , their properties are so dreamy and give you all the home comforts with all the style, perhaps we can splash out on one of them for a big birthday or celebration, fingers crossed.
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| Enjoying the late afternoon in Cannes |
So if your debating taking your children on a luxury break what should you know before hand? As with anything research is key and if you have somewhere specific in mind firstly make sure that it suitable for children and check what provisions they have. Will they provide a cot, does there in-house restaurant have a child menu, do they have family rooms and if needs be can a babysitter be provided. You should be able to get all of this information from their website, travel agent or by simply calling or emailing the hotel directly.
Next look for honest reviews of your destination and accommodation, websites such as trip advisor even allow you to ask people who have been their before and fellow travellers questions about the hotel as well as refining searches to include family reviews.
You also want to make sure that there is plenty for your children to do while your away. What sights and attractions are within easy reach of your accommodation or does your resort, villa or hotel have a swimming pool, games room, activities or sporting clubs? Are you near a beach or if in a city like London is it within walking distance of places to go and explore and on rainy days is there fast wifi within your room as well as movies available. These are all valid questions to ask yourself and will make a difference to how your trip pans out.
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| The Villa we stayed in the South of France |
When I celebrated my 30th I decided I wanted to spend it in the South of France with a few days in Paris before hand. John has surprised me with a lunch at Ralph's, Ralph Lauren's eatery on the left bank, we were one of the only people there with a young child but we had checked in advance and they were extremely welcoming and the food was so delicious that even our near 4yr at the time happily sat for a few hours taking in the atmosphere and decadent desserts. When then whizzed across France on the TGV before
staying at a luxury Villa near the Valbonne and enjoyed day trips to Nice, Antibes and Cannes. We had an amazing time without an amusement park in sight and we had the chance to relax with a good glass of wine by the pool while our son loved running around in the late afternoon sunshine. We certainly hadn't changed or tailored our trip around being parents, instead we just made sure that the Villa was suitable for children and enjoyed a great cultural break on the Riviera.
This year we have enjoyed two fantastic city-breaks to London, we visit London fairly regularly and have stayed in a variety of places from the budget friendly to 5 star hotels each with their own strengths but two of our favourite visits have been when staying in the
luxurious Park Lane Suite at London Hilton on Park Lane and a Junior Suite at The
Radisson Blu Edwardian both of which made the kids feel so welcome and really embraced the family travel ethos. Both hotels had excellent locations right in the heart of the city making it so much easier to get from A to B, they also provided cots for our youngest and welcome gifts for the boys which kept them entertained and also offered advice on the best place to take kids within close proximity of the hotels. Despite some of the clientele being older we didn't once feel that families were not welcome, in fact so many made a big fuss of the boys.
With another big birthday coming up fairly soon, lets just say it's only one more year while John is in club thirty and we are looking further afield for something special. As when we celebrated my 30th in a Villa on the French Riveria we feel a week long break away somewhere new, exotic and on our bucket list would be perfect. We have both always liked the idea of exploring Hawaii which of course offers some fantastic water-sports, beautiful weather, hikes and dramatic scenery with an fascinating culture steeped in music, food and traditions. Like I said we have had our eye on
Big Island Home Rentals which offer all the luxuries but still all the homely comforts of being able to do your own cooking and a big plus is most of the properties can sleep 6 people upwards which means you can make it an extended family trip.
No matter what your style is when it comes to travel, wether it be backpacking through Europe or going on a luxury safari in Africa the tourism world is open to families now more than ever and having children shouldn't stop you from travelling, if anything it should inspire you more to share the world with them.
