Common Factors That Could Quickly Derail Your Holiday

When planning a vacation, it’s easy to just focus on the excitement, however, the reality is that ignoring just one or two factors during preparation could spell disaster. Here are five of the most commonly overlooked issues that could have a damaging impact on your adventures. Give these things the attention they deserve, and you won’t go far wrong. Travel logistics  Many holidaymakers fall into the trap of making the journey an afterthought. In reality, it lays the foundation for your entire trip, which is why you cannot afford to ignore it. Booking flights at convenient times and taking the steps to prevent unnecessary stress and boredom is a vital first step. You must consider the entire journey, from the moment you leave your door and how those choices will impact every member of your travel group. Airport parking should be organised well in advance, while you also need to give yourself plenty of time for the drive as the roads to most major airports can easily become congest......

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The Ultimate Guide to Travelling with Teens

Travelling with teenagers can be an adventure and an adjustment and requires some extra planning and patience. Being a parent to a teen, I am definitely learning on the job as we love to travel and felt it was a good time to share what I've learnt so far. As a parent, grandparent or foster carer, you want your teen to have fun and stay safe on family trips. Here are some actionable tips to make your next holiday a success when bringing along teens.   Involve Your Teens in the Planning Stages Get your teens excited about an upcoming trip by involving them early on, I've personally found this to be an essential step as it helps shape a holiday that suits everyone's needs. Ask for their input on potential destinations and activities. Giving them a voice will get them invested. Have a family meeting to discuss the itinerary and ground rules. Teens will be more likely to cooperate if they feel heard. If you are fostering in Hertfordshire , remember to ask if there are any restri......

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Our Stylish stay at the Hotel Indigo Durham

If you follow me on Instagram or any of my other social media platforms you will know I recently headed up to Durham for a weekend adventure and some much-needed child-free time and to explore a city we hadn't been to before. I had been invited by Hotel Indigo Durham to spend two nights in this Northern gem of a city and to discover what makes Indigo's boutique hotels stand out from the pack. You may have seen a couple of weeks ago I tried out the Afternoon tea at the Marco Pierre Restaurant in Hotel Indigo Cardiff and have been suitably impressed with both the service and the setting so we were really looking forward to what the weekend had in store for us. I am going to be doing a separate post on our time in Durham and what we got up to but with this post I really want to focus on the actual hotel as honestly is deserves that and you will see why. Firstly the hotel is perfectly located and is a very quick taxi ride from the station in the friendly and chic Trinity ......

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Medieval Glamping at Warwick Castle

Like many young children, my two boys are knight crazy and are fascinated with anything historical from that era and jump at the chance of being able to dress up like knights at every opportunity. We had heard fantastic things about Warwick castle so when we had the chance to stay a night in one of their Kings Luxury Tents we were incredibly excited and just hope it would meet expectations.  With all overnight stays in the Knights Village you get a two-day pass to the castle which means you don't need to rush and can take your time getting there. We arrived in the early afternoon and with the parking located only a minute away from the Knights Village and quick check-in meant we still had time to get to the castle after checking out our accommodation. We have done a lot of camping and glamping over the years and we always go in with an open mind as the amount of comfort can drastically different from one glamping experience to another but staying in the ......

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Tips for planning a family Ski Break

For some winter sunshine is their destination of choice but for others taking a week or two off during the winter to head to the mountains and hit the slopes is an essential part of the year and something I was lucky enough to do before having kids and with my family which has made me think how easy is it to go skiing with a family? Well it turns out very easy, if you do plenty of planning and choose a suitable destination and accommodation. Ski holidays are enjoyable for people of all ages and are a great way to spend quality time with family and friends and is one of my best childhood memories. Here are some of our top tips to make you family ski trip go swimmingly. Best Resorts As with any family trip choosing the right resort for your family ski trip is crucial. All ski resorts are unique in their own right and with so much choice it can be difficult to know which ones to go for. For families you want to ensure that the resort has good nursery slope area not only for the ......

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How to be a Budget Savvy Traveller

Between John and I we have been to over 27 different countries and while that may not be loads in comparison to some it has taught us a fair amount about travelling on a budget and getting the best deal possible when it comes to booking. When we plan family trips I am usually the one assigned to finding the best deal from hotels to flights, trains and local transport which is something I love to do and I am a big fan of review sights such as trip advisor for getting a more realistic view on what to expect before checking in somewhere. The great thing about travelling today is the array of free resources available online, along with an abundance of comparison sites but this too can mean you end up sending a very long time looking for deals which actually you may up end missing out if you don't act at the right time. When it comes to booking your travel timing really is everything. In fact a well known online travel agency Opodo recently shared their insights into w......

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Birmingham – 5 reasons why you should visit this stylish city

Birmingham might not be the first place that comes to mind as a stylish city break and is often overlooked despite it being the most populous city outside of London. Personally, I have always found this city to be vibrant, colourful and leaving me with wanting more time to explore all that is has to offer. Like most cities in the UK a lot of redevelopment has happened over the past few years tapping into the mix of cultures in the city making it a paradise for foodies. Street style and fashion has also boomed over the last decade making the city a haven for trendsetters and boutique buyers. Interior design stores have popped up over the city as well as many new stylish flats, hotels and modernised buildings and bigger budgets going into maintaining one of the many parks and green spaces across the city. I usually find myself in the city around once a year, mainly on day trips although we are planning on a short family night away as historically and culturally there is so much......

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Love travel and have a spare room. Tips on hosting guests

I n recent years there has been a big shift in tourism trends being adopted by homes to create an authentic experience of combining the convenience of a hotel with home decor and living like a local. It seems the more we travel the more we want to incorporate new trends into our home lives as well as getting a more culturally authentic experience. We have adopted this into the way we make our travel arrangements having stayed in Airbnb apartments, hotel apartments and serviced apartments which have given us a great base to explore the local area as well as being self catering which is our preferred way to travel with kids. This recent trend has led to the serviced apartment sector  as well private room rentals becoming increasingly popular and, as a result, increasingly competitive. Previously guests were simply looking for a comfortable, welcoming experience around them and surrounding them but now they are also looking for a space that is going to add to their overall ......

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Bosinver Farm Cottages, Cornwall Part 1

Earlier this month we were invited to a short stay at the beautiful Bosinver Farm cottages near St Austell in Cornwall and from what I had heard about this place through other reviews I had read it was going to be a great little getaway. I actually studied half of my degree in Falmouth and have a real soft spot for the South of England and couldn't wait to head back down with the kids. Bosinver is made up of 20 luxurious self catering cottages, spread across beautiful and peaceful Cornish farm ready for big and little ones to explore. With so much on offer at Bosinver there was no way I could fit it all into one post so in this post I am going to focus on the accommodation and outdoor activities. We managed to drive the whole way down without stopping as the baby fell asleep an hour into the trip meaning we made up some time as we left a little later than expected. Once we arrived we found the keys in the door of Wells Close cottage, the heating had been put on so it was ......

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