Hyatt Regency London Stratford Hotel Review

Stratford, the perfect base for a weekend family break in London. This East London town which has been transformed from a once industrial area is now packed with bars, shops and parks and is one of London's most vibrant and well-connected areas.  I've travelled to London many times with my boys and there are a few things that always ensure a calmer and less stressful break in the big smoke, one main one being the location of the hotel and despite Hyatt Regency London Stratford not being in zone 1 it makes for the perfect location for families.  Arriving in to Paddington it's a quick 18mins direct underground trip along the Elizabeth to Stratford and even less from Stratford to Tottencourt Rd in the heart of central London. Stratford is not only well connected to central London via underground, train and bus but also to Canary Wharf and Greenwich via the DLR and we found Stratford an easier location to reach than more obvious ones in the city. The Hyatt Regency is only a sh......

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Z Hotel City, London - Family Travel Review

*This is NOT a collaboration, I paid for my hotel stay in full We love a break to the big smoke AKA London, there is just so much to see and do and it's a place you can never get bored of. It's also a destination that despite what most people think, you can easily do on a budget as there is such an abundance of free museums, attractions and deals to be had as well as plenty of street food and reliable public transport really does mean you don't need to spend a fortune to enjoy this bustling city, which is why we visit at least 2/3 time a year. Every time I take the kids for an overnight trip I aim to get a centrally located hotel or hostel for under £85 for a family room.  We have stayed in an array of places from an Airbnb right in the heart of Covent Garden to Premier Inn, Travelodges, YHA, backpackers etc and on a recent trip we decided to try out a Z Hotel family room . I had stayed overnight in a Z hotel before in Soho but that was without kids so I was interested to s......

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King Arthur Hotel & Dinning at Swansea's Tallest Building

On our recent weekend trip to The Gower and Swansea Bay we checked into the quaint and chic traditional inn that is the King Arthur Hotel in Reynoldston right in the heart of The Gower Peninsular and a great place to switch off and take in the countryside setting and is a world away from the vibrant Swansea City Centre. The King Arthur Hotel offers a variety of accommodation options from double and family sized rooms to character filled self-catering cottages. We had a  spacious family room in a converted annex around the back of the Inn which was perfect for us as it was away from any of the noise of the pub and had wonderful views. As we had a very busy first day Paddleboarding and then an afternoon walking along the pier of the Mumbles we decided to dine in the pub restaurant which is full of character but still very light and airy and the menu is modern and contemporary with great children's options. I opted for a delicious Chickpea veggie burger which w......

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Lion & Pheasant Townhouse Hotel Review - Shrewsbury

If your a regular reader of my blog you may already know we recently spent a weekend in the beautiful medieval English town of Shrewsbury and stayed at the wonderful boutique style hotel Lion & Pheasant located on the Wyle Cop right next to the English bridge in a 16th building full with original features combined with a tasteful modern refresh. The location couldn't of been better as we could walk to all the main sites as well as being only moments away from the River Severn and is perfect for a weekend break. I wanted to share more about this place as it's personally somewhere we would recommend. In the main building they have selection of single and double rooms, some with roll top baths and all with breakfast. Just outside is a converted stable block which has been turned into a two bedroom self catering accommodation and was to be our home and is perfect for a family or group looking for a little sanctuary right in the heart of the town. The two large bedrooms......

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A Mini Break at The Vale Hotel, Wales

Whether it be near or far a mini break as a family is always something we look forward too especially when its in such a beautiful location of that of The Vale Hotel which has so much greenery surrounding it. The Vale Hotel and Resort is only around a 20 minute drive from Cardiff city centre yet you instantly leave that busy city life behind you for a far more tranquil spot. This hotel is very popular spot with Golfers and those looking for somewhere that is stylish and relaxing but with easy access to both the city, coastline and beautiful boutique towns such as Cowbridge in the Vale of Glamorgan. We have actually been to the Vale Hotel a few times before as wedding guests or to use their amazing gym and spa facilities but we have never actually stayed the night so I was really interested to see what it was like having a little bit longer here instead of our previous flying visits. This time of course we also had the kids with us and as they actively encourage families to vis......

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Slow down at Karma, St Martins

With these short days and dark nights my mind certainly wanders to memories of the fantastic adventures we had over 2016, especially that of our trip to the Isles of Scilly. It was on my bucket list of 40 things to do before I'm 40 and it was a wonderful as I thought it would be, in fact if your looking for a place to really slow down, relax and disconnect from the rest of the world this is the place! During our trip we spent the first few days on St Martins and then two nights on St Mary's, both equally wonderful but both with a completely different feel. St Martins certainly captures that slow lived feeling where everything is laid back, wifi is slow at best (which is perfect if you want to get away from it all) the island is practically traffic free apart from one or two vehicles and much time is spent relaxing and looking out across the sea and crystal waters. During our time on St Martins, we stayed at the fantastic and luxurious Karma Hotel which is p......

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Movenpick hotel and vintage guide Amsterdam

On our recent trip to Amsterdam with KLM , we stayed at the 4 star Movenpick hotel , situated a short walk away from Central Station which is very convenient if your flying into Schipol or inter-railing to the Dutch Capital. I have to say, having lived in Amsterdam I was a bit apprehensive before we arrived as I thought it may be further out of the city centre than it really was but it ended up being only around 10 minute walk from the hotel to the centre and is right next to the water and offers a relaxing and peaceful location, plus if you don't feel like walking than there is a tram stop right outside the hotel which goes directly to Central station within a few minutes. Mr A relaxing in our room and the stylish lobby area Our Room We stayed on the 8th floor in a Junior Suit and the first thing we noticed when we opened the door was the large window and amazing view across the city. The room was lovely and spacious and had a separate living area and a very comfy ......

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