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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Snippets of Scilly

If you follow me on twitter or instagram you will know we recently spent a week in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly . It was an especially exciting trip for myself as visiting the Isles is on my "40 things to do before your 40 list" and it really didn't disappoint. It was a bit of an adventure in itself getting down to Cornwall as we broke down on the A30 and had to wait from hours before we managed to sort out a rental car, then our flight from Lands End was cancelled due to band weather although we really didn't mind another day in Penzance and got to explore St Michaels Mount. Once we did arrive on the Isles we spent a few nights on St Martins and a few nights in St Mary's and it was simply magical. I won't share to much now as I am going to do a much larger post but thought I would post four of my favourite IG pics from the trip which pretty much summed the whole thing up - family time, beach adventures, good food and lots of fun. ...

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The Coolest Fictional Shopping Destinations

Thanks to the wonders of modern technology and the one-touch purchasing culture brought about by sites like Amazon, these days it’s possible to get your fix of retail therapy without even leaving the comfort of your own home. At just the click of a button, you can conjure up almost anything into your possession… almost anything. Though internet retail does inject a great deal of convenience into the shopping experience, there are a few shopping locales which are only accessible through the power of imagination. Books, TV and cinema have helped to create an irresistible world of stores and boutiques which unfortunately don’t exist in real life… but we sure wish they did. Here are our pick of the bunch. Mr Magorium’s Wonder Emporium Even if you haven’t seen this film starring Dustin Hoffman, Jason Bateman and Natalie Portman, the name of the store alone should give you a good idea of the rich treasures inside. A kid’s paradise, where any toy can be magicked int......

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Finding a buggy to suit your lifestyle

Whether you are a first-time mum or it's your second or third child one of your biggest purchases will be a buggy or pushchair. As we are a very busy and active family I found in the early months I combined babywearing for shorter days out with my colourful and stylish Cosatto pram for longer days spent in the city. I still do a lot of babywearing now although he is a very solid child and when we are travelling a small and stylish buggy is essential, especially when navigating airport terminals or walking long distances while exploring new places. It of course is extremely handy to have at home too as we are consciously trying to use the car less and walking more places and with a buggy board on the back that means I can transport both my sons with ease (and no whining about how long it's taking to walk). The thing about strollers it is all comes down to personal requirements and what works for you, there's an excellent article to baby gear with some great advice and ......

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