Half-way between Dover and Ramsgate, and just over an hour from London by train, the seaside town of Deal has managed to stay relatively under the radar thanks to some of the bigger names that share this stretch of Kent’s coastline. We visited at the end of March on a press trip with the kids […]
5 Tips to Visit Dippy at the Natural History Museum with Kids
One of our favourite trips of the school holidays so far has been a stay at the London Marriott Hotel Kensington. The hotel has launched a Dino Discovery package to tie in with the return of Dippy the dinosaur to the Natural History Museum, and I’ve written a full review of our family stay over […]
Travel: Thicket Priory, North Yorkshire – a wedding venue fit for a fairytale
Last month I stayed at Thicket Priory, a former nunnery in North Yorkshire that’s been fully restored and opened as one of the UK’s finest private houses available to rent for weddings and special events… As if on cue, there’s a break in the clouds as we turn off the main road and up a […]
Travel: Royal Lancaster London Hotel Review – High Style In Hyde Park
To celebrate its 50-year anniversary in 2017, the Royal Lancaster London underwent a multimillion-pound refurbishment and emerged – several years later – sporting a head-to-toe makeover, a complete rebrand and a new name. Which is exactly how I plan to spend my next big birthday. Turn the clock back half a century and the hotel […]
Travel: Rockliffe Hall – a luxury spa hotel kids will love almost as much as grown-ups
Rockliffe Hall is a five-star Pride of Britain hotel in Darlington, on the northern reaches of North Yorkshire or the southern edge of County Durham, depending on where you’re standing. We tagged a one-night stay to the end of a short break at Center Parcs Whinfell Forest, which is about an hour’s drive away in […]
Travel: 8 reasons to visit Lavenham for a daytrip
We visited Lavenham with the kids one sunny Sunday afternoon back in September, which seems like years ago now. As far as destinations go, this pretty Suffolk town is as chilled out as they come – but never more so than a Sunday afternoon. You can stroll through streets lined with timber-framed buildings, savour a […]
Travel: 15 reasons to visit New Barn Farm – a Feather Down Glamping break in Carlton
We’ve just got back from a weekend glamping at New Barn Farm, a luxury Feather Down campsite that’s 20 minutes down the road from us in Carlton, Bedfordshire. We fell in love with the place and I’ve written a full review of our stay for Mini Travellers (I’ll link it when it’s live), so do […]
Travel: Wilde Aparthotel London, The Strand – stylish serviced apartments | Review
Ever stayed in an aparthotel? Me either, until I arrived at the new Wilde Aparthotel on London’s Strand a few weeks ago. The clue is in the name when it comes to these apartment-hotel hybrids, which are better known as serviced apartments and popular with business travelers. But the Wilde promised something a little different […]
Travel: il Magico Paese Di Natale, Govone – Our family trip to Italy
My job as a copywriter – which is mostly for travel brands – usually means I’m writing about exciting, exotic locations on the other side of the world while sitting at my desk in the draughty bay window of my bedroom (more about that in my post about how not to go freelance). Occasionally, though, it […]
Travel: So…We’re Flying To Turin For A Christmas Adventure In Italy!
I’m already ridiculously excited about Christmas. The kids are at that lovely age where they’re old enough to get excited with me, and young enough to still believe in all the magic around it. And that’s why, after a fair bit of umming and aahing, I’ve decided to bite the bullet and take them to […]