No-one needs a holiday more than sleep-deprived and shell-shocked new parents. But choosing the perfect place that doesn’t leave you feeling just as frazzled after the holiday as before it, can be a difficult task. That’s why the team at Baby-Friendly Boltholes now offer a bespoke matchmaking service by email to ensure parents find exactly the right break for them whether it’s a UK cottage, villa with pool, luxury resort hotel or ski chalet. We asked the website’s founder, Sian Williams, what she’d recommend for Tumble Tots members:
UK
Luxury Farm Stays
Is there anything sweeter than seeing you’re ‘Old Macdonald’ obsessed toddler hand-feeding lambs, chickens or baby goats? Well, there is, if the same place also lets you star spot from a luxurious hot tub, slip away for an indulgent facial and raid the honesty shop for some local cheese or bottle of wine! All this, and enough nursery kit to supply a medium-sized Mothercare, can be found at Clydey Cottages in West Wales, Tredethick Cottages in Cornwall and Red Doors Farm in Devon.
Gang Getaways
When you feel your sanity is hanging by a thread and the dreaded ‘mum guilt’ has you questioning your worth, a trip away with fellow mums can be the perfect remedy. With the option to add a few nannies, some stovetop meals and perhaps a mobile beauty therapist, you have the gang getaway of dreams. All these things can be organised, alongside a host of baby gear, at Chaucer Barn in Norfolk, Sheepyard Barn or Partridge Lodge in Suffolk, Gitcombe House in Devon and Weir House in Cotswolds. Some even come with a hot tub or swimming pool!
Romance and Relaxation
A break from the routine plus some quality time together in a romantic cottage can provide some real bonding time for new parents. Places like Twin Cottage in New Forest, The Cowshed in Dorset, Yew Tree Cottage in Yorkshire and Bruern Cottages in the Cotswolds, all boast romantic fireplaces, playrooms filled with toddler-taming toys and gastro pubs within a comfortable, country stroll.
Overseas
Minibreak Madness?
Some might consider a city-break madness with a baby in tow, but with BFB, it’s not necessarily so. Top family-friendly resort, Martinhal Sagres, recently opened Martinhal Chiado, a Lisbon outpost offering stylish city-centre apartments with onsite babysitters, playroom and nightly ‘pyjama club’, which allows parents to dine out whilst junior sleeps.
Longing for a Lie-In?
Achingly cool Domes Zeen in Crete might have looked to rival Mykonos’ chicest beach club, but it also boasts a long list of baby kit, a fantastic kids club, crèche and spa. But best of all, in partnership with Baby-Friendly Boltholes, they are offering a lie-in service, 5 mornings a week, this summer, with the aid of a private babysitter (only available with week-long stays booked via Baby Boltholes). Genius!
Top Travel Tips
• Airports are easier to navigate hands-free so consider a baby carrier over a stroller, or get toddlers scooting along with a Trunki.
• Valet parking and Fast Track security are worth their weight in gold for that ‘holiday starts here’ feeling. They’ll have you safely ensconced in an airside restaurant toasting your break whilst others are still wrangling with courtesy buses and queues!
• Save vital luggage space with steriliser bags, pop-out pocket highchairs and clip-on SPF shades instead of parasols.
Book smart – All Baby-Friendly Boltholes locations offer lots of baby kit, but many also allow you to pre-book arrival night meals and arrange pre-arrival shopping to include baby essentials such as nappies, wipes, formula and food pouches. Also, consider booking a cottage over a hotel so you can relax with drinks and conversation and avoid evenings tiptoeing around trying not to disturb sleeping little ones. Many Baby Boltholes locations offer meal services so you can dine ‘out’ whilst staying ‘in’ too!
Get Help!
For more ideas on holidays in other locations and price ranges, ask the Baby-Friendly Boltholes team. We’ll compile a holiday shortlist, best suited to your family’s needs. Simply email info@babyfriendlyboltholes.co.uk and don’t forget to claim your discount below!