Of all the places I have traveled to in the world (which granted isn’t as long a list as I’d have liked), there is one place that always stands out in my memory. One trip, one experience, and one location, that I would return to in the blink of an eye given the chance. Iceland.
A fascinating country with so many different sights, landscapes and landmarks to explore, I first visited Iceland as part of my British Heart Foundation Trek Iceland tour in 2011. If you are planning on visiting Iceland yourself – here are my top 5 things to do in Iceland, and definitely some to add to your Iceland Bucketlist!
1) See the landscapes by foot
As tempting as it may be to fly straight to Reykjavik and enjoy the city life in Iceland, there is so much more to offer if you trek and stay in some of the copious amounts of camp sites across this vast landscape. One of my top things to do in Iceland has to be exploring the landscape by foot. During my four day trek across Iceland, I got to experience some amazing scenery, from ice and lava ash, to geysers and natural springs. It is stunning, and there is something really special about getting up close and personal with the natural world at its best. We were even lucky enough to see some wild Icelandic horses! A truly special memory.
2) Brave a River Crossing
If you are brave enough, another of my top things to do in Iceland is the river crossings. There is something truly exhilarating about an Icelandic River Crossing. As we trekked between Landmannahellir and Thorsmörk there were LOTS of river crossings for us to contend with, and although it takes a lot of team work, a LOT of stamina and trust, the satisfaction of getting to the other side whilst the river tries to push and bash against you at every turn is a huge achievement. Don’t underestimate the importance of having the right kit however – you’d definitely need some high quality walking boots (ideally with a thick gortex coating to keep the water out), thick socks and waterproof trousers. If you are carrying a camera or any electrical equipment, you’d also need to consider small Pelican cases, at least if you want them to still work when you reach the other side!
3) Climb a volcano
Iceland has a LOT of Volcanos, and so you won’t be surprised that this made my list of top things to do in Iceland. I am pretty sure you will be familiar with some of them – in particular Eyjafjallajökull, whos eruption in 2010 caused a humongous ash cloud that bought most of Europe to a stand still. When theyre not erupting however (treking one then would be very unwise) they offer a great opportunity to test your physical endurance and see the Icelandic landscape from the very best vantage point.
4) Experience going to bed in the daylight
One of the most bizarre things about visiting Iceland (in July at least) is that due to its location, Iceland experiences 20 hours of daylight each day, meaning in all probability, you’ll be going to bed in what looks and feels like the middle of the day! Take a face mask or a black out blind if you’re staying in a hotel, else if you are a light sleeper it may come as a bit of a shock! There is one obvious positive of this if you are camping however – at least you don’t have to fumble your way to the toilet block in the middle of the night! No torch required!
5) Bathe in the Blue Lagoon or Go Whale Watching
At the end of our trek, we had the option of two distinct trips, one of which was heading out on the boat to see whales in the wild, and the other was to bathe and relax in the Blue Lagoon. After four days of walking and climbing for 7-10 hours a day, doing well over my 10,000 steps, you can probably guess which one I opted for. Such an amazing experience, and the colour of the water is something I will remember forever. Don’t head home until you’ve applied some of natural facial scrub (it does wonders for your skin!) and grab yourself a cocktail from the swim up bar. BLISS.
Have you visited Iceland yet? What are your top things to do in Iceland? I’d love to know what would make your Iceland bucketlist so feel free to share in the comments below!
I love visiting London, and when it comes to planning a romantic city break with your partner (no kids involved!) there really couldn’t be a better choice. With so much to offer from traditional sight seeing and iconic landmarks to a wealth of bars, resturants and clubs, it can be a little bit of a minefield knowing where to start. If you’re lucky enough to be able to get away for a few days as a couple, here are my tips for planning the perfect London City break.
Book a centrally located hotel
Whilst you may pay a little more for a centrally located hotel such as in Kensington or Victoria, but being close to all the action and being able to walk to some of your destinations is a real positive. It also allows you to benefit from a real city life experience, and explore all that Central London has to offer.
Take the tube or walk
The prospect of navigating around a busy and bustling new city can be a little daunting, but the London tube is actually very straight forward with easy to follow maps and guides. It’s also a MUCH cheaper way to get around the city during a London city break than using Ubers or private hire taxi firms. You can even download the London tube app to your phone so you can quickly and easily see which line and tube stops you need to be looking for.
Plan where you want to visit during your London City Break
I would always recommend making an itinerary of the places you’d like to visit during your London city break. A weekend in London can fly by pretty quickly so it is handy to look at the locations of where you want to visit and plan something that geographically is the most efficient and doesn’t leave you travelling backwards and forwards across the city on repeat. Pin them on a map of Central London to establish the best order to arrange your visits. Whether its your more traditional Tourist attractions like the Tower of London, Big Ben and The Houses of Parliament, or more of the hidden gems, make sure you discuss these first.
Treat yourself to a decent meal
There are lots of restaurants and places to have afternoon tea in London, and this can be a great way to make the most of a rare date day/night with your partner. Websites like Square Meal are a great place to check out impartial reviews and earn rewards as you book as part of their loyalty scheme. If you’re not local, it can often be hard to know which places really are worth the cost, and here you can quickly search through a variety of options from traditional afternoon to a more quirky or themed afternoon tea.
Free places to visit during your London City Break
Not everything in London needs to cost a fortune. In addition to some of the best museums in the world, the National Gallery and Tate Modern, you are also spoiled for choice with iconic outdoor spaces to explore. From picnics in Hyde Park to a romantic stroll through Kensington Gardens. If you’re after a more vintage feel, Portobello Road Market needs to make the list, or if the urban vibe is more appealing, don’t miss out on the Shoredich street art, packed full of pretty impressive graffiti!
Last but not least – if you’re a Potterhead like me – don’t forget that London is also home to it’s very own platform 9 and 3/4! 🙂 You can see our list of other Harry Potter locations here.
Whilst I am a proud Brummie born and bred, I love visiting other major places in the UK, especially when they are busy bustling cities with the opportunity to explore and indulge in some retail therapy. I love getting the train back after a jam packed day with lots of bags in toe, feet hurting from hours wondering around and exploring everything the city has to offer.
Liverpool is one such place that I love to visit, with its strong musical ancestory, art galleries, listed buildings and museums, the amazing Christmas market, a whole host of bars, restaurant and night life, and of course, shopping at Liverpool One – you are somewhat spoiled for choice when it comes to filling your visit with fun! Liverpool One has over 170 stores including a giant John Lewis and the only Harvey Nicholls Beauty Bazaar in the whole of the UK!
A visit to another UK city wouldn’t be complete without finding some of the best Instagrammable spots to take a photo. We recently saw the arrival of a new Banksy in Birmingham city centre which would definitely make the hit list (a poiniant image to highlight the problems of homelessness in our city!) Those of you that watch my Instagram stories will know that I recently visited London and was gutted that I had no one with me when I found the BEST mural wall! I never figured I’d be the kind of person to carry a selfie stick but trust me when I say that I wished I’d had one that day!
From fashion backdrops to wall art and places to visit in Liverpool at night, If you want to visit Liverpool, Liverpool One have created the VIP Liverpool list – a list of very instagrammable places in Liverpool. With 40% of millennials chosing where to visit based on its Insgramability, it’s fair to say that Liverpool would make a pretty good choice!
Check out the full list of places to visit on your trip to Liverpool below!
The next time I visit Liverpool I will definitely be looking out for the zig zag staircase at Liverpool One and the La Parilla Graffiti on Bold Street, who doesn’t love a bit of Mexican inspiration! I also love the sound of the Junkyard Golf Club which sounds like a right laugh – everyone knows I love a good photo booth!
Have you visited Liverpool recently? Are there any other items you’d add to the VIP Liverpool list?
I may be a Brummie born and bred, but I love to travel around the country with my family, and at Christmas time, I love it even more. So many of our cities here in the UK have SO much to offer, and during November and December, they all seem to come to life, with loads of attractions to visit and explore.
One of my favourite cities to visit at Christmas is Newcastle and with my close friend being a Geordie born and bred, we always look to visit by rail, with the train travelling from London Kings Cross to Newcastle. We then meet our friend at the station, and pack as much as we can into one short weekend.
Here my low down on the best places to visit in Newcastle this Christmas.
Embracing your inner Potterhead at Alnwick Castle
As massive Harry Potter fans, a visit to Newcastle wouldn’t be complete without a day trip to Alnwick Castle. Children and adults, muggles and wanabe wizards alike, can get involved with their very own broomstick training session, right on the spot where Harry Potter first flew on his broom in Harry Potter & The Philosopher’s Stone. With an eccentric professor and some fantastic photo opportunities, this is one of the Harry Potter locations you must tick off your bucket list!
Every winter, the Life Science Centre hosts a huge outdoor ice skating rink on Times Square with combo tickets available that gain you access to the centre and skating for not much difference in price. Open 7 days a week and with a magical festive feel just like you’ve been whisked into the movies, the girls absolutely love getting their skates on for a festive twirl or two. (I wont mention the fact that Mike is fairly similar to Bambi on the ice – oops I just did).
St James’ Park with Santa
The home of Newcastle United football club, this football stadium becomes all the more festive once the winter months arrive. Not only does this extra special stadium tour allow you to get behind the scenes to where some of their favourite players hang out, but children then get to meet Santa himself in the Media Suite – before receiving a gift and lanyard from Santa, and having a snap taken with the big man and Monty Magpie, the loveable Newcastle United mascot.
Newcastle Christmas Market
Although I am a little biased and love Birmingham’s German Christmas Market, Newcastle’s has a lot to shout about too. Starting at Grey’s monument, but also extending down Blackett and Northumberland Street, the Newcastle Christmas market opened on the 16th November and will be there right up until New Years’ Eve. With over 70 stalls and independent traders selling food, drink and gifts from all over the world – if this doesn’t make you feel festive nothing will.
Fun for the whole family, there is also a traditional carousel, a 30m thrilling tobogan slide, a helter skelter and a ski lodge themed bar, serving festive drinks and mulled wine.
Are you based in Newcastle? What other festive bucketlist locations would you recommend?
When my friend moved to Australia around 7 years ago, I have to admit I was pretty heartbroken. We had grown up living virtually in each others shadow, meeting on the first day of secondary school and spending pretty much every day together ever since. We’d been through plenty of highs and lows together, from boyfriends to break ups, day trips to our first girly holidays, and been there to support each other when times got tough. The thought of her suddenly be the other side of the world as opposed to round the corner absolutely filled me with dread, and whilst I still see her (and her beautiful son) during her visits to England twice a year, I vowed that some day, ONE day I would make it to Perth and see her new Aussie home for myself. I’ve been planning a trip to Australia ever since.
Planning a trip to Australia – Visiting Perth
As much as I’d love to be able to jump on a plane to Perth tomorrow, planning a trip to Australia isn’t something that can be done overnight, and some thought needs to be put into planning the trip, considering everything from visas to flights times, temperatures to time differences. With two young children at home, both of whom have never been on a plane let alone a long haul trip to Australia, there’s certainly plenty to think about.
After chatting with my bestie about how to prepare for our first trip to Australia, here’s just a few of her hints and tips.
Sort your visas online
When planning a trip to Australia, it is important to remember that both adults and children will be required to have a valid Australia visa. Whilst this might sound like a faff, the good news is that you can apply for your Australian visa online, and most are granted within a few days. The most common type of visa for travelling to Australia is the variety called an eVisitor (also known as the business or tourist visa) which can be used for both work and social visits.
You must also make sure that your passport is valid for 6 months (so it’s always worth checking on those expiry dates!)
Once your visas for Australiaare granted, they are normally valid for 12 months, during which time you can (in theory!) travel there and back as many times as you like, as long as you never stay in the country for longer than 3 consecutive months.
The cost of an Australian eVisitor visa is £14.95 per person.
Consider the time of year
One thing to consider when planning a trip to Australia, before you book your flights, is what time of year is best to visit. My friend tends to come back to the UK during their Summer (December) as whilst its freezing and cold over here, it is often blisteringly hot in Perth – for pale skin and someone who’s experienced a melenoma in situ, its probably not the optimum time for us to travel.That said, we would obviously like to experience some of the sunshine and warmer weather we’re not treated to here in the UK, and their Winters are WET, so opting for Perth’s shoulder seasons of April and October seems like the best bet.
Easter and Christmas holiday periods as well as school holidays are also inevitably going to be more expensive, with the costs of flights during peak seasons increasing considerably.
Direct or with a stop over?
Birmingham now have direct flights to Australia with a number of airlines, however it’s worth considering whether we have enough means to occupy two young children on such a long haul flight. The other options include a brief stop over in Singapore or Dubai, the latter of which is probably the more family friendly option.
The jet lag is somewhat unavoidable, but look carefully at flight times to try and find ones that are going to cause the least disruption (at least at the beginning of your trip) to your children’s sleep and wake patterns.
Flights on weekends tend to be more expensive, so being flexible about when you can travel can help keep the costs down. Whilst we don’t have the luxury of a baby in arms, children under 2 generally don’t require a paid seat (although this comes with pros and cons too!)
Make a location Bucketlist
When planning a trip to Australia, you are quite literally visiting the other side of the world, and therefore some form of plan or Perth travel itinerary is pretty much essential. In our case at least, it’s unlikely to be somewhere we can afford to return to in a hurry. We want to ensure we visit as many of the must see Perth locations as we can feasibly do in a short 3 week visit.
Lucky for our family, I already have a Perth Bucketlistready and waiting. That’s one thing off I can tick off the list!
Sadly for me – the first item on the list is the biggest and most depressing – budgeting and SAVING. Even with the promise of free accommodation during our stay (something I am pretty lucky to have on offer!) there is still a large amount of expenses with flights and visas to take into account on such a large scale trip. For now therefore, this trip to visit my friends home shores still remains a distant dream, but we will get there!
Have you been to Australia with a young family? What other tips would you recommend to ensure it goes smoothly?
Introducing Family Friendly Holidays at Sands Resort Hotel and Spa… When it comes to family holidays here in the UK, I find there is some kind of magnetic pull to the glorious Cornish coastline. Having spent many a childhood family holiday in Devon and Cornwall in the 80s and 90s, it’s so lovely to be able to return as a grown up with my own family of four. Since the girls were born, we have spent many a Summer visiting Newquay and Watergate bay – a beautiful location for making memories, and as a city dweller, there is nothing better than to escape the mad hustle and bustle of Birmingham and enjoy the sound and sight of the ocean.
This summer we were invited to Sands Resort Hotel and Spa in Newquay for a two night stay (which we extended for another two nights at our own expense). Boasting a great location and packed full of family friendly facilities, I couldn’t wait to see what Sands Resort Hotel & Spa had to offer.
About Sands Resort Hotel and Spa
The Sands Resport Hotel and Spa is located just three miles away from Newquay airport and is ideally located between the beautiful family friendly beaches of Porth and Watergate Bay.
A family owned hotel for more than 40 years, Sands Resort Hotel & Spa prides itself on offering a whole host of family friendly facilities but the ideal balance of support for parents who may also want some adult alone time and peace and quiet.
With a range of rooms to suit all family sizes and budgets, and stunning sea views so you can watch the sun set before you go to sleep, Sands Resort Hotel and Spa offers the ideal base for enjoying everything Newquay has to offer.
First Impressions of Sands Resort Hotel & Spa
We arrived at Sands Resort after a fairly epic four hour drive down from Birmingham and arrived in the middle of a huge downpour, running into reception a little like a small family of drowned rats. Despite the weather initially not being on our side, we had a warm welcome and were greeted at reception by a very friendly staff team. We arrived prior to the allocated check in time of 3pm, but they took our details and advised that they would call us as soon as our room was ready, and that we were welcome to explore and use any of the facilities whilst we waited.
The layout of the hotel at first can appear a bit of a maze, with lots of long corridors and doors which lead in all different directions, however once you have learned your way around it becomes far easier to navigate. There is no lift and quite a few stairs, however the hotel do have porters if you need assistance with your luggage. There were quite a few people inside when we arrived due to the weather, with lots of comfy communal areas for people to sit and relax.
As we were pretty wet already(!) we decided to take the girls for a swim, and were surprised to see that despite the rain, the indoor pool was not busy at all. We collected our towels from reception (you borrow these and pop these in the laundry when you are done) and headed straight to the pool. We then had a missed call around 1.30 to advise that our room was ready, which was a really pleasant surprise.
Read on to learn more about our stay or if you prefer to see it in the flesh, check out our video review of Sands Resort here:
Accommodation / Rooms
We stayed in a Contemporary Sea View Suite, which comes with 2 separate bedrooms to suit families with two children (with a cot as well if you have a third). We had an absolutely gorgeous view of the ocean with a wide large floor to ceiling window that gave us the ideal vantage point to watch the sun set and rise from our bed. This was a stunning sight to wake up to and a real positive of the suite at Sands Resort.
The Contemporary Sea View suite was a large two bedroomed suite, with a huge queen size bed in the main bedroom and then two singles in the second room.
For some reason our rooms front door didn’t dead lock, and as the children’s bedroom was closest to that door, we ended up with both girls sleeping in with us – I didn’t feel comfortable at the thought of Erin opening the door on her own during the night. We didn’t report this, so I imagine this could have been easily fixed with a call to reception, but we were happy having them in with us as a holiday treat. As the main bed was MASSIVE and the mattress so comfortable, I slept the best I have slept in weeks, despite the two extra additions!
The Contemporary Sea View Suite also came with a small fridge and tea and coffee making facilities, a TV in both bedrooms, a DVD player and PS2. Games and DVDs can also be loaned from reception, which is great option if the weather really does take a turn for the worst. For those traveling with younger children, you can also hire baby equipment from reception free of charge including cot linen, pushchairs, baby carriers and bottle warmers. This is a real positive, particularly if you struggle to pack everything you need into a small family car!
The bathroom is the suite was very small, with no windows or natural light and in all honestly was looking a little tired. It also felt a bit clinical with toilet roll dispensers like you would find in a public restroom and as such, this felt a little less luxury than I would have expected from a suite.
Despite this, we were really pleased with the rest of the room. There was a large sofa at the end of the bed and two chairs with a table, meaning lots of space for the girls to chill out and relax before tea or after a busy day at the beach. The room had plenty of storage space, with a large warbrobe and shelving unit which could be hidden away behind a curtain, and even a small desk area, which I did actually use for catching up on emails whilst the girls and Mike were still snoozing!
The room was cleaned daily, and the standard of the housekeeping was very high, with even the sofas and chairs being vaccumed (leaving a pretty design) and towel creatures created on our beds!
The room also comes with complementary Wifi, however as is common in Devon and Cornwall, the connection, at times was a little on the slow side, but as we spent very little time in our rooms, I didn’t find this a problem. . The stay has really made us want to explore a list of campsites in Cornwall for next time.
Facilities at Sands Resort Hotel & Spa
When it comes to family friendly facilities, Sands Resort Hotel & Spa really does go all out – with pretty much everything you can think of to entertain the children, whatever the weather. With a great maintenance team (who we saw out and about every day looking after the grounds), the resort has something to offer for every age group and every energy level.
For those wishing to visit one of the two local beaches (both just a short walk or drive away), Sands offer free hire of wetsuits, bodyboards, buckets and spades. We felt this was a really lovely touch, as not living by the sea at home, we always seem to spend a fortune buying them at the beach and have no room in the car to take them home with us! We visited Watergate Bay beach a few times during our stay, both during the day and early evening to watch the tide come in. The beaches are dog friendly yet super clean and tidy, and the girls had lots of fun jumping in rock pools and building sand castles whilst we took in the glorious view!
We were really lucky that the only day we had rain in Cornwall was on the day we arrived, but Sands Resort have lots to do even when the sun isn’t shining.
Outside of the nursery and creche times (after 12pm) there is a large indoor play area with a (very deep!) ball pit and climbing nets, teamed up with cozy coupe cars and a toy kitchen for creative play.
There is also a huge soft play zone for children under 4, with loads of huge obstacles to climb and clamber over, and this went down a real treat with Neve.
The indoor games area has lots of fun activities including table tennis (free to play) air hockey, pool and table football, the latter of which just required a £1 coin to play. Erin was a big fan of the air hockey, and would quite often ask to head down to this area for a while before bed. Again despite the hotel being fairly full during peak season, the variety of options for families meant that nothing ever felt busy or crowded – this was a real positive.
Outdoor Fun
The fun at Sands Resort Hotel & Spa continues outside, with a wide range of options to keep us all entertained.
The girls were massive fans of the Enchanted maze, which I thought was really beautiful and something a bit different to the usual facilities you can expect to find at a family friendly hotel.
We picked up a copy of the Enchanted Maze quiz at reception, which had a number of questions and riddles to solve as we worked our way around spotting magical creatures, giants and fairy gardens. Once complete (and once we’d finally managed to locate the way out!), we were able to hand it back in, with the girls exchanging their correct answer for a prize (a lollipop). You can see more of the maze in our video above!
There are two large outdoor playgrounds at Sands Resort, the first including swings, rocker chairs, a 3 seater seasaw and a sand pit, as well as a huge pirate ship boat with portholes and steering wheels.
The second children’s playground is perhaps more suited to older children (Erin was in her element here), with wooden obstacle courses and climbing frames as well as a huge zip wire which was a real hit with all of us (including me and Mike!)
For active families, there is also a large football, tennis and basketball courts with a fantastic view across the Cornish countryside behind. The girls also really enjoyed the on site Bouncy Castle (weather dependent) which had benches opposite, allowing us to chill a bit in the evening sunshine whilst they bounced off their last bit of energy!
Evening Entertainment
Being more used to self catering accomodation, one of the elements of Sands Resort that we really appreciated was the addition of a daily entertainment programme, with a different activity on every evening between 5-6pm in the main room off reception. We found this was a lovely way to draw the day to a close, and Mike and I were able to have a drink and watch as the girls played and enjoyed the show.
We visited twice during the week, attending both the magic show and the silent disco, both of which went down an absolute storm with the girls.
The magician, whilst very cheesy, was a real hit, and both Erin and Neve sat happy as larry watching as Billy Wiz and his cheeky assistant Dusty the rabbit as they raised lots of laughs. Watching the children in the audience shouting out and calling Billy Wiz out when he tried to trick them (some of whom did so with quite some personality!) was really amusing to watch, and it was lovely to see even Neve at just 3 years old sitting cross legged and mesmerised, giggling away.
The silent disco was absolutely hilarious and I can honestly say I hadn’t laughed so much in weeks! Watching the children all dancing around to two different tracks at the same time, singing out loud and at one point doing a “runaway conga”, was just brilliant, and I can hand on heart say that I think the parents enjoyed this one as much as the children did!
The Pools at Sands Resort Hotel & Spa
There are two swimming pools at Sands Resort Hotel, one indoor and one outdoor, which although are relatively small in size, were never particularly busy during our stay. Both of the pools were heated but the indoor pool was slightly warmer than the other.
The indoor pool was clean and well maintained, with lockers to stash belongings safely away, a number of family sized changing rooms, showers and a range of poolside seating areas for those preferring to sit and watch.
Mike enjoyed spending some time relaxing in the steam room whilst the smaller baby pool was great for Neve, who enjoyed running around in circles and making waves in an area shallow enough for her to stand up and splash.
We were lucky that we had some really lovely sunny days during our stay, and so the girls were keen to check out the outdoor pool too.
Split into two parts, one a more traditional swimming area and the other a fun splash pool, the girls had a fab time zooming down the slide and splashing around in the water jets. I’m not gunna lie, I even had a go on the slide myself, taking a moment to embrace my inner child. It was lots of fun!
There were a good number of seats around the pool area to sit and watch as well as a huge expanse of sun loungers and seats on the grass behind the pool, which I imagine in the height of Summer would be a great place to soak up some sunshine whilst the children play. That said, neither of the pools are manned by lifeguards, so you need to take responsibility for supervising your own children.
Food and Drink at Sands Resort Hotel & Spa
We stayed at Sands Resort Hotel & Spa on a bed and breakfast basis, and with breakfast served until 10am, it was definitely something to look forward to when we woke up and a great way to fuel the busy days ahead.
Breakfast time included a self service hot buffet with your traditional sausage, eggs, hashbrowns, bacon and beans as well as a wide range of cereals, yoghurts, fruit and toast, and more continental options like croissants and pain de chocolat. There was a huge amount of choice on offer, and at times the breakfast service could feel a bit hectic, but nothing that I wouldn’t expect in a family restaurant. A couple of times we had to ask for milk or butter as they weren’t obvious or had ran out, but the restaurant team were very friendly and efficient, and very quickly bought things over to us when asked.
At Lunch time we ate out on the Atlantic terrace, which offered a range of lighter options such as paninis, jacket potatoes and wraps. We really enjoyed this as it felt very chilled and relaxed and meant the girls could get up and move around if they got restless or full. My roasted vegetable pannini was delicious, served with vegetable crisps on the side and Mike particularly enjoyed the sticky toffee pudding, demolishing what was quite a generous portion!
In the evening, the Beachcomber Restaurant has a couple of dining options, including an early dining service for those who prefer to eat early with the children between 5pm and 6.15pm. This early service has a hot buffet for the children with chips, fish fingers, chicken nuggets, pasta and other child friendly options, but does come with a more restricted menu for adults. If you prefer to have the full adult menu, you can visit after 6.30pm.
6.30pm was a little late for the girls, and if you want to enjoy a sea view whilst you eat, the Beachcomber Restaurant reserves this side for the adults only dining. We found this a bit of a shame, as whilst we completely understand the joy of having a more peaceful dinner, it would’ve been nice to share the epic views with the children too. For that reason we chose to eat elsewhere in the early evening, making the most of the sight of the ocean before we returned home to the city.
Family Friendly Support
Sands Resort Hotel & Spa take the view that family holidays aren’t all about the kids and offer a range of options for parents who may want to get a bit of child free time too.
There is an on site creche and Ofsted approved age appropriate kids clubs at Sands, both with trained and experienced childcare staff. Each child has a free daily morning childcare session should you wish to use it. As we were only visiting for a short break, we decided not to make use of these, but saw many families that did and spoke highly of it, with children coming back smiling and laughing showing off something they had made during craft club! You can also pay £5 per session for additional visits, which is ideal if you want to book in for a spa treatment or two.
Sands also offer a baby listening service in the evening (from 7pm-11pm) so that you can head down to the restaurant whilst the children are asleep. I will be honest and say that this is not something I would personally feel comfortable with doing, but it is good to have the option for those that would.
Overall Experience at Sands Resort Hotel & Spa
Overall we had a really lovely stay at Sands Resport Hotel & Spa, and when it comes to family friendly facilities, I think you would be hard pressed to find a hotel that offers anything more; there really is something for everyone, come rain or shine.
With friendly and helpful staff, a great central location and so many places to explore right on its doorstep, Sands Resport Hotel & Spa is definitely somewhere we would visit again.
Pros –
The huge range of child friendly facilities is fantastic -even when the weather does take a turn for the worse.
Great location close to some of Cornwalls most beautiful beaches.
Glorious Sea views – without a doubt this is something that is an absolute joy to wake up to!
Friendly, family feel about the hotel with the entire staff team from the reception to the restaurant staff being incredibly friendly and polite.
Cons –
Some of the hotel is in parts a little dated, and in particular the bathrooms in the suites could do with a bit of modernising in my opinion.
Whilst the restaurant does offer flexibility of dining times, we would have loved to have been able to enjoy a sea view with our girls too, as we enjoy all eating together. We instead opted to venture out into Newquay where we were able to do this.
You can learn more about Sands Resort Hotel & Spa and their family friendly Cornish breaks on their website here.
*Disclosure: We stayed at Sands Resort Hotel and Spa for two nights on a bed and breakfast basis in exchange for this review. We paid for the additional two nights stay and all other expenses. All images, thoughts and opinions are my own*
Hi, I’m Lucy, a thirty something mum of two from Birmingham. A memory maker, tradition keeper, stationery addict and Mr Men fanatic. HR Advisor by day and sleep deprived Mama by night!
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