globetrottingtots

Should you let your kids choose where you go on holiday?

2012-02-09T03:16:00.001-08:00

How much say do you give your kids when it comes to booking a holiday? After all, holidays are about relaxing and if the kids are happy, parents are happy. Aren't they? I know all about Pester Power and holidays after our first Centre Parcs experience. The brochure came through the post along with a very nicely produced DVD. Soon it was bye-bye to cbeebies and hello to the new favourite programme - the Centre Parcs DVD. They still remember the holiday and still beg to go back. And then there's Disneyland Paris - the ultimate bribe dangled for super good behaviour. I just know it's only a matter of time before we cave it...A new report out today from Teletext Holidays shows that only four out of ten kids aged between 6 and 15 never let them choose where they go on holiday. So there's an awful lot who are able to choose where they go on their annual getaway.Our little ones are three and six and already they are whizzes on the laptop. They are as happy using a mouse as they are a felt tip pen. So when it comes to looking at holidays, they love to get involved. They want to click on the destination videos, make the hotel room pictures bigger and type in the dates. Searching for a holiday has become a multi-media family experience. But at the end of the day, holidays cost a lot of money so it will always come down to finding a holiday where all ages can be happy and at the right price. But as we are about to head off on our first family long-haul trip to Antigua tomorrow, I just know that resisting "pester power" on future holiday bookings is going to be futile.

Holiday home movies could make you a TV Star

2011-01-31T05:11:00.000-08:00

Santa brought Hannah a video camera this Christmas. A pink VTech number with all sorts of clever editing gadgets. Now everytime I turn round I'm being filmed. Even in my PJs making breakfast - not flattering! But it will add a new dimension to our holidays this year. At last we'll have some fun, lasting memories of our family travels. It's inspired me to get a video camera of my own - but better still - maybe I'll try and win one. Any globetrotting mums, dads and kids have the chance to win prizes and potentially star in the new Teletext Holidays television advert. They're looking for short clips of families having fun on their hols, on the beach, messing around in the pool, sledging down a mountainside - anything which looks fun and captures the spirit of a holiday. Upload videos at www.teletextholidaystvstar.co.uk

Bluestone in Wales looks good

2010-11-18T06:28:00.000-08:00

I'm already planning the O'Reilly summer escape for 2011. At the moment I'm looking around for ideas. As Dom and I are going on our first child free holiday for five years to California in June (Hurray!) we probably need something close to home. Last year's camping holiday with Thomson Al Fresco in the South of France was wonderful, but it did turn out to be expensive for four of us. Not so much the cost of the holiday itself, but the poor rate of exchange makes everything so much more pricy when you get there. I am quite excited about Bluestone in Wales - www.bluestonewales.com which a friend of mine told me about. Adventure park, stunningly designed lodges, gorgeous setting, fab swimming pools. Oh and a spa for mummy. Yippee! I will keep you posted on any special offers and other ideas I spot.

Gruffalo trunki is joining us on holiday

2010-06-30T03:08:00.000-07:00

We are now the pround owners of a Gruffalo Trunki. What a superb thing it is. Hannah has it packed and ready for our holiday. She is excited about riding on it through the airport. Ever since they appeared on Dragon's Den I thought they were fab. Nobody invested though after Theo pulled the handle off. Now that seems to have been sorted out I wonder if Trunki might make a good investment opportunity for our travel friends at TUI as both brands appear to have the same logo - a smiley T with a dot!

money saving tips for family holidays

2010-05-25T11:44:00.001-07:00

This year I've decided to take Hannah out of school for our trip to France. It was £1,000 cheaper to go a couple of weeks before the schools break up and that seemed as good a reason as any. But she's only in reception and not even five yet, so I don't think she'll be losing out. But in years to come it's bound to be a dilemma. According to Teletext Holidays almost half of parents will consider taking their kids away in term time to get a cheaper deal on their holiday. And more mums and dads are making up excuses to the school to try and dodge the charge. I think this is the last year we'll be able to do it as I'll feel too guilty! I love the top 30 money saving tips at www.teletextholidays.co.uk/moneysavingtips - a lot are common sense but it's always good to be reminded. When we went to Devon last year we spend an absolute fortune - minture pony farms, zoos, tourist trap cafes, fairground rides. Peak season prices will always be too high, but if you're clever there are still ways you can shave a few hundred quid off the holiday bill.

Go on holiday and spruce up your love life

2010-02-23T07:08:00.000-08:00

Holidays with tots are not the holidays we once knew and loved. Oh no. No more lazing around in bed until lunchtime and loafing around the pool all day. Much as we love our dear little people, it's important to find time on our own being real grown up people as well. Alarmingly a new report from Kuoni today claims holidays are the only time couples really talk to each other. Talk properly that is, about life and hopes and dreams for the future. I felt very inspired by Kuoni's reserach and the comments from from Christine Webber, author and psychotherapist. Done properly holidays can potentially keep you sane, healthy and happy. My mission right now is to find a summer holiday which gives my bambinos plenty to do, some "us" time yet won't cost the equivalent of a small house extension. The Holy Grail? Hope not. This year I am making a pact. More holidays = even happier family.

More inspiration at Destinations

2010-02-08T01:59:00.001-08:00

Just been to the Destinations holiday show at Earl's Court in the hope of finding some inspiration for family holidays...what a disappointment. At £12 to get into the show, it's pricy but at least I was hoping to come back with armfuls of goodies...and maybe even a holiday booked. Kids love getting involved in booking a holiday and a live show is the perfect way to bring countries and cultures to life. With a bit of imagination show organisers could have marketed this event to mums and dads as a family-friendly event. I think they should have created a "family destinations" area with fun, interactive exhibitors and plenty of people on hand to take bookings there and then. Centre Parcs, Holiday Cottages, Eurocamp, Club Med are just a few of the family brands I would have loved to see there. Maybe next year...

Thinking about skiing...

2010-01-26T01:51:00.001-08:00

I spent the morning last week talking about ski holidays on the radio and it got me thinking....even though Dom thinks he'd be a danger to himself and everyone else on the slopes sliding down a mountain at high speed, maybe just maybe, I could persuade him to take an alpine break. I'm sure with sledging, skating, hiking, long lunches, swimming, afternoon tea and even cross country skiing there'd be enough to keep a non-skiing husband happy. Our four year old is already nifty on a pair of ice skates and she's itching to have a go on skis. Just read about a company called Chilly Powder www.chillypowder.com who do luxury ski to the door cabins which are completely child friendly. They look fab. And close to our friends who in Geneva. Better start saving and maybe next year....

Early booking

2010-01-25T02:12:00.000-08:00

New year's resolutioin is to update my blog every week with thoughts and ideas about what makes the perfect family holiday. I got a very clever card through the post this week from Thomson Al Fresco - suggesting holiday ideas especially for the O'Reilly family. Clever marketing I thought. They knew we'd been with them before, where we'd stayed and had found three other holidays in France and Italy they thought we might like. And with a big discount if we booked before end of January. Much more inspired that the usual junk we get through the post. At least I kept the card and stuck it on the noticeboard. I've also been looking at Eurocamp online. Love the idea of skipping to the shop for fresh croissants and a paper, long lazy breakfast on the deck, reading my book, kids playing together....This week I am going to price it up so we have something to look forward to.

My skin looks grey and I need vitamin D

2009-02-06T10:44:00.001-08:00

To holiday at home or away, this is the question. There's no doubt staying put the in the UK is a lot cheaper than flying a family of four overseas right now. Much easier to bung all your stuff in the boot of a car and whizz off down the motorway for a couple of hours. I'm a big fan of UK holidays - in fact followers of the blog will remember that I've recently booked a luxury lodge holiday in Devon, with its own jacuzzi, sauna and lots of things to do for the kids. My husband thinks it looks a suitably chav-free zone too, which is good. But - and this is a big but - the lure of the sun can never be underestimated. Everyone is cold. My skin looks grey and no amount of fake tan is helping. I'm longing to ditch my winter woolies. I need some vitamin D. I want the kids to play in sand free of runny noses. I need fresh fish and fruit. There's nothing quite like a holiday with some guaranteed sun. There must be a way to have chav-free, stress-free holidays abroad without breaking the bank. Is anyone out there?!

Do tots and cruising mix?

2009-01-28T02:57:00.000-08:00

I wonder if cruising with pre-school tots is a good idea? I've been on a few cruise ships without my small people and really enjoyed it, despite the slightly odd look friends give you when you say you like "cruising". Family travel can be very stressful if you don't get it right, so my aim with this blog is always to find people who will give you honest, frank advice. If I booked a cruise holiday now (with a one year old and a three and a half year old) would there be a ship with high chairs in the dining room? Would "mature" guests recoil on horror as they see our brood approaching? Would my manic three year old be tempted to climb over the side and throw herself overboard? I love the idea of it, but need to be convinced that there are ships out there which are really geared up for the younger crew.

Trunki's: too posh to push

2009-01-27T01:20:00.000-08:00

I've been facinated by Trunki suitcases -designed for stylish globetrotting tots - since I saw them on Dragon's Den (although they didn't get the money as Theo managed to yank the strap off). They're great little suitcases in bright colours with wheels on them - and a little strap so that whilst your tot sits on the suitcase, you can tow them along. What fun. All the Trunki's have names, including a "posh" one - too posh to push! I have just ordered one each for Hannah and Max in preparation for our holiday.

Bush Babies are a must for globetrotting tots

2009-01-24T11:09:00.000-08:00

An essential item for any globetrotting tot is the Bush Baby rucksack. A great investment for "hands free" travel. It's a natural next step from the Baby Bjorn carrier and brilliant for holiday hikes or pottering through cobble streets. Travelling with a buggy can be such a pain. Bush Baby carriers are normally quite expensive but try www.nappyvalley.co.uk to find a good quality one second hand. Ours was about £40, about a third of the normal price.

Insider tips for travelling with kids

2009-01-22T08:33:00.000-08:00

I've just booked a holiday. What a wonderful feeling. Particularly on a gloomy January day. Even more wonderful when the news is full of gloom. It's only the second holiday I've ever booked as a family of four. When you've been a child-free globetrotter for many years, making the adjustment to travelling with small people is a big leap. Since I had my first baby (Hannah) three and a half years ago Dom & I have been firmly in the family holiday market. We've had some very successful breaks (camping in the South of France with Thomson Al Fresco) but we've made some mistakes (busmans holiday in a remote cottage in Somerset). That made me think about setting up this blog. Having worked in the travel industry for 15 years, I know lots of people who are not only globetotting mums and dads themselves, they also work in travel. In credit-crunched Britain I think there's room for some no-nonsence, independent advice about family holidays - from the people on the inside the travel industry who are all mums and dads themselves. Insider tips for travelling with kids.

So, my top tip of the day is this:

Forget overpriced Centre Parcs (which is great, but too pricy for many now) and instead look at www.hoseasons.co.uk. A brilliant range of luxury lodges. The one we have booked has its own sauna and its own jacuzzi on the decking. I visted a few of the lodge parks earlier this year. Brilliant for kids. And good for grown ups too - I can't wait to drink champagne in my own private spa. Luxury for less. Domestic bliss, that's what it's all about.