Showing all posts tagged family

I’m a staunch staycationer, preferring to holiday here in the UK however HOW we’ll holiday is another matter. Although we’ve not tried it to date, I really rather fancy the idea of serviced apartments.

For those of you who aren’t sure what a serviced apartment is, think of it as a hotel (sort of) but more personal. You also get more space than you would with a generic hotel room (unless you’re booking the deluxe penthouse, of course). With a serviced apartment you get the concierge, the 24hr customer service, you pick where you go (rather than finding you have a hotel room facing a brick wall) and much more besides.

I like to think of a serviced apartment as being half-way between a hotel room (and all the service benefits) and renting a self-catering house or flat (freedom to come and go as you please, make it feel like home yet having to do the same cleaning and laundry etc you did in your own house).

One of the reasons serviced apartments appeals to me most is the fact that there is plenty of room. When camping we booked a pod which was better than a tent but still a little tight on the space side. That was ok though because when you’re camping half the fun is slumming it a little.

If for example, we were looking for a city break such as visiting the Lego visitor centre in Manchester we would definitely consider serviced apartments in Manchester. With the boys being five years apart and Kieran now being at high school they need their own space and besides, I don’t want to spend my break doing everything I would be doing at home. I would love to stay in a conveniently placed apartment, close to different eateries, the Lego Centre, shops and so on without us all being on top of each other. We’ve come to the point now where of an evening we all retire to our own spaces for peace and quiet and to do whatever we do.

I’ve done the budget accommodation thing, with family rooms and an en-suite. They were brilliant when Kieran was small so could have the pull-out bed and Taylor was smaller and could go in a cot. These days though, we really need something a little more sophisticated.

Colleagues of mine use serviced apartments for short-term business stays and similar. I know of a writer who books herself into one she loves for a sort of respite, a place away from the norm where she may relax and regroup after finishing a book. A writer’s retreat almost.

I wonder if there’s such a thing as a busy working mother’s retreat? Hmm…..

Obviously, we haven’t tried serviced apartments yet but they are very much on our radar, especial if we do go to the Legoland Discovery Centre next year. If you’ve booked them, especially for short family breaks and have any top tips for how to get the best out of your booking please comment and let me know. I’m sure your experience would be useful to others too!

If you can’t decide whether to have a UK holiday or where to if you do, this infographic may help!