14 November 2019

I was lucky enough to have a fantastic trip to the Algarve, Lisbon and Cascais thanks to the Martinhal Family hotel group with my fellow Travel Counsellor colleagues. We flew with Aer Lingus from Cork to Faro and then took a private transfer to Sagres on the Western tip of the Algarve for a 2 night stay in the Martinhal Sagres Family Resort. This gorgeous property is located right on the beachfront in Sagres and we were lucky enough to have rooms facing straight onto the beach. It was very apparent from arriving in this 5*property that the whole culture surrounding Martinhal is family friendly holidays. They have several different room types from hotel beach front rooms to luxury family villas. They offer several different kids clubs designed around the kids ages as well as babysitting services. For the adults there is a beautiful spa on site and several adult activities such as yoga which we were lucky enough to experience on our second morning. There is a choice of restaurants as-well as takeaway options and a well-stocked supermarket on site. The food here was outstanding. After our 2 nights here, we set off for our overnight in Lisbon stopping off in the Martinhal Quinta Resort on route. We were given an extensive tour of this property which is mainly made up of private villas and townhouses. It is very much a village type property but maintaining the 5*feel throughout with plenty of communal areas such as pool, playgrounds, gym, restaurants and supermarket. The it was time to set off for Lisbon. Once we arrived, we checked into the Martinhal Chiado which is a 5*family hotel right in the centre of Lisbon city. This hotel even offers supervised free kids club during the day allowing parents a chance to explore the city. The rooms in this hotel are all suites or apartments which gives families a home from home on a city escape. The location of this hotel is great for families with the main shopping areas 2 mins walk from the property. We were lucky enough to be given a private tour of this amazing city. After visiting I would have no hesitation in recommending Lisbon as a city break for families. After a brilliant night in Lisbon being wined and dined, we set off for Cascais for our final night in the Martinhal Cascais Resort. This is only 30 mins drive from Lisbon bringing you onto the most beautiful coast. The Martinhal Cascais has something for everyone in the family, from golf to spas as well as amazing kids club house, trampolines and swimming pools. Again, in this hotel you have amazing hotel rooms and family villas. The hotel provides a shuttle bus into Cascais at a minimal charge. This village really stole my heart and I will definitely be returning with my family. From cobbled streets lined with pretty shops, bars and restaurants to a gorgeous beach area. After a great day exploring it was time to say goodbye to Portugal, but I will be back! If my trip to Portugal has you dreaming of your next family holiday, why not contact me to start planning? As your personal Travel Counsellor I take the time to get to know you and your family’s wants and needs in order to tailor make your dream holiday!

29 July 2019

For this year’s family trip, we decided to travel to Italy. With great options available from Cork we were able to fly directly to Milan Bergamo Airport and then we got a private transfer to Altomincio Family Park, our home for the holiday. The campsite is around 8km from Peschiera Del Garda and once we arrived on site we headed straight to the main reception who then gave us our wristbands to access the park and the facilities. We took the campsite train from the reception area down to the main complex where the kids got into the large lagoon pool within minutes! It is an amazing lagoon pool where the pool depth is the same throughout with a rubber surface, so it is extremely safe especially with a 19-month-old who loves the water. In the centre of the lagoon pool you have a whale feature with slides which all the kids loved. For anyone looking for a deeper pool or a pool for swimming this is the large Olympic pool which is next to the brand-new splash park area which again has plenty of slides to keep the kids entertained. There is so much choice with the amazing pool complex that this site offers. The campsite has a takeaway, restaurant and 3 bars which also serve food – so there is something for everyone on every menu! There is a large supermarket on site as well as a large souvenir shop and a large ice cream bar too that is next to the outdoor games area. The kids never ran out of things to do with several playgrounds and play areas throughout the site. Our mobile home was situated in the annex area of the site which is up hill from the main complex. The site provides a froggy train which connects this area to the main complex that runs every 15 minutes in peak season. I must say the kids really enjoyed the train up and down and this added to the excitement of the whole trip. We stayed in a 3 bedroomed esprit mobile which sleeps up to 8 people, we had 4 adults, 3 children and 1 infant in our party so used to capacity but there was still plenty of space for everyone. The mobile also came with a gas BBQ which we used regularly. The campsite provided entertainment throughout the day and night that varied from each day. My children’s favourite was the weekly foam party after the mini disco. If your looking for an excursion outside the park, the Gardaland Theme Park is easily accessible through local transport. The theme caters for all ages and was a full day out which we all enjoyed. My youngest particularly loved the Peppa Pig land. On another day we took the local bus into Peschiera for the weekly markets and then that afternoon we took a boat out to the beautiful Lazise. In Lazise we went swimming in the lake and visited a gorgeous park which had a playground. We were able to get a bus directly from Lazise to just outside Altomincio Family Park. Lake Garda is such a beautiful place for families and couples alike. I would highly recommend visiting and if it is on your bucket list please contact me to start planning your Lake Garda getaway.

11 June 2019

We travelled out over the Easter Holidays to Perros Guirec in Northern Brittany, France. We got onboard the Pont Aven Ferry in Cork for our overnight sailing to Roscoff. Upon arrival on-board the kids were excited to check out the play area and games room. After having something to eat in the buffet restaurant we settled down in the main bar area to enjoy the onboard entertainment for the kids. After this we retreated back to our 4 berth outside cabin for the night. Upon waking the next morning in Roscoff, we departed the ferry and set off on our 1.5 hour journey to the beautiful town of Perros-Guirec. The campsite Le Ranolien is a Yelloh Village 5star campsite. We were allocated our 3 bedroomed mobile home just behind the main outdoor pool complex. The campsite offers fantastic facilities for the kids with a games room, free bouncing castles, sports courts, playgrounds and a fantastic indoor and outdoor pool complex with a splash park. We were very fortunate that the weather was so nice especially for April but even if the weather had not been on our side there was so much for the kids to do. There is brilliant walking routes from the site into 2 villages with gorgeous beaches along the way. Perros Guirec is famed for its pink granite coast and I have to say the views along the walkways from the site were amazing. The campsite also has a supermarket on site which is quite reasonable but if you wanted to stock up there is plenty of larger supermarkets a few minutes’ drive from the site. After a super 5 nights on the campsite we boarded the Pont Aven again in Roscoff for our overnight sailing back to Cork. I would highly recommend this type of holiday for families as we thoroughly enjoyed it! Contact me to arrange your family’s next holiday.

11 June 2019

Last year for our family holiday we travelled from Cork to Barcelona and got a private transfer to Camping Vilanova Park which is just outside Barcelona. We stayed with Crystal Al Fresco in a 2 bedroomed mobile home. The campsite boasts waterslides, three family pools (one indoor) and two kids pools plus a sauna, Jacuzzi & spa area. There is a large very reasonably priced supermarket, takeaway, bar and restaurant on site. They also have outdoor sports areas, a trampoline pillow, crazy golf and playgrounds so plenty for the kids to do. We decided not to hire a car and with the local transport links from the site there was no need. From the site we visited the local town of Vilanova i la Geltru which had a fantastic beach and a beautiful Ramblas lined with high street stores. We also took the bus to Sitges which is only 20 minutes away and again has lovely shops, restaurants and a gorgeous stretch of beach. Another day we got the bus into Barcelona city centre and visited Camp Nou stadium which my 4 and 5-year-old football mad boys loved! We also visited Port Aventura theme park in Salou which was a full day out that the whole family enjoyed. I would highly recommend this site for families as it caters for all age groups and with so much to do in the area you will make amazing memories!

11 June 2019

We went on a fabulous family holiday to Lanzarote in the Canary Islands. We took a direct flight from Cork to Arrecife which was just under 4 hours and then with a 20-minute private transfer we arrived in the resort of Costa Tequise. We stayed in the 4*H10 Suites Lanzarote Gardens which is a 5-minute walk to the beach and a strip of bars, shops and restaurants. The suite we stayed in consisted of one bedroom with twin beds and then the lounge area had another single bed and a sofa which could be converted to another bed. There was also a small kitchenette area and a flat screen tv in the lounge. We had a ground floor suite which had an extra-large terrace area with sun loungers and tables and chairs. The terrace overlooked the main pool complex. The complex itself had amazing facilities for kids of all ages. We spent the day going from kids club to outdoor fun activities with the hotel mascot Daisy to mini discos and live evening entertainment. There were daily activities to suit all ages. The main pool area has a pirate ship in the centre with several slides going from this. In the afternoon the kids club reps would often do flash mob dances with the kids in the pool. There is also several multi sports courts and a playground for the smaller children. We stayed on an all-inclusive basis and the food offered for breakfast, lunch and dinner was fantastic. Plenty of choice for everyone and the hotel caters for any dietary requirements. With the all-inclusive they also offer free ice creams for the kids throughout the day as well as snacks. All hot and cold drinks including cocktails were included. The entertainment and kids club team at this complex are one of the best I have ever seen. They were constantly working hard to ensure the kids had a great time. My kids loved Daisy the mascot who made several appearances throughout the day and night. There is lots to do in the immediate area with a waterpark within a few minutes’ drive and also a firm favourite is Rancho Texas Park in Matagorda but to be honest there is so much for the kids to do at the H10 it is hard to get them to leave. I would 100% recommend this complex for families and can’t wait to return. Contact me to book our next fun filled family hotel.