More and more people are searching for the sun during October half term and jetting off on an aeroplane to find it. But where can you fly from the UK that is warm at that time of year and that doesn't take too long to get too? Immediate thoughts are for a long haul holiday but most schools only have 1 week for the half term so you don't want to waste a day travelling.
Here are some warm October holiday destinations:
Gran Canaria
Gran Canaria should have temperatures in the early 20's during October and with a flight time of around 4.5 hours from London, it makes for a popular destination for an October half term holiday.
There are plenty of different resorts but I can recommend the Tui Family Life Bahia Feliz. The kids clubs were fantastic and there were adults classes for parents to do. You can read my blog review here, Bahia Feliz and watch the youtube video.
Marrakech
Marrakech could reach temperatures in the high 20's making it a great spot for some heat in the winter months. The flight time from London is around 3.5 hours.
Marrakech could reach temperatures in the high 20's making it a great spot for some heat in the winter months. The flight time from London is around 3.5 hours.
You can find some fantastic family friendly all-inclusive hotels just outside the city which provide shuttles into the centre. Often these hotels have water slides etc for entertainment.
In Marrakech itself you could get henna tattoos, visit a souk, go on a food tour, visit Bahia palace, experience a camel ride and much more.
In Marrakech itself you could get henna tattoos, visit a souk, go on a food tour, visit Bahia palace, experience a camel ride and much more.
Tenerife
Tenerife could reach temperatures in the mid 20's and the flight time from London is around 4.5 hours. There are so many great activities to see and do there which is why it is a hotspot for a winter holiday.
The waterpark Siam Park is a must for families, young and old alike. There's slides for adrenaline junkies (including a vertical drop) or you can relax on a 1150 foot wide beach.
You can also take a cable car ride up Mount Teide (Spain's highest peak) and view craters and rivers of lava. There is also a night time excursion of stargazing there too.
Tenerife could reach temperatures in the mid 20's and the flight time from London is around 4.5 hours. There are so many great activities to see and do there which is why it is a hotspot for a winter holiday.
The waterpark Siam Park is a must for families, young and old alike. There's slides for adrenaline junkies (including a vertical drop) or you can relax on a 1150 foot wide beach.
You can also take a cable car ride up Mount Teide (Spain's highest peak) and view craters and rivers of lava. There is also a night time excursion of stargazing there too.
Cape Verde
Cape Verde usually provides temperature in the high 20's. There are lots of all inclusive hotels on the beach to choose from. The flight is around 6 hours so it's not a short haul holiday but it is still a top choice.
There's not a great deal to see and do with kids outside of the resorts other than seeing local culture so it's depending on what your children enjoy out of a holiday which would decide whether this would be a good location for you.
There's not a great deal to see and do with kids outside of the resorts other than seeing local culture so it's depending on what your children enjoy out of a holiday which would decide whether this would be a good location for you.
Dubai
As a family destination, Dubai has it all. Whatever age there is something for everyone and with the hotels all being of a luxury standard, you will be made to feel like the royal family. Temperatures are usually above 30 so it's a hot destination to hit during the October half term. The flight from London is around 7 hours but if you took an overnight flight you would have a full day there the next day instead of losing any time travelling.
The Palm area hosts the most luxurious of hotels with the Atlantis being one of the most family friendly. Inside the Atlantis there is a waterpark, an aquarium and much more. You wouldn't really have to leave.
We visited in 2015 and you can read about it here, Atlantis The Palm.
There are so many other things to see and do such as:
As a family destination, Dubai has it all. Whatever age there is something for everyone and with the hotels all being of a luxury standard, you will be made to feel like the royal family. Temperatures are usually above 30 so it's a hot destination to hit during the October half term. The flight from London is around 7 hours but if you took an overnight flight you would have a full day there the next day instead of losing any time travelling.
The Palm area hosts the most luxurious of hotels with the Atlantis being one of the most family friendly. Inside the Atlantis there is a waterpark, an aquarium and much more. You wouldn't really have to leave.
We visited in 2015 and you can read about it here, Atlantis The Palm.
There are so many other things to see and do such as:
- Go to the top of the Burj Khalifa
- Visit the mall
- Visit the souks
- See the Jumeriah Mosque
- Go on a boat trip
- Visit Legoland
- Visit Motion Gate Dubai
Have you been anywhere that you would recommend for a warm October half term holiday?
Post a Comment
We recently visited Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida for one day only. We managed to go in both parks and pretty much did all the rides we wanted to. Here are our top tips for getting the most out of Universal Studios in one day.
1) Buy a Park to Park Ticket
Make sure you buy the park to park ticket which will allow you into both parks via the Hogwarts Express. You could go from Universal Studios to Islands of adventure or the other way around.
2) Get an Express Pass
There is no way we could have done everything we wanted to without the express pass. This enabled us to go into a separate 'quicker' queuing area and bypass those long lines.
3) Eat Breakfast Before You Arrive
Don't waste precious time you have getting breakfast at the park. Eat before you get there and arrive just before opening.
4) Make Use of the Child Swap
If you have young children that can't ride bigger rides then be sure to make use of the child swap system. Most of the rides have an area where one parent can wait with the children whilst the other rides on the attraction. When the parent finishes the ride they simply swap and the waiting parent heads virtually straight onto the ride.
The Harry Potter child swap areas were very good as they had tv screens showing Harry Potter films.
5) Go Midweek
Both parks are always quieter during Monday - Friday. This is usually when kids are in school etc.
6) Go at the Right Time of Year
Where possible try and avoid any school holidays. Remember to check both American and UK holidays to ensure you find the best time.
7) Have a Plan but be Flexible
Have a rough plan in mind of what you want to do before you arrive including which rides you want to go and what shows you want to see. However, it's important to remember to be flexible too and be prepared to change any plans. If a ride queue is very short when you walk past it, then ride it straight away. Do not wait to follow your plan.
8) Wear Comfortable Shoes
You're going to be on your feet most of the day so make sure you have comfortable shoes. I recommend some form of trainers but wear whatever is going to make sure your feet don't hurt throughout the day.
9) Have a Quick Lunch
Don't book a sit down table service style meal for lunch (save that for a late dinner). Pop into one of the quick service style restaurants such as the Kwik-E-Mart in The Simpsons area.
10) Don't wait for the front or back seating of rides
We all love to ride the very front or the back of rollercoasters but often those lines are the busiest. If you have more than one day then yes go for it but for one day only I'd advise against it.
I hope these tips are helpful. One thing that is important to remember is that you probably won't have time to get on every single ride and do all of the shows, so go with that idea in your head. If you do manage it then, then that's a bonus but if you don't, then you won't be too disappointed if you've already preempted it.
*Disclosure - Our one day family park to park tickets with Express Passes were gifted to us by Universal Studios.*
1) Buy a Park to Park Ticket
Make sure you buy the park to park ticket which will allow you into both parks via the Hogwarts Express. You could go from Universal Studios to Islands of adventure or the other way around.
2) Get an Express Pass
There is no way we could have done everything we wanted to without the express pass. This enabled us to go into a separate 'quicker' queuing area and bypass those long lines.
3) Eat Breakfast Before You Arrive
Don't waste precious time you have getting breakfast at the park. Eat before you get there and arrive just before opening.
4) Make Use of the Child Swap
If you have young children that can't ride bigger rides then be sure to make use of the child swap system. Most of the rides have an area where one parent can wait with the children whilst the other rides on the attraction. When the parent finishes the ride they simply swap and the waiting parent heads virtually straight onto the ride.
The Harry Potter child swap areas were very good as they had tv screens showing Harry Potter films.
5) Go Midweek
Both parks are always quieter during Monday - Friday. This is usually when kids are in school etc.
6) Go at the Right Time of Year
Where possible try and avoid any school holidays. Remember to check both American and UK holidays to ensure you find the best time.
7) Have a Plan but be Flexible
Have a rough plan in mind of what you want to do before you arrive including which rides you want to go and what shows you want to see. However, it's important to remember to be flexible too and be prepared to change any plans. If a ride queue is very short when you walk past it, then ride it straight away. Do not wait to follow your plan.
8) Wear Comfortable Shoes
You're going to be on your feet most of the day so make sure you have comfortable shoes. I recommend some form of trainers but wear whatever is going to make sure your feet don't hurt throughout the day.
9) Have a Quick Lunch
Don't book a sit down table service style meal for lunch (save that for a late dinner). Pop into one of the quick service style restaurants such as the Kwik-E-Mart in The Simpsons area.
10) Don't wait for the front or back seating of rides
We all love to ride the very front or the back of rollercoasters but often those lines are the busiest. If you have more than one day then yes go for it but for one day only I'd advise against it.
I hope these tips are helpful. One thing that is important to remember is that you probably won't have time to get on every single ride and do all of the shows, so go with that idea in your head. If you do manage it then, then that's a bonus but if you don't, then you won't be too disappointed if you've already preempted it.
*Disclosure - Our one day family park to park tickets with Express Passes were gifted to us by Universal Studios.*
If 5 years ago (about a year after I had my first child) someone would have suggested that I would be going on a break to Butlins I would have laughed in their face. I'll be honest and say that it never appealed to me even when I became a parent and that their name/old reputation had put me off. It was recently when my children would watch the TV advert and beg us to take them there that we finally caved in and booked a 3 night stay over February half term.
We had booked a basic accommodation with no dining package but Butlins kindly offered to upgrade us to one of the West Lakes riverside view chalets along with a dining package which including breakfast and dinner.
We arrived around 7.30pm on the Friday night so it was quite late in the day. We were greeted by friendly and welcoming staff at reception who made checking in swift and stress free. They gave detailed instructions of how to find our chalet, where to park and a brief overview of the resort which was very handy.
Accommodation:
I have already reviewed our chalet in a separate blog post which you can read by clicking through here, West Lakes Chalets at Butlins Minehead. Spoiler alert though, we thought it was fantastic.
Food:
Our dining package included breakfast and dinner at The Deck restaurant which was a buffet. I'm not sure why but whenever I think of a buffet I automatically think it's not going to be great. I couldn't have been more wrong here. Both the breakfast and dinner had so much choice.
First up the staff were wonderful. There was never a problem getting a table and there were a couple of drinks stations so you were never far from anything.
Breakfast consisted of lots of different things from hot to cold. You could also have freshly made omelettes, pancakes/waffles and also a hot sandwich (which was one of my personal favourites). There was also fruit, yogurt, cheeses etc.
There was a coffee machine which served various coffees and hot chocolate. You could also have water, squash or juice.
Dinner had something that everyone would like. There was Chinese, indian, British food, Roast Dinner and more. The kids also had a good choice with plenty of meat and vegetables plus chicken nuggets, burgers etc. Drinks were the same as what was offered in the morning.
The only complaint I had with the meal plan was that the dinner service finished at 7.30pm which sometimes was a bit too early for us. The night we arrived we couldn't use our meal plan as we didn't get there in time as we checked in late in the evening so we had to buy ourselves a meal instead at one of the restaurants.
If you don't have a meal plan there are quite a few restaurants you can choose from so there's plenty of choice available.
Entertainment
The entertainment was fantastic. There were things going on throughout the day and the evening. There were meet and greets with characters and children's shows in the day. Littlest loved the Teletubbies show.
In the evening there were various shows such as concerts, comedy and more. On our last night we went to the silent cinema which was a great concept.
Activities
There are lots of activities on offer for children every day. The majority of them are included in your stay but some are payable. My girls went to a few crafting sessions and archery.They loved both. During the crafting sessions was the quietest we'd seen them all weekend.
There are plenty of parks dotted around the site. There was also crazy golf, a climbing wall and a high ropes area.
We also hired a family bike type thing (sorry I have no idea what it's called). It cost £10 for 1 hour. The kids had a great time but I didn't think it was worth how much we'd paid for it.
Swimming Pool
The swimming pool was great. There were slides, plenty of swimming space, toddler areas and a wave machine. There was often very big queues for entry when the pool first opened in the morning so we tended to go in the middle of the afternoon when it was less busy and crowded.
The only thing I didn't like was the communal changing rooms. This is down to personal preference rather than there being anything wrong with them.
Funfair
One of the best bits of the whole trip was the fun fair and the toddler fun fair. We all had a great time and both areas are included in your break so you can ride everything as many times as you liked.
The toddler funfair is inside which is ideal if the weather isn't on your side. There was also a soft play area which we didn't get around to using.
Staff
One thing that I've been wax lyrical about is the staff. Every single member of staff that we encountered from the cleaners to the red coats were wonderful. They were all happy, approachable and professional. They couldn't do enough for you. It's testament to Butlins as a company as they all seemed very happy in their jobs.
To sum up I am a Butlins convert. As a family we loved every minute of it so much so the girls cried their eyes out when they realised we had to leave. We've already been pricing up future breaks as we are desperate to return.
*Disclaimer - We had already paid for a Butlins break but they offered us an upgrade in accommodation and a dining package in exchange for our review. All words and views are my honest opinion.*
Pin me:
We had booked a basic accommodation with no dining package but Butlins kindly offered to upgrade us to one of the West Lakes riverside view chalets along with a dining package which including breakfast and dinner.
We arrived around 7.30pm on the Friday night so it was quite late in the day. We were greeted by friendly and welcoming staff at reception who made checking in swift and stress free. They gave detailed instructions of how to find our chalet, where to park and a brief overview of the resort which was very handy.
Accommodation:
I have already reviewed our chalet in a separate blog post which you can read by clicking through here, West Lakes Chalets at Butlins Minehead. Spoiler alert though, we thought it was fantastic.
Food:
Our dining package included breakfast and dinner at The Deck restaurant which was a buffet. I'm not sure why but whenever I think of a buffet I automatically think it's not going to be great. I couldn't have been more wrong here. Both the breakfast and dinner had so much choice.
First up the staff were wonderful. There was never a problem getting a table and there were a couple of drinks stations so you were never far from anything.
Breakfast consisted of lots of different things from hot to cold. You could also have freshly made omelettes, pancakes/waffles and also a hot sandwich (which was one of my personal favourites). There was also fruit, yogurt, cheeses etc.
There was a coffee machine which served various coffees and hot chocolate. You could also have water, squash or juice.
Dinner had something that everyone would like. There was Chinese, indian, British food, Roast Dinner and more. The kids also had a good choice with plenty of meat and vegetables plus chicken nuggets, burgers etc. Drinks were the same as what was offered in the morning.
The only complaint I had with the meal plan was that the dinner service finished at 7.30pm which sometimes was a bit too early for us. The night we arrived we couldn't use our meal plan as we didn't get there in time as we checked in late in the evening so we had to buy ourselves a meal instead at one of the restaurants.
If you don't have a meal plan there are quite a few restaurants you can choose from so there's plenty of choice available.
Entertainment
The entertainment was fantastic. There were things going on throughout the day and the evening. There were meet and greets with characters and children's shows in the day. Littlest loved the Teletubbies show.
In the evening there were various shows such as concerts, comedy and more. On our last night we went to the silent cinema which was a great concept.
Activities
There are lots of activities on offer for children every day. The majority of them are included in your stay but some are payable. My girls went to a few crafting sessions and archery.They loved both. During the crafting sessions was the quietest we'd seen them all weekend.
There are plenty of parks dotted around the site. There was also crazy golf, a climbing wall and a high ropes area.
We also hired a family bike type thing (sorry I have no idea what it's called). It cost £10 for 1 hour. The kids had a great time but I didn't think it was worth how much we'd paid for it.
Swimming Pool
The swimming pool was great. There were slides, plenty of swimming space, toddler areas and a wave machine. There was often very big queues for entry when the pool first opened in the morning so we tended to go in the middle of the afternoon when it was less busy and crowded.
The only thing I didn't like was the communal changing rooms. This is down to personal preference rather than there being anything wrong with them.
Funfair
One of the best bits of the whole trip was the fun fair and the toddler fun fair. We all had a great time and both areas are included in your break so you can ride everything as many times as you liked.
The toddler funfair is inside which is ideal if the weather isn't on your side. There was also a soft play area which we didn't get around to using.
Staff
One thing that I've been wax lyrical about is the staff. Every single member of staff that we encountered from the cleaners to the red coats were wonderful. They were all happy, approachable and professional. They couldn't do enough for you. It's testament to Butlins as a company as they all seemed very happy in their jobs.
To sum up I am a Butlins convert. As a family we loved every minute of it so much so the girls cried their eyes out when they realised we had to leave. We've already been pricing up future breaks as we are desperate to return.
*Disclaimer - We had already paid for a Butlins break but they offered us an upgrade in accommodation and a dining package in exchange for our review. All words and views are my honest opinion.*
Pin me:
Today's post is a guest post by Jade (you can find out more about Jade and her blog at the end of the post. She is also a brand rep for my small brand, Magically Jasmine.
Traveling to Disneyland Paris with under 5’s had a lot of questions running through my head. The main one being ‘What rides and attractions would be suitable for an under 5?’
We’d booked this amazing adventure, but had no clue where to start with what the girls would like. Of course we could look at height charts to see what they could go on, but as Kairi was big enough for Tower Of Terror, the chats were just that, height not how child friendly they were.
So after multiple trips to Disneyland Paris with 6 Different under 5’s starting from 6 weeks old, I finally have the perfect list of rides and attractions suitable for an under 5 at Disneyland Paris.
- Ratatoulie
Ratatouille has to be one of my personal favourites at Disneyland Paris and one I get to share that love with my daughter too. You are ’shrunk’ down to the size of a mouse and taken on a 4D adventure through the kitchen visiting schemes from the Ratatouille movie. You will smell lemon as you go through the fridge, feel the heat of the cooker and some surprises too.
This ride is perfect for the whole family and one that under 5’s are sure to enjoy.
- It’s A Small World
It’s A Small World is a slow moving boat ride which takes you through various scenes and countries. The dolls sing to you in many languages and at Christmas you may get an extra surprise too.
The girls love this ride and ask for it to be both the first and last ride of the trip. Quick warning though, you may not get that song out of your head!
- Toy Soldier Parachute Drop
The ride is for those on the higher end of the 0-5 scale. You sit in ‘buckets’ hung underneath one of 4 parachutes. You are taken up into the air and dropped down quite fast.
From the top you get the most magical view of the park, the kids will love to put their feet up and when they get really courageous, their arms too!
- Slinky Dog Spin
Another Toy Story classic Slinky Dog Spin. After waiting in a fun queue, you board and sit inside part of slinky dogs tummy. As the rides name says, it spins you around and around in a circle as Slinky chases his tail! A fun family ride that will leave you all laughing.
- Carousel
Of course no theme park would be complete with a carousel and the one at Disney does not Disappoint. Embark on an adventure just outside the cast as your board your wonderful horse. Round in circles to classic Disney themed music you will go and if your little ones are on the smaller end, take a trip on one of the ‘stationary’ carriages instead.
- Alice’s Curious Labyrinth
Every now and again the kids will need to let of steam. If you are bored of the play parks, why not head into Alice’s Curious Labyrinth. From tiny doors to great photo shots the Labyrinth has plenty to do and if you have a little extra time you can make it all the way to the middle and climb the top of the castle too!
- Casey Jr
Last but in no means least, don’t forget to take a ride on Casey Jr. This classic train (as featured in Dumbo) is hidden away at the back of the park. The wait times are often quite short and this is probably one of the first ‘roller coaster’ rides your little one can go on!
Casey Jr plays the classic tune are you zoom around the back of the park taking in the exciting scenes from nearby rides. It’s one not to be missed!
Of course you could always spend your time meeting Mickey and friends or just playing around the parks and exploring! Do you agree with my picks? I’d love to hear what your top rides for under 5’s are in the comments below!
I’m Jade and I run www.mummieswaiting.com where I help parents plan stress-free Disneyland Paris holidays to make magical memories that last a lifetime!
If you follow me on instagram then you'll know that over the last half term we had a weekend away, staying at the West Lakes Chalets at Butlins in Minehead. It was a fantastic few days and I'll be going into detail about what we got up to on other posts, so keep an eye out for those. This post is focusing on the accommodation alone.
There are many different types of accommodation available at Butlins Minehead, categorised into value, moderate and premium. We were fortunate enough to stay in a Lakeside Chalet in the West Lakes area.
We arrived at about 7.30pm to check in, which was all very quick and simple. We were handed a map and shown which way to drive to our accommodation and where to park. the parking was not directly next to where we were staying but it was about a 2 minute walk so that wasn't an issue for us. It may be an issue for others with carrying things back and forth from the car but it honestly isn't far too walk.
First impressions of the area and chalet were wonderful. The surrounding area seemed very quiet, peaceful and pretty. From the outside I thought the chalet would be quite small but it wasn't at all. It was like a Tardis. We were staying in a 2 bedroom chalet.
Once through the front door there was a hallway with plenty of coat hanging space and areas to place bags and shoes.
To the left was the master bedroom which had a double bed, plenty of wardrobe space, a TV, hairdryer and iron. The main bathroom was also accessible from the bedroom as well as from the hallway.
The main bathroom was a good size with a bath, shower, toilet and many shelves for placing your toiletries etc. It also had a mini wash bag with some essential products in it.
The other side of the hallway had the 2nd bedroom which was sized well for our 2 children. It had 2 single beds and a small wardrobe and dressing table which was more than adequate for their belongings.
There was also a separate toilet room which was at the end of the hallway, which again had a mini Butlins wash-bag I was pleased to see that 2 toilets were in the chalet as I think it's needed when you're staying as a family.
The lounge/dining area was at the end of the hallway. It's an open plan room with the kitchen to the left and lounge area to the right. It was modern, bright but it still felt very homely and welcoming. The TV had plenty of channels to choose from.
The kitchen area had everything you could need including a dishwasher (essential when you're away on holiday as you don't want to be doing all the chores). All cutlery, pots, pans etc were there. We had a meal plan which including breakfast and dinner so we only used the kitchen area for making lunch and drinks.
We had a small cleaning set which including washing up liquid, tea towel and sponge. There was also tea, coffee, sugar etc provided. My husband said a coffee machine would make a great addition to the kitchen.
The wow factor came from the balcony/veranda area. It was stunning. It was huge in size and provided fantastic views of the lakeside area and other chalets. The girls loved watching the wildlife out there whilst we sat and enjoyed a glass of wine or tea. It would be perfect during hotter weather.
Cleaning was offered at the chalet daily although we only accepted it once.
Overall, we were very impressed. The chalet was more than big enough for a family of 4. It had all the amenities we could need. We felt very comfortable and relaxed. It was quiet and fairly soundproof as we didn't hear our next door neighbours at all (they were definitely there). We loved all the decor and the Butlins vintage prints.
The downside was how far away the West Lakes area was from the main area with all the attractions etc. It was about a 10 minute walk with the kids (would be shorter without them). It's not too far but if you have children who don't like walking then that may be an issue. This could also be seen as a good thing as you're away from all the noise and commotion so I guess it's a catch 22. We did appreciate the quietness of the area.
The other negative for us was that the doors were quite heavy (especially to the living room) but I'm guessing this is because they are fire doors perhaps?
We would definitely stay again, in fact we are pricing up a break over the easter holidays. We would either stay in a West Lakes chalet again or we'd like to try their new premium seaside lodges or bayside apartments which look fantastic.
*We were already booked to go on our break to Butlins but they Kindly upgraded us to this accommodation in exchange for this blog review. All opinions, words and photographs are my own*.
There are many different types of accommodation available at Butlins Minehead, categorised into value, moderate and premium. We were fortunate enough to stay in a Lakeside Chalet in the West Lakes area.
We arrived at about 7.30pm to check in, which was all very quick and simple. We were handed a map and shown which way to drive to our accommodation and where to park. the parking was not directly next to where we were staying but it was about a 2 minute walk so that wasn't an issue for us. It may be an issue for others with carrying things back and forth from the car but it honestly isn't far too walk.
First impressions of the area and chalet were wonderful. The surrounding area seemed very quiet, peaceful and pretty. From the outside I thought the chalet would be quite small but it wasn't at all. It was like a Tardis. We were staying in a 2 bedroom chalet.
Once through the front door there was a hallway with plenty of coat hanging space and areas to place bags and shoes.
To the left was the master bedroom which had a double bed, plenty of wardrobe space, a TV, hairdryer and iron. The main bathroom was also accessible from the bedroom as well as from the hallway.
The main bathroom was a good size with a bath, shower, toilet and many shelves for placing your toiletries etc. It also had a mini wash bag with some essential products in it.
The other side of the hallway had the 2nd bedroom which was sized well for our 2 children. It had 2 single beds and a small wardrobe and dressing table which was more than adequate for their belongings.
There was also a separate toilet room which was at the end of the hallway, which again had a mini Butlins wash-bag I was pleased to see that 2 toilets were in the chalet as I think it's needed when you're staying as a family.
The lounge/dining area was at the end of the hallway. It's an open plan room with the kitchen to the left and lounge area to the right. It was modern, bright but it still felt very homely and welcoming. The TV had plenty of channels to choose from.
The kitchen area had everything you could need including a dishwasher (essential when you're away on holiday as you don't want to be doing all the chores). All cutlery, pots, pans etc were there. We had a meal plan which including breakfast and dinner so we only used the kitchen area for making lunch and drinks.
We had a small cleaning set which including washing up liquid, tea towel and sponge. There was also tea, coffee, sugar etc provided. My husband said a coffee machine would make a great addition to the kitchen.
The wow factor came from the balcony/veranda area. It was stunning. It was huge in size and provided fantastic views of the lakeside area and other chalets. The girls loved watching the wildlife out there whilst we sat and enjoyed a glass of wine or tea. It would be perfect during hotter weather.
Cleaning was offered at the chalet daily although we only accepted it once.
Overall, we were very impressed. The chalet was more than big enough for a family of 4. It had all the amenities we could need. We felt very comfortable and relaxed. It was quiet and fairly soundproof as we didn't hear our next door neighbours at all (they were definitely there). We loved all the decor and the Butlins vintage prints.
The downside was how far away the West Lakes area was from the main area with all the attractions etc. It was about a 10 minute walk with the kids (would be shorter without them). It's not too far but if you have children who don't like walking then that may be an issue. This could also be seen as a good thing as you're away from all the noise and commotion so I guess it's a catch 22. We did appreciate the quietness of the area.
The other negative for us was that the doors were quite heavy (especially to the living room) but I'm guessing this is because they are fire doors perhaps?
We would definitely stay again, in fact we are pricing up a break over the easter holidays. We would either stay in a West Lakes chalet again or we'd like to try their new premium seaside lodges or bayside apartments which look fantastic.
*We were already booked to go on our break to Butlins but they Kindly upgraded us to this accommodation in exchange for this blog review. All opinions, words and photographs are my own*.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)