It's very rare these days that I get any mummy me time so when an overnight stay at the Draycott Hotel was offered I simply couldn't refuse. I usually end up plagued by mum guilt at the thought of even going somewhere by myself. However, I was recently invited to a very exciting blogging event in London which I didn't want to miss. I've suffered a lot with postnatal depression lately (pnd) so hubby decided I should take some time to myself for a couple of days.
The event was being held near Kensington so I was looking for a hotel near to that location. I stumbled across the very beautiful looking Draycott Hotel which is a 5* luxury hotel, located in the heart of Chelsea, one of London's most desirable locations. It was ideally situated for my event and exploring London.
The Edwardian hotel has only 35 rooms which really appealed to me. I knew it wouldn't be too busy and that it should hopefully provide me with the rest and relaxation I so desperately craved.
After a busy morning in work, I jumped on the train from Cardiff to London and headed off for my mini mum break. I arrived at The Draycott in the evening when it was already dark but thankfully the hotel was easy to locate. Check in was quick and easy and I was swiftly escorted to my room.
My room actually had my name on the door (loved that personal touch). Once I entered I was blown away. It felt like a luxurious home away from home, full of elegance and splendour but still with that cosy, comfortable feel. It was quintessentially British and I loved it. Classical music was playing and I instantly felt calm and relaxed.
Believe it or not the first thing I spotted were the cuddly toys (typical mum). My girls would have loved that touch.
The room was a deluxe double with a garden view. I couldn't wait to see the view in the morning. The room was very large in size with plenty of storage space. There was a desk which I used to catch up on blogging and there was also an extremely comfy sofa and chairs in-front of the fire. There was a well stocked mini bar.
The bathroom was one of my favourite parts of the hotel room. The bathtub was nice and deep and the room was bright with plenty of mirrors (a much needed requirement when i'm trying to get ready). I decided to have a shower, freshen up and head out to explore the local area.
When I returned I headed into the drawing room for a hot chocolate. This is offered to all guests and is available from 21.30pm. The hotel also offers some other charming treats such as tea and biscuits at 16.00pm and champagne at 18.00pm but unfortunately I hadn't arrived in time for those.
I then headed upstairs, sunk into my large bed and watched a spot of TV. Not having to watch children's TV was a luxury in itself.
I had the most wonderful undisturbed night's sleep. The hotel was so quiet which is such a rarity in London these days. Usually when I stay in London hotels all I can hear is the noise and traffic from outside but I didn't get any of that. It was very peaceful.
I opened the curtains to a stunning view of the private Cadogan gardens. The sun was shining and the autumn colours on the trees and leaves were in full glory.
I decided to have a laid back morning and jumped in the bath for a bit of a pamper before my event. The bath was amazing. It was so deep and it made me feel like I was in a spa.
I then donned my Draycott robe and slippers and ordered breakfast to my bedroom. It felt so good to just relax and take my time. It was such an escapism from my usual day to day chaotic routine.
Breakfast was delivered quickly and it was delicious. There was plenty to choose from but I chose to have some of the hot English offerings.
Before I had to leave for my event, I headed into the gardens. I sat on a bench and soaked up its beauty. It reminded me of that scene from the film Notting Hill where they are in the gardens. It was so serene and it felt like a hidden oasis amongst the hustle and bustle of London.
When it was time to check out I was gutted. I honestly had the most incredible stay at The Draycott. It was simply luxurious and it was without a doubt the most peaceful, comfortable stay I have ever had in London. The staff were friendly and attentive. The only thing I was disappointed about was the fact I wasn't there for another night which is testament to how great it was.
I definitely want to return with the family. I think it would be the ideal place to stay with kids as the hotel feels like a home away from home and I know they would enjoy it.
If you'd like to see more of my stay then have a look at my youtube video.
*Thank you to the Draycott Hotel for my complimentary stay in return for my honest opinion in this blog post*
The event was being held near Kensington so I was looking for a hotel near to that location. I stumbled across the very beautiful looking Draycott Hotel which is a 5* luxury hotel, located in the heart of Chelsea, one of London's most desirable locations. It was ideally situated for my event and exploring London.
The Edwardian hotel has only 35 rooms which really appealed to me. I knew it wouldn't be too busy and that it should hopefully provide me with the rest and relaxation I so desperately craved.
After a busy morning in work, I jumped on the train from Cardiff to London and headed off for my mini mum break. I arrived at The Draycott in the evening when it was already dark but thankfully the hotel was easy to locate. Check in was quick and easy and I was swiftly escorted to my room.
My room actually had my name on the door (loved that personal touch). Once I entered I was blown away. It felt like a luxurious home away from home, full of elegance and splendour but still with that cosy, comfortable feel. It was quintessentially British and I loved it. Classical music was playing and I instantly felt calm and relaxed.
Believe it or not the first thing I spotted were the cuddly toys (typical mum). My girls would have loved that touch.
The room was a deluxe double with a garden view. I couldn't wait to see the view in the morning. The room was very large in size with plenty of storage space. There was a desk which I used to catch up on blogging and there was also an extremely comfy sofa and chairs in-front of the fire. There was a well stocked mini bar.
The bathroom was one of my favourite parts of the hotel room. The bathtub was nice and deep and the room was bright with plenty of mirrors (a much needed requirement when i'm trying to get ready). I decided to have a shower, freshen up and head out to explore the local area.
When I returned I headed into the drawing room for a hot chocolate. This is offered to all guests and is available from 21.30pm. The hotel also offers some other charming treats such as tea and biscuits at 16.00pm and champagne at 18.00pm but unfortunately I hadn't arrived in time for those.
I then headed upstairs, sunk into my large bed and watched a spot of TV. Not having to watch children's TV was a luxury in itself.
I had the most wonderful undisturbed night's sleep. The hotel was so quiet which is such a rarity in London these days. Usually when I stay in London hotels all I can hear is the noise and traffic from outside but I didn't get any of that. It was very peaceful.
I opened the curtains to a stunning view of the private Cadogan gardens. The sun was shining and the autumn colours on the trees and leaves were in full glory.
I decided to have a laid back morning and jumped in the bath for a bit of a pamper before my event. The bath was amazing. It was so deep and it made me feel like I was in a spa.
I then donned my Draycott robe and slippers and ordered breakfast to my bedroom. It felt so good to just relax and take my time. It was such an escapism from my usual day to day chaotic routine.
Breakfast was delivered quickly and it was delicious. There was plenty to choose from but I chose to have some of the hot English offerings.
Before I had to leave for my event, I headed into the gardens. I sat on a bench and soaked up its beauty. It reminded me of that scene from the film Notting Hill where they are in the gardens. It was so serene and it felt like a hidden oasis amongst the hustle and bustle of London.
When it was time to check out I was gutted. I honestly had the most incredible stay at The Draycott. It was simply luxurious and it was without a doubt the most peaceful, comfortable stay I have ever had in London. The staff were friendly and attentive. The only thing I was disappointed about was the fact I wasn't there for another night which is testament to how great it was.
I definitely want to return with the family. I think it would be the ideal place to stay with kids as the hotel feels like a home away from home and I know they would enjoy it.
If you'd like to see more of my stay then have a look at my youtube video.
*Thank you to the Draycott Hotel for my complimentary stay in return for my honest opinion in this blog post*
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Is there anything better than having a night away from your home and enjoying an overnight stay at a hotel? We were recently invited to review a dinner, bed and breakfast package at The Vale Resort so naturally we jumped at the chance. I couldn't wait to not have to think about washing up, cleaning, ironing or feeding the girls. We were having a well deserved night off.
I've been to the Vale Resort quite a few times before but I'd never actually stayed in the hotel. I've used their spa and I can't recommend it enough. It's my favourite one in South Wales. They do the most incredible hot stone massage. I also used to be a member of their gym which I loved.
When we arrived at the hotel, I was delighted to see that parking was free. This is a fab as there are hotels in South Wales that do charge you to park even if you are guests at the hotel which I don't agree with.
Check in was quick and easy. The girls were presented with a kids pack which contained a cute dragon teddy and some colouring paper and pencils. Eva loved this touch. We then headed off to our Junior Suite.
The suite absolutely blew us away. It was gorgeous. The bathroom was my favourite part of the room. It made me feel like I was staying in a spa. It had a large double sink, walk in shower and a bath that you just didn't want to get out of. I could've quite happily slept in there. There were White Company toiletries which is one of my favourite shops so I was very pleased to see those. There was plenty of room to bath both children and get them dressed for bed without feeling squashed in.
The bedroom was also a fantastic size. There was a lot of wardrobe and drawer space available which is a must when travelling with a family as we always have so much stuff. I adored the colour scheme of the room. It felt very inviting. The bed and pillows were comfortable. Our heads and bodies just sank into them.
The living room included a dining table, side table, sofa, sofa bed and tea and coffee making facilities. There was some chocolates and cookies which the girls thoroughly enjoyed. We also had a terrace. I popped out and had a cup of tea on it in the morning. It was cold but it was lovely and peaceful. I can imagine it would be a wonderful feature in the summer months.
I can't recommend the room enough. It's luxurious but also feels like a home away from home if you are staying with children. It had everything we needed and we didn't feel cramped at all.
For dinner we sat in the conservatory which was lovely. There was an extensive menu to choose from for both us and the girls. Ophelia had a selection of mini pizzas and Eva had Spaghetti Bolognese Both of them enjoyed their dinner. I chose to have the steak which was cooked to perfection. The chips were also delicious. I'm salivating just remembering them. Hubby had the duck which he thought was great. We all managed to squeeze in a dessert. The girls had ice-cream and we had a fantastic cheeseboard. The waiter we had for the evening was wonderful. He was attentive, knowledgeable and excellent with the girls. I always find dining out with the girls quite stressful but he made us feel very welcome.
After a good nights sleep we headed for breakfast. Again we sat in the conservatory and we were able to absorb the breathtaking views. In the buffet there was a wide selection of hot and cold items to choose from. It was all very tasty and set us up nicely for our swim.
The swimming pool area is great. I was already familiar with it from previously having a gym membership there but that was before I had children. The changing facilities are great if you have a family. There was a separate family area which had a playpen. This is so handy when you're trying to get yourself changed and you have a baby or a young toddler.
After a swim we relaxed back in our suite for a couple of hours. It was wonderful to just switch off and forget about everything.
We then headed for Afternoon Tea. This is one of my favourite things to do as a special treat. We tried the new spring menu which is perfect for Mother's Day and Easter. The girls were given their own smaller sized afternoon tea to share which I thought was a great touch. All the flavours complimented each other and the desserts were light and refreshing as opposed to rich and sickly. Hubby and I also had a glass of champagne with ours which really made it special.
Before heading home we enjoyed a cup of tea whilst the girls played in the play area which is located in the bar.
Overall, our stay was amazing. Eva said it was the best hotel ever and she cried when we left. She really didn't want to go. Hubby and I found it a wonderful experience and incredibly relaxing. The suite was exquisite, the food was all tasty and the staff were all outstanding. We can't recommend it enough. The resort is perfect for a family getaway. You can watch a video of our time there over on youtube.
We barely even scratched the surface of exploring all the wonderful facilities the resort has to offer so we are already planning our next stay. We are hoping to go again during easter half term.
If you are looking for a Mother's Day gift then the afternoon tea is ideal. Have a read about it on their website here, Afternoon Tea. There are also lots of other gift ideas over on their website, Mother's Day. I've got my eye on their spa package. If you're looking for something special and unique to do for easter then have a look at their chocolate making and cupcake making stays. Hubby always makes his own chocolate truffles so I think he'd really enjoy that stay, Chocolate Lovers Stay, Cupcake Break.
*Thank you to the Vale for inviting us to stay. All our opinions are our own honest thoughts*
*Thank you to the Vale for inviting us to stay. All our opinions are our own honest thoughts*
As you may already know, we are huge Disney fans. Before we had children we visited Disneyland Paris quite a few times and we've also been a couple of times with our girls. Here i'm sharing the places we have stayed and placing them in order of preference.
Hubby and I stayed here when it was just the two of us. We really liked it here. It is set in beautiful, green surroundings so the views are fantastic.
The reception area was large and spacious. Our room was lovely. It included tea and coffee provisions and free wifi. The bed was comfortable and I remember the bathroom having very nice smelling toiletries. We were also impressed with the breakfast buffet.
The hotel has a swimming pool and wellness centre which we didn't get to use. There is also a golf course.
The hotel did seem further out from the Disneyland parks than other hotels we've stayed in but they are easily accessible via their shuttle. I think the fact that it's slightly further away makes it more peaceful and less busy. Their shuttle wasn't as crowded as the others we've used.
We would stay here again.
1) Marriott's Village d'lle-de-France
We'd never really considered the idea of self catering when visiting Disneyland Paris. In our naivety, we only thought there were hotels there. We were very fortunate to be invited to stay at the Marriott Village d'lle-de-France and we absolutely loved it. In fact we now can't imagine staying anywhere else.
It is situated in breathtaking surroundings. It's slightly further away than everywhere else mentioned in this post but you can use the resorts shuttle to get to and from the park.
We stayed in a 2 bedroomed townhouse which was amazing. It was a home away from home. It was luxurious but cosy and welcoming. It had everything we needed from a washing machine, TV, huge bathtub to a coffee machine. It was such a lovely place to come back to after a busy day at the park.
The resort itself has plenty of facilities such as a gym, swimming pool, parks, tennis, movie theatre, children's play centre and many more. There are activities for adults and children. There is also a bar, restaurant and a supermarket type shop.
We cannot recommend this place enough. We didn't want to leave. It's perfect for families. We will definitely be returning. You can read my full review blog post here, Marriott.
We'd never really considered the idea of self catering when visiting Disneyland Paris. In our naivety, we only thought there were hotels there. We were very fortunate to be invited to stay at the Marriott Village d'lle-de-France and we absolutely loved it. In fact we now can't imagine staying anywhere else.
It is situated in breathtaking surroundings. It's slightly further away than everywhere else mentioned in this post but you can use the resorts shuttle to get to and from the park.
We stayed in a 2 bedroomed townhouse which was amazing. It was a home away from home. It was luxurious but cosy and welcoming. It had everything we needed from a washing machine, TV, huge bathtub to a coffee machine. It was such a lovely place to come back to after a busy day at the park.
The resort itself has plenty of facilities such as a gym, swimming pool, parks, tennis, movie theatre, children's play centre and many more. There are activities for adults and children. There is also a bar, restaurant and a supermarket type shop.
We cannot recommend this place enough. We didn't want to leave. It's perfect for families. We will definitely be returning. You can read my full review blog post here, Marriott.
2) Vienna House Dream Castle Hotel
We've stayed at the Dream Castle 3 times now. Once just the 2 of us and then as a family of 3 and then a family of 4. It's situated within beautiful French gardens and is in the style of a historic palace.
The reception area is big with a small children's play area and a couple of rides/machines. There is also a small Disney souvenir shop.
The bedrooms are always lovely and spacious. We've stayed in a double and a family room. The family room has a bunk bed which Eva thought was great. There is a lot of wardrobe space and the room comes with tea and coffee making facilities. You also get free wifi.
The buffet breakfast is good and the palace mascot often comes around to visit the children. The staff are always friendly and helpful.
There is also a swimming pool and wellness centre and I am very ashamed to say that in all the times we've stayed here, we've never had a chance to use it.
The hotel also has a children's activity and entertainment programme which again we haven't seen as we have always stayed for short periods of time and we have always been too busy visiting the parks.
The hotel is fairly close to the parks and is just a short free shuttle ride away. The downside of the free shuttle is that it is always busy. It reminds me of visiting the Next sale. People become crazy when trying to get on these buses. It sometimes frightened me a bit especially when we had both girls with us. A few times we paid for a taxi.
We've loved our stays here and we'd recommend it to couples and families.
We've stayed at the Dream Castle 3 times now. Once just the 2 of us and then as a family of 3 and then a family of 4. It's situated within beautiful French gardens and is in the style of a historic palace.
The reception area is big with a small children's play area and a couple of rides/machines. There is also a small Disney souvenir shop.
The bedrooms are always lovely and spacious. We've stayed in a double and a family room. The family room has a bunk bed which Eva thought was great. There is a lot of wardrobe space and the room comes with tea and coffee making facilities. You also get free wifi.
The buffet breakfast is good and the palace mascot often comes around to visit the children. The staff are always friendly and helpful.
There is also a swimming pool and wellness centre and I am very ashamed to say that in all the times we've stayed here, we've never had a chance to use it.
The hotel also has a children's activity and entertainment programme which again we haven't seen as we have always stayed for short periods of time and we have always been too busy visiting the parks.
The hotel is fairly close to the parks and is just a short free shuttle ride away. The downside of the free shuttle is that it is always busy. It reminds me of visiting the Next sale. People become crazy when trying to get on these buses. It sometimes frightened me a bit especially when we had both girls with us. A few times we paid for a taxi.
We've loved our stays here and we'd recommend it to couples and families.
Hubby and I stayed here when it was just the two of us. We really liked it here. It is set in beautiful, green surroundings so the views are fantastic.
Picture taken from the hotel website
The reception area was large and spacious. Our room was lovely. It included tea and coffee provisions and free wifi. The bed was comfortable and I remember the bathroom having very nice smelling toiletries. We were also impressed with the breakfast buffet.
Picture taken from the hotel website
The hotel did seem further out from the Disneyland parks than other hotels we've stayed in but they are easily accessible via their shuttle. I think the fact that it's slightly further away makes it more peaceful and less busy. Their shuttle wasn't as crowded as the others we've used.
We would stay here again.
4) Kyriad
It's been a couple of years since we stayed at the Kyriad. The price attracted us to stay here as it was fairly cheap. It was myself, hubby and Eva who stayed here when she was quite young. We arrived late at night (never fun with children in tow) and our first impressions weren't great.
We checked into our room which felt more like a prison cell. It was tiny. I don't know whether all the rooms are like that or we were just put in one of the worst ones in the hotel. It was very dark with hardly any natural light during the daytime. They also hadn't put the cot we requested in the room which again didn't help when arriving late at night.
We both hated the room. The bed was very uncomfortable. It really wasn't the type of place you could put your feet up and relax after a busy day at the park. We spent as little time in the room as possible.
Breakfast reminded me of queueing for school dinners. I appreciate you have to queue for these things but the queue was actually outside of the building. This isn't ideal for parents, let alone kids. Our only saving grace was that it wasn't raining. To top it all off the breakfast really wasn't worth queuing for :(
The hotel is close to the park and you can use the free shuttle provided. However, as i've already mentioned prepare for an almost hunger games style battle to get yourself onto one of those.
I don't know whether this hotel has improved at all since we've been but our experience there has put me off for life and I wouldn't recommend it when there are plenty of other better accommodations available.
Have you stayed in any of these places? Have you got any recommendations?
It's been a couple of years since we stayed at the Kyriad. The price attracted us to stay here as it was fairly cheap. It was myself, hubby and Eva who stayed here when she was quite young. We arrived late at night (never fun with children in tow) and our first impressions weren't great.
Picture taken from the hotel website
We both hated the room. The bed was very uncomfortable. It really wasn't the type of place you could put your feet up and relax after a busy day at the park. We spent as little time in the room as possible.
Breakfast reminded me of queueing for school dinners. I appreciate you have to queue for these things but the queue was actually outside of the building. This isn't ideal for parents, let alone kids. Our only saving grace was that it wasn't raining. To top it all off the breakfast really wasn't worth queuing for :(
The hotel is close to the park and you can use the free shuttle provided. However, as i've already mentioned prepare for an almost hunger games style battle to get yourself onto one of those.
I don't know whether this hotel has improved at all since we've been but our experience there has put me off for life and I wouldn't recommend it when there are plenty of other better accommodations available.
Have you stayed in any of these places? Have you got any recommendations?
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