This is a web where you can rent apartments in Barcelona. They have baby chairs and baby beds and above all a microwawe so its easy to heat up milk/food at night. As a family my new experience travelling with a small child has been difficult. It's hard to find a place to stay with baby facilities and ideas for where to go. Also I found a great Japanese restaurant who provides babysitting while you're eating! Barcelona is getting baby friendly!
After a great day in the Addo Elephant National Park the owners of Lemon3Lodge took us on a private township tour to the cooking project for 400 kids.
The owners coordinate this feeding scheme by receiving donations for guests of the Lemon3lodge.
It was awesome to see how a little donation can save and affect the lives of 400 children.
And of course, we stayed three nights at Lemon3lodge. Beautiful rooms, great swimming pool, garden and views. Perfect hosts.
Hoof straat/Main Street R336
Greater Addo, Addo - Kirkwood, 6120
+27 42 2301653
www.lemon3lodge.co.za
Google map: bit.ly/m5AW81
I visited Mexico as a self-funded school trip when I was 15. This was one of the hotels in which we stayed. It was phenomenal. Everything from the rooms to the fine dining and swimming pool were beyond excellent. The hotel itself is a converted jail with its fascinating tunnel network still intact and open to visitors. Amazing memories from this trip.
www.haciendavistahermosa.com.mx/
+52(0)1 800 090 9040
Km. 7 Carretera, Alpuyeca, Tequesquitengo, San José Vista Hermosa, Puente de Ixtla
Google map: bit.ly/mABxKN
We’ve got some lovely gardens in Snowdonia, such as Bodnant and Portmeirion, but for me the walled garden at Maes y Neuadd is the best – it’s good enough to eat!
The 149 items of fruit and veg only just fit onto a sheet of A4.
Each morning, the head gardener reports to the kitchen, with the complete list of produce indicating what’s at its best. Armed with this knowledge, the chef finalises the day’s menu and the harvest begins - eight tonnes a year.
The vegetable garden is not just a culinary feast, but an aesthetic inspiration. What better than an afternoon stroll spotting the gaps from where tonight’s supper was plucked? Maybe some helpful hints and tips from one of the gardeners?
You never know who you might bump into – Sean Connery, Richard Gere, Senator Edward Kennedy and Jackie Onassis have all stayed here.
www.neuadd.com/
Maes-y-Neuadd, Talsarnau, Gwynedd LL47 6YA
+44(0)1766 780200
Google map: bit.ly/lRO6Re
You can't beat the combination of being close to nature 24/7 but having all the home comforts of a hotel. So, Nile Safari Lodge ticked all these boxes.
We were greeted with a cold towel and a refreshing juice on check-in and treated like kings from then on. Our lodge was sat on the edge of the Nile and from the balcony we could see hippos floating by and monkeys playing on our roof and in the trees. However, the highlight was watching around 70 elephants feeding on the opposite bank while we sipped our sundowners.
The private outdoor shower attached to the room was a treat - one day we had a monkey peeping over to see what was going on!
This lodge was recommended to us by a family member who works for the parent company, Geolodges. There were plenty of other touches which made our stay, including tea and coffee brought to our lodge along with the wake-up calls and hot towels being brought to us after a long safari. I'd highly recommend it for those planning a safari in Uganda.
Mailing address: Unit 8, Plot 1-3 Coral Crescent,
Lower Kololo, Kampala
+256 41 425 8273
+256 31 226 0758
www.geolodgesafrica.com/nile_safari_lodge.htm
The lodge is around six hours from Kampala so it's probably best to hire a driver to get there.
During the trip in Italy we decided to stop in a nice town in Liguria called San Remo for a couple of days.
We found Residence dei Due Porti, and let me say something, this is the most relaxing place in which you could ever spend your holiday in San Remo: quiet and comfortable room and a staff who kindly fulfills all of your needs and requests. But what makes Residence dei Due Porti particularly special is its location: it's near the town center and allows you to reach by foot the majority of San Remo's places of interest.
My family and I have a particular passion for bike rides and we had a lot of fun and entertainment doing our rides on the so-called pista ciclabile della Riviera dei Fiori: the path is straight and flat, easy to go; various bars and restaurants lying alongside the track makes the ride very enjoyable and relaxing, with some little help from the mild climate of the Riviera di Ponente, often offering warm and sunny days.
We also found many benches and little fountains suitable for having a little rest.
Corso Trento Trieste 21/23 San Remo (IM) Italy
www.dueporti.it
+39 0184 506506
Google map: bit.ly/jUoH76
The location is absolutely perfect, just next to the Cathedral on the very central Plaza de la Virgen. Lots of quiet little streets and great restaurants in the vicinity, it is the ever charming Barrio del Carmen district.
The central B&B only has two or three guest rooms, which means the proprietors take an hour or so to point out their favorite sights and restaurants on a map.
Breakfast in this wonderfully restored Victorian townhouse is very, very rich and the variety is breathtaking.
Small touches that make a stay perfect: a bottle of champagne popped when entering the door, a selection of teas for the guests' convenience at all times, two large lounge rooms for guests, and beautiful art and antiques throughout the entire house. It is just lovely.
www.valenciamansion.com/
Corner Plaza del Virgen and Calle Herba, 6, Barrio del Carmen, 46003 Valencia, Spain
Google map: bit.ly/lIAfRm
It is a bed and breakfast in the town of Nicolosi, the closest town to Etna. It's position is really great and gives you the opportunity to visit many places, from Taormina to Noto there is really a lot to see, and it's like the volcano Etna and the sea mix together. Marco and Loredana, the owners, were so nice and always available to help us in every situation, they provided us with a delicious breakfast everyday with something typical of the island. The B&B was lovely decorated by Loredana which made for a really homely feel.
Via Luigi Capuana 6 A Nicolosi, 95030
+393338628703
www.bblarenarossanicolosi.com
Google map: bit.ly/jl5tiy
We usually book room only but opted for the self catering unit as it was a very reasonable price. Very well appointed and spacious. We were provided with eggs from the hens scratching outside, as well as milk, bread and butter. Trips to the Fearn Peninsula gave us dolphin sightings and we stocked up on deli delights at the Storehouse of Foulis on the way.
The Old Schoolhouse Logie Easter
Logie Easter, Invergordon, Ross-shire, IV18 0PA
+44(0)1862 863028
Google map: bit.ly/jNR0M7
Stavroulas Studios is a charming hotel located in Agii Apostoli near Platis Gialos beach and just 2.5km from Mykonos town.
www.stavroulas-mykonos.com
Agii Apostoli (near Platis Gialos), 84600, Mykonos, Cyclades Islands, Greece
+30 22890 23801
Google map: bit.ly/l7eJ9E
The Enneahora - meaning nine villages – is an off-the-beaten-track domain in the lush green mountains of Western Crete. Trawling deep gorges, it’s easily reachable by local bus from the unassuming seaside town of Kastelli Kissamos – an ideal base for exploration of the region. Enjoy cool walks beneath ancient chestnut, plane and walnut trees; criss-crossing mountain streams and rare flora and fauna, including high-flying buzzards. Take inexpensive rooms in friendly Elos, main hamlet of the nine, to enjoy its shady square and unobtrusive tavernas serving freshly roasted dishes and local wines. Be tempted to stay on for the unique annual chestnut festival in October.
www.west-crete.com
For clean, friendly rooms try the Bikakis family in Kissamos, who will also tell you of local walks
www.kissamosbooking.com
+30 2822 0 22105
Google map: bit.ly/mUdHWf
Koufonissi is a really small island south of Naxos. I went island hopping in 2003 and the island which I remember most favourably is this little gem.
Because of its small size it gave us a feeling to be in a different world. If you are looking for quietness and recreation then this is the place to go. The beaches on Koufonissi are tidy and nice. On the east coast you will also find small bays which really give the illusion of being alone on the island.
We stayed in a small studio close to Finikas beach which was perfect for the small budget we had then. If I ever return - and I hope that will happen one day - I would, however, try to get a place in the Windmill Villa, a refurbished windmill close to the sea.
www.koufonissia.net/
www.windmill-villa.gr/
+30 210 7293789
Google map: bit.ly/lPZjmc
Halki is a small island five miles west of Rhodes but very far away from the hectic tourist activities of the larger island. There really is nothing to do there which makes it perfect for a relaxing holiday. Until recently there were no cars at all on the island and even now there are very few and the lack of traffic is wonderful. The island is very dry and water has to be imported from Rhodes which helps to explain the lack of major developments. There is one pretty harbour town and two small beaches which are served by traditional tavernas. Once you have walked to the beach of your choice the water comes in many shades of blue and green and is crystal clear. The beaches are never overcrowded as the island cannot accommodate many tourists, Most visitors stay in small apartments or villas in the town or in the new Hiona Art hotel.
Ftenagia Restaurant on the beach:
www.ftenagia.gr
Chalki, Iraklidis Nikos
(+30) 22460 45384
Google map: bit.ly/iS4s0t
Hotel Hiona Art:
www.hionaart.gr
Halki, 85110, Dodecanese, Greece
+30 22460 45244
If you're heading to Laganas (which you should only do if you're young and want to party), then THIS is the place to stay. A few minutes from the main drag, but completely peaceful. No blaring music at the pool, simple but spacious rooms, fantastic bathrooms. The place is family run - they make you feel incredibly welcome (as long as you treat the hotel and the staff well). The food in the hotel was also great - almost didn't need to eat out at all! Highly recommended; a piece of paradise in a typical party destination.
www.zanteplaza.com/
Laganas Zakynthos PC: 29100, Greece
(+30) 26950 52419
There aren't that many nice campsites in the Champagne region (seems most visitors have a bigger budget than us!), but Campsite Sous le Clocher is a lovely peaceful spot by the river overlooking the town of Dormans. Just 5 minutes walk from the Boulangerie, lovely restaurants and a Saturday market in town.
D1 / rte de Vincelles, 51700 Dormans France
+33 (0)3-26582179
Google map: bit.ly/iqxVeG
A 16th Century hall which is seen as the birth place of Quakerism in the 17th century. The historic house can be visited, they offer B&B at very modest prices and there is a programme of Quaker events. A wonderful quiet place near to Ulverston and the southern Lakes which is of great significance to Quakers (Society of Friends)
www.swarthmoorhall.co.uk/index.htm
Swarthmoor Hall, Ulverston, Cumbria, LA12 0JQ
+44 (0)1229 583 204
Google map: bit.ly/lq5w5k
Brackenborough Hall is a working 900-acre farm in the Lincolnshire Wolds. The old Coach House has been beautifully restored and made into three lovely apartments which are set in the middle of medieval parkland - and there's a herd of cows living in the park. It's perfect for families or groups: there's accommodation for up to 24 people. And the family that run the farm are very happy to show you round or let you help out. Lincolnshire is a beautiful place and the food - including local plum bread - is amazing, too.
www.brackenboroughhall.com/
Brackenborough Hall, Louth, Lincolnshire LN11 0NS
+44(0)1507 603193
Google map: bit.ly/ldLfGW
A wonderful farm holiday for families with young children in the most beautiful location. Feed the animals every morning with Farmer Tim; ride on the gentle ponies; splash around in the indoor pool; relax with that day's papers and enjoy fresh coffee in the indoor play barn. The cottages are a comfortable home from home with little extras provided including black-out blinds, bed guards and cots. The perfect break!
Tredethick, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0LE
+44 (0)1208 873618
www.tredethick.co.uk
Google map: bit.ly/kUkT4s
Hotel with superb dining, built approx. 15th Century, it has a central position on the high street with ample parking. Makes an excellent base for touring the Cotswolds and the special deal for dinner and B&B is well worth while.
105 High Street, Burford, Oxfordshire OX18 4RG
+44(0)1993 822220
www.bullatburford.co.uk/
Google map: bit.ly/mKi1Ah
This is a great B&B that is extremely well priced. They are very welcoming hosts who provide a spacious, spotless room and amazing organic, fair trade breakfasts. We have been all around the UK and this was by far the best food. Comfortable bed with good pillows - all you need for a relaxing, comfortable stay in the Lakes District. We would highly recommend this B&B - simple but great!
14 Briar Bank Cockermouth CA13 9DN
+44(0)1900826635
www.briarbankbedandbreakfast-cockermouth.co.uk/
Google map: bit.ly/klTyJa