I have a not-so-secret obsession: boutique hotels. I also have a small obsession with planning amazing holidays. I’ve often wondered if I should be working for Mr & Mrs Smith, but my obsession with magazines is somewhat greater.
Calcot Manor
And now there’s a whole new type of holiday/hotel for me to research – baby friendly ones. Now that my baby is 9-months-old, I’m starting to get that familiar itch that occurs when I’m due a holiday, but it’s not as simple as logging onto Travelzoo to see what their bargain 5* breaks are, and then checking out the reviews on Tripadvisor. There are a gazillion new things to consider, which up until now has put me off booking a holiday altogether.
Luckily, there are some brilliant websites to make the process a bit less stressful. Mr & Mrs Smith have a section dedicated to child-friendly hotels (they call Calcot Manor ‘a strong contender to be the most child-friendly hotel in the UK’) and Baby-friendly Boltholes has detailed reviews of countless hotels, B&Bs and self-catering accommodation.
The Rosevine, Portscatho
But the place I’ve set my sights on looks like a parent’s dream. It ticks all the boxes and manages to strike a balance between self-catering practicalities and boutique hotel services. It has self-contained apartments with separate rooms for the little one to sleep in, sea-view terraces for parents to sit on drinking wine in the evening, communal guest areas including a brilliant-looking restaurant and swimming pool – The Rosevine in Portscatho has thought of everything.
I’m tempted to move in permanently…
