No sooner is one school holiday out of the way and the next one is already on the horizon. As parents search the web for the perfect mini break to refresh themselves and entertain their little darlings, taking a city break with the kids is sometimes overlooked. Not entirely surprising when parents are sometimes caught between a rock and a hard place – booking hotel rooms for everyone can be expensive, not booking different rooms means squeezing the whole brood in one room. B&Bs are more affordable, but having set breakfast times doesn’t always allow for little ones’ 6am demands or teens’ need to lie in. Restaurant and attractions bills also pile up and make the whole thing expensive. Fear not travel-loving parents, you can go on a relaxing break with kids if you choose a serviced apartment. Here are eight reasons why serviced apartments are ideal for a families.
Family holidays are a great way to get together and to enjoy time quality time as a complete unit. Typically speaking, when choosing a location to stay, many families will opt for the security of a family resort, knowing that they won’t have to worry about the impact that kids will have on the other families around them. After all, when you do have small children, you worry about them being noisy or disrupting other guests – and so a family resort can often be a safer ‘go-to’ option.
The only problem with many family resorts is that they can be a little, well, family – and can often be lackluster when it comes to total fun for everyone. Why shouldn’t you, as the parents, want to enjoy a nice room and some creature comforts of home whilst still ensuring that your kids are well catered for?
That’s where the appeal of a luxurious serviced apartment to fit your whole family may be a great alternative. Take a look at these reasons why a serviced apartment is a great choice for your family.
1. True space for everyone to relax.
The best bits of home, with all the awesomeness of an apartment? Yes, please.
When you can choose from an array of one, two and three bedroom apartments, it’s quite easy to fit your family within a set budget. Enjoy the freedom of picking the perfect apartment for your family and choosing a layout that suits you. Unlike being in a hotel where you could potentially be crammed into the one space, or in separate rooms altogether, you have the total freedom to choose a serviced apartment which has a living room, separate kitchen, and as many bathrooms as rooms themselves – space for everyone to relax.
A great choice for any family who wants to get together and enjoy the best parts of a city.
Serviced Apartments come in all shapes and sizes. For families one, two and three bedroom apartments mean that you can all have your own space, with communal areas like a separate lounge and dining area for the family to get together and relax. Unlike hotels, where you are either in separate rooms or all cramped together, elbowing each other for a good view of the TV, serviced apartments are typically bigger than equivalent hotels – most with comfortable seating enough for everyone.
2. A Kitchen for Home Cooking
Part of the struggle (and cost) when you’re traveling around with your family is ensuring that you can dine in occasionally (or at least keep costs relatively low) with your meals. With a serviced apartment, this is all taken care of – and all you need to do is head out to the local supermarket if you are on a tighter budget. What’s more, if your children have allergies, it’s far easier to cater for everyone with a traditional home cooked meal and you can even prepare meals for lunches to take with you on your day trips.
Serviced apartments come with their own fully equipped kitchen, meaning you can enjoy your family’s favourite meals even when you’re in the centre of London or half way around the world! For fussy eaters or children with allergies, having your own kitchen on your travels is a huge bonus- plus if you’re looking to go away on a budget, your own cooking facilities will mean you don’t have to splash out in restaurants during your whole trip.
3. Creature comforts
Let’s face it, we are all creatures of habit and the struggle is real when it comes to keeping everyone happy on a holiday. The excitement of being away can hype up the children whilst mum and dad may just enjoy a cup of tea to wind down in front of the television after a long day. Whilst hotels do cater for these facilities, it’s often not the same homely feel.
That’s where a serviced apartment can bridge the gap between home and your holiday adventures.
There’s nothing worse than a sterile, clinical looking hotel room, particularly when travelling with children. Typically, serviced apartments have a much more homely feel. Many come with added home comforts, like unique art work, cushions and small accessories just to give you that extra little piece of home. It may not seem like a big deal but it’s amazing how a little attention to detail can really make you feel at home.
4. Familiarity in an unfamiliar place
With your own kitchen and separate bedrooms and living spaces, serviced apartments allow you to maintain your normal family routine. If you’re used to 7pm bedtimes and 6am breakfasts, there’s nothing to stop you sticking to it with ease. Being able to keep your usual routine means the younger ones will be much more settled despite being in an unfamiliar place.
5. Hotel service perks and Central Locations
On the one hand you have all the familiarity and comforts of home, but after all, this is your holiday too, so having some of the benefits you’d expect with a hotel is a must as well. Many serviced apartments have a reception and somebody to help you with any questions. They also all have regular maid and linen service.
Some of the best parts of a hotel are the luxury and prestige that it brings. We all love the feeling of being doted on and having our taxi’s booked for us. Well, now you can still experience the same in a serviced apartment! With many serviced apartments operating a reception and swimming pool, the feeling will never be lost. What’s more, with hotels catering predominantly for an extremely central locale, serviced apartments are usually situated in fantastic locations just outside the hustle.
It’s not just hotels and B&Bs that get the top spots close to all the best attractions. Serviced apartments are also right there in the heart of the action, so if you’ve had a busy day exploring, sightseeing and visiting your chosen places you won’t be too far back to your apartment to relax at the end of the day.
6. Keeping the Costs under Control
This is especially important for bigger families – some accommodation options charge per person, and even hike up the prices once your kids hit their teens! Serviced apartments are generally charged per apartment per night. You have the flexibility to stay just for one night, a full week, or even months – so it really could begin to feel like home!
7. Separate Space to Relax
Picture this: you’ve booked a hotel, had a long, active day with the kids and you finally get back to your room, put them in bed and open a bottle of wine. The problem is..the kids are lightly sleeping on a pull out bed or sofa bed in your small family hotel room. Which we think isn’t exactly ideal for a relaxing evening, unwinding with some grown-up conversation, music or a film. On a family holiday, you are entitled to relax and enjoy your own adult time – so having separate bedrooms and living spaces is great for that added privacy from the kids. So you can stick on that playlist and sip a glass of wine without having to whisper.
8. Entertainment facilities
Granted, the best thing about being in a top city is getting out there, seeing sights and experiencing the atmosphere – not sitting in and watching TV. But at the same time there’s only so much sightseeing you can do in a day – especially if you’re travelling with small children whose energy peaks and troughs. So having a range of entertainment facilities in your apartment can be a welcome relief. Our apartments usually come with a TV, DVD player and stereo, and the vast majority have free WIFI to keep the whole family entertained and connected when you’re not out enjoying the city.
With your very own homely apartment you have the freedom to explore your city of choice at your own pace. There are also so many family-friendly activities available – from museums to play centres, outdoor pursuits to zoos and aquariums. Some of them are even free! That’s when city breaks really do come into their own for families with children.
That is why serviced apartments are ideal for families – so you can explore a new destination at a pace that is right for you and the kids. City breaking en famille no longer needs to be a hair-pulling experience.
