Review of Princesa Yaiza Hotel, Lanzarote

This review comes courtesy of my fabulous friend Deborah who travelled to Lanzarote in September with her husband, twin girls (3.5yo) and baby boy (6 mths).

Booking
Booked direct with hotel via telephone +34 928 519 300
Flights booked through http://www.easyjet.com/en
Transfers organised through the Princesa Yaiza who also provided car seats.

Room
The Royal Kiko Suite was amazing.  The suite had 2 bedrooms; one with a King sized bed and the other, a 'child themed room' with 2 single beds.  In there, the hotel had gone to the trouble of putting 2 pink beanbag chairs for the girls as well as a kids' welcome kit.
The suite also had a lounge area and a kitchenette with steriliser, kettle, sink and big fridge.  In the lounge, the hotel provided a lovely cot with a mobile.

 Children's room in the Royal Kiko Suite

Baby Stuff!
This is where the hotel excels.  They provided the following, all included in the price of the room:

• Changing table
• Bath seat
• Monitor
• Steriliser
• High chair
• Simple buggy
• Bathroom step-up
• Baby cook
• DVD player/ Playstation 3

Kikoland

http://www.princesayaiza.com/en/kikoland/facilities

This is kids' paradise with multiple kids pools, playground, soft play and Kids Club.  The Kids Club looked a little bit grubby but there were lots of activities going on.  They run a Kiko disco every night for the kids and there were lots of shows e.g. Disney Princess show which the girls enjoyed

Food

There is an amazing breakfast buffet.  However, there aren't many inexpensive dinner options and most restaurants don't open until 7.30pm

In conclusion... on the positive side

We would definitely go back. The hotel is extremely family friendly and good value for money (we went off-peak).  The staff are fantastic and make an effort to learn all the children's names.  It's the little extras like having an onsite photographer who can do family portraits (no obligation to buy) that make this place special.

...on the negative side

Don't expect a super luxe, contemporary hotel.  The hotel is nice but could do with a bit of freshen up.  Also, the children's suites are in the family block which is over the road from the pools, restaurants etc.  The hotel provides a decorated subway to get there but it is still a long walk and therefore not so easy to  pop back up quickly to your room.

Product Revew: Baby Polar Gear Booster Seat

What do you do when there isn't a highchair?  Feeding a wriggly baby on your lap isn't much fun. 

First we tried the Gro Travel Harness. It's a clever contraption: essentially a cloth harness that you can strap to the chair. However, although its incredibly lightweight it's really not that comfortable for a child to be in for too long. 

So we upgraded to the Polar Gear Booster.  More bulky, but much more comfortable. It has the same seat as the Gro harness, but it is all joined on to a booster cushion. This makes it much more comfortable and stable. It was a great piece of kit on holiday, and also came in handy on a theatre trip.

Available to buy online at lots of places.  Check out Polar Gear's website

www.polargear.com

Retails on Amazon.co.uk for £18, link is below:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Baby-Polar-Gear-Booster-Seat/dp/B0037253S2

Flight Review: American Airlines LAX to Dallas FW (3.5 hrs)

Who:  Me, Daisy (3.5), Sky (1) and husband
Where:  American Airlines 2450, LAX to Dallas Fort Worth
How long?  Approx 3.5 hours

If you are transiting from International to Domestic at LAX, allow yourself plenty of time.  It took us approx 1 hour to pass through Immigration, collect our bag and then join the lengthy queue at Customs.  It is only a 5 minute walk from Tom Bradley International Terminal to the American Airlines Domestic Terminal.

Check In
Checked in our bags and received our tickets at the Transit desk.  Once at the Domestic Terminal, we were told our stroller was too big and we had to check this in (always make sure have your baby carrier on hand in case this happens!)

Onboard
The flight was on time and we were all seated together (take note Cathay Pacific....)  There were no bassinet options so we kept our baby in the Ergo baby carrier. 
No entertainment so make sure you bring your own books & DVDs
You can buy food & drink onboard or do what we did and buy an overpriced sandwich at LAX
Friendly & courteous staff
This 737 had a 3-3 configuration and our Economy seats were fairly roomy.

 Keep your baby carrier with you, in case you have to check in your stroller

Airport Lounges - a relaxing way to start your trip

One of the perks of flying with my husband is his Marco Polo Gold Card.  When I'm alone with the kids, I've normally got them crawling around the floor of the gate eating Starbucks muffins.  With my other half, he's got access to the Cathay lounge at Hong Kong Airport and to One World lounges globally.

Whilst they won't always let us all in (I think the rule is one guest), having lounge access can ease the stress of a long flight ahead.

Our recent experience in HK's Cathay lounge, ahead of a long 12 hour flight was fantastic. I got the girls fed and one of the waitresses continually brought over snacks and water for them and gave me food to take in my bag for the journey.  I was able to get my sneaky glass of wine in, steal lots of magazines and water for the flight and generally relax.

Even better was during our 2 hour layover in LAX - the American Airlines Admirals Club (part of One World) has a Children's Playroom.  Absolutely invaluable after a long flight, the kids were able to let loose and we could relax with complimentary food, drinks & wifi.

Children's Playroom - American Airlines Admirals Club - LAX

Don't miss out on lounges...  regardless of what class you fly, it's worth checking:

• Does your airline loyalty card allow you access into a lounge?
• Does your credit card allow you into a lounge e.g. some Amex Cathay holders can access Priority Pass Lounges http://www.cathaypacific.com/cpa/en_HK/ffp/cobrand
• Does the airport have a lounge that you can pay to use? This could be worthwhile if you have a lengthy delay
• If you fly economy regularly, is it worth you buying a Priority Pass or Airport Angel card with access to lounges worldwide? 

https://www.prioritypass.com/ 
http://www.cpp.co.uk/airport-lounge/

Flight Review: Cathay Pacific HK-LAX 12 hrs - Premium Economy

Who:  Me, Daisy (3.5 y), Sky (1y) and Husband
What:  Cathay Pacific CX 884/5 Hong Kong - Los Angeles

Cathay have recently introduced their Premium Economy seats on selected routes.  On our recent US roadtrip, we decided to pay the extra on our 12 hour (15 hrs on return) flight to LAX.  I often wonder if it's worth paying the extra but in Cathay's instance, I would say yes.

Pre-check In
Some advice - hassle both your travel agent and the airline to make sure you are seated together and if you have a baby, seated in the bulkhead.  A week in advance of my trip, I called my travel agent and discovered that we weren't all sat together.  I am fed up of this happening, I don't understand why airlines can't allocate families to sit together on booking?  I decided not to let this stress me out as long as one of my 3 seats was in the bulkhead, surely at check-in or onboard people would swap with us....

Check In
As my husband is a Marco Polo Gold member, we used the Business class check in (there is also designated Premium Economy Check In).  The check in assistant wasn't that helpful. He couldn't get us seated together but promised we did have one bulkhead seat.  Unfortunately when we got on the plane, we realised that was not the case....

Boarding
Premium Economy can board first with Business & Marco Polo members although I do find with small kids, they'll often give you priority boarding regardless of class

Onboard
Premium Economy is sandwiched in between Business and Economy and takes up about 6 rows. On our 777, the configuration was 2-4-2.
Seats are noticeably larger and allow you to move them quite far back.  As in Business, you get served drinks before take off.
Surprise surprise, our 1 allocated bulkhead seat (the other 2 seats were in the row behind) had no bassinet table in front of it.  Luckily some kind passengers agreed to swap around.  However, having paid extra for Premium Economy and also being Gold Marco Polo, I do find this unacceptable that the check in staff were inept at ensuring that the only baby in the Premium Economy section had the bassinet seat.  Rant over.
The Cathay entertainment system was excellent with a varied selection for adults & kids.  You also get the Business Class noise cancelling headphones (useful for cancelling our your toddler).

 Bigger seats in Premium Economy

 Don't forget to pre-order your child's meal.  This was spaghetti with meatballs.  Quite a lot of sugar in the meal although I did confiscate the Snickers before she saw it.

We just about squashed our 10.5kg one year old in the Bassinet. 

 

Premium Economy passengers receive a small pack by Goods of Desire containing eyemask, earplugs, toothbrush and socks.

My toddler was also given a Cathay Kids pack with lots of stickers.

Hiring a car for your roadtrip

For the last 3 years we have taken the kids on US roadtrips.  Unlike a European roadtrip, this means my husband can go all out with his pick up truck fantasies.  My only rule is that he has to be capable of parking it.

• When choosing a car hire firm, it's worth checking any loyalty programmes you belong to and see if you can get any special deals e.g. Gold Marco Polo members are entitled to a free car upgrade if they book on Avis
• Call the car hire company and ask if that really is the best price they can give.  We managed to get a huge discount just for asking this.
• You can pick up & drop off from any city although it will be cheaper if you do it from the same place.
• Request all your kids carseat necessities
• Request DVD player if necessary
• Print booking confirmation
• Pack drivers licence

Actually picking up your car can be quite a long, tiring feat.  If you have just come in off a long flight and can't face a drive, don't do it. Stay at an airport hotel and pick up the car in the morning.

On our Texas roadtrip, we picked up our car in downtown Fort Worth and it took us approx 1 hour to get everything sorted.  Even though we had all our paperwork printed, the customer services assistant still seemed to be querying the price we were given. There are also lots of decisions you need to make in terms of insurance, designated drivers etc.  In addition, the car didn't come with the child seats installed, instead we had to carry them outside and put them in ourselves.

US Road Trip Planning: 2 Weeks in New England with toddler - Planning

By Georgina Sturmer

US Road Trip Review:  2 Weeks in New England with a Toddler

Planning

We chose New England as we love going to the USA on holiday.  It wasn't too far (only 7 hours flight and only 5 hours time difference) and the driving distances are relatively short between destinations.  We were there in early September which was ideal as older children have gone back to school, but it is before the fall 'leaf peeping' tourist season.

We booked most of our accommodation in advance and opted for suites (often known as 'efficiencies' in more budget American hotels) so that we could have a separate sleeping area from our toddler.

Read more about our New England Adventure:

Flight Review with British Airways to Boston
http://jetlagandmayhem.blogspot.hk/2012/10/flight-review-british-airways-london.html

Beginning in Boston (Part One)
http://jetlagandmayhem.blogspot.com/2012/10/us-road-trip-review-2-weeks-in-new.html

Midcoast Maine (Part Two)
http://jetlagandmayhem.blogspot.com/2012/11/us-road-trip-review-2-weeks-in-new_2.html

Relaxing in Cape Cod (Part Three)
http://jetlagandmayhem.blogspot.com/2012/11/us-road-trip-review-2-weeks-in-new_8080.html

US Road Trip Part 1: 2 Weeks in New England with Toddler - Boston

By Georgina Sturmer

US Road Trip Review:  2 Weeks in New England with a Toddler

Beginning in Boston 

Boston is a great city to begin a trip.  The airport is a short journey into town, you don’t need a car at all and it’s easy to get around with a buggy. 

Hotel

We spent two nights at the John Jefferies House in (www.johnjeffrieshouse.com).  The hotel is in a great location and is pretty good value for central Boston, with suites available at around $200.  The breakfast was basic (just some pots of coffee and a few pastries) but that suited us fine.  Our room was small and dark and the hotel was difficult to access with a baby and suitcases (a flight of steps to get into the main entrance) and the staff where pretty unfriendly.  We wouldn’t stay there again, but it is nicely located. 

Activities

• The Freedom Trail is a yellow line painted on the pavement that guides you on your own walking tour around the city.  It is buggy friendly and takes you around all the main sites.  We stopped off in Quincy Market for coffee, and in North End for lunch.
• The original Cheers Bar is located in Boston.  Total tourist trap, but a fun place to pose for some photos and have an easy toddler friendly meal.  Boston Public Garden is lovely to walk around and play, our toddler loved playing with the ducks at the ‘Make Way for Ducklings’ sculpture

Read more about our New England Adventures:

Planning our New England Road Trip

http://jetlagandmayhem.blogspot.com/2012/11/us-road-trip-review-2-weeks-in-new.html

Flight Review with British Airways to Boston

http://jetlagandmayhem.blogspot.hk/2012/10/flight-review-british-airways-london.html

Midcoast Maine (Part Two)

http://jetlagandmayhem.blogspot.com/2012/11/us-road-trip-review-2-weeks-in-new_2.html

Relaxing in Cape Cod (Part Three)

http://jetlagandmayhem.blogspot.com/2012/11/us-road-trip-review-2-weeks-in-new_8080.html

US Road Trip Part 3: 2 Weeks in New England with a Toddler - Cape Cod

By Georgina Sturmer

Relaxing in Cape Cod (Part Three)
There's a reason why people up sticks and head to Cape Cod in the summer.  We were only there for 5 days and we saw a collection of stunning beaches and lovely towns.  We were looking for the toddler friendly 'holy grail' of a small town by the sea with a high street, beach and decent accommodation within walking distance.  We opted to stay in Hyannis, the commercial hub of Cape Cod.

Hotel
We searched through the beach houses available via www.Homeway.com and found Bay View Cottage www.capecodbayviewcottage.com  The cottage is a (smallish) 2 bedroom house that is technically in West Yarmouth but within walking distance of all the main attractions in Hyannis and just a few hundred yards from the small Bayview beach (which has a small set of swings).  It was perfect for us, and the owner, Patty, was incredibly helpful - she even babysat for us.

Activities
We spent most of our time playing on the beach, eating and drinking.  Our favouites in Hyannis were Fresh Ketch www.freshketch.com - great lobster mac & cheese) and Spanky's Clam Shack (average food but lovely view at the marina www.spankysclamshack.com)  Further afield in Chatham we had lovely sandwiches at Chatham Cookware and an outstanding lunch at Hangar B www.hangarbcapecod.com  The beach at Chatham was absolutely stunning, although parking can be a bit of a pain.

Read more about our New England Adventure:

Planning our New England Road Trip

http://jetlagandmayhem.blogspot.com/2012/11/us-road-trip-review-2-weeks-in-new.html

Flight Review with British Airways to Boston

http://jetlagandmayhem.blogspot.hk/2012/10/flight-review-british-airways-london.html

Boston (Part One)

http://jetlagandmayhem.blogspot.com/2012/10/us-road-trip-review-2-weeks-in-new.html

Midcoast Maine (Part Two)

http://jetlagandmayhem.blogspot.com/2012/11/us-road-trip-review-2-weeks-in-new_2.html

US Road Trip Part 2: 2 weeks in New England with Toddler - Maine

Mid Coast Maine (part two)
Coastal Maine is stunning, peppered with quaint seaside towns, beaches and lobster shacks.  We spent 2 nights in Kennebunkport, 2 nights in Portland and 3 nights in Bar Harbour.

** Boston to Portland
We drove up the coast, taking in the pretty Nubble Lighthouse in York and the cute high street in Ogunquit.  Our first impressions on arrival in Portland weren't great, as it seemed a bit desolate but once we had wandered around we could see that it is a fun, trendy town on the sea, more gritty than the cute towns you pass along the way.  With hindsight we might not stay there again with a toddler, as we didn't get to fully enjoy the cool bar and restaurant scene on offer.

Hotel
We stayed at the Marriott Residence inn
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/pdxri-residence-inn-portland-downtown-riverplace/
I would recommend highly - had a huge room, great breakfast, laundry room, nice indoor pool to splash around in with our toddler and helpful staff.  The only downside is the car park is a short walk around the corner and there is an extra charge ($12 per day)

Activities
We were hoping to go and see the Portland Sea Dogs play baseball but decided against it due to the weather.  I also think that it would be more suitable for older children who are happier to stay still.

• We ate and drank well in Portland, although it is more geared to trendy young people than families with children.  Highlights included beers at Three Dollar Dewey http://www.threedollardeweys.com/, chips at Duckfat http://www.duckfat.com/ and dinner at White Cap Grille http://www.whitecapgrille.com/
• Shopping at the Maine Mall, which isn't too far out of town.  The carousel and 'Build a Bear' workshop were a hit with our little girl
• Portland Children's Museum http://www.kitetails.org/ was a definite highlight.  It's not so much a museum, as a really fun educational play area.

**Portland to Bar Harbour

We carried on up the coast to Bar Harbor, stopping off at the Maine State Prison Showroom in Thomaston.  Definitely worth a look for some interesting souvenirs, followed by lunch at Watermans Beach Lobster http://www.watermansbeachlobster.com/  Enjoy the pecan pie but beware of portaloos!

Hotel

We spent 3 nights at the Quimby House B&B in Bar Harbor.  Lovely place just slightly set back from teh main street, with very reasonably priced efficiency suites.  The hotel had a small outside play area and was right next door to a friendly organic supermarket.

Activities

• We drove into Acadia National Park, but the weather was pretty poor when we were there so we didn't see many of the sights
• There are plenty of boat trips taking tourists out to see the lobsters, seals and whales.  We weren't sure whether our toddler could handle a long boat trip so we opted for the shortest one that we could find.  The Miss Samantha boat tour lasts 1 hr 45 mins, although unfortunately that was too long for us as our little girl cried most of the way and puked halfway through....
• Bar Harbor itself has lots of nice little shops and great places to eat.  Our favourites were breakfast at 2 cats http://www.2catsbarharbor.com/intro.html and Jordans (both on Cottage Street) and takeaway pizza from Rosalie's.

** Bar Harbor to Kennebunkport

We headed back south again and rented a cabin for one night, just to break the journey at Point Lookout http://www.visitpointlookout.com/, near Lincolnsville.  We hadn't booked in advance but it was a great choice.  We had a really sweet 2 bedroom cabin in the woods. There is no restaurant on site but there is a gym.  The following day we headed on to Kennebunkport, stopping off in Freeport for some shopping and a delicious lunch at Linda Bean's http://lindabeansmainelobster.com/

Hotel

In Kennebunkport we spent 2 nights at the Nonantum Resort.  This is a lovely old fashioned American family hotel and we had a suite in the main part of the house.  We would definitely recommend the hotel although the outdoor pool is quite small and the lift is very annoying - it's tiny and so old that you have to call someone from reception to operate it for you.  The hotel restaurant was in range of our baby monitor so we took advantage and ate there both nights.  The food was great and there was a lovely, friendly atmosphere with live music.

Activities

Kennebunkport is another sweet coastal town, with the added cachet of being home to the Bush family, along with some other very wealthy Americans.  We just enjoyed wandering around taking in the peaceful scenery and beautiful (massive!) houses.

Read more about our New England Road Trip:

Planning our New England Adventure

http://jetlagandmayhem.blogspot.com/2012/11/us-road-trip-review-2-weeks-in-new.html

Flight Review with British Airways to Boston

http://jetlagandmayhem.blogspot.hk/2012/10/flight-review-british-airways-london.html

Beginning in Boston (Part One)

http://jetlagandmayhem.blogspot.com/2012/10/us-road-trip-review-2-weeks-in-new.html

Relaxing in Cape Cod (Part Three)

http://jetlagandmayhem.blogspot.com/2012/11/us-road-trip-review-2-weeks-in-new_8080.html