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Ten Pool Days in Dubai to Try with Privilee

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The summer heat is just about upon us, so splash into summer and take a dip in one of
these ten fabulous swimming pools that you can benefit from with your Privilee Membership!
One of my favourite things about Privilee is that even on those super hot days, you can head
to a hotel for just a few hours in the morning to enjoy some time in the pool and leave before
lunchtime when the real heat sets in, and you never feel as though you’ve wasted any
money on a full day pool pass!

1. Palazzo Versace Hotel

Sipping on an Aperol Spritz whilst laying around the Capri Pool at the Palazzo
Versace Hotel, it’s easy to forget that you’re lounging by the Dubai Creek Harbour,
and not in the Italian Amalfi Coast. I absolutely love spending the day at the Palazzo Versace as it caters to the whole family. It has three beautiful swimming pools, La Piscina, Portofino and Capri as well as seven restaurants and bars (within which
Privilee Members receive a 25% discount!)

2. The Kempinski Hotel & Residences Palm Jumeirah

The Kempinski Hotel & Residences Palm Jumeirah has a Main Pool that the whole
family can enjoy, especially Mums and Dads with the swim-up pool bar! The hotel
also has a shaded kid’s pool surrounded by additional sun loungers so that parents
can lay back and watch the children play.

3. Cove Beach Dubai

A slice of adult-only heaven has arrived on Privilee! Cove Beach Dubai can be found
on Bluewaters Island and has three swimming pools available for Privilee Members
to enjoy every day of the week. Cove Beach hosts a range of events each day so you
can choose to party the day away, or relax and unwind, it’s totally up to you!

4. InterContinental Dubai Marina

Hidden amongst the concrete jungle with stunning views of the Dubai Marina, the
InterContinental Dubai Marina offers chilled vibes, cocktails and the comfiest
sunbeds – I don’t know what more you could want from a pool day! The pool is open
daily from 8am to 8pm and has a gym on the same floor, just in case you wanted to
have a quick workout before cooling off in the rooftop pool.

5. Anantara The Palm Dubai Resort

Another family friendly pool day is the Anantara The Palm Dubai Resort. This Thai-
inspired hotel has a stunning 50 metre infinity pool with ample sun loungers
surrounding it. But the highlight of the hotel for me has to be the beautiful lagoon
winding throughout the resort.

The lagoon has a shallow sand bank which is the perfect place for little ones to sit
and play before diving into the lagoon for a swim. One of the best parts is a little
wooden boat that passes through the lagoon every few hours selling drinks – I like to
treat myself to a fresh coconut – but if you’re lucky, your little one may even be able
to have ride on it!

6. Melia Desert Palm

Melia Desert Palm is an oasis located a short drive out into the Dubai Desert. The
hotel has a beautiful infinity pool, with views spanning over the connected polo club. If you’re heading out that way you should definitely make sure to pop into the
Samana Spa for a massage before driving back to reality!

7. Fluid Beach Dubai

Fluid Beach Club can be found at Th8 Hotel on the Palm Jumeirah. It’s the perfect
place to chill with friends from day into night. This adult-only venue offers Privilee
Members and up to four guests 25% discount off F&B so you can soak in the sun, sip
champagne and stay for sunset all whilst saving money!

8. Sofitel Dubai The Obelisk 

Sofitel Dubai The Obelisk is another great venue to visit as a family. The stunning
Soleil swimming pool has a great shaded kid’s pool attached with a splash pad for
them to enjoy. The pool can be accessed from the hotel’s sixth floor and offers a
great view of the Dubai Skyline.

9. Hyde Hotel Dubai

The rooftop pool at Hyde Hotel Dubai has views of the Dubai Skyline that are hard to
beat. This adult-only venue has super-chic décor, Burj Khalifa views and (I must say)
some of the comfiest sun beds I have experienced. The hotel has complimentary
valet parking and offers 20% discount off food, beverage and brunches across all
outlets.

10. Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah

Last, but by no means least, is the Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah. This hotel
is one of my absolute favourites when I’m in need of some downtime. As soon as you
pull up to the front of the hotel and are greeted by the friendly valet team, you feel at
home. The hotel provides the feeling of both luxury and comfort with its five star
service and super comfy beach sun loungers.

The Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah has a fabulous infinity pool that all of the
family can enjoy. Also, tucked around to the righthand side of the resort, hidden
amongst the palm trees, is an adult-only pool where you can really switch off and
enjoy the peace and quiet.

Living in Dubai we are so lucky to have so many beautiful hotels and resorts right
here on our doorstep. That’s why I am so thankful to have my Privilee Membership
which allows me to make the most of all they have to offer!

Privilee’ing throughout Eid as a family? Here’s what to do and where to go!

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As the month of Ramadan draws to an end, we have the lovely long Eid weekend approaching, and what better way to spend it than to enjoy one, two or maybe three Privilee venues over the holiday.

W Dubai The Palm

W Dubai The Palm is a stunning, modern hotel which welcomes you with complimentary valet parking – which is always a bonus when traveling with children. As you make your way through the gorgeous lobby, the Privilee check-in desk is conveniently located before the walkway down to the pool and beach.

The hotel really caters for people and families of all ages with its adult only WET Deck; at least ten WET Pools with complimentary sun loungers; and a separate kids pool that is well shaded and has an on-site life guard present. The hotel also offers complimentary access for two children (aged between four and twelve) at its supervised kids club for Privilee Members.
During our recent visit to the W Dubai The Palm we spent most of our time at the sun loungers on the beach and were just a short walk away from one of the many WET Pools.

After a lot of splashing around in the sea and the pool, Arlo fell asleep which gave us the perfect opportunity to order some lunch to our sun loungers from the Pool Bar and Restaurant. The food was delicious, I opted for the Chicken Burger whilst Ryan went for the healthier option of the Chicken Caesar Salad.

Before heading home for the day, we stopped in the lobby café for a coffee and a cookie – the décor is fabulous by the way – and availed a 25% discount on our drinks.

DoubleTree by Hilton Resort & Spa Marjan Island

Why not set off on a Daycation and visit the DoubleTree by Hilton Resort & Spa Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah. The hotel has not one, but five hotels to offer, all of which have complimentary towels and sun loungers for Privilee Members.
If you’re feeling adventurous you can head down to the 650m long private beach and dive into the ocean from the Jungle Float, a playground on water which features trampolines, slides and much more!

Movenpick Resort Al Marjan Island

Just five minutes down the road from the DoubleTree by Hilton Resort & Spa Marjan Island you will find another Privilee venue – the Movenpick Resort Al Marjan Island. Here you will find the stunning Ula Pool which provides complimentary water, sun loungers and towels and 20% discount off the total bill for up to four guests! The Kids Pool is well sheltered from the sun and surrounded by sun loungers so you can relax and watch your little ones play.
At 5pm you can head up to the only rooftop bar in Rask Al Khaimah, Neo Sky Bar, to watch a gorgeous sunset whilst taking in the 360-degree views and enjoy 20% discount off the bill whilst you’re up there.

Hilton Dubai Palm Jumeirah

A newbie to Privilee is the Hilton Dubai Palm Jumeirah, located along the vibrant Palm West Beach. One of the benefits Privilee Member’s can access at the Hilton Dubai Palm Jumeirah is The Pirates Kid’s Club, located to the left of the Kid’s Pool. You can make the most of three hours complimentary access to the supervised Kid’s Club each day for children aged four to twelve. Or, if like us, your little one falls into the infant bracket, you can still head down there, just be sure to have a parent or nanny with them at all times.

We love spending time at the Hilton Dubai Palm Jumeirah, the beach provides a breath-taking view of the Marina skyline and is the perfect place to watch the sunset.

Fairmont The Palm

Another Palm favourite of ours is the Fairmont The Palm. This hotel really is perfect for a visit with the whole family. Fairmont The Palm provides some excellent dining options, Seagrill Bistro is the perfect spot for lunch during a busy day of sunbathing. My favourite dish is the lobster roll and it tastes even better when you receive 25% discount from the total bill as a benefit with Privilee.

Fairmont The Palm also provides complimentary access to its Falcons Kids Club from 10.30am-7pm daily. The hotel offers a good amount of shaded area – which is perfect when attending with children.

Maximise your time during Ramadan

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With Ramadan fast approaching, and due to commence on Thursday 23 March, you can be sure to make the most of those shorter working days by taking full advantage of your Privilee access.

Gym

If you have the opportunity to work reduced hours during Ramadan, then it could be the perfect opportunity to start your fitness journey and keep active during your free time.

You can choose from boxing, core training, ladies only fitness classes, CrossFit and many other classes from the Privilee App. I love the classes at FitRepublik as they offer such a wide variety. They also have various locations throughout Dubai for you to choose from and you can make use of two classes a week with your Privilee membership.

Another fun way of keeping active this Ramadan is by spending the afternoon paddleboarding – and what better way to do it than at the Waldorf Astoria Palm Jumeirah, in the calm water with a stunning backdrop of the Dubai Marina skyline. What’s more, Privilee Members can save up to 20% on water sport activities here!

Swim

Why not catch up with friends at any of the pools and beachesthat Privilee has to offer and with the added benefit of nothaving to worry about the cost of a full day pass! I absolutely love the Anantara The Palm Dubai Resort as it not only has a large, kid-friendly hotel pool, it also has the beautiful lagoon that you can swim and relax in. 

The hotel welcomes families and, sometimes even offers ‘boat rides’ in the pool for you little ones – how adorable!

Play

Privilee has 41 venues which provide complimentary access for up to three children when attending with an accompanying adult, so why not squeeze in some afternoon playdates. One of my favorite venues for this is the Fairmont The Palm. The hotel has easy, sheltered self-parking which is complimentary (just make sure you get your ticket stamped on the way out). The hotel also provides complimentary access to its Falcons Kids Club from 10.30am-7pm daily. The hotel offers a good amount of shaded area – which is perfect when attending with small children. My ideal day would be lounging in one of the cabanas with an iced coffee whilst the babies sleep after tiring themselves out on the splash pad!

Beach walks and play time on the sand during the time of year when the weather is just perfect

You could always spend the afternoon playing tennis at one of Privilee’s venues. …. If you’re a beginner, like me, you can even avail 25% discount of tennis lessons at the Habtoor Grand Resort, Autograph Collection.

Dine

Enjoy those longer afternoons and early evenings as a family and enjoy dining at one of Privilee’s restaurants in which you can redeem discount. One of our favorite restaurants for a lazy afternoon lunch is the Beach House at the Anantara The Palm Dubai. The restaurant gives Mediterranean vibes whilst offering a great view of the Palm Jumeirah and the Atlantis hotels. Treat yourself to the grilled seabass and a glass of rose before the summer heat sets in!

Relax

One of the things I absolutely love about living in Dubai is that any hour of the day, on any day of the week, you can pop along to one of the stunning five-star hotels and make use of the facilities as if you were a hotel guest checking in to start their holiday. So with these extra few hours of freedom a day, you may be looking to relax and unwind, and what better way to do that than at one of the adult only venues that Privilee has to offer. 

Terra Solis Dubai offers just that. A tranquil oasis located in Jebel Ali which provides an adult only escape, with complimentary pool access and 10% discount off food and beverages. Terra Solis Dubai will also be hosting an Iftar feast, offering an unforgettable Ramadan experience. 

If you would love to make the most of all of these activitiesand more, just like I have, then you can sign up to Privilee at www.privilee.ae to enjoy all of these benefits, and more.

Five brilliant things to do during Ramadan with Privilee

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The Holy month of Ramadan will soon be upon us, so I have compiled a list of some of my favourite things to do during Ramadan. From dining to relaxing, Ramadan is the perfect time to slow down, reflect and unwind.

1. High Tea at the Palazzo Versace Hotel

The Palazzo Versace High Tea can be enjoyed in the breath-taking Mosaico lounge, which is situated in the grand lobby of the Palazzo Versace Hotel, every day from 10.30am to 7pm. The High Tea includes an assortment of finger sandwichesand scones (accompanied by homemade jams, clotted cream and lemon curd) as well as a selection of pastries and a choice of tea.

High Tea is one of my favourite treats, but it always starts the scone debate: “what goes first, cream or jam?” For me, it has to be jam first then cream! What about you?

Privilee Members can avail a discount of 25% off the price of the High Tea at the Palazzo Versace Hotel – now that is sweet.Whilst at the hotel, I love to make the most of the complimentary access to the hotel’s other facilities, such as relaxing in one of three swimming pools available; or making the most of the supervised Palazzo Versace Kids Club.

2. Unwind at the Waldorf Astoria Spa, Dubai Palm Jumeirah

Take the time to really relax and unwind by treating yourself to a massage at the stunning spa located at the Waldorf Astoria Palm Jumeirah. When booking any treatment, guestsreceive full access to the spa facilities which include 12 treatment rooms, whirlpool hot tubs, herbal steam rooms and more. Privilee Members are also eligible for 20% discount on any spa treatments. 

As a new mum, I jumped at the opportunity to have some quiet time at the spa with my friend. I opted for the 75 minuteSignature Massage followed by some well-needed R&R in the sauna and steam room. After the massage, we were brought some complimentary ginger tea and snacks and relaxed in the spa slippers and gowns.

We made the most of our child-free-time and headed upstairs to Peacock Alley, which is located on the entrance level of the Waldorf Astoria for some lunch (and cocktails). Privilee Members can also receive 20% discount at this outlet, and others throughout the Waldorf Astoria.

3. Breakfast by the Beach at Jones the Grocer

West Beach has fast become one of the most popular destinations on the Palm Jumeirah with an amazing variety of hotels, restaurants and bars. Jones the Grocer, part of the Hilton Dubai Palm Jumeirah, provides beach front dining with a stunning view of the Dubai skyline. Jones the Grocer is the perfect family-friendly breakfast spot with a casual vibe, great food and you can take your furry friends along too. 

Jones the Grocer has recently revamped its menu and my go-to dish is the Persian feta omelette with smoked chicken and a side of avocado – yum!

Privilee Members can save 20% off the bill at Jones the Grocer – and don’t forget to validate your car parking with the staff at the front desk when you leave!

The Hilton Dubai Palm Jumeirah is actually one of Privilee’snewest venues and provides Members with access to it’s two pools and beach.

4. Release some Tension with a Boxing Class

Located in Umm Suqeim 3, 9Round Fitness offers a different style of fitness class. With no set class schedule, you can arrive at a time that suits you and simply jump into a workout whenever you feel like it. The full-body workout lasts for 30 minutes and as a Privilee Member you are entitled to access to two complimentary classes per week.  Just remember to bring your own boxing gloves and towel along with you.

5. Attend Iftar at the Palace Downtown

One of my favourite things to do during Ramadan is to attend an Iftar or Suhoor. There are some beautiful venues located throughout various hotels in Dubai, but my favourite is The Palace Downtown Dubai. From the moment you step foot into the hotel lobby, you are immersed in the traditional Oud scents and Arabic hotel décor.

The hotel also offers complimentary valet parking and Privilee Members receive 20% discount at the restaurants located throughout the Palace Downtown. Be sure to keep an eye out for exclusive Iftar discounts available at certain Privilee venues.

If any of these take your fancy, then head over to www.privilee.ae to sign up today to enjoy all of this and more.

Bahrain – Short but Sweet

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I’m slightly delayed with sharing this post but in September we had a lovely long weekend stay in Manama, Bahrain. We’ve lived in Dubai for almost eight years and Bahrain is only the second Gulf country we have visited outside of the UAE. It’s only a short 50 minute flight from Dubai, and so when we knew we had family staying in Bahrain from the UK, we thought this would be the perfect time to visit.

Hire Car

Travelling with a baby means there is a lot more to think about and one of our concerns was access to a taxi with an infant car seat. We contacted our hotel and they quoted us for a return journey to and from the airport with a private taxi and car seat, but this worked out to be more expensive than hiring our own car with an infant seat.

As we are used to driving the roads of the UAE, we didn’t mind driving in Bahrain and found it to be very similar. Bahrain International Airport has several well known car hire companies on site and we opted with SIXT as they were the cheapest option. We were lucky enough to also get a free upgrade on collection!

Hotels

My cousin was staying on Reef Island and so I searched for accommodation close by – although we soon found out that most places in Manama are only a short drive away. We decided on the Wyndham Grand Manama. The hotel had a rather corporate feel about it as it comprised of both business offices and also hotel rooms. The hotel was situated only a 15 minute drive from the airport, a 4 minute drive from the Four Seasons, and 10 minute drive from Reef Island. I also managed to make a great saving on our booking by reserving the hotel through my travel business, saving us 50% compared to Booking.com!

Upon arrival, we were given a complimentary upgrade to the Himalayan Salt Room which had an entire wall made from 800 million year old Himalayan salt! The room also had a lovely bath and waterfall shower; a desk (which was good for Ryan who ended up having to work a little bit) and a good sized wardrobe.

The Wyndham has an amazing spa facility which includes a snow therapy room! It also has a family pool and an adults only pool located on the 11th floor which provide great views of the bay. 

Things to Do 

Bahrain also has a Brunch Culture like Dubai so on Friday we headed over to the Four Seasons for their family brunch. It had an amazing selection of food and drinks as well as a kids area with activities.

We hadn’t really researched many things to do in Bahrain before traveling as mainly just wanted to spend time with our family. So we visited a few of the malls for a browse then spent the rest of the time around the pools at our hotels.

We really loved spending time with our family and it was a great excuse to visit Bahrain and see another country.

Family Time in England

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Our 6 week holiday at home with Arlo required a lot of planning to ensure we were able to see as many family members as possible. Especially due to the fact that mine and Ryan’s home towns are several hours drive from one another.

We started our trip with a 10 night stay in Lowestoft with my family. My parents were still working so during the days we spent our time going for walks down to the park and walking round to see my Grandparents (and Arlo’s Great-Grandparents!) It was so lovely for us to just be able to spend some time outside with Arlo as we haven’t really had the chance to do that yet in Dubai as it has been too hot.

The second part of our trip was for seven nights in Kent. For this, we hired a little cottage called Sandhole Barn in Snodland which we chose as a base so we had a bit more space to spread out with all of Arlo’s things!

We had a lovely time in Kent with trips down to Herne Bay to see Ryan’s Grandparents (also Arlo’s Great-Grandparents – he’s such a lucky boy); a trip to Whitstable for Afternoon Tea in the castle; lovely walks around Leybourne Lakes and a BBQ with the Stansfield’s.

We then took the Eurostar over to Paris for a short city break which you can read all about here. When we returned to Kent we had another few nights staying with family. The evenings were very relaxing (I have to admit we got hooked on Love Island which was partnered with a take away most evenings). On the Sunday, my parents drove down to Kent and we went for a lovely meal with Ryan’s family before he had to fly back to Dubai for 2 weeks for work.

I was very apprehensive about how I would manage with just Arlo on my own during the night times, but at least I knew I had my Mum, Dad and Sister to help keep Arlo entertained in the day times.

The next two weeks in Lowestoft absolutely flew by. We missed Ryan so much but made sure to have lots of video calls. Arlo started to have disturbed sleep which wasn’t great for me. One morning at 6am I had to wake my Mum up and ask if she would sit down with Arlo as I had been up with him since 4am! Thankfully he seems to have moved out of that phase now. During this two weeks Arlo had lots of firsts. I took him swimming for the first time with his little cousin Maeve – he was so relaxed he fell asleep for a moment in his float!

We also took him to the zoo. He fell asleep within 15 minutes of arriving and woke up in the gift shop on the way out, I couldn’t believe it! So we had to quickly pop back through to show him the giraffes, zebras and flamingos!

We had family down to visit us in Lowestoft the weekend that Ryan was flying back to England and we went down to the local park for some games. I can’t actually believe it but I fell backwards when we were having a kick about and ended up having to head to A&E with Mum! I felt terrible, worrying that we were going to be sat there for hours. Thankfully, I was in and out within three hours but left with a fractured ankle and a support boot.

The final part of our trip was back in Kent and we had booked another lovely barn on the outskirts of Maidstone called Woolhouse Barn. Situated close by was a lovely country pub called the Horseshoes where we went for a Sunday Roast with Ryan’s family and, I have to say, it is one of the best roast dinners I think I’ve ever had – sorry Mum!

The following day, Arlo and I spent the day with Ryan’s Mum and her Partner and we went for a lovely breakfast followed by a day relaxing down the beach. It was 30 degrees, I couldn’t believe it!

Woolhouse Barn was based in a very rural area and, the intention was, for me to get insured on our hire car so I could get out and about in the mornings for my breakfast dates whilst Ryan worked. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to drive and we decided to cut our trip short and fly back to Dubai so I could seek proper medical advice about my foot. I felt so sad that our trip ended like this but, we were so lucky to have spent such a long time at home in the first place. So we flew back to Dubai a few days early with cases full of nappies and wet wipes to keep us going until Christmas!

Our First Time Traveling with a Baby

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Since before Arlo was born, we were already dreaming of, and planning all the amazing places that we could take him. Travelling and creating memories is something that Ryan and I love doing, it only seemed right that Arlo would just slot into that lifestyle and come on all of these adventures with us.

Of course, the most special first adventure we could take him on would be travelling to England to introduce him to all of his family.

Maternity leave in the UAE isn’t great so we wanted to be sure to make the most of the time we had off. We planned a six week itinerary in England with a short 3 night stay in Paris built in – you can read more about that trip here.

Flying

We booked our flights direct with Emirates before Arlo was born. Then, once we received his passport we contacted the airline to have him added on to my ticket. With most airlines, infants travel for free up to the age of two. We had a small supplement to pay as we requested the bassinet seat for Arlo which meant we needed to pay for the seats with extra leg room.

I was very nervous at the thought of flying with a three month old baby, I was worried he wouldn’t be comfortable, that he would be out of his routine and he would disturb the other passengers. But, Arlo was brilliant. Annoyingly, we were sat on the tarmac on the plane for over an hour which wasn’t ideal. I had read that when flying with infants you should feed at take off to prevent their ears from popping, so I prepared a bottle of expressed milk and fed Arlo at that time. As he was finishing his bottle we heard the poo explosion that he had clearly been saving for us a for a few days. Thankfully, Ryan offered to take the lead on that one!

Arlo didn’t sleep for very long on the flight, considering we were on the plane for around 8 hours in total, he slept for maybe an hour and a half. The rest of the time he was just happy to lay and chill in the bassinet or sit on our laps looking around.

Travel Essentials

I packed a backpack which was dedicated to Arlo for the flight which contained all of his essentials. That way, we knew we only needed to search in one bag, rather than across all three of our hand-luggage bags, if we needed something for Arlo.

I packed several travel pouches which were each dedicated to: changing, feeding and toys. This worked really well for us as when we needed to change Arlo we just picked up one pouch which contained nappies, cream, wet wipes, disposable changing mats, plastic bags and a change of clothes.

I also panicked about breastfeeding Arlo whilst traveling and was worried about taking liquids through the airport. In Dubai Airport they were absolutely fine and there were no additional checks on the milk. However, when leaving Gatwick we were required to take out Arlo’s milk so it could be run through a separate scanner. When flying home to England, I packed 4 portions of breastmilk in a cooler bag which had been defrosted the day before so they were good for 24 hours. I also packed 4 bottles of the Aptamil 1 Ready to Drink Milk (at this point, we hadn’t given Arlo formula but I wanted to have it with me as a back up). I also packed my portable Elvie breast pump which worked extremely well for us during the flight. Ryan would give Arlo a bottle of expressed milk and, at the same time, I pumped using the Elvie to prepare for the next bottle.

When we were deciding on a stroller we knew a travel stroller would be essential for us so we opted for the Leclerc Magicfold which self-folds down to fit in the overhead baggage area on the plane. At the time of flying home, Arlo was still only 3 months old so we decided to take the bassinet attachment with us but we checked this in along with our cases. Getting through the airport, I carried Arlo in a baby carrier so he was close to my chest and we placed out hand-luggage in the stroller which Ryan pushed through the airport. This worked really well for us as Arlo loves being carried and often falls asleep!

*You can purchase any of the items linked above on Mumzworld.com using my code LOU10 for discount.

The Flight Home

Unfortunately, we had to cut our trip home short as I fractured my ankle with just over a week of the trip left. I was wearing a boot and didn’t have a lot of mobility to begin with and I found it hard getting up and down the stairs in the cottage. It also meant that I wasn’t able to drive and was completely reliant on Ryan.

So, we made the decision to fly back on the Wednesday, instead of the Sunday but there were no bassinet seats left. The thought of flying with Arlo and my foot in a boot in a window and an aisle seat really made us anxious so, we decided to bite the bullet and upgrade to Business Class – and it was the best thing we could have done. I was able to lay out with my foot elevated which really helped with the swelling on the flight. It also meant that Ryan and I could take turns with laying Arlo down on the mattress. Arlo ended up sleeping for 5 hours on the flight back which was brilliant. But I think we may have built a rod for our own backs with the flying experience with Arlo now!

Bonjour, Paris

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It’s been a few years, but we made it back to Paris! I can’t believe the last time we were in France was for our wedding in August 2019 followed by our mini-moon down in Nice. It’s amazing to now have returned almost three years later to such a special place to us and be able to bring our little one too.

When booking our trip home to the UK for the summer for Arlo’s first trip, we wanted to be able to spend a little bit of time somewhere else in Europe but we weren’t quite sure how we (and Arlo) would be with flying and spending time in the airport etc. So when I saw that the Eurostar had a flash sale, I took the opportunity to get tickets for the three of us to head over to Paris for four days. We got a great deal paying only GBP208 for a return for the three of us (well, for the two adults as babies travel free, but I had to find a way to sell it to Ryan!)

Travelling on the Eurostar with a Baby

When we arrived at St Pancras, it was chaotic I’m not going to lie. But once we joined the queue and started making our way down the line it was quite a simple process. We arrived 2 hours before our departure to allow us some extra time, as the tickets say to arrive at least one hour before. In the first part of the queue we were required to show our COVID vaccine pass; the second part of the queue we were required to scan our Eurostar ticket; the third part was the UK Border Force to exit England, shortly followed by the French Border Force for our entry to France. All in all, the queue system was quite straight forward.

I carried Arlo in his carrier throughout the queue which was really efficient, especially at the border force so they could easily see Arlo’s face. At security, we were required to remove everything from Arlo’s stroller and place it in a tray, they then separately scanned and searched the stroller. I wish I had been slightly more organised so we didn’t have as much in the bottom of the stroller, but here’s to learning!

Once we were on the train it was pretty much smooth sailing through to Gare du Nord. Arlo was good as gold again and just loved sitting on our laps looking out of the window and watching everyone go by. I found traveling on the Eurostar with a baby very easy and it is a journey I would definitely recommend and would do again. You can read my blog here which lists all of my travel essentials for traveling with a baby!

Best Western Premier Kapital Opera

The choice of accommodation available in Paris is quite overwhelming as there really are so many options. When deciding on accommodation for us for this trip, our requirements were different to usual. We wanted something in a great location but also relatively close to Gare du Nord as we wanted to avoid having to take taxis as much as possible. Essentially, for this trip, we wanted to be able to get everywhere by walking.

We also decided that having a room with a balcony was very important to us, that way, in the evenings when it was time for Arlo to sleep, we had the option of still being able to sit outside and enjoy the view / have some room service and some wine. Finally, we needed somewhere with a travel cot available for Arlo and somewhere that wasn’t going to break the bank.

I contacted several hotels directly requesting industry rates as an independent travel agent and we decided on booking the Best Western Premier Kapital Opera hotel in the Opera District. The staff were extremely kind and provided us with a disabled access room which meant that we had more space for the stroller and travel cot.

The terrace was the highlight of the room and we loved sitting out of an evening to have pizza and wine whilst Arlo was asleep. Although a room with a terrace was slightly more expensive, we felt it was definitely worth paying extra for the additional space so that Ryan and I could still enjoy our evenings.

Our Itinerary

Day 1

We arrived at our hotel by 1.30pm and had a very quick turnaround to make it to our lunch reservation for 2pm. We were slightly late (which gives me such anxiety as I hate being late) but the staff at Coco were lovely and accommodated us for our booking. The restaurant was located behind the Opera Theatre with beautiful surrounding buildings. We sat outside but there was lots of shade so the sun wasn’t a problem. Arlo had a bottle and slept straight away so Ryan and I were able to enjoy our lunch which was lovely.

We shared the burrata and beef carpaccio to start, I then had the cod with gnocchi and Ryan had the lamb chops. I have to say, it was one of the best meals I have had in a long time. The cod was cooked to perfection and the lemon butter gnocchi melted in my mouth! All of this was accompanied with a few glasses of rosé.

After lunch we headed for a little shop at Galleries Lafayette where I was spoilt with a little “Push Present” from Ryan and Arlo. As a result of Brexit, if you shop in Paris take your passport along with you and you are able to claim back up to 11.4% VAT as long as you request the required documents from the store and scan these at the Eurostar when you leave!

We headed back to the hotel to get Arlo settled down for bed. Ryan popped out to The Little Italy to get us take away pizza and a bottle of wine which we sat and ate on our terrace, it was the perfect end to the first day.

Day 2

On our second morning, we had breakfast at the hotel and then headed back down to Galleries Lafayette to the food court. They had so many stalls with so much variety of cheese, pastries, cakes, hams, olives, breads – you name it, they had it and everything was so fresh. We spent some time browsing the stalls and bought ourselves some bits for a picnic and then walked over to the Eiffel Tower for a picnic. The walk was around an hour which we didn’t mind as it was a lovely temperature and the weather was slightly overcast. I carried Arlo in the carrier most of the way (which my legs did not thank me for later in the day!)

After our picnic we walked along to the Champs Elysee and it has now become our tradition, when we are in Paris, to stop and have a drink in Le Fouquet. After drinks, we walked back to our hotel for a relatively early evening and Ryan headed out to The Little Italy again to get our dinner – honestly the pizza was that good!

Day 3

I think all of the walking from the previous day caught up with us as we didn’t get out of bed until 10.30am (save for a few feeds for Arlo). We sat out on the terrace for a coffee and a croissant before setting off on our walk to St Germaine as we had lunch booked at Les Deux Magots. It was my first time visiting the area of St Germaine and it was beautiful. There were so many cute and quirky bistros and shops around the area. Les Deux Magots was positioned on one street corner and on the adjacent corner was Cafe De Flores – famous for it’s feature in Emily in Paris!

The food at Les Deux Magots was lovely, hearty French food. I opted for the Croque Madame whilst Ryan had the seabass and we both ordered a pastry from the dessert trolley which were amazing!

Our final stop of the day was at Le Café Marly which is a lovely bar / restaurant situated in the grounds of the Louvre (Ryan and I ate here previously when we were in Paris on a wedmin-trip!). We met up with some friends from Dubai for some drinks before walking back to our hotel for yet another evening of pizza on the balcony.

Day 4

On our final morning, we decided to walk out to a cute café we had seen for breakfast called Triadou Haussmann and we had an amazing continental breakfast with croissants, eggs, ham, coffee, fresh orange juice – the full works. We also popped back into Galleries Lafayette so Ryan could have one final shop before heading home.

We decided to take a taxi back from our hotel to the train station which the hotel arranged for us and the driver was fully prepared with an infant car seat. We were lucky that when we arrived at Gare Du Nord the earlier Eurostar was delayed and they moved us onto the earlier train so we were straight onto the train and arrived back in England a few hours earlier than planned.

We absolutely loved our first city break with Arlo, we’re so lucky that he is such a chilled baby and just loves observing what’s happening around him. I’m sure he’s going to grow up loving to travel just as much as we do.

Versace Versace Versace

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Last year I booked a one night stay at the Palazzo Versace Hotel in Dubai for a relaxing girly weekend away with one of my friends. I managed to get a great rate on the hotel, booking a discounted “industry rate” as an Independent Travel Agent.

Besides from the road works on the way in, the entrance to the Versace Hotel is just as grand as you would expect. As you enter the hotel, you are greeted by the large Medusa head in mosaic tiles on the floor, the lobby is bright with high ceilings and coated in gold.

We reached the hotel early as we wanted to make use of the facilities and our room wasn’t quite ready, so we left our luggage with the reception staff and headed out to the pool.

Hotel Facilities

The hotel has a gorgeous spa, salon and gym that you can access as a hotel guest. It also has three pools, the Central and West Pools are family pools and the East Pool is an adults only pool. Outside guests are able to use the pools at a day rate of AED200 which is fully redeemable on food and beverage but access to all three pools is complimentary for in house guests.

As the hotel does not have it’s own beach, hotel guests are able to use the pool and beach at the Nikki Beach Resort and Spa in Dubai at a charge of AED300 minimum spend per adult and AED150 minimum spend per child.

We decided to head down to the East Pool (making the most of it being adult only) and started our day off with some cocktails whilst soaking up the sun. The East Pool had a good choice of food on the pool menu, which is served from La Piscina, so we stayed around the pool for some lunch as well.

Restaurants

There is a great selection of restaurants at the hotel from Italian, to Iranian to Continental you won’t be stuck for choice.

For dinner, we decided to book into Enigma which is the Iranian restaurant and we ordered a selection of the mixed grill, rice and breads. The food was great and the service was excellent. The restaurant has a special dish called “Meet the King of Persia” which the table next to us ordered. This consists of a slow cooked lamb rack and leg which is marinated in “the King’s secret recipe” and is brought out by several members of staff playing instruments and with the King of Persia presenting the food to the table. It was great to watch – I kind of wish we had eaten it too!

Our hotel booking included breakfast for two in Giardino which is the hotel’s buffet restaurant. It had a great selection for breakfast including an egg station, pancake and waffle station, fresh pastries, fresh fruits and teas and coffees.

After breakfast, we headed back down to the East Pool for another day in the sun. Overall, we had a lovely stay at the Versace hotel, it was perfect for a relaxing, girly weekend with a lot of cocktails, sun and nice food.

My Daycay at the Burj Al Arab

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So, even though this visit wasn’t technically a “staycay”, I recently spent the most amazing day at the luxurious, 7* Burj Al Arab hotel. The Burj Al Arab is Dubai’s most iconic hotel, located along Jumeirah Beach, next to the Jumeirah Beach Hotel – which is often referred to as “the Wave”. The Burj Al Arab is extremely exclusive with rooms being charged at a rate in excess of GBP2,000 per night! In order to even gain access to the hotel, you are required to have a booking at one of the restaurants, the beach club or the spa, otherwise you will not be allowed past the first security gate.

I am extremely grateful that my friend (and boss) treated me to a relaxing spa day and afternoon tea experience as a “baby shower” day and my last day at work before heading off on maternity leave. I have visited the Burj Al Arab previously for dinner in the hotel’s buffet restaurant, Bab al Yam, which is located on the first floor, and also to visit the beach club, Sal, which is located at the backside of the hotel but doesn’t require entrance to the main hotel. I was, therefore, very excited to spend some time inside the hotel itself.

Talise Spa at the Burj Al Arab

The Talise Spa is located on the 18th floor of the Burj Al Arab and from the moment you are welcomed at the spa’s reception, you are treated like royalty. Whilst completing our questionnaires before the treatment we were given a hot towel and fresh ginger tea which was lovely.

I had called in advance to confirm which treatment I would be able to have – as I was 37 weeks pregnant at the time. Unfortunately, I was not able to have the prenatal massage so I opted for the Moroccan Organic Facial which was not on the spa menu but came recommended by the therapist as being suitable for pregnancy as they use only organic, natural products.

The spa is separated into a female-only area and a unisex area which also contains the male changing facilities. We headed through the female changing rooms and were provided with our lockers which contained the softest slippers and robe – I felt like I was wearing a cloud. I was taken up to the room for my treatment and was blown away by the view. The female treatments rooms over look the Palm Jumeirah and have an amazing view of the Dubai Marina as well.

The treatment was so relaxing and my skin felt amazing. After the treatment, we changed into our swimwear and headed through to the unisex pool for a swim and some relaxation.

Afternoon Tea

Following our extremely relaxing morning, we headed down to Sahn Eddar which is the restaurant located in the hotel lobby on level 1. Previously, the Afternoon Tea was served in the Sky Bar, however, the hotel has recently changed the location of the Afternoon Tea as the Sky Bar is now only open from 6pm each day.

Sahn Eddar was a beautiful setting for Afternoon Tea as the lobby is very bright with high ceilings and a view out towards the Jumeirah Beach Hotel and the Souk Madinat. We sat down just before the Afternoon Tea was due to start and ordered the gold-leaf Cappuccinos because, why not?

The Afternoon Tea consisted of four courses, starting with shredded Alaskan King Crab with Caviar and pancakes – although I skipped the Caviar – followed by a selection of four finger sandwiches which were plated and served to us individually. The next course consisted of a selection of tarts, pastries and biscuits which were divine. They were served on tiered plates that were shaped like the Burj al Arab itself which was a lovely touch.

The final course, my favourite, was a selection of warm scones with fresh cream and jam. I could only just about finish mine as I was extremely full by this point. Throughout the afternoon we could have unlimited drinks such as teas and coffees and as we had the non-alcoholic package it also included a sparkling juice.

We left the Burj Al Arab at around 5pm after a long, relaxing day of luxury and feeling extremely stuffed from our lovely Afternoon Tea.