Valentine’s Day falls on a Tuesday this year. Do you care about this little fact? I don’t care what day it falls on, as like New Years Eve, we usually stay in! It’s far less cringe having a good bottle of plonk and and a takeaway than sitting in a row of couples facing each other under intense pressure to make it the most romantic dinner EVER… I would much prefer a little getaway for a couple of days instead (ha – of course I would!) with or without the kids, but seeing as Valentine’s Day falls in half term, it’s with the kids!
Below are 4 hotels that are part of the Luxury Family Hotel group that have wonderful packages to get away with the kids at half term.
Polurrian Bay Hotel, Cornwall
Polurrian Bay Hotel provides a perfect coastal setting to appeal to all star-crossed parents and their little cherubs.
What’s special about it?
This luxury family hotel is perched on the cliffs of the Lizard Peninsula, one of Cornwall’s most dramatic coastlines. The hotel boasts a boutique seaside style, with sea-view lounges and restaurants, chic rooms and contemporary family rooms. On Valentine’s Day children can enjoy Valentine craft activities in the hotel’s OFSTED registered Den.
The fun continues with PJs on and a special screening of a family movie in the hotel’s cinema room accompanied by lashings of hot chocolate and marshmallows. For the very little ones who will not be taking part in Den activities parents can make use of the hotel’s baby listening service.
As part of the Valentine’s package, parents will be able to tuck into a two-course gourmet dinner served each night during their stay. The highlight will be a special menu prepared by the hotel’s chef for Valentine’s night. And to make the most of the romantic evening, the hotel has organised for its Den team (aka Cupid’s helpers), to provide an early morning pick up service for the children on the Wednesday. The Den Team will serve them breakfast while mum and dad get the chance of a lie in or a leisurely breakfast together the morning after. Bliss!
What’s special about it?
Perched on the cliffs amongst 12 acres of landscaped gardens, with stunning views across Mounts Bay and the Atlantic Ocean on Cornwall’s Lizard Peninsula, the Polurrian Bay Hotel is the ultimate family seaside hotel with its own private beach with public access and has scooped numerous awards in the last 12 months.
It also has an indoor pool which is perfect for these cooler months! (Did I mention the outdoor one too?)
The rooms to request:
Whether you choose sea views, a spacious family room, or its two-bedroomed self-catering cottage, the hotel has got the perfect accommodation to suit every family’s needs and even welcomes pet pooches.
With two en-suite bedrooms connected by a private corridor, the family suites are often the first to get snapped up. Guests can choose from a Superior Sea View or Inland Facing suite.
The Package :
Children up to the age of 16 stay free in their parents’ room and pay for all meals taken and complimentary 1 x two hour childcare per day in the hotel’s OFSTED registered crèche.
Rates from £690 for a three-night break in a family room.
Fowey Hall, Fowey, Cornwall
Everyone falls in love with Fowey. I fell in love with it when I visited when we were first married and would love to take the kids back. It is a pretty sailing town and has become a Cornwall hot spot due to its stunning location, quirky shops and cafes, and its gorgeous scenery.
What’s special about it?
Fowey Hall is a grand Queen Anne mansion thought to be the original inspiration for Toad Hall in The Wind in the Willows. Its welcoming, unpretentious atmosphere makes it feel more like a friend’s country retreat, where kids can roam freely and parents can unwind.
Fowey Hall makes an ideal location for a romantic Valentine’s weekend combined with a fun family break this half term. The hotel’s nannies offer a Mary Poppins breakfast club for little ones on Valentine’s Day morning so parents can enjoy some quality time together, catch up on sleep, and treat themselves to breakfast in bed with the papers.
The room to request:
Family rooms in the main house are often the most popular. Sleeping two adults and two children or infants, these provide a separate room for little ones and are ideal for families who like a bit more privacy while not compromising on luxury and comfort.
Fowey Hall’s spa boasts a fantastic range of relaxing and luxurious treatments designed to pamper and refresh guests from top to toe using Elemis products. Treatments to request include the Visible brilliance facial, the perfect pre-occasion treatment helps smooth, firm, plump and restore radiance (1 hour 15 minutes for Mon-Thurs £60, Fri-Sun £70).
The Package
Three nights stay including a two-course dinner, bed and breakfast from £900 for a family room.
Children up to the age of 16 stay free in their parents’ room and pay for all meals taken and complimentary 1 x two hour childcare per day in the hotel’s OFSTED registered crèche.
Woolley Grange, Bradford on Avon
Woolley Grange is an elegant Jacobean Manor House hotel, built from soft Bath stone and set in 14 acres of beautiful gardens.
What’s special about it?
The interior of the hotel has been designed by Carole Taylor and is a great combination of classic style with more contemporary pieces. Elegant chaise longue and chairs sit alongside deep, comfortable leather sofas, and traditional artwork alongside the specially commissioned, contemporary prints by Judy Willoughby.
Feeling more like a house than a hotel, there are plenty of areas in which families can relax, from sofas in front of the roaring log fire in the winter, to the library-come-cinema room.
The room to request:
The fabulous Hayloft Suite has spacious rooms and triple aspect views over the courtyard.
The Package:
Bed and Breakfast rates are from £250 per night for a family room (based on two adults and one child sharing).
Children up to the age of 16 stay free in their parents’ room and pay for all meals taken and complimentary 1 x two hour childcare per day in the hotel’s OFSTED registered crèche.
Thornbury Castle, Cotswolds
This is a chance for you and your family to step back in time and stay in this extraordinary Tudor Castle. It will be a massive education for the kids! (This one is suitable for children 9 and over!) The hotel is utter luxury combining 500-year-old architecture with sumptuous facilities and a romantic backdrop that will melt any frost bitten fingers.
What’s special about it?
This is a hotel steeped in history, surrounded by unspoiled grounds and abutting the lovely landscape of the Cotswolds. Add to that a restaurant that developed a Michelin-starred reputation in the 1970s, drawing stars from all over the world to dine there, and now where couples can dine in peace and privacy (there is a sitters service if you want to be alone) next to a roaring fire.
The rooms to request:
The Tower Suite! This suite is at the top of the tower in the South Wing and is reached via a spiral staircase of 77 circular stone steps (the hotel staff will carry your luggage!). The huge four- poster bed, sumptuous Tudor furnishings and stunning views across Gloucestershire make this, quite literally, the top suite in the castle. Another of the hotel’s most popular rooms is The Dukes Bedchamber. This is the actual room slept in by Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn during their honeymoon in 1535 and overlooks the oldest Tudor gardens in England. The room boasts an open fireplace, four poster bed and an en-suite bathroom.
The Package:
Three-course a la Carte dinner on your first evening
Five-course special Valentine’s dinner with classic guitar entertainment on Saturday evening
Two glasses of champagne on arrival
A box of hand-made truffles
Rates from £650 for a two-night break.
How to book these fab family friendly hotels…
More information and booking is available at www.luxuryfamilyhotels.co.uk or telephone the Central Reservations team on 0844 482 2152
Let me know if you go – I won’t be (too) jealous!
