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A Guide to Flying With Children

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sainsburys-flying-with-chilPlanning a family holiday can cause a lot of headaches, especially if it’s your first one. When it comes to flying with children there’s a lot to think about with regards to flying essentials and luggage allowance.

To make your journey as stress-free as possible it’s important to take a few basics with you. Depending on your child’s age, spare clothes may be needed, blankets for warmth or a favourite toy for comfort if your child is nervous about flying. Entertainment is a must when flying with children – an electronic device with their favourite tv show or game, a colouring book, or information on your holiday destination so they can learn some of the local language and culture, could help them keep content when travelling.

As a general guide you’re allowed to carry a bag of supplies for the flight as well as a fully collapsible pushchair or car seat for infants up to 2 years old. Children over 2 are entitled to same luggage allowance as you. It’s best to check with your airline before flying.

We are delighted to present more helpful advice in this Sainsbury’s Bank guide to flying with children.

Complimentary Childcare at Mousses Villas, Greece

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Visit Lefkada with Simpson Travel this September and October and benefit from complimentary childcare at their popular Mousses Crèche and Children’s Club.

Simpson Travel Mousses Villas

September and October are the perfect months for a family holiday with young children. The peak season crowds have eased, the sun is much gentler on delicate baby skin and the towns and beaches much less daunting for nervous toddlers on one of their first trips abroad.

On the idyllic Greek island of Lefkada lie the Mousses Villas and Simpson Travel’s Crèche and Children’s Club. A unique cluster of self-catering villas with a large shared pool and restaurant on-site plus a friendly team of highly trained British nannies. Here the grown-ups can relax and enjoy some well-deserved me-time in the knowledge that the little ones are having an equally enjoyable time in a safe and fun environment.

Mousses Creche LefkadaNearby Lefkada town is colourful and buggy-friendly, with relaxed tavernas and plenty of ice cream parlours, as well as the odd toy shop. Within walking distance or a quick hop in the car, the beautiful beaches of Ai Yiannis and Milos are perfect in the late afternoons when the sea is wonderfully calm.

For September and October, Simpson Travel is offering a week’s complimentary half-day childcare for every child subject to availability (five half-day sessions in total, worth up to £170 per child). Prices in October start at £468 per person based on 4 people sharing.

Don’t forget to quote ‘TwoPointMoreChildren’ and you’ll benefit from an additional £50 off the total package price – contact Simpson Travel on 020 8392 5858.

Simpson Travel is a family-run, award-winning tour operator with an industry heritage spanning over 30 years. With two generations part of the Simpson Travel team – founder Graham Simpson and his two sons -, the team has plenty of experience in providing holidays for families. Mousses’ unique concept of self-catering villas with on-site childcare is just another example of the company’s commitment to happy family holidays.

For more information on the complimentary childcare offer at Mousses Villas or to book, please contact Simpson Travel on 020 8392 5858.

Most Affordable Family Vacation Spots in the US

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Family travel can be overwhelming, both planning-wise and budget-wise. However, it doesn’t mean that you need to spend thousands of pounds or plan months ahead for a family holiday to push through.

In case you’ve been mulling on taking a trip somewhere, here are just some of the favourite and affordable destinations the whole family will surely enjoy:

Yellowstone National Park

“Spread across nearly 3,500 square miles and home to some 60 animal species and almost half of the world’s geysers, visitors could explore Yellowstone National Park for weeks and not see everything in the country’s first national park,” CNN wrote. The Yellowstone National Park has been chosen as the Top US Spot for Family Fun last March. “Parents seem to agree the park in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming is a don’t-miss spot in the United States,” CNN said.

Grand Canyon

The Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona landed fourth in the aforementioned list of CNN according to a survey by FamilyFun Magazine. Your flight to Arizona will arrive at one of the lovely desert cities like Phoenix or Tucson and from there you can visit the magnificent Grand Canyon above Flagstaff, one of the true wonders of the natural world. With magnificent sights and overwhelming aura, the canyon is truly awe-inspiring. However, its worldwide popularity does not affect its affordability. Arizona’s natural gem allows families to explore an amazing natural wonder at a very low price.

Myrtle Beach

Included in Fox News’ 10 affordable last-minute summer vacations, South Carolina’s Myrtle Beach is a haven for families who are time-constrained but still want to take that short trip to take a plunge. “Myrtle Beach’s miles of sand, wildly popular boardwalk, charter fishing expeditions, and Ripley’s Aquarium (where you can get nose-to-nose with sharks) will keep you busy while the sun shines, and its world-class eateries roll out an irresistible southern-style welcome with local micro-brews, seafood buffets, and oceanfront tables,” Fox News said.

 

Family Friendly Self-Catering Holidays in Spain

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As summer nears, many people await for their long awaited summer vacations. Some will take their families on these vacations as a reward for many months of hard work and dedication, which all of them have done throughout the year, whether at work or in school. One of the most popular destinations in the world is the great country of Spain. Many tourists flock to this amazing nation because of its different cultural ambiance and great people that reside there. There are varieties of activities that the whole family can do while they are on holiday in Spain.

One of the first activities everyone can do as soon as they get there is to check out their excellent dining alternatives. A few of the famous cuisines that you can try are the “tortilla Espanola,” “gazpacho,” “Spanish seafood rice,” “Spanish ham” and the “Spanish pork sausage.” You will be able to find these delicious dishes in most of the restaurants on your vacation.

If you are visiting Madrid, then you have to dine at the Restaurante La Favorita. This restaurant offers excellent service and is perfect if you are self-catering for the entire trip. You can also stop by Restaurante El Septimo, which will serve you some of its flawless desserts. Stop by the Restaurante Arzak located in San Sebastian, so that you can enjoy their exquisite dining cuisines as well. All of these great choices in restaurants will surely give you great service and delicious meals at affordable prices.

Aside from fine dining, the sights and sounds of this great country are also great features to explore when you are on holiday. You can begin by visiting the Cave of Altamira, which contains the Paleolithic Cave Art of Northern Spain. Next, you can visit the Old Town of Segovia and its Aqueduct while you enjoy the community of Castile and Leon. There, you will be able to appreciate some of this country’s amazing heritage and history.

You will also find many outdoor activities that you can enjoy. Spain is known for the great sport of bullfighting and is perfect for taking the entire family to see a classic bullfight. Make sure to take a walk along the beautiful beaches while you are visiting this magnificent land. You can go to La Concha Beach in San Sebastian, Playa de Las Catedrales in Galicia, Playa del Silencio located in Asturias and the Beaches of Sitges, which is situated in Catalonia near Barcelona.

In the end, Spain is definitely the place to holiday in for anyone that enjoys a little culture and adventure. You can save a lot of money if you decide to stay in a hotel that doesn’t offer catering. Self-catering can really add up on the bill of the hotel and the savings you will make can enable you to take your loved ones to many of the restaurants. Rest assured that you will have the time of your life on your long awaited holiday vacation.

My Travelling Nanny: A Unique Holiday Childcare Service

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My Travelling NannyFamily holidays, as well as being an opportunity to spend quality time with your children, are an essential  breathing space, and a break  from the constant pressures of juggling family life with work commitments and deadlines.

However, children, far from wanting to relax and take in the view, are often at their most active and curious in a new environment, with the added attractions (and dangers) of a beach or pool on their doorstep.  More vigilance is necessary from parents, as well as high energy levels, at a time when re-charging batteries, and enjoying a slower pace of life for a short spell, is high on their list.

A little help can go a long way.  An extra pair of hands and eyes are all that is needed to transform a holiday into a proper break.  Someone to help with the suncreaming, to keep an eye on the baby while you build sandcastles with your toddler, to help out at bathtime and bedtime, and someone familiar to babysit, so that you can have some evenings out with minimum stress.

My Travelling Nanny with childrenHoliday Nannies are becoming an increasingly popular add-on to a family holiday.  Moreover, instead of choosing yet another child-friendly resort or hotel, a villa holiday becomes a realistic possibility, with your own childcare on board.

My Travelling Nanny, run by mother and daughter team Linda and Michaela, can match you with a holiday nanny to suit your needs.  They personally interview, vet and reference-check each nanny.  Families also interview any potential candidates, and make the final decision as to their suitability.

My Travelling Nanny with childrenThe service is friendly, efficient, with a painless booking procedure.  The holiday  nanny travels with the family, thereby being able to form bonds with the children even before arrival at the holiday destination.  And of course this makes for a much more stress-free journey, whether you are flying or driving.

My Travelling Nanny provides holiday nannies to suit every pocket, and there is a lot of flexibility so that families can decide how much childcare help they want, as well as whether they want a Standard Nanny or a Qualified/Experienced Nanny.

This new and innovative Agency has achieved success and commendations in business competitions for young entrepreneurs, and has numerous testimonials and repeat bookings which speak for themselves.

To book your own Holiday Nanny visit http://www.mytravellingnanny.co.uk, or Tel: 020 8133 3126.

Family Villa Holidays

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If your family holiday requires greater flexibility, space or freedom than a hotel can offer you, a villa holiday may be just the thing for you.

A villa family holiday will provide you with some of the creature comforts from home and often this will include the luxury of a bedroom for each member of the family, living space in which to relax and a fully-fitted kitchen for the preparation of meals to suit your family without having to select items from a menu that doesn’t really cater for your children.

Many villas will come equipped with a private or communal pool – if your children are very small then check that there are security gates to prevent access to the pool area before you book.

A villa holiday will often mean freedom to explore the local area, so make sure you have booked a rental car with sufficient space for your passengers and luggage – you would be surprised how often the latter part gets overlooked!

Portugal and Floria are tremendous destinations for a villa holiday, with a large selection of properties and activities.

The All-Inclusive debate

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The decision by First Choice, part of the TUI group of travel companies, to offer All Inclusive on all of its holidays has sparked an intense debate about the ethics of All Inclusive basis – but for the demanding family holiday market, is All Inclusive an attractive proposition?

Many parents have experienced the frustration of meal times where children are confronted with unfamiliar offerings which they simply refuse to eat – which may even be what at first glance is unadventurous but doesn’t resemble the same dish served up at home. Whilst parents want their children to try different things, spending copious amounts of cash on their young ones gastronimic adventure is not an option – and isn’t practical when sitting in a restaurant having already been served.

All Inclusive family holiday fayre is typically served up buffet style, particularly where the hotel or resort offers more than one restaurant, and this does at leat provide a safeguard against the scenario described above with returning for a second choice dish available – an additional upside is that children can gain an element of independence by being given responsibility to choose their own food and with a guiding hand from a parent can be a little more adventurous too.

Luxury hotels offering All Inclusive often provide for a variety of tasts with a la carte restaurants complementing the buffet, typically at a supplement but occasionally holidaymakers will be allowed one or more night in an a la carte – so those on the family holiday who wish to dine in relaxed surroundings may do so.

So the benefits of All Inclusive family holidays are there for those who need them. However, the disadvantage of the All Inclusive offering, as argued by some of First Choice’s critics, is that it is damaging for the local traders, particularly restaurateurs and coffee shops – let us not forget that many popular resorts have developed rapidly and intelligently thanks to money brought in to the local region through increasing tourism. Critics have noted that, for example, in Turkey alone Thomas Cook offer 135 All Inclusive properties and that alternatives to this are diminishing (see this article in Travel Weekly). Indeed the concept of All Inclusive resorts means that guests have little incentive to leave the hotel, potentially damaging further elements of the local trade who rely on holidaymaker to purchase their products.

Ultimately the decision to go for an All Inclusive family holiday will depend on personal circumstances and whilst the decision by First Choice has attracted its critics, for those who desire the benefits of All Inclusive there are some luxury hotels who fulfil this desire very well. Our recommendations can be reviewed here.

‘Smart’ value holidays launched by Kuoni

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Luxury family holiday operator Kuoni has launched a range of great quality, great value holidays under their new ‘Smart’ banner, comprising a selection of 3- and 4-star hotels at tremendous prices.

Starting prices include a £349 per person three-day holiday in Rome and extend into deals in Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, the Caribbean, the Far East and India.

The approach by Kuoni is to populate its ‘Smart’ range with holidays featuring hotels in wonderful locations, but without the luxurious trimmings to keep the prices down. The range features hotels to suit every famiy holiday demand, including All Inclusive in Sharm el Sheikh and rustic Italian beauty in Sorrento.

Click below to visit the Kuoni website and view the Kuoni Smart range:

May Half-Term Family Holidays

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The school holidays arrive and whilst you set about enjoying whatever plans you have for Easter, thoughts invariably turn to planning the next family break. The summer half term holiday is a great opportunity to enjoy some sunshine and although you might be too pressed for time to enjoy the Caribbean (please do take the opportunity if your children are younger); the Mediterranean is at its best, gloriously warm but without the scorching heat and crowds of July and August.

We love Greece at this time of year and would recommend you take a look at the fabulous family friendly resort of Sani where there are a range of accommodation options from the luxurious Sani Asterias Suites to the Sani Beach Hotel. Similarly Crete is another fantastic location for a relaxing family break and at the moment Tots Too are offering 50% off a second room when staying at the Porto Elounda Deluxe so if you’re looking for a family holiday with plenty of space this is superb hotel.

If you are looking to stay closer to home then there are some great options in the UK too.  Haven are offering  up to £100 off for families staying during the May half-term break and with free treats for both kids and grown- ups, you are almost guaranteed a relaxing break.  

If you are looking for something slower-paced, perhaps a scenic break in the Cotswolds, then try a short break at one of the Four Pillars hotels where children stay and eat for free and dinner. Bed and breakfast rates start from a little as £46.40 per person per night when enjoying a 5 night stay. We have stayed at Tortworth Court on a few occasions and enjoyed the pool and spa facilities, whilst taking the opportunity to explore all that the beautiful countryside has to offer. 

If you would like any help in exploring the opportunities for the May Half-Term holiday then please contact us!

Our Family Holiday travel partners

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We wanted to provide a resource where you can seek out your perfect family holiday, be it a weekend trip or the safari trek of a lifetime.

Let us be clear – we are not Travel Agents, so we are not bonded. We also wouldn’t dream of selling you a product from any holiday or flight provider who isn’t protected either, and we had a near-disaster of our own when XL went bust, having paid for our flights with a debit card and returning home just days before the collapse.

Our suppliers are all well-known and reputable.  When you purchase a trip you have found with Two Point More Children you are entering into a contract with one of those suppliers so you can relax in the knowledge that your money is safe.

So whether you require pampering in a luxurious spa resort or wish to spend hours splashing the days away with your children in our pool, look no further than our recommended suppliers from the list to the right – or leave it up to us with our exclusive, free Family Holiday Finder service and we will point you in the direction of the perfect family holiday!