Reviews

Looking for a Handy Portable Travel Car Seat? Try mifold!

August 31, 2018 by Christine Leger

Portable Car Seat For Travel

Found yourself planning a vacation and realize you need to rent a car? Or hire a taxi? How will the little ones legally sit in the car?

You can rent a car seat from the dealership (heaven knows how often they have been cleaned, if they have expired, or been in an accident), you can request the taxi have an appropriate car seat and pray they know what they are doing, or you check your own car seat at let it be at the mercy of the luggage handlers. Personally, I think all of these options suck.

Why would I spend $15/day renting a car seat, or truck mine all the way across the world, just to be used 2 times during our entire vacation? Other than for safety, of course. The mifold is the answer travelling families have been waiting for. Store this little contraption in your carry-on bag and you are gold! It weighs 1.6lb (750g), about the same as a small bottle of water.

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How is it possible for mifold to be 10x smaller and just as safe?

A regular booster lifts a child to be in a position of an adult. mifold does exactly the opposite… instead of lifting the child up, it holds the seatbelt down.

Who can use the MiFold compact car seat?

According to mifold themselves, the booster seat is designed for ages 4+. USA: children from 40 Ibs to 100lbs. EU: children from 15kg and up to the height of 150cm. Specific regulations differ by country and could be based on age, weight, height or a combination of these.

The mifold conforms to or exceeds regulations in Canada, China, Taiwan, South Korea, USA, and Chile.

How does it work?

Being a portable car seat, it is quite easy to use. Our advice is to try it at home before you travel so you know where the leg guides are and how the seat belt fits. You can also view the video below, which goes into more depth on how the MiFold works.

Is this the best travel car seat?

We can’t say if it is the best, but it certainly is great for family travel or for using in a taxi etc. Being so lightweight and compact means it is a great travel essential for children. Checking your booster seat isn’t always safe and renting one is about as expensive as buying a new seat on each vacation. With the mifold, you have the peace of mind knowing that your child is safe and comfortable and without compromise.

If you are looking for a portable car seat for travel then we would advise looking at the MiFold as an option. We do tend to use high back booster seats during long travels, as they offer more neck and head support when they eventually fall asleep, and they always fall asleep, but for the odd short distance car journey, we will definitely use the MiFold travel booster car seat.

Your Thoughts...

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Regalo My Travel Cot – Review

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Regalo My Travel Cot – Review

June 27, 2018 by Christine Leger

Regalo My Travel Cot

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Lots drop some Travel Cot Details!

The Regalo My Cot child size portable travel cot is super for sleepovers, camping, vacation, and daycare. The Portable Bed durable all steel constructed frame has a reinforced canvas bed liner and washable matching sheet. This is the perfect cot for sleepovers, outings, traveling, camping, day care or lounging around the house. It is incredibly quick and easy to set up and fold down. It folds down to a fraction of its set up size for complete portability. This travel cot comes with a convenient carry case. The lightweight design comes in a sturdy, all steel frame construction.

When we say easy to set up, we aren’t kidding. My 5 year old habitually sets it up and takes it down on his own.

Lightweight Children’s Travel Cot for Easy Travel

An essential item for travel, sleepovers, nap time, and camping, the Regalo My Cot Portable Bed provides a safe, comfortable alternative to your child’s bed at home. The portable, lightweight cot includes a convenient carry case and sets up and folds down in seconds. Parents can rest assured that this portable children’s cot meets all current safety standards, thanks to its sturdy all-steel frame and a durable canvas bed liner.

Whether your child is staying over at grandma’s house or taking a nap at daycare, the My Cot Portable Bed provides an ideal place to rest. The portable bed folds compactly for travel and stores easily into its fabric carry case. Weighing just four pounds, this bed quickly sets up whenever and wherever you need it. Plus, it can be used in outdoor settings, such as picnics at the park or a day at the beach.

Portable and Easy to Clean

The portable bed measures 48 inches long, 26 inches wide, and provides a 7 inch clearance from the ground. It’s ideal for use with children ages 2 to 5 years old that weigh up to 75 pounds and are less than 52 inches tall. When closed, this little guy is only 24″ long 8″ wide and 4″ deep.

The cot cover is machine washable, so it’s quick and easy to clean after each use. The bed liner can be wiped down with a cloth and warm, soapy water. For added comfort, think of adding a crib duvet between the liner and the cot cover.

The Regalo My Cot Portable Bed (Royal Blue) is backed by a limited, 90-day warranty.

Your Thoughts...

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Greifensteiner Hof hotel Review – Wurzburg, Germany

March 11, 2018 by Christine Leger

Wurzburg hotel review. Family friendly hotel option in Wurzburg Germany. Greifensteiner Hof

The best hotel in Wurzburg

Driving all the way to Nuremberg in one day, while keeping our sanity, was looking more and more impossible as the day grew nearer. Hubby had the great idea of stopping “halfway” in order to give us all a break and ease into this vacation.

This choice was Würzburg and when he said he had picked the perfect hotel, he wasn’t kidding.

Location

Location was perfect! I couldn’t have asked for a better hotel.

We missed our turn a few times but the GPS kept telling us to make the next right, so not all was lost. I hate when you miss one turn and you practically have to circle the city to try again. All roads lead to our hotel, apparently.

Once we found it, parking was simple. We checked in, offloaded our gear and made our day pack ready for exploring the city in December. We took one look out of our hotel window and bam! Christmas market! Right there! It was insane

We came back around 7 pm, the kids were getting tired and cold. Hubby helped me bring them upstairs, get them ready for bed and popped back downstairs for a snack.

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Transit

Everything is walking distance from the hotel. Literally everything. So while we never used public transit, we did see lots of trams and buses drive by us as we walked along the streets, so that’s good news.

Facilities

We only stayed the one night, but the parking situation was pretty calm. Every car was packed into a little space, double even triple parking. Leave the spare key with the reception and away you go. We parked behind a delivery truck and the next morning, our car was moved to the side street while he unloaded and moved on. It was back in its previous spot when we were done exploring the city.

Side note, they allowed us to leave the car, without additional charge, after we checked out. Since check-in isn’t until 3 pm, I imagine there wasn’t a high demand for our spot at noon.

This "All About Germany" booklet can be used for a very basic country study in lower elementary grades! Each page contains a basic fact and related illustration. All graphics are in an outline format so that it's ready to be colored like a mini-coloring book. This coloring booklet gives all the general/basic information about Germany, including: -German flag -the capital city of Berlin -Popular foods - Architecture -favorite facts

Rooms

The room was great. Or I should say, the rooms were great, plural. Since we booked this the night before, there wasn’t much left in terms of options. We ended up booking two rooms; one with a double bed and one with a single bed. The single room went to the boys and munchkin brought up his cot. I had the double room and co-slept with the baby.

The kids enjoyed having a room to themselves. I enjoyed not being woken up at 5 am and asked every 10minutes if it was 6 o’clock yet. Being alone with the baby meant she could wake when she wanted to. And she didn’t want to until 7 am. Hubby, on the other hand, can sleep through war (whereas the baby is a very sensitive sleeper). Once the munchkin jumped up at 5 am, he was handed a tablet and all was good in that room. Perfect accommodation scenario to start off the vacation.

Breakfast

Breakfast was cute. It is not included on the reservation but since we didn’t want to hunt down a cafe on Monday morning, we added it to the bill.

Regular breakfast options such as eggs, bacon, yogurt, juice, and breads were served. The kids got to pick it out themselves and they were happy with their choices. They each grabbed an apple on the way out, for a snack later. Who can say no to that?

Bottom line

This hotel is by far, my absolute favorite Christmas market hotel. It was so easy to get to by car, and the location itself is perfect for walking around the city. Just amazing.

Your Thoughts...

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Best Kids Camera For Your Next Family Vacation

November 3, 2017 by Christine Leger

Why you need a kids camera for your next vacation!

There are many reasons why your kid wants a camera while on vacation; experience the location, copy mom and dad as they take images, free souvenirs, amongst other things. But should you give the kids a camera? They are kids, after all, they’ll just break it or lose it.

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Curious – children are naturally curious about the world. They want to explore the world like we do, and capture those images for a later date
Individuality – being allowed to control their own entertainment is important to kids. They want to be in charge and since I believe in picking my battles, having a simple kids camera on hand makes it that much easier.
No “photography rules” – unlike adults, kids don’t care about photography rules. They don’t even care if the photo turns out or not, they just like the act of taking a picture.
Accessible – no need to read or write. Kids don’t need to be able to know much in order to use a simple digital camera. Just point and shoot and away they go.
Instant gratification – while I don’t generally preach “instant gratification”, showing the children that their hard work has paid off – they learned the functions of the camera, found an image-worthy subject, aimed and held the camera still long enough to capture the picture. Now they can see their work on the screen, to be saved for years to come.
Observation skills – children have a way of noticing things that adults may miss. Intricate patterns in the stone, for example, or the various shoes fellow travelers are sporting that day. Being that much lower to the ground has a way of changing a persons perspective of the world.

Best Digital Cameras for Kids

Camera	Megapixels	Weight	Rating
VTech Kidizoom Camera Pix	2.0	7.7 ounces	4.3
BIBENE Digital Video Camera	5	0.3 ounces	4.8
Koowoo Kids Camera	12	Lightweight	5
Kidz Digital Camera	0.3	5.6 ounces	2.6
VTech Kidizoom DUO Camera	2	13.8 ounces	4.4
Powpro Kfun PP-J52 Underwater Action Camera	5	9.1 ounces	4.4
Bonna Student camera	21	9.6 ounces	4
Discovery Kids USB Compatible Digital Camera	0.3	17.6 ounces	3.5
Fujifilm Instax Mini 9 Instant Camera	60mm f/12.7 Lens	10 ounces	4.6
VTech Kidizoom Action Cam	0.3	9.6 ounces	4

Types of Kids Cameras

Kids Underwater Camera

It’s the perfect travel companion, ready to capture all your adventures and fun selfies – even under water. Rugged, compact, and lightweight, it goes anywhere and can handle every challenging journey, from the bumpiest, dustiest desert road tour to underwater selfies amid the coral reefs.

Pro: Since they are waterproof, they can be taken on many more adventures and no one has to worry about the camera’s functionality afterward. Also, this means parents don’t need to be afraid of the toddlers dropping their camera in the tub or a mud puddle while they take practice pictures.

Con: The housing can leave audio files a little “tinny”, or sounding boxed in. Unless the camera can come out of the waterproof housing for non-water based pictures, there is no way around this feature. However, cameras with an external housing have a risk of leaking, even if that risk is small, compared to a camera that is solid waterproof.

The Ivation Underwater Shockproof Digital Camera is another example of a fully waterproof, droppable camera.

Practice Camera

Pro: Allows kids to learn the various functions of a camera; pressing buttons, centering the image, posing the subject, and being responsible with their property, without costing a small fortune should something happen to it. Training wheels for digital photography.

Con: The quality of the images is something to be desired and may put off a child from photography. These cameras are not meant for older kids, as they are more about the quality of their work, instead of the act of taking photos and doing the same as mom and dad.

Video Cameras for Kids

Pro: I also advocate for multipurpose products. If I can get 1 product that does the same as 2 or 3, why not? Practice photography and videography at the same time, without having to buy a separate unit.

Con: Because it can do more, these units tend to cost more than a standard practice camera. There are also a few more options for the children to learn, so it is best recommended for the older kids as they will be less likely to be frustrated with so many options.

Don’t forget to grab an SD Card, from here, or some batteries, found here. Not all cameras come with these accessories and having a spare isn’t always a bad thing.

Best Kids Camera Reviews

VTech Kidizoom Camera Pix- Best First Camera For Kids

One of the great features is auto-detect; just turn the camera to take a picture of yourself and it will automatically detect faces for a perfect selfie! I love the audible electronic shutter sound that plays when a photo is taken. It’s a good indicator for the kids on when they can move the camera. I could do without the games programmed into this, though. It is a little distracting for the in-between kids – old enough to figure out how to use it but too young to ignore it when it’s time to focus on picture-taking.

When editing a photo, the original photo is preserved and your edited version is a new, separate photo. I was after a camera that wouldn’t immediately break and with few enough buttons that the kids would be able to operate them without throwing off settings. This definitely fits that bill. We have even bought it for a few friends on their kids’ birthday; it’s always a hit when we host play dates. We’ve owned ours for 2 years and it’s still going strong.

Check out the latest prices here

BIBENE – Best Digital Camera For Kids

This item is great for a toddler. The size of it makes it easier for little hands to hold. It is also difficult to break, which is a huge pro since it will probably be dropped several times. The only thing that I wish was a bit different, is for the button to be in a different location. It is a bit awkward for them to push. You can download the photo’s onto a computer anytime to make more room but they can still take many photos with a 32G SD card

Check out the latest prices here

Koowoo – Best Underwater Camera For Kids

Deemed one of the best waterproof cameras for kids as outdoor gifts for those that are adventurous, surfers, snowboarders, for swimming, diving, and breaching. As a waterproof, dustproof, drop-proof camera, it is practically indestructible, which is perfect for little hands that tend to drop just about anything, pretty much anywhere you don’t want it to be dropped.

This camera is more than a toy. The colour was bright so great for kids – and it doesn’t look like those cheap toys we usually see for kids. It comes with the camera itself, lanyard, USB cable and the manual. Note: It requires 2 AAA batteries and an SD card which are not included.

Check out the latest prices here

Kidz Digital Camera- Best Cheap Camera For Kids

The screen is a bit small but my 3-year-old does not mind. It does not take a lot of pictures – maybe 75 or so, but it is perfect for little children who just want a camera to play and practice with. It can double as a webcam on your computer, which is great for communicating with loved ones, not on vacation with you.

Digital Concepts camera allows you to take up to 75 quick photos to go and shoots video clips. Simply plug the digital camera back into the USB port and download and edit your photos. The camera includes a neck strap, PhoTags Express photo editing software for fun and cool pictures.

This camera, unlike the others in this list, does not protect from dropping and is not waterproof. It is a real “adult” camera, but smaller and less expensive. Overall this product is not the best camera out there but it served its purpose for the price.

Check out the latest prices here

VTech Kidizoom- Best Tough Camera For Kids

Great for older and younger kids.

Bought two – one for each boy (ages 4 and 6) for a long 20-hour road trip. They loved taking photos (about 300 of in the inside of my van….) and played with all the special effects and learned all about the world of selfies! They took great pictures on our trip and the games were great for spurts of boredom on the road trip when they needed something to keep quiet (while their siblings were napping). I didn’t find the games to be a nuisance at all because they’re basic games (think Frogger)

You can disable or set a time limit on the games (the shortest limit is 15 min/day), which is a great feature to have, as they are not exactly educational games. It is drop-proof, I want to say splash-resistant (will survive a splash of juice, but not submersion in the tub) and durable. The colour is great for kids’ imaginations.

Check out the latest prices here

Powpro Kfun – Best Underwater Action Camera For Kids

This waterproof shockproof camera for kids has worked great. It is a very simplistic waterproof camera which is great for young kids. You can take pictures and record videos. You are also able to view both the photos and videos and delete any you don’t like directly on the camera. Setting up the camera is super easy and to download the pictures or videos you just plug it in the computer and they pop right up!

The biggest card you can use with the camera is a 32GB, which is more than enough space for a budding photographer. The Powpro Kfun pretty shock proof as well. Just don’t expect the audio to be anything special. Its not, especially in the waterproof housing. If you speak directly toward the speaker its great. From the side or behind, not so much

Check out the latest prices here

Bonna – B est Point and Shoot Camera For Kids

It’s a little bit smaller than expected but is very convenient to carry around as it is super light, great size & weight for kids to play with, and fits well in pockets. Taking the price into account, it does deliver amazing image quality, pics look great on its 2.7″ TFT LCD display screen, brought lots of joy to the kids. And the photo quality is pretty good as well after transferring onto the computer. Very easy to operate, one button control with essential options. I would recommend this as the best point and shoot camera for kids.

Does not come with an SD card, however.

Check out the latest prices here

Discovery Kids – Best Starter Camera For Kids

It’s easy for toddlers to use and very durable- it’s been dropped numerous times. The internal memory tends to wipe clean if the batteries are allowed to die before exporting the files, so it’s best to check often.

My only issue with it is the quality of the pictures it takes, but I wasn’t expecting a high pixel count for something meant for kids, and how easy it is for the pictures to get deleted by a kid exploring the buttons.

Check out the latest prices here

VTech Kidizoom – Best Video Camera For Kids

I would compare this to a Baby Go Pro. While this isn’t a perfect action camera by far, this is the perfect action camera for kids. It’s easy to use. You can take it pretty much anywhere: in the air, underwater, you name it. It floats, and it’s just about indestructible.

The video quality is about as low as it gets, but that doesn’t really matter. What does matter is that this is a great toy and that it gives little kids a chance to use a cheap action camera without any fear that it might break?

It is recommended to purchase a 32GB SD card with speed class VI.

Check out the latest prices here

Fujifilm Instax Mini 9 – Best Instant Camera For Kids

The camera quality makes you feel like you’re in the 90s, it’s great as long as you’re not expecting crystal clear, see every one types of pictures. Great for when you hang out with friends, and perfect for scrapbooking.

As a kids polaroid camera, it takes the cutest pictures ever, a lot of people may not like the quality of the picture but I love it because it gives it this old fashion look and feeling to it. It’s so much fun to see a printed photo right after you take it. This is the best instant camera for kids and adults.

Check out the latest prices here

Hopefully, I’ve helped you find the Best Kids Camera for your needs! If you are looking for more kids or baby products for travel, you can also read our guides to best travel stroller, the best toddler travel bed and many other useful travel products here.

Choosing the Right Travel Luggage for International Travel

August 23, 2017 by Christine Leger

In all of our years of travel, the suitcase has been the bane of our existence. Between perfect size, shape, durability, and price, there are few that truly make us happy. Our experience with luggage is the same as anyone that travels frequently; hotel hopping, trains, airports, cruises and road trips. Schlepping our luggage around the city getting to our accommodations is equally taxing on the body and the suitcases themselves. We have learned a few things about choosing the right travel luggage.

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Choosing the Right Travel Luggage

Luggage Tips and Recommendations

When you are hopping from one hotel to another, it’s easy to be discouraged by luggage. The idea of being forced to pack and repack every other night and keeping track of the clean clothes vs dirty laundry can seem like an impossible task. While I won’t disagree with you; hopping around is not easy, the fewer pieces the better. You don’t want to be carrying half a dozen bags to and from the car, or even worst – on and off trains/buses – every few days. Having lightweight luggage is the best way to minimize your efforts and ensure nothing is forgotten. With the limited amount of space available in your luggage, you will know if you have forgotten the medicine bag on the counter or your favourite book on the nightstand. This also has the happy accident of minimizing your spending, since you won’t have that much place to store it in.

On the other hand, if you are staying in a single location for the entirety of your vacation, by all means, pack the whole house up and in multiple suitcases. Just kidding. You won’t have to worry as much about being overburdened with too many pieces so feel free to have a full-sized suitcase per person.

Pack smart, not hard. When packing your suitcase, make sure you are only packing the essentials. Just because you want to wear those cute flip-flops doesn’t mean your vacation destination will give you the opportunity to wear them. Buy consumables when you arrive at your destination and only buy as much as you plan on using while there, therefore alleviating the need to bring it back with you.

There is a hidden cost of carry-on only, however. We have all seen those parents juggling the kids’ carry on items, stroller, and personal items just to save checked bag fee, heck – some of us have been those parents (me, when I took the kids to Canada on my own and tried to manage 6 pieces of kit plus the stroller). There is no sense in straining your back, losing your cool or not having the hand of a little one, just to save a few bucks. Know your audience and what they are capable of, and make your choices based on that, and that alone. Money, sometimes, should not be part of the equation. Sometimes.

What to buy

Since we are talking best carryon suitcase at the moment, I want to make a few suggestions. The Briggs & Riley Carry-On and Travelpro Crew 10 have both proven to be great travel companions. Their main body expands, the wheels are stronger (and only have two of them) and their telescoping handle means everyone from my 5-year-old to my hubby can use them comfortably. Yeah, they have a lifetime warranty, but so does my travel insurance, so I am not too worried about that.

For the first few months, we were using the American Tourister, which I have to admit – is a great brand and a sturdy suitcase, but it has spinners. Those things will drive you insane. The carts at the grocery stores in Germany have spinners and I frequently find myself struggling to push it around the store or to my car, a suitcase is no better. The wheels lock when on cobblestone (which is pretty much everywhere in Europe), spin out of control on tile (most airport surfaces) and it is surprisingly hard to roll it on just the back two wheels (like a traditional non-spinner luggage set).

As you can probably guess, we were forced to retire this suitcase because of the wheels alone – the unit itself is in perfect condition. So if you aren’t using it too often, have door to door travel plans or want to stick to a tighter budget – please, get yourself an American Tourister suitcase, they are amazing for that type of travel. They even have Disney Patterns!

Let’s recap a few general luggage recommendations

Wheels – except when traveling to Venice – because, why not.
Packing cubes – no need to buy a brand; we have several and they all work the same in the end
No spinner – just plain annoying
Soft sides – will absorb impact better and means you can stretch them to their max when packing
No extra pockets – they take up too much space.
Get tags that stand out – easily find your luggage amongst the others
Ballistic nylon – prevent theft or damage in transit
Water resistant – you never know
The warranty is useless

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The Best Light Weight Carry On Luggage

[/fusion_text][fusion_builder_row_inner][fusion_builder_column_inner type=”1_1″ layout=”1_1″ spacing=”” center_content=”no” hover_type=”none” link=”” min_height=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_position=”left top” background_repeat=”no-repeat” border_size=”0″ border_color=”” border_style=”solid” padding_top=”” padding_right=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=”” dimension_margin=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_offset=”” last=”no” border_position=”all”][fusion_code]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[/fusion_code][fusion_code]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[/fusion_code][fusion_code]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[/fusion_code][fusion_code]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[/fusion_code][fusion_code]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[/fusion_code][/fusion_builder_column_inner][/fusion_builder_row_inner][fusion_text]

Personal item

Since you are allowed a carry-on luggage and a personal item, let’s stuff as much gear into that second piece as we can. This can range from a spare set of clothes for the little ones, entertainment, work-related items, electronics – since laptops are not allowed in the hold and do you really want to trust your fragile items in the hands of the luggage handlers?

What is a personal item?

A camera bag, backpack or tote (that matches the carry-on set, because, why not). A small piece of kit that can fit underneath the seat in front of you. A carry-on suitcase goes in the overhead bin. Keep this in mind when deciding what to pack into each unit. This also includes a purse or diaper bag.

Bottom line

Buying less expensive brands just because you don’t want to spend a fortune today on quality gear is not serving any purpose. Find a great brand, and check out their discount rack, last years model, or Black Friday Sales. There are ways. Trust me, after going thru this many suitcases, going cheap will end up costing more. Spend a little on quality and will last in the long run.

For more great gear comparisons, head over to Best Travel Packing Cubes and Best Toddler Travel Gear

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Fields of Gold B&B Ypres, Belgium

May 4, 2017 by Christine Leger

Accommodations in Ypres, Belgium

After finding out that we had been approved for tickets to the Vimy Ridge Battlefield 100th Anniversary Memorial in April, I scurried to find accommodations and weekend plans for the family. Vimy is 400 km from us so it wasn’t exactly a day trip. Needing to be at the shuttle pick up for 10 am meant we couldn’t be far from it that morning, and after spending all day in the sun with the kids, we didn’t want to spend the night too far away either. Keeping on the historical WW1 trend, we decided to visit Ypres the next morning, and considering we would be arriving so late in the evening and didn’t want to stay too far away from the historic center. I didn’t have too many options in terms of budget-friendly hotels but I did manage to find one; this adorable little B&B called Fields of Gold

B&B Fields of Gold

The beautiful Fields of Gold apartment is a B&B and health shop. When first entering the building, the shop is on the left and the apartments are through these amazing doors straight ahead. There isn’t a lift so I was glad that we had only brought the bare minimum. We had rucksacks so we only needed the one trip up the 3 flights of stairs in order to reach our room. This included the wonderful Natalie, the owner, helping us carry the Travel Cot, while we lugged the little ones upstairs.

This is what we saw when we first opened the door… I was floored. This room is AMAZING! It smelled great too. Natalie had used the essential oils from her shop around the whole apartment, in strategic places. I am not an essential oils person, as I am not a fan of scents in any shape or form, but this was great. We were dead tired from our long day at the Vimy Ridge Battlefield 100th Anniversary Memorial and it was around 9 pm by this point so the oils, the lighting, the beautiful looking bed, just helped me relax.

As you can see, the room has everything. It isn’t exactly made for kids, in that the giant walk in shower doesn’t have a door, or the claw-foot tub is smack in the middle of the room, but we have little one’s so we haven’t known privacy in years. I felt like this is the same general situation as a hotel room (the toilet has a door, don’t worry), but a much nicer, larger space. I would definitely recommend this room for other travelers with small children.

[fusion_button link=”https://www.booking.com/hotel/be/fields-of-gold-ieper.en-us.html?aid=1165205″ title=”” target=”_blank” link_attributes=”” alignment=”center” modal=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” color=”default” button_gradient_top_color=”” button_gradient_bottom_color=”” button_gradient_top_color_hover=”” button_gradient_bottom_color_hover=”” accent_color=”” accent_hover_color=”” type=”” bevel_color=”” border_width=”” size=”” stretch=”default” shape=”” icon=”” icon_position=”left” icon_divider=”no” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_offset=””]For latest prices and booking at Fields of Gold click here![/fusion_button]

On the plus side, since there are 3 other rooms available at the B&B, two of which are on the second floor, larger families or families with older kids are welcome to purchase two rooms across the hall from each other – or mom and dad get this amazing suite, aptly named “Queen of Heaven”, while the kiddos get the room downstairs. Ah, privacy.

The room does not have a baby bed option, unfortunately. There was a spare mattress available for the Munchkin but we had already brought up his cot. The baby ended up co-sleeping; the bed is King-size so there was more than enough room for her. Like I said, not exactly made for little ones, but we adapted and the location was amazing.

Last little thing I want to mention; the room has a built-in sound system. It was crazy. We played a little something to calm the kids down for bed and there are so many channels to choose from. Although on the negative side, I’m pretty sure hubby wants to buy one now so, there is that.

Bottom line

If you ever find yourself in or near Ypres, I strongly suggest you give B&B Fields of Gold a ring. They do not serve breakfast on Mondays or Tuesdays, but that is so they can have breakfast as a family – how sweet is that?! At a cool 300 meters from the Flanders Field Museum, it is in the perfect location for privacy, and historic touring.

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An excellent resource for planning all of Germany can we found with the Lonely Planet Belgium Guide.

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Novotel Hotel Hannover, Germany

March 13, 2017 by Christine Leger

Photo credit Novotel Hannover

Novotel Hannover

On our recent trip to Hannover, we had the opportunity to spending the night at the Novotel Hotel. As a chain, I am rather fond of this brand; I have a general idea of what I can expect in terms of customer service and quality control but every location is different so you are never 100% sure.

The location was easy enough to find, driving in from out of town. I don’t enjoy town driving as I find that drivers in Germany can we very aggressive, and take tight corners a little too quickly for my liking. I like calm and relaxed rural Canada driving; hence my love of European trains.

A block away from the hotel was a train station; two stops later and you are at the Central Station. This is the central-not central type of hotels I like. Close enough to the action to get there quickly, yet far enough away to be reflected in the prices.

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Fun Fact

Germany’s most famous biscuit the Leibniz biscuit was created at this location.

Parking Garage

The parking garage was easily accessible from the outside, right underneath the hotel. The whole complex is rather large, and shared amongst several of the businesses in the immediate area. Keep following the signs until you reach near the end where Novotel signs are placed in each parking spot.

There is a secure door that requires the front desk to actually see you before they buzz you in, which is perfect for hotel security.

Kids Zone

While I was checking in, the kids and hubby found the kids zone just across the lobby. It meant the world to me that I could just throw them in the toys and talk to an adult without being interrupted 100 times for random questions.

So while Baby Girl played Kapla and Lego (between throwing books off the shelves), Hubby played Fifa on Xbox, Munchkin played Angry Birds on an interactive-surface coffee table. Everyone was so quiet, it was great.

Check availability and prices here

Only downside though, was when hubby left for a few minutes and I was playing Angry Birds with Munchkin, Baby Girl ran up to the Xbox. I didn’t think much of it, until I couldn’t see her anymore. The walls don’t meet the glass window, so she managed to walk around the wall and started wandering around in the next room. She’s a slippery little one, that’s for sure. And of course; since she did it once, she kept running for that hole every time her little feet touched the ground.

Executive Room

We were booked in the Executive rooms; don’t let the fancy name deter you, it’s a family room. As in, the only rooms that fit 4 people. Free WiFi and a large screen TV are also available, though we were all too tired to make any use of it.

Traditionally, one would have the Munchkin on the couch and baby in a cot but our Munchkin stills rolls too much to be placed that high without guard rails. Luckily for us, there was lots of space for the travel cot and baby crib.

Like I always mention, we try to have the hotel provide a baby bed as often as we can, even if I have to pay a small rental fee (twice in 3 years, not bad), only because we don’t have the space in the car. But the travel cot, that’s a whole different story. It is compact enough that even Baby Girl likes to take a turn carrying it to our room, and Munchkin demands that he is the only one allowed to set it up and take it down. Yes, it’s a little more kit but if we really wanted to, it could easily be attached to our ruck sacks. Once Baby Girl starts climbing over the crib and he stops falling off the bed, it will be her turn to use it.

The bathroom was incredible; walk-in rain shower. It was nice being able to get ready for bed without having to take turns with the kids; all in at once. For the most part, I can deal with a cramped hotel floor space, I can’t stand a tiny bathroom. Plus that’s where I go for the few minutes of privacy/mommy quiet time during vacations and I don’t need my knees touching the door when they whip it open.

Bar

Having dinner; they offer pasta, pizza, burgers and a kids menu. The kids were not having the greatest of attitudes for some unknown reason, maybe the space was too wide open, I don’t know. We were the first to be served, which was great, because that meant their behaviour didn’t disrupt anyone else’s meal. This is another reason why I love that Europeans eat so late; they don’t have to listen to the screams or give me the awkward smile when the kids “go bananas”.

The service staff was very attentive for the duration of our meal. The moment we finished our mommy and daddy drinks, we where offered a double (or kids were having that kind of night). No, I’m kidding, they weren’t that horrible. We were all tired from the long drive, and the walk, and the rain was relentless, and I’m pretty sure it was passed their bedtimes. Either way, the waitress was great. She offered to customize the pizza so that I could share it with Baby Girl, since I know she wouldn’t eat a cheese pizza (margarita) but I didn’t want the works.

The Restaurant is open until 21:30 and the Bar is open until 1 am. In case you were wondering.

Breakfast Included

This was a fairly large buffet breakfast. Cheese, meats, breads, fruit, cereal, yogurts and jellies. This is usually the standard German breakfast spread but they added eggs, sausages and bacon. Mmm Bacon!

Again, we were some of the first guests. Thank you kids for waking us up at the crack of dawn, I don’t need sleep. Sleep is for losers.

We knew it would be a big day, with the Gardens, Castle and the drive home, so we made sure to eat, eat, eat.

Downside

I was very happy with hotel. The rooms were large, the customer service was great, and they had a kids zone. The beloved kids zone.

If I had to pick a negative, it would be that there isn’t a pool. There is a spa, gym and other recreational areas, but no pool.

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An excellent resource for planning all of Germany can we found with the Lonely Planet Germany Guide

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Accommodations in Ypres, Belgium

B&B Fields of Gold

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Plan Your Trip – Stay and see everything

Accommodations

Flights

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Novotel Hannover

Fun Fact

Parking Garage

Kids Zone

Executive Room

Bar

Breakfast Included

Downside