We are the family that doesn’t go on hotel stays. Self-catering all the way here folks! And believe me it’s not for the need I feel to cook! Nothing would make me happier than a break from it all.
When The Connacht Hotel in Galway invited my crew and I up for the weekend, I was delighted and dubious all in one. Hubster was ready to run for the hills. But I talked him down, packed the bags and off we went.
You see, hotels were for other people with their other kids. Below is a 5-point guide to my kids getaway in a hotel:
- Run everywhere. No exceptions to be made for stairs, old people, trolleys, bags, trays or waiters carrying hot tea. It is imperative that you travel from A to B with as much speed as your toddler legs can muster. If you can use brute force that is a welcome addition. The hallway from the lift to your room is a runway. Let fly!!!
- Telephones are strictly for your use only. There will ALWAYS be someone at the other end of it waiting to hear from you. Again, use force & bellow “HA-LOW” down the phone at them repeatedly until they a) send someone up to tell your parents to get you to stop or b) lose the will to live. Extra Tip: They just love to hear you shout “Station Master EMERGENCY” down the line at them. These phones are just like in the cartoons – how quaint!
- Breakfast is a race between you & the other people try to take YOUR food. A 2 pronged approach here is advisable – i) Shout “Mine, Mine. Don’t do Dat. Don’t do Dat” every time you see an individual approaching the bread table & ii) project yourself at said table with missile-like force and grab as much of the bread that you can before they do. Repeat trips will be necessary.
- Should you find a chord in the bathroom DEFINITELY pull it. Multiple times. And make sure you don’t answer the phone when it rings immediately after. And wait for the knock on the door. Repeat as necessary.
- Take any plastic key cards you find. Remove them from their sleeves and hide in various drawers. But tell no-one. This works a treat if there is a crowd in the room & they originated from another room – you get to hijack there cards too!
However once we arrived we were immediately put at ease. The 2 bedroom suite with separate living area and kitchenette were absolutely ideal for a family stay. There were lots of doors to keep children in and noise out too – bonus. Isn’t it amazing how your views on what is important changes with kids?!
With the option to cook in or eat out – we chose to give everyone else a reason to feel good about the amount of noise & mess their family makes frequent the restaurant. It’s one of those restaurants that is comfortable but didn’t make us feel out of place! Basically it’s not stuffy – it’s the type of place where you feel it’s ok to be a bit loud and messy. So it suited us right down to the ground. Everyone else there was on the same page!
And we got to enjoy dessert with a smaller crew as 1st, 2nd and 3rd born took themselves off to the movie madness in the Kids club (much to our absolute delight!!!) – the was a small additional cost but what is a few euro when you get to eat a warm dessert when it’s actually WARM!
The rest of the weekend flew by in a haze of walking out in Salthill, swimming in the hotel pool, a workout in the gym and more kids club. What’s not to love about that?
Would we go back? Yes we certainly would – and that there is saying a lot for the least ‘hotel-ly’ family in Ireland.
Your’s, plotting another getaway soon,
Cli xx
