I know Woolacombe is already a well known destination for families, but I have to admit to not having had fond memories of it until recently, so for me it has until now at least been a hidden gem.

I had previously only been to Woolacombe once before, about ten years ago. It was one of those Monday-Friday breaks with coupons, in a caravan, in what turned out to be possibly one of the coldest Aprils known to man. Or at least it felt like it to me. We stayed on a small caravan park with fairly uninspiring facilities and at night had the dilemma of whether to put the extra blankets on the beds or up over the windows to try and block out some of the draughts.

Belle was about 9 months old at the time, waking about 27 times a night, not helped by a cold. The one day we ventured into Woolacombe all I can remember is my partner at the time insisting we get sausage rolls from Greggs and making us eat them, huddled on a windswept bench, before letting us all run back to the car to warm up.

Fortunately this rather bleak image couldn’t be further from the break Belle and I enjoyed at Twitchen House, a Woolacombe Bay park, a couple of weekends ago. View Post

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Today I’m hosting a guest post from mum Lucy Cooper, a well-travelled writer working for Classic Cottages.

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Choosing the best accommodation for a first family holiday

This year we’re planning our first family holiday with a one-year-old. We’ve opted for a holiday cottage as the best baby-friendly option that also allows the most scope for freedom and fun.

Comfort factor

I enjoy adventure, but even I have to admit that camping with a one-year-old is not top of my agenda. No hot running water, apart from the shower, which is usually located a distance away from your tent! No microwave to warm bottles/food quickly or to sterilise baby equipment.  For the purposes of the all-important first holiday together, I’m inclined to stick to the comfort of four walls.

Room to sprawl – and crawl

Space is top priority when you have got a little one in tow. A holiday cottage allows you a whole house to spread out. You are the mistress or master of your own domain. And you don’t need to worry about the disgruntled couple in the room next door when baby decides that 3am is wake up time.

"Bucket and spade"

Freedom and flexibility

You’re not dictated to when meal times are, as in a hotel, leaving you the freedom to eat what you want, when you want. There was a time when ‘self catering’ conjured up images of 1950s-style kitchenettes with a clapped out cooker and a dodgy toaster. Thankfully, those days are long gone. Now you can expect the kitchen in a holiday cottage to be just as well equipped as your kitchen back home, if not more so.

Convenience

Staying in a cottage enables you to make up picnics and food suitable for your baby to take out on day trips. Arranging a supermarket delivery on the first day will save you the chore of hunting around for the shops when you arrive. And it can save packing bulky packs of nappies, freeing up precious space in the car.

Choice of locations

Holiday cottages are dotted all over the place, in unusual settings and quirky little places to explore, so you needn’t feel like one of the herd. You can get out and explore new places knowing that you’ve got a comfy house waiting for you at the end of the day.

Finding a baby-friendly holiday cottage

Choosing a baby friendly property that provides some of the essentials for little ones, such as a cot, high chair, stair-gate and baby bath, makes life easier and cuts down on the baby paraphernalia on the list of things to pack. If you find a property you would like to holiday in but are unsure about its suitability for your party, contact the team at Classic, many of us in the Booking Office are mothers ourselves and appreciate how important it is to get the right family holiday location and accommodation.

Planning your first family holiday? Or are you a seasoned mum or dad traveller? What are your experiences of first family holidays and tips on where to stay with the little ones?

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