Fairy Travels

We decided on a whim to book our first weekend break as a foursome.  Being honest I didn’t put a massive amount of research into picking the hotel.  I had heard from some of my friends that The Connacht Hotel in Galway was great and really child friendly so we booked in for the last weekend in August.

I had originally booked a regular room but my sister and her husband decided they would come with us and would babysit to let us enjoy the Galway night life!! Naturally we jumped at the chance.  I sent the hotel a message via Twitter to organise a change in room to the 2 bedroom apartment with the small kitchen (very handy with young kids!) and Emma organised it for us. (By the way she is a total credit to the hotel extremely helpful, no request was too much hassle)

We arrived on the Friday around 3 o’clock to a busy lobby, despite how busy it was reception was so attentive and welcoming. The lovely gentleman on reception talked through the facilities for us as well as those for kids (more on this below).

The Room/ apartment

Unusually the apartment was in the actual hotel, its actually more like adjoining rooms with a kitchenette.  It was spotlessly clean, and a great size and the kitchenette even though it was compact had everything you would need.  I loved the layout as it suited our needs perfectly.  The second bedroom had its own exit which was perfect for 2 couples on holidays. We had a lovely surprise when we entered the room.  Fruit and chocolates, both gratefully devoured by my 3 year old!

The child friendly facilities

The hotel was busy with families and I could really see why.  There was a kids club (Friendly Fellows) running during our stay, split into 2 groups 3 -5 and 6 -15 years.  In the evenings there was a film on which allowed the parents to enjoy dinner or drinks.  The kids club is fully supervised and located in the hotel itself which is great peace of mind for parents.

There is also a fantastic leisure centre on site (ill be honest I looked at it but didn’t use!) and a large pool. My son had his first experience of a swimming pool at The Connacht Hotel.  His uncle took him both mornings and he loved every minute.  The pool is  a great size – 20  meters and also includes a Jacuzzi. Check out some additional pictures here

The Food

We sampled the food in the restaurant on Friday night.  The Dada Fairy had the duck and I had the chicken pasta.  He is incredibly picky about his food being a farmer himself and he gave the hotel food a huge thumbs up in terms of quality.  The service was impeccable. I wish I knew the name of the gentleman who served us as he was fantastic.  The right balance of service and chat.

Everything else

During the day we brought the little men to Salthill where we enjoyed the aquarium and the amusements.  The rain was terrible but it didn’t dampen the spirits.

We sampled the sister bar An Pucan on the Saturday night, this place is a must when in Galway city.  The garden (outdoor area) is just fantastic.  It was as expected busy on the Saturday night but very enjoyable.

We have already decided we will be back next year as it is so family friendly having facilities for both adults and children.

The Details

We booked direct via the hotel website – had the best value when I was shopping around.

Take care

~ Mamma F

Image by Willian Iven via Unsplash

It’s pretty common at one point or another to get the urge to book a ticket around the world and say goodbye to daily routine. We all fall into a slump at some point and ache for adventure.

Luckily, if you’re an Aussie adventurer, there are plenty of great, trustworthy accommodation booking sites and other sites to help you plan your trip.

How to Pick the Best Booking Site for Your Adventure

If you’re ready to book your adventures but just aren’t about which site to visit first, here are some top tips for choosing a booking site to fit your requirements.

• Know what you want

Do you want to go on a massive adventure and plan your entire trip in one go? The bigger travel sites such as Travelocity and Expedia are the perfect one-stop shops where you can book your airline tickets, rental car and hotel accommodation quickly and effortlessly. These are good sites to start at and get a feel for the kinds of airfare and accommodation available. But, they may not always offer the cheapest rates. If it’s a bargain you’re after, head to sites like Kayak where you can search different booking sites at the same time. Or, if you just want rental cars, airfare or accommodation, you may save money by booking through a specialty site.

• Ease of Use

The best types of travel booking sites are the ones that are easy to navigate and understand. When you click on the link, it should take you exactly to where it promises and not anywhere else. Also, the website should save your information as you’re searching, so that you don’t have to keep entering your travel dates each time. Some sites will even go one step further by saving your favourite places and preferred itinerary.

• Watch Out for Hidden Fees

There are some booking sites out there that add an extra fee fee when you make a booking, or they might not include taxes in the original quote. That means you may not quite get the deal you had hoped for. Be sure to read the terms carefully before you book to see if there are any additional charges you may have to pay for.  Thanks to recent economic hardships, travel sites such as Travelocity, Expedia and Orbitz have reduced their airline booking fees, whereas sites such as Kayak claim not to charge any booking fees whatsoever.

• Check out the customer service

Finally, make sure the booking site stands behind its services. Read up on what they will do if you come across a cheaper rate somewhere else. There are some sites that do have price guarantees that pay back the difference should you find cheaper rates elsewhere. What will the site do if you need to cancel or change your booking? A reliable site will have its customer service contact details and cancellation policies clearly posted.

Use these four tips to find the best site for your next adventure.

Note: This is a collaborative post