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A kids’ club and a cuddly toy at registration are not what makes a family-friendly hotel. I mean sure, they’re nice, and much appreciated, but if you ask Raffles and Sugarpuff what makes a hotel kid friendly, it is friendliness … to kids. Pretty simple really, but also sadly infrequent. But the new Pullman Tokyo […] Read more…
Take one rumbling volcano, a sparkling blue harbour filled with galleons and gondolas, and seven enchanting ports filled with thrills, whimsy, creativity and adventure. Then add state-of-the-art special effects and a side of sushi, and you’ve got the incredible Tokyo DisneySea, a one-of-a kind Disney Park that I think might just be the most beautiful […] Read more…
The true test of whether a holiday resort is kid friendly is to ask a kid. Here, our very own ten-year old junior correspondent and international man of mystery, Raffles, is sharing his thoughts on why Novotel Phuket Surin Beach Resort is cool for kids. 1. THE WELCOME From the second we arrived from the […] Read more…
Travel is an itch that the kids and I can’t help scratching. Instead of “are we there yet?”, my intrepid travellers, desperate to explore more of the world are more “where to next?” kids, and generally start nagging me for answers before we’ve even boarded our flight home from wherever we are. But sometimes even […] Read more…
What could be worse than more than 9 hours crammed into a tiny space with two farting and belching children, especially when they’re your own? I don’t know because somehow, we’ve won the airplane lottery and scored four seats between the three of us on our Thai Airways economy flight from Sydney to Bangkok. It’s […] Read more…
On this, our fourth visit to Tokyo, we’ve already managed to see, eat and explore a whole other side to the city, thanks to the awesome local knowledge of Inside Japan Tours’ Mark. Our detour into local life has left us more hooked on this cool, chaotic and quirky metropolis than ever before, and while […] Read more…
Safe, clean and unapologetically oddball, Tokyo is a city where ancient shrines sit small but proud under the shadow of towering neon skyscrapers, and tranquil gardens share the same address as crowded and crazy shopping strips. Add a hefty scoop of samurais, ninjas and sumo wrestlers, a sprinkle of Hello Kitty and a pinch of […] Read more…
It is not often that a 10-year old gets to wax philosophic for an hour with one of his idols. But that’s exactly what happened when Raffles caught up with entrepreneur and philanthropist Bruce Poon Tip, founder of award-winning small group adventure travel company G Adventures. Raffles first learned about Bruce back in 2016 when […] Read more…
I’ve never been one to pass up an opportunity to eat a seven-course meal. So, of course, when I’m invited to enjoy the Chef’s Degustation at The Siam Bangkok, I not only say yes, I practically cartwheel my way into the dining room. The Siam Hotel Bangkok, part of the Legend Collection from Preferred Hotels & […] Read more…
I’m not usually one to work out much more than my tastebuds when I’m travelling, but as I walk through original, Art Deco gymnasium doors, past vintage sports posters and leather punching bags to the full-sized Muay Thai Boxing ring, I realise we have a serious contender. For my new favourite hotel, that is. The Siam […] Read more…
Oozing French colonial elegance with a stunning Khmer twist, and surrounded by lush gardens, endless stone paths, wooden bridges and lotus strewn lakes, the five-star Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort is not only one of Siem Reap’s most beautiful resorts, but quite possibly its most family friendly. Far enough out of town to […] Read more…
Cambodia is a place I first explored pre-parenthood. You know, back in the days when I was still spry and wrinkle-free. To this day it remains one of the few countries I’ve explored that has exceeded my expectations in every possible way. But I was a little nervous about returning all these years later with kids […] Read more…
Sure, Sri Lanka has endless beaches, a rich ancient culture, a cuisine that borders on the addictive and some of the loveliest people you’re ever likely to meet, but it also has elephants. Lots of them. So, when my British-based BFF agrees to meet me in Sri Lanka for a week of gin-infused cultural adventure, a […] Read more…
“What do you mean there’s no social media?” are amongst the first panicked words out of my mouth on arrival at Colombo’s Bandaranaike International Airport. I’m trying to sort out a SIM card to stay in touch with my kids, my husband and the world at large, but am informed that while I was airborne, […] Read more…
One of the best things about travelling with Raffles and Sugarpuff is how what started as an organic introduction to art has become something of an obsession. But it is something that I hadn’t realised had captured them quite so wholly until I saw their reaction to the Dunedin Street Art Trail. I mean they’ve […] Read more…
Move over Howarts Express. Dunedin Railway’s scenic Taieri Gorge route to Middlemarch has stolen the kids’ hearts as our favourite rail journey to date. And while we may not be en route to wizard school, it’s certainly a magical journey. The amazing Taieri Gorge Railway journey begins in Dunedin at the city’s historic railway station, a renaissance […] Read more…
Not only does Dunedin, the South Island’s Scottish heritage city, offer world class museums, epic castles, and some of New Zealand’s prettiest scenery, it’s also packed to bursting point with gastronomic delights. In fact, Dunedin turned out to be quite the culinary revelation for this food fixated fam. Their sublime fine diners and cool cafes […] Read more…
New Zealand and I share more than a bit of history! You see, not only was my beautiful mama born and raised there, but it was the very first overseas destination I ever visited. The country wormed its wily wonderful way into my heart on that very first visit, and has drawn me back again […] Read more…
Houston, we have a problem. Well, at least Raffles does. You see the boy is so obsessed with space that’s he’s saving up all his pocket money for a $250,000 a hit ticket on a yet-to-launch Virgin Galactic space flight (yes, he’ll be saving until he’s about 157 by my calculations), and has grand plans […] Read more…
With United Airlines launching flights direct from Sydney to Houston, an already popular hub that connects travellers to America’s Southeast, Midwest, East Coast and Latin America, Australians are wondering what the city, America’s fourth-most populous and most diverse city, might have to offer visiting families. I discover, after a few days of the city’s extreme congeniality, […] Read more…
There’s a distinct chill in the air and that only means one thing at Casa Eats World! Nagging. Incessant freakin’ nagging! Because, you see, both my wee powder pups are hooked on ice. Thankfully though, it is the type that falls from the sky as opposed to the stuff that’s manufactured in dodgy suburban garages. As […] Read more…
It’s sooo fluffy” declares Raffles happily as he leaps out of our coach into the nearest heap of fresh snow, disappearing somewhere into its powdery depths. We’ve arrived at Hoshino Resorts RISONARE Tomamu, just a 90-minute drive from New Chitose Airport in Sapporo, to flurries of snowflakes dancing in the sky like frosty fairies. I’m so entranced […] Read more…
My mama is the only person I know who can actually make magic happen. She’s always conjuring up incredible creations in the kitchen and has this way of making everything my sister and I wish for come true. And she does it all without even needing to use an accio summoning charm. She is so magic, I […] Read more…
There was no way we could come all the way to Old Blighty without a visit to Marlow, a town on the Thames that also happens to be our daughter’s namesake. And darned if it isn’t as full of character and charm as she is. Located between Windsor and Henley on Thames on the River […] Read more…
As far as family travel destinations go it might not make it to the top of the charts, but Cambodia is the stuff of kids’ Indiana Jones and Lara Croft-infused fantasies and should definitely be on your family holiday hit list. Not only are the people welcoming and the resorts kid-friendly, it’s easy and fun to […] Read more…
It’s no secret that Raffles is a bit of Sir Richard Branson fan, speaking often about how he wants to be just like him when he grows up. You know, “successful, kind… and a billionaire”. And I have no problem with that. But Raffles has a huge problem with the fact that I am enjoying […] Read more…
There is a mysterious vortex just south of Christchurch on the Banks Peninsular. Either that or our driver has taken a wrong route… by about 18,000 kilometres, because somehow, we appear to have pulled up in France. Not that I’m complaining. I’m a Francophile from way back and am quite happy to find myself strolling […] Read more…
If it flies, speeds, falls or rolls, then there is a good chance Raffles, my mini man of action, is going to want to try it, which is a little problematic given his mother is something of a coward. When he leaps, jumps and slides his way into mischief he assures me “Danger” is his […] Read more…
Despite the fact that we have explored the destinations immediately above and below it many a time, Queensland’s Mackay Region is one of those places that we just seemed to keep missing. But a recent visit made us realise what a major oversight that has been. From its Art deco buildings and pretty palm-tree lined […] Read more…
“A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, travel for Mr Eats World and I meant finding a bargain deal for a random destination, chucking a handful of clothes, a camera and a toothbrush in a backpack and buggering off. But when two became three, booking a holiday suddenly required actual thought and planning, and to […] Read more…
We’re leading a small flotilla of long boats across Inle Lake, the machine gun rat-ta-tat of their engines shattering the silence in this serene water world, almost as much as the squealing “woohoos” coming from Raffles as we rev up and race our way across the freshwater lake. Strewn with marshes and floating gardens, and skirted by teak stilt-houses and pretty […] Read more…
Disguising myself with my darkest glasses and a wide brimmed hat, I slip unnoticed into the shadows as my kids bury the body. Ummm… maybe I should rephrase that. It’s barely 10am, and with the sun’s heat already pounding onto the white powdery sand of Maré’s Yejele Beach, I’m determined to nab a shady spot so […] Read more…
Travel means different things to different people. When you’re flying solo, it may be for the chance to discover the world, or to discover yourself. And when you travel with kids, you might view it as a chance to bond or an opportunity to raise globally aware humans. No matter how or who you travel […] Read more…
We’re big on getting a walk in every day here at Casa Eats World. And by we, I mean me. The kids would rather stick a rusty fork in their eye. Our evening walks were once a time to exercise and hang out together, but they were falling by the wayside as the kids started […] Read more…
Today was a burger kind of day. Mind you, every day is a burger kind of day if you ask me. But today was rainy and cold and I was feeling the need for a little burger therapy, and Meat District Co at King Street Wharf proved to be just what the doctor ordered. I […] Read more…