Taking the family on a staycation holiday

Stylogs,

School is out for a week, so we had to do something to retain sanity under pressure. The little creatures need entertainment effectively every waking hour. Staying at home would mean either an irreversible nervous breakdown or an irreversible marriage breakdown. Or both.

We booked Elmers Court Hotel and Resort in the New Forest, Hampshire. Along the way from London we stopped for lunch in Winchester at Jamie Oliver’s Union Jack new chain. I like the look and feel. Rustic and rusty meet 1950s Britannia. The rousted Cornish mackerel was delicious and the minty peas were just minty enough. The soup (vegetable) was somewhat bland. Light lunch and back to the car.

We made a masterstroke stop in Eastleigh Station to visit Thomas the Tank Engine and his friends. This was a real high point for the 4 year old and his 6 year old sister. The fat controller was actually not so fat…

Elmers court is a beautiful stately home (which served as a hospital during World War II), with massive grounds and a stunning view of the Solent.

Our recently renovated room had the killer proposition for any parents on holiday: a separate mini-room for the kids with a bunk bed. Although tiny in size (just enough room for a kids-size bunk bed and a flat screen CBeebies god-send), the kids felt cosy and comfortable in their own space. Mom and dad felt cosy and (almost) alone in the main room as they shut the door.

The in-door pool was a big hit, especially when the weather got wet. At 1.2m depth it is shallow enough to be with the kids at any point in the (reasonable spacious pool). Unfortunately I didn’t get a chance to sample the sauna and steam room. My only disappointment here is the Jacuzzi was not hot, but rather (opened to the main pool) was at the same temperature as the swimming pool.

We had dinner in the Scottish Steak Club where we tried the skewers and fish. Both were fine, if not exquisite. The next evening we dined at the Waterford Restaurant (a classier affair where the kids had to behave). Both opting for poached salmon and soup, we enjoyed the food and the atmosphere.

My husband managed to sneak a couple of times to the gym, which he reported back as being sufficient for a holiday with relatively wide range of machinery and space.

I, on the other hand had a sneaky visit (or two, or three) to the spa. More on that later.

We didn’t get to use the outdoor pool (as it is late May, and who would have expected to be in an outdoor pool in late May?). We did however, use the playground and the vast grounds for a little run-around and a game of football.

Overall, a great location for a young family’s holiday, with reasonably priced rooms, good food, indoor pool, gym and beautiful grounds.