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Movenpick Resort and Spa: an ideal family holiday choice

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Movenpick Resort and Spa in Phuket ticks all the boxes for a satisfying and enjoyable family holiday.

Set in the family-oriented precinct of Karon Beach, Movenpick Resort and Spa is a wonderful choice for families holidaying in Phuket and is one of my favourite resorts to go with children.

The location is ideal, with a beautiful beach, and many dining, shopping and entertainment options, all within close walking distance.

The hotel caters for all families’ needs with a Kids Club, four swimming pools and six fantastic restaurants offering a very high standard of food.

Additionally, the resort provides daily water activities and a complimentary Chocolate Hour – A Movenpick original feature – which includes a selection of chocolate sweets and treats.

 

The standard of accommodation is exceptional.

We stayed in a Two Bedroom Family Suite which was perfect for a family, set amongst the lovely tropical gardens and very closely situated to the main family pool area. In fact, it was the best hotel accommodation in which I have experienced with my two children – so spacious, well facilitated and in a great position opposite the Little Birds Kids Club.

It has a large screen TV in the family area and in each of the bedrooms, which includes a good range of family-friendly channels, including Nickelodeon.

We were able to use the hotel’s X Box too which the kids enjoyed and suited me when I felt like an afternoon siesta.

This accommodation is massive with a large living space, adjoining bunkbed bedroom, a King and Twin bedroom, each with their own generous en-suites.

This space easily accommodates a family of six. It has three mini bars which all included complimentary tea and coffee facilities

The family style accommodation is positioned close to the The Little Birds Kids Club, for children aged 4 to 12, which offers many creative and stimulating activities for the children including soap making, candle making, tie dyed t-shirt creating.

 

We spent many hours relaxing around the fabulous main family pool area, which features a large free form swimming pool, swim up bar and water slide, as well as daily water activities.

There are an additional three public pools on site and some private accommodation offers its own plunge pools.

Movenpick Resort and Spa has six fantastic restaurants which serve amazing cuisine across a variety of International styles ranging from Thai to Brazilian.

We enjoyed a delicious buffet breakfast each morning which included a large variety of international cuisine at Pacifica, which also offered a-la-carte Thai and western lunch and dinner.

OrientAsia serves the most scrumptious Thai food, as well as an array of other Asian fare. It was fresh and delicious, and the décor was tasteful and authentically Thai, creating a delicious local experience.

The hotel’s Mint restaurant offers a cool, fun, evening vibe with lots of yummy share plates, oven baked pizzas and refreshing cocktails, in an alfresco balmy setting opposite the beach.

My favourite dining option I experienced while in Phuket, was at El Gaucho Restaurant – Movenpick’s Brazilian restaurant, which offers churrasco – where we were able to choose from a succulent selection of grilled prime cuts, served straight from a skewer at our table. It was a fun and special experience, and the meat was cooked perfectly.

Another unique feature offered at Movenpick is the Chocolate Fondue experience at Café Studio. I have never encountered an experience like it. It was creative and extensive, including a large range of fruits and baked treats with melted chocolate and Movenpick’s own signature ice-cream. It has to be tried to be believed!

The Spa at the resort is very special. Aromatic oils, gentle music and comfortable furnishings create a soothing ambience and my Thai massage was exquisite!

The staff at Movenpick are delightful – warm, friendly and helpful. Staying at this resort was a wonderful experience for me and my children.

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TRAVEL

Family first at JW Marriott Phuket

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JW Marriott in Phuket is a fantastic choice for a family holiday, offering a magnitude of activities and dining experiences, all to a five-star standard.

 

JW Marriott in Phuket is set on Mai Khao Beach, which provides a fresh, ocean breeze throughout the grounds of the hotel, and is ideal for walking along its long stretch of sand.

 

The resort is exceptionally well-facilitated with six restaurants, a large gym, spa, three swimming pools and a huge array of activities on offer.

A highlight for my children and myself was a personalised cooking class offered by a top Thai chef at the hotel’s Ginja Cook Cooking School.

We made juicy, delicious, prawn cakes, a fresh and spicy chicken noodle salad and warm, rich duck red curry. It was fun and a feast, while learning some useful culinary skills.

We also visited the local fresh food markets with the chef, which was novel and educational, as we learnt about local ingredients and cooking techniques

The kids club hosts many activities; my children’s favourite included tie dying t-shirts and a pirate treasure hunt in which they followed a map around the hotel locating lollies.

The hotel offers a large range of accommodation styles, with classy and attractive furnishings and décor throughout.

We stayed in a Deluxe Terrace room, which is one of the smaller accommodation options on offer, and it was ample for me and two children. I slept in the King bed and they slept on a Queen size futon which was converted from a sofa children’s sitting area.

 

The range of health and wellness activities on offer was particularly impressive. My 11-year-old daughter and I did a singing bowl meditation class which was a good way to de-stress, bond and nurture ourselves.

JW Marriott Phuket has created some appealing Wellness Packages, some of which are tailored specifically for families.

The food at all the restaurants was excellent. My personal favourite was Ginja Taste, at which I enjoyed the best Thai food I’ve ever had, with the soft-shell crab the best dish. The menu and range of flavours offered at this restaurant was expansive.

The Kabuki Japanese restaurant was a total hit with the kids! It offered an entertaining Japanese Cuisine Theatre experience – complete with a chef doing a personalised Teppanyaki-style – live cooking show for us, which was humorous and animated. The food was fresh, delicious and plentiful.

 

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TRAVEL

Phuket: An ideal family destination

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A perfect blend of adventure and rejuvenation, Phuket is home to some of the best sun-kissed beaches, therapeutic spa centres, amusement parks, safaris and cable rides, making it the most sought-after family-friendly destination.

Blue lagoons, pink sunset hues and pristine white sands to orange-robed monks and revered temples, Phuket is adorned with majestic sites to behold. The northern part of this island city is known for its tranquil environs with attractions like Koh Phi Phi, Phang Nga Bay and Patong Beach, while plenty of sun-kissed beaches welcome you down south. And that is not all. Phuket’s terrain also encompasses verdant jungles and panoramic mountains and cliffs with mesmerising vistas.

The city’s tropical climate is usually suitable for year-round travel as it never gets too cold here. However, November to February is the best time to visit this bustling city when it remains cool and dry. It gets a bit hot after that until May. Monsoons are quite wet and if you can brave the rains, the months from May to October would be the best.

Insta-friendly attractions

• Get clicked with the mesmerizing marine life at Phuket Aquarium.
• Soak in the beauty of the colourful flora at Phuket Bird Park.
• Phuket Trickeye Museum will give tourists enough selfie opportunities with its amazing interactive 3D paintings.
• A cultural extravaganza at Phuket Fantasea Show is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness when in Phuket.
• Baan Teelanka is known not just for its maze but also for its quirky design, making it a trendy Insta destination.

And when you are here, indulge in some fun-filled water play if you are travelling with kids.

Explore Phuket’s best water parks

Located close to the international airport, the Splash Jungle Water Park lies within a private resort property on the pristine sands of Mai Khao Beach. Home to various exhilarating water slides, kids’ aquarium and other attractions, this water marvel is a must-visit place for kids and adults alike and is open for all.

One of Phuket’s largest children’s clubs, Rawai Park Kids Club is a perfect blend of wet and dry play areas. From pools and water slides to ball pits and carousel, the park is a complete family-friendly extravaganza.

And if families are accompanied with older kids, Surf House Phuket is the place to hang out. Every surfer’s dream, this attraction lies on the most-popular Kata beach. With several bars and restaurants nearby, this place is surely a hotspot.

Pumping up the water sports scene in Phuket, Anthem Wake Park boasts of a minimum of three-cable water skiing options. Nestled amidst verdurous vegetation on a 50,000sqm lake, this beautiful park is another great joint for folks travelling with older kids.

If your kids are still unsatisfied with a day-long splashing activity, Phuket will surprise them with another range of thrilling attractions to immerse in.

Get ready for some adrenaline rush

Patong Go-Kart Speedway is a dream destination for all motor racing enthusiasts. Situated at the doorstop of Patong hill, the attraction boasts of a 750 m-long race track with adventurous curves and extended finish lines. Housing trendy bars and restaurants, this place is also a great hangout zone for non-riders. Perfect for kids and grown-ups, the speedway has a variety of kart options with altered speed options.

The island offers another heart-pumping experience for globetrotters at Flying Hanuman Phuket, which is a great way to admire the wilderness of the surrounding environs here. Featuring platforms, sky bridges, spiral stairways, sky rail and a 20-minute nature walk, the attraction allows travellers to explore nature from close quarters.

Call it zorbing, hill rolling or globe riding, Rollerball is one such place to feel a rush of adrenaline inside you. Lying on a hilltop overlooking the Kalim Beach, the place enables visitors to roll down inside a big plastic ball.

Must-savour Thai dishes

• Tom Yam Goong
• Dim Sum
• Gaeng Keaw Wan Gai
• Khao Man Gai
• Por Pia
• Satay
• Pad Thai
• Som Tam
• Kuey Tiaow
• Massaman Curry

After several exhilarating sessions at these marvels, hunger will definitely drive you crazy. And when you are in a city like Phuket, authentic mouth-watering Thai food is available in literally every corner.

Relish scrumptious Thai cuisine

A melting pot of various cultures including Buddhists, Indian, Chinese and Muslims, Thai cuisine is a blend of several aromatic flavours.

Thai cuisine is not just food for the locals here; it is a celebration in itself. And that love gets reflected in its popularity worldwide. A Thai meal is a combination of four major seasonings – salt, sweet, sour, and spice – giving it its beautiful aroma which the world craves for. Be it the beaches, high-end restaurants or streets, the city’s every nook and corner is a great place to savour Thai food.

Family-friendly day tours from Phuket

• Enjoy a fun canoe ride while exploring the limestone caves around Phang Nga Bay.
• Get on board a speedboat to admire the serene environs of Phi Phi Islands.
• Partake in a snorkelling activity on a day trip to the majestic Racha and Coral islands.
• Embark on a boat ride to enjoy a fun-filled picnic to nearby Khai Nok and Khai Nui islands.

A relaxing sun lounger by the beach is the best place to unwind after a thrilling day. While the cool breeze serenades your face, children can have fun making sand castles.

Beach Calling

Phuket travel is incomplete without its pristine, sun-kissed beaches. Right from night clubs and bars for parents to fun activities, restaurants and shopping for kids, Phuket beaches have it all. While children enjoy some surfing at various surfing centres at the happening Kata Beach, parents can bask in the sun at sun loungers lined up there.

Another great family-friendly seafront is Kamala Beach, which not only offers therapeutic spas but is the host ground for the most iconic Phuket FantaSea Show.

And lastly, families can have a fun-filled picnic session at Karon Beach with activities like parasailing, volleyball and many more.

Children are a powerhouse of energy. A relaxing beach getaway is not their idea of a perfect vacation. Adventure and thrill is what attracts them. Parents, on the other hand, prefer a laid-back beach sojourn amidst serene environs. Bringing together the best of both worlds, the otherwise quaint island of Phuket offers myriad thrilling attractions, making it the perfect family holiday destination.

Picture Credit: Tourism Authority of Thailand

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MUMPRENEURS

Top 7 influencers to follow in WA

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Meet the Western Australian mums making a career on social media.

In recent years we’ve seen the explosion of a brand new profession – social media influencing. Increasingly, new mums take to social media as a creative outlet while adjusting to motherhood, with some building up enough of a following to turn it into a career.

Marketers and brands know that in 2019 audiences are after authenticity, so they flock to these mum’s who are open and honest about their journey through motherhood – the good, the bad and the ‘insta-worthy’.

These influencer mums do a lot more than just post cute photos of their babies; they are content creators, authors, businesswomen and give advice on pregnancy, style, health and fitness. They have created a community of mums who can relate to their struggles and learn from their tips and sometimes just share in a laugh.

Here we’ve collected our favourite influencers to follow for your daily dose of motherhood, fashion and travel and lifestyle inspiration.

1. @ourmessynest

Emma Fletcher is local to Perth, Western Australia and has an interest in sharing local activities for adults and children. With a keen interest in local events, travel, cooking, beauty, animal conservation and supporting charity organisations, Our Messy Nest is a true lifestyle account.

Having recently started her own blog, you’ll find a mix of all these as well as personal pieces both on @ourmessynest and www.ourmessynest.com.au. Staying true to the motivation behind her social media presence, Emma’s five year old son Reed is a constant source of inspiration.

Sharing life as a mother, student, blogger and friend is central to the content shared on these platforms. Emma’s passion for photography has allowed her to connect with other parents to share the ups and downs of parenting, tips on travelling with kids as well as special milestones in her life.

2. @common_wild

Landscape Architect Paula Kuka, began drawing illustrations depicting her experience of motherhood while on maternity leave with her second child. What started as a personal project and an alternative to a traditional baby book, quickly gained popularity as other mums loved seeing their own personal experiences mirrored in these relatable, touching and hilarious cartoons.

Paula’s cartoons have resonated with parents, highlighting the fact that it’s not only the humorous parenting moments but also the intensely emotional and frustrating facets of parenthood that appear to be universal.  The main goal of the project has evolved over time as she realised the power the images could have in transforming someone’s challenging day.  Using humour, honesty, and vulnerability, the drawings let other mums know they aren’t alone. Paula hopes that the project continues to cheer up exhausted parents and provoke conversations about guilt and the pressure mothers feel.

Paula lives in Perth with her Journalist husband, 4-year-old son and 1-year old daughter and is currently working on publishing a book of her illustrations.

You can buy Paula’s illustrations at www.commonwild.com.au

Casey Lucas of Lucas Girls Love is a happy wife & mother of two young girls, currently saying yes to new adventures and living the little things!

With a career in fashion and styling spanning over 15 years, Casey enjoys the creative outlet of Instagram influencing, while she raises her beautiful daughters. Well known for their ‘twinning’ and Mummy & Me outfits, the Lucas Girls have worked with iconic fashion labels such a Auguste the Label, Infamous Swim, Unreal Fur and Lack of Colour to name a few.

 Casey feels that life can be crazy enough and not always sunshine and rainbows, so insists on keeping her Instagram positive and ‘light & fluffy’ so that her posts continue to put a smile on her followers faces.

4. @sugarplumtree_mama

Nicole is a 38 year old influencer blessed with 3 beautiful daughters. Currently her main occupation is juggling #mumlife and social media, however she also has a Bachelor of Science (Molecular Genetics) and worked as a Medical Scientist for 13 years.

When her eldest daughter was 6 months old Nicole opened a children’s clothing company, Sugar Plum Tree, which quickly became very popular. Fans went crazy for the bespoke applique pinafores Nicole designed and sewed herself. However after a stressful, yet rewarding 8 years, and the arrival of her 3rd little sugarplum, Nicole decided it was time to move on.

With a love and passion for all things creative, she found a new love in product styling and photography, and for the past two years has shared these passions online, where you can see snippets of her life as a Mum to three girls, find out about fun Perth events and things to do, follow their regular travels, and learn about some awesome new products they love and recommend.

You can follow Nicole on Instagram and read her blog.

5. @storiesofamum

Since starting in 2015 as a platform for sharing memories of her firstborn daughter Sophie, Stories of a Mum has blossomed into a social media brand built around beautiful photography, small business promotion and storytelling.

Stories of a Mum is an avenue in which to document the good, bad and downright testing days of motherhood as Laura shares her very open and raw journey as a Navy Wife and mother of two little girls. Laura uses her Instagram page to connect with other mothers while drinking wine and eating pizza in her Kmart leggings. If you love honest captions, photos of family home decor, Mum & kid fashion, local Perth child friendly cafes and travel then @Storiesofamum is the account for you.

6. @_emma.gibb

Emma Gibb is a Perth influencer with substance. Just like her insta profile portrays, Emma is a wife, mama and manifester. Happily married with two gorgeous boys, Emma wins more in a month than most people win in a lifetime.

We love Emma’s relatable, funny and down to Earth portrayal of motherhood. We also find her honesty around her mental health struggles inspiring; and love how passionate she is about urging women to get help.

Emma loves working in the Perth CBD as a Commercial Property Manager for a top tier agency but when the corporate work day is over and her boys are tucked lovingly in bed, Emma is getting in that side hustle on Insta.

Not only does Emma create content for top brands like Dyson or HelloFresh, she gives intuitive card readings as @thatgypsymum and promotes her successful online crystal store, thatgypsyshop.com

Image credit: @dealuna.photography

7. @house.of.cubs

Isabel is a Perth blogger and content creator.  She is a wife and mother of two boys, Christian, two, and Ethan 6 months.  Her husband, Steve, works FIFO. Isabel lived in Spain until her early teens.  She has a degree in commerce and a postgraduate degree in corporate governance and gave up her corporate job to have a family.  When Christian was 6 months old, she started her Instagram page for fun and in the process discovered her creative passion.  She has never looked back.

@house.of.cubs is a collection of photography and stories about their family life.  It showcases motherhood, the joys and challenges of raising a young family as well as curated interiors, fashion, products for mums and kids, and her family’s love of the beach, adventure and travelling.

Isabel has recently finished styling Christian’s big boy room.  A space where he can play, explore, learn and get lost in imagination! #kidsroominspiration.

Isabel’s family are soon on a 5 week adventure to Europe where she will continue to share the joys and craziness of motherhood whilst travelling with a young family.

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TRAVEL

Howard Johnson Anaheim Hotel and Water Playground: The perfect hotel to explore Disneyland and California with the whole family

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We stayed at the Howard Johnson Anaheim Hotel and Water Playground which was ideal for our family. It was a short walk to Disneyland (the website said 8 minutes, but it was shorter for us) so we could walk to and from each day at our will. One day our 6-year-old son became overwhelmed with Disneyland, so he and I walked home late afternoon while his sister and dad stayed for the fireworks, and it was very safe and easy to do this, which I liked.

I chatted with other guests staying there who had much younger children and they particularly liked this hotel for its convenience, as they were able to visit Disneyland in the morning and return to the hotel for their children’s nap times, recharge, and then venture back out after lunch.

The hotel was very clean and modern. It seems most of the hotels in the Anaheim region are geared to families to accommodate the Disneyland market, as such I expected them to be well worn but this was not my experience of the Howard Johnson hotel.

The rooms were immaculate – clean, modern and well serviced – including a coffee machine, which I always appreciate.

We stayed in a double room which was spacious, including a family seating area, balcony and bathroom, with both a bath and shower (and fun kids bathroom accessories), which is useful with children.

This hotel is very popular, and family oriented with lovely grassy and treed outdoor areas, a large pool and a separate Pirate themed water playground, Castaway Cove.

The evenings were balmy and light until 8pm when we were there in July, so it was lovely to lay by the pool after a busy day at Disneyland.

There are many local dining options geared to the family market, including competitive pricing and “Kids eat free” options. There are also many delivery options for in-room dining, including tacos, Chinese, pizza, Italian, burgers and fries and more, which really suited us after a hectic day walking around Disneyland.

For more information visit www.hojoanaheim.com

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