The Pirates Village at Santa Ponsa, Mallorca is a fantastic family holiday destination and Mumbler would happily recommend it after visiting for a last minute family holiday in 2014 at October half term break. It’s totally set-up for families and Jet2 Holidays run flights (and whole package holidays) from Leeds Bradford airport which helps keep travel time to a minimum.
When we arrived at Palma Airport, we were expecting a long coach transfer time, however Santa Ponsa really isn’t that far from Palma. The extra time was to allow for multiple other drop off’s on the way. My daughters couldn’t believe their eyes when we arrived at the hotel though- the view from the road is AMAZING!
Pirates Village is a 3* hotel and it’s got a really big pool, it’s also a very easy walk to the beach. It’s not luxurious, but for a fairly reasonably priced holiday with young kids it is perfect, if they’re happy, I’m happy!
The rooms have a twin bedroom, a decent sized bathroom then a living room with 2 single sofabeds, a mini kitchen and balcony. The rooms are a bit basic and a touch dated but spotlessly clean so we weren’t bothered (note Jan 17, the pictures recently look like the bedrooms have been upgraded) The hotel was full when we were there (Oct/Nov half term) and so the all inclusive buffet could be a bit of a scrum but the staff were very friendly and the food was great. Yes, I did witness some hotel guests eating MOUNTAINS of chips and chicken nuggets at every meal however there was plenty of choice including delicious salads, fresh fish and traditional Majorcan dishes at each meal. It’s served as a help-your-self buffet which is great for ensuring that young kids don’t have to wait.
The pool was fab- a bit cold when we were there but that was November so we can’t really complain!
The evening entertainment started at 8/8.30pm which was just a bit late for my 2, but we would put them to bed and then we (adults) could sit on the balcony (as all the rooms overlook the pool and entertainment area) and watch the show, taking turns to nip down to the bar to collect the drinks. We had the all inclusive package and the quality of the wine and beer was fine- I was expecting it to be a bit ropey but was pleasantly surprised.
Majorca is beautiful too- we were only there 4 nights but I’d love to hire a car and go exploring next time. The resort is probably about 30km from Palma Airport.
Top tip- take pirates outfits for your kids! If not, there is a Chinese souvenir shop on the street parallel to the hotel which stocks Pirate stuff! “
Another Mumbler review….
“We went to pirates village in Majorca last year, pirate themed, all inclusive. entertainment, kids club and pool were fantastic, around pool is invaded by pirates twice a week, we have booked again for next year, jet2 fly there from Leeds Bradford and prices very reasonable. Without wanting to sound like a snob we have struggled to find a fab family hotel with all stuff the kids love that’s not tacky and rowdy.This is fab ” MS Oct 2013
Visit the Jet2 Holidays website here for more details and photos of Pirates Village.
Last weekend we were lucky enough to be invited along Camp Bestival Shropshire, and what a weekend it was! Festivals have been a big part of my adult life pre kids – I’ve even been to the original Bestival in the Isle of White a few times (yes I’m that old). I use to see couples there with young kids and think what are they doing? When I have kids there is no way I’d take them to a festival – it would be so much hard work, and no where near as much fun. Fast forward ten plus years, and I’m more than happy to say I was so wrong!
Camp Bestival Shropshire 2023 has been the highlight of our summer, in-fact it’s been one of the best things we’ve ever done as a family and one of my favourite festivals EVER! It combines everything I love – spending time with my family, music, outdoors, laughter, good food, camping plus we had the weather gods on our side (for most of the weekend).
Firstly, the organisation of this event is world class. From the moment you arrive everything is thought about – and most importantly everything is safe – something you think about a lot more with little ones around. All children are given wrist bands with your mobile number on and you and your children are told where to go and what to do if you get lost – this is also put up on the screens across the festival throughout the weekend. I had mobile service to make calls the entire time I was there – sometimes not internet connection – but you can always make a receive calls!
There is plenty of shade, water is handed out to kids at the main stage through out the acts when its particularly hot and there’s a huge welfare tent too. Toilets are fine – remember you’re at a festival, so its porta-loo city – but I found they were always well stocked and clean – and you never had to wait too long.
The worst thing about a festival is always the walk from your car to the camp site with all your stuff – but they’ve even thought of how to make that easier! A taxi service, with the money going to charity! It’s a little golf buggy – £7 for a seat or £35 for the whole buggy.
The camping is fab – with loads of glamping options if camping isn’t your thing. We love camping – and our 6 year old sleeps better in a tent than she does at home – we actually get a lie in!
Now to the festival itself – WOW there is so much to do – and most of this is included in your ticket cost. Obviously all the live music and camping but we LOVED the circus tents where the kids can have a go with any of the equipment, the crazy bike stand, rock school, decorating hats, roller disco, wall of death, skate park and swimming to name just a few of the things that we’re also all included in your ticket cost. Of course, there are things you have to pay for additionally, but nothing seemed ridiculously expensive and there is so much to do that is free – if you didn’t want to do the paid for activities you didn’t have to – there is enough to distract the little ones.
The music line up was incredible – really is something for everyone. Highlights for us were Junior Jungle – this was SOOOO good, I can’t tell you how happy I felt raving around with my daughter to absolutely banging tunes! Also The Smythes, Badly Drawn Boy, Confidence Man, Utah Saints, Groove Armada, T’pau and Primal Scream were some of our highlights. Just going to see one band live these days is about £50 per ticket – so the fact you’re getting all of these top live performances for the price of your weekend ticket is actually great value for money.
We also watched circus acts, performers, Horrible Histories enjoyed yoga classes, went to a wedding, did a work out with Mr Motivator and got read a bedtime story by no other than Kate Winslet!
The food is incredible – it does add up though if you’re buying all your meals for the whole family in the festival – you can take BBQ and cooking stoves to the campsite so make sure you make use of those – nothing beats a hot dog when camping! The food onsite was amazing – we ate everything from steak and prawns, to buddha bowls too pizzas and burgers! All amazing – as was the coffee! Most places did kids portions too which were quite reasonable.
We packed so much in, but also didn’t even touch the sides – I didn’t even get to part of the festival until the last day, and totally missed the tree climbing.
In short, this is such a good family friendly festival – it’s beaten any holiday we’ve been on, and is jam packed full of things to do to keep the whole family with big smiles on their faces. Yes there are tantrums, but we dealt with these in the most sensible way we knew how – Haribo and screen time!
Musts for a festival are: pillows, a wagon, glow sticks, glitter, sweets, sun tan lotion and rain gear!
Early bird tickets for 2024 (15th -18th August 2024) go on sale on 29th Sept 2023, I promise you you won’t regret buying them!
Buy your tickets and go to this festival – its quite simply amazing! Thank you Camp Bestival Shropshire. WHAT A WEEKEND! #wearefamily
*Sponsored Blog
Reviewed August 2023
Disclaimer- We were gifted our family ticket to Camp Bestival Shropshire.
Little North Field Glamping comprises of three luxurious canvas safari tents set within the 2 acre paddock of Catherine’s family home. The three Safari tents all have the same layout but are individually themed; Foxes Den, Owls Hollow and Hedgehog Hideaway. We stayed in the Foxes Den which is dog friendly.
Each safari tent sleeps up to five people, is completely self contained with its own bathroom and kitchen. All tents have been designed with your comfort at the heart of every little detail.
There is plenty of outdoor space to play games (balls and rackets all provided) as well as a wildlife pond, fairy garden and a gorgeous little summerhouse. Each tent has their own private fire pit and BBQ area with comfortable rattan furniture and sheltered veranda. Perfect for those summer nights!
Check in was at 4pm on Monday. This was last week so early April – and it was a surprisingly sunny day for that time of year! We’d had a busy weekend so hadn’t really done much “prep” for this break. I think part of that was because we were literally going down the road – 15 minutes door to tent! Being so close meant the crazy packing and preparing just didn’t need to happen. Already we were off to a brilliant, chilled out start – and we hadn’t even left the house yet!
Knowing where the site was (just passed Ripley – on the way to Fountain’s Abbey) – we knew the area pretty well so didn’t even worry about a supermarket shop before we left! At about 4pm on Monday – we packed a bag each – we’d been advised, despite the glorious sunshine the nights were still very chilly so to bring something to wrap up warm in. Our bags consisted mainly of slippers, wooly socks, hats and dressing gowns! Instead of a supermarket run, I literally emptied our fridge and a few cupboard necessities into a bag and off we went. By 4.30pm we’d arrived!
We were greeted by the gorgeous Catherine who runs the site along with her family. They live on site and are always on hand if you need anything. She showed us to our tent and gave us a quick tour of the site. By 5pm, we were unpacked and already living our best life! I think it was a combination of things that meant me were able to relax as soon as we got there. The fact it was on our doorstep meant the usual panic of packing everything “just in case” didn’t happen, the 15 minute drive meant no annoying long car journey (there was even time for anyone to mutter the annoying words “are we nearly there yet?”), added to the fact that these tents were so well kitted out and the setting was so beautiful that as soon as we got there we were in full on relaxation mode!
The tents themselves are more like wooden lodges in my opinion, with proper showers, huge communal areas, a kitchen that was better equipped than my own, log fires and two gorgeous good sized bedrooms. The little touches were what made it, it felt like home – the decor, lighting, furniture were all faultless. The little nod to foxes were lovely too. Everything in the tents was of the highest quality – from the towels, to the bedding, to the crockery. This was going back to basics in the most luxurious way.
There’s no wifi here, and very little phone reception. Instead we played cards together inside, and spent so much time outside – there is a storage box behind each tents filled with bats and balls to play with. A little fairy garden, and plenty of den building material – this was a child’s and dog’s delight! Instead of being glued to our screens, we spent time as a family and it was just brilliant. Our daughter made friends with the children in the other tents, and we made friends with the parents, over fire pits, wine and toasted marshmallows (which were also provided – told you they think of everything!).
I can’t recommend this glamping site enough – Catherine and her family have thought of everything. They provide you with hot water bottles, cleaning equipment and essential shopping – bread, milk, tea etc – as well as providing things you never think of brining but always need – like oil, salt and pepper. It did get cold at night – but we had a log burner, hot water bottles, warm clothes and the biggest most comfiest duvets to keep us warm! We were lucky with the weather – glorious sunshine, apart from the morning we left – rain, cold and grey skies. But that didn’t stop the kids one bit – they made the most of their last morning together playing football outside in their waterproofs.
Having local knowledge of the area also meant our trip was a million times more relaxing than if we were heading somewhere we didn’t know! But having said that – if you aren’t local there’s a little guide in each tent advising on places to go – and for any out of town families Catherine always recommends Harrogate Mumbler. Thank you Catherine!
So if you’re looking to head away on a family break, but maybe have other commitments that mean you need to stay local – I cannot recommend Little North Field enough. You are literally on your doorstep but feel like you’re a million miles away from everything, accept your family – which is exactly how it should be! Watch our reel on Instagram.
Reviewed April 2023
Disclosure: We were gifted our stay at Little North Field however we pinky promised to only write a truthful account. Phew, we really enjoyed it! (otherwise that could have been awks!)
When Mumbler HQ was invited to try out a family friendly holiday at “Votre Vacances” in north-western France, we couldn’t believe our luck! We were delighted to receive the invitation because on paper (and on-line) this lovely little campsite appeared to have it all and as a mum to two young girls; one aged 7 (going on 17!) and one aged 5, I am still looking for that elusive “perfect” family holiday.
You know the one, where we spend plenty of family time together (without being nagged to death by the kids) we get to have fun, there is enough on-site to entertain the children without feeling ‘forced’, there must be a bar (obvs!) the kids must be safe and it’s got to be totally family friendly- my kids cannon ball into the pool; I can’t deny that. Finally I don’t want to have to spend thousands of pounds to achieve this. It shouldn’t be that hard should it?
I can honestly say that Votre Vacances ticked every box. Owned by a lovely lady called Sarah from Harrogate, Votre Vacances is an 8 chalet holiday business situated in the grounds of a beautiful 19th century french chateau, part of a larger campsite called Chateau la Foret. As well as Votre Vacances on-site, there are well known holiday names such as Eurocamp and Canvas holidays.
Chateau la Foret is just outside a lovely little village called St Julien-des-Landes in the Vendee region of France. It is a rural inland campsite, but at just 20 minutes drive from the stunning Atlantic coast and gorgeous beach resorts, you really can get the most out of your precious family holiday.
We visited Votre Vacances in the middle of August and were expecting the site to be heaving as it was the middle of both the French and British school holidays. On the contrary, this lovely little campsite felt peaceful and far from over-run, despite it being the middle of the high season. The site itself is set within 50 hectares of parkland surrounding the Chateau and so never feels cramped or overly busy.
We had flown into to Nantes (just over an hours drive away) and owner Sarah had e-mail us a week before our trip with useful last minute information including her personal phone number so that we could let her know our approximate arrival time. It was an easy drive from the airport and the route took us right next to a huge “Super-U” supermarket about 15 minutes before we arrived at the campsite where we could stock up on all the French holiday essentials (Vin and Fromage…)
Arrival and Accomodation
Upon our arrival, Sarah was waiting for us and was an excellent host right from the start. Understanding that travelling with young children is never easy, she was warm, welcoming and wasted no time getting us into our accommodation and giving us a good welcome brief about the accommodation, the site and the wider facilities in the area.
Our chalet style mobile home was modern, bright and immaculately clean. The lounge/kitchenette area was extremely spacious and airy and whilst the bedrooms were pretty small (as is usually the case with static caravans) the increased space in the living area was a huge bonus.
Sarah had really thought of all the personal touches such as complimentary tea, coffee and sugar as well as dish clothes and sponges, washing-up liquid, balsamic vinegar and oil as well as salt and pepper. If you have never stayed in self-catering accommodation it may seem bizarre that I’m mentioning this, but those of you who have, will know what a difference these little touches make.
There was a kettle style BBQ outside with complimentary charcoal and lighters as well as a box of kids games (jenga, cards, dominos and connect 4) In the bathroom we found lovely toiletries for us to use- luxury H2K skincare products along with a superb power shower.
The campsite
Needless to say, my daughters were keen to get unpacked quickly and in the sweltering heat (it was 33ºc on the day we arrived) wanted to get into the pool as soon as possible. It was just a 3-4 minute walk from our mobile home to the first of fenced 2 pools, this one was the outside pool in front of the beautiful chateau, surrounded by a wooden deck and elegant sun loungers, it really did feel like a little bit of heaven.
On the second day we found the other swimming pool, an older style indoor pool around the other side of the chateau (although on the beautiful sunny days while we were there, it was mostly open sided and so didn’t get overly-hot) The outside pool was supposed to be more for adults (although it was full of families and children for the whole time we were there) and the inside pool, with baby pool area and 2 waterslides, was strictly speaking the family pool.
After a full afternoon of swimming, none of us had the energy or inclination to cook or eat out, so we made the most of the on-site takeaway and ordered 3 different delicious pizzas to eat back at our home. As well as pizzas, the takeaway served kids meals, hot and cold sandwiches, burgers and chips.
On site, there were plenty of facilities to keep both the children and the adults entertained (mini farm, games room, bouncy castle, trampolines, play park, minigolf = happy kids: Beautiful courtyard bar = happy adults) All of the kids entertainment, other than the electronic games in the games room and the €1 charge for golf balls, was free which ensured that you didn’t end up spending a fortune keeping the kids happy.
There was also an action-packed timetable of activities each day which were free to join in, including a 2 hour kids club 10am-12pm each day- crafting, sports etc. Pool activities, yoga, sports, live music, kids disco, pub quiz and more.
There was an on-site restaurant and a lakeside cafe for those who didn’t want to self cater as well as a small shop which sold basic provisions and you could pre-order delicious bakery items such as croissants and pain-au-chocolate for collection each morning. If you kept forgetting to pre-order (like me) then it took less than 5 minutes to walk into the village, where you could stock up on delicious treats from the boulangerie (the cream cakes were something else!) or grab any essentials from the local pharmacy.
Right next to the campsite was a fabulous high wire/treetop nets adventure centre called Le Grand Delphi and I’d highly recommend that you make a visit during your stay at Votre Vacances. With courses for every level from 2 years old and prices starting at around €10 per person for 3 hours it proved to be excellent value for money and both my daughters thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Make sure you go to the Chateau La Foret reception area to get your Grand Delphi discount voucher for preferable rates. The youngest children had their own course at around 1 meter above ground (so that parents can help them with the clips and cables) whilst teenagers and adults were whizzing around in the treetops, zip wiring across the lakes! Using the fairly measly excuse of only wearing flip-flops, I didn’t have a go myself, but I’ve promised my girls that if we go back I’ll don a harness and we’ll attempt the family circuit all together.
The local area
In our accommodation Sarah had provided an amazingly thorough folder full of useful information about the site as well as the attractions and tourist information for the whole region. As we were only on site for 3 full days, we were barely able to scratch the surface, however we did manage to squeeze in a trip to the coast at Les Sables d’ Olonne. The trip was a bit of an adventure in itself as navigating a busy town on market day is never easy, however arriving at Le Grand Plage was well worth it. With beautiful golden sands and more rock pools then you could possible fish, my daughters were in absolute heaven. I’d highly recommend a visit (and take your nets and buckets!)
Sarah’s visitors information folder contained so much information that a family would never be stuck for inspiration- from walks to zoo’s, theme parks, shopping, nature, geocaching and bike rides, there was something for everyone. Whilst we enjoyed lovely sunshine for our entire trip, there is also plenty to do in the area if the weather isn’t so kind.
About the Vendee
The Vendee is an area in the middle of France’s west (atlantic) coast and takes it name from the river that runs through it. The beautiful countryside, charming towns and 140km of sandy beaches, together with the great summer weather, have helped to make the Vendee a popular holiday destination. Vendee is one of the sunniest places in France with nearly 2500 annual sunshine hours. Between June and September daily highs are regularly in the 20s. Days in peak summer enjoy an average of up to 9 sunshine hours. Rainfall levels are very low. June, July and August are the driest months with around 40mm average monthly rainfall (source www.holiday-weather.com/vendee/)
Overall
I have no hesitation in recommending Votre Vacances to any Mumbler who is looking for the ideal family holiday in France. It is small enough to feel safe and secure with enough going on to keep children of all ages happy. Sarah is a wonderful host and treads that fine balance between being available (should you need her) and ensuring you enjoy your holiday with minimal interference. I can’t wait to go back!
Contact information and special offer
If you would like to experience a truly family friendly holiday in one of Votre Vacance’s boutique style static caravans then make sure to use the discount code “Mumbler” when booking for a fabulous 15% discount on your 2016/17 holiday. Open from May to September.
For more information or to book you can visit the website http://votrevacances.com
Getting there
The Vendee is really accessible, with overnight ferries with Brittany Ferries:
Catch from Portsmouth/ Plymouth to:
St Malo, Caen, Le Havre, Roscoff
Fly drive is becoming a really popular alternative with flights to Nantes or La Rochelle from London, Birmingham, and Manchester. We flew from Birmingham to Nantes Monday to Friday at a cost of around £80 per person return. The cheapest hire car we could find was around £25 per day with Avis. Nantes airport is around 70minutes drive from Chateau la Foret, and La Rochelle is now more than a 2 hour drive.
If you don’t mind a longer drive you could do the Eurotunnel or Dover-Calais ferry (around a 6 hr drive from Calais to Chateau La Foret)
Disclosure: Votre Vacances did provide us with free accomodation for the purposes of this review. The opinion I’ve expressed here is my own and it’s a very easy place to love! Times & prices correct at the time of publishing: September 2016.
I’m hesitant to publish this review because I kind of don’t want everyone to know what a special place The Bivouac & the Swinton Estate is- in case it gets full & I can’t book in next time… It is one of the places that you’ll end up going back to time & time again- I genuinely can’t recommend it highly enough.
I had booked a 3 day stay with my daughter as a reward trip for a great school report- we haven’t got a foreign holiday planned this year, so this felt like a lovely treat in the middle of the school holidays instead- plus when I booked, Swinton were doing an amazing 3 nights for 2 offer (so be sure to sign up for their newsletter here to keep on top of any great deals)
The Bivouac is part of the Swinton Estate- 20,000 acres of countryside and of course, the beautiful Swinton Park Hotel. It’s located 18 miles from Harrogate and took about 45 minutes to drive there.
The Bivouac & yurts are a 10 minute drive from Swinton Park Hotel- the road between the two has a ford which was an unexpected bonus as my kids absolutely loved me driving through it!
The Yurts themselves (there are 7 of them) are situated in a field overlooking the breathtaking Nidderdale scenery, You can see a tour around our Yurt on my instagram reel here. There is also a communal camp kitchen (complete with fridge, electric kettle, gas BBQ, hot & cold water & 4 gas hobs) and a wood-fired hot tub.
Within your own Yurt, there is a woodturner stove (we didn’t need it in August, however it’s lovely to have earlier or later in the season) plus there’s a kettle so that you can heat water & fill the hotter bottles that they provide to help keep you toastie!
There is a cool box (ice-packs are freely available in the communal freezer) towels, robes, sleeping masks, a double bed and 2 single beds. It is beautifully done- rustic and outdoorsy yet with a really great eye for style.
Also each yurt has its own private loo, situated in a little shed outside the yurt. Be aware it’s very dark in there at night so don’t forget your torches!
In the Yurt, there is no electricity however they are equipped with lovely fairy lights and plenty of tea-light candles. These I’ve an absolutely gorgeous ambiance at night and really add to the relaxing vibe.
If you don’t fancy cooking yourself, there is the Bivouac cafe, serving food all day long as well as delicious looking cakes & decent coffee. While we were there, we ate a mixture of both options- we BBQ’s ourselves and booked into the Bivouac cafe for a pizza night.
During the day there is tons to do- much of it for free. As a guest at the Bivouac your welcome to explore the grounds at Swinton Park Hotel- We made the most of this and booked wild swimming in the lake (book this with the Spa) we walked up the the Druids Temple and made the most of the sunset whilst enjoying the view over Leighton Reservoir. We also enjoyed doing a bit of Geocaching around the Druids Temple (make sure you take a few cracker-type toys to exchange the caches if you do have a go- they’re the type where you can swap collectables)
We were also kindly gifted a family swimming session by Swinton Park hotel in their gorgeous spa as well as a Junior Cookery session for Eva in their cookery school.
The cookery session was 2.5hrs long and is based at Swinton Park Hotel in their cookery school. The age range for this particular session was 10-14 years old however they also offer classes for younger kids (6-9years old) as well as adult courses for all types of food and even Weber BBQ courses.
Eva thoroughly enjoyed her cookery session- in fact, almost as much as I enjoyed stuffing my face with the delicious treats that she made- bread, shortbread and fruit scones. Yum!
Swinton also kindly gifted me a Birds of Prey taster session. This was a half hour session with Mandy from the birds of pray centre in the grounds. Mandy told us all about a variety of their birds and we even got to experience flying three of the birds- we all loved it and it felt like a huge privilege. As well as short introduction sessions, there are Hawk Walks, Owl Encounters & falconry displays.
We also explored the gardens of the hotel- there’s a deer park within full view and you can watch hundreds of deer while you enjoy a picnic. There’s a kids play area in the woods and our favourite bit- a woodland wellness area which consists of large hammocks. Lying in those hammocks taking in the forest (whilst the kids messed around and tried to throw each other out of the hammocks!) was a total highlight for me.
If you’re look for a UK staycation, then I can’t recommend Swinton Bivouac highly enough. If yurts aren’t your thing, then there are also wooden tree-lodges with private hot tubs (which sleep up to 7) and a “loft” which sleeps 6.
Reviewed August 2023
Disclaimer- Sally booked & paid for her yurt independently of this review. Swinton Park hotel kindly gifted her a family swim session at the spa, a junior cookery session and the birds of pray taster session.
