How To Have The Best Holiday Close To Home

By: Lisa Wolff, ellaslist

Travelling with a bunch of kids is not always that fun. By the time you’ve packed, secured a taxi with a car seat, got to the airport, dodged multiple tantrums and then dealt with ‘wriggly worm syndrome’ on the plane, you’re ready for a real holiday, and that’s before you’ve even reached your destination. So when we all needed a break, we decided to keep things local….and super easy. So here’s a guide on how to have the best holiday close to home.

Location

A staycation is a glorious invention when you’ve got kids, especially younger ones. And the location is key. You want to be able to collect the kids from school on a Friday and be lounging by the pool an hour later. One of the main reasons we picked Crowne Plaza Coogee Beach is because of its seaside vibe. The hotel is in a prime position on the main strip and footsteps away from the glorious Coogee Beach. It’s surrounded by cafes, has the awesome Grant Reserve playground close by, there are swimming pools, walks and lots of green grass and golden sand nearby. Once we arrived, we wouldn’t have to get back in the car as the best of Coogee was within close walking distance of the hotel.

Hotel

In my opinion, a staycation needs to be in a hotel. Forget air B&B or stayz, you preferably want a place without a kitchen, so you can get a true breather from cooking. 

Plus there is something magic about escaping to a hotel and even though we live a few suburbs away, as soon as we checked in to the Crowne Plaza Coogee Beach, it felt as if we were on holiday, far far away. The hotel is very family friendly and all the staff were so welcoming and kind to my super-excited kids.

We booked interleading rooms, which was the perfect set-up - mum and dad got their own king sized bed while the three kids each got their very own bed in the room next door. As soon as we settled in, one of the Crowne Plaza team members knocked on our door and delivered awesome craft packs for the kids, which meant a chance for the grown-ups to crack open a bottle of wine. Wow, could this holiday get any better?

Facilities

When picking a staycation, choose a hotel with a variety of facilities. The Crowne Plaza Coogee Beach has an awesome outdoor heated swimming pool, gym, tennis courts and a variety of restaurants and bars. 

 

Food

I’m a passionate foodie so good food is an important part of a holiday and I loved that we spent a large part of our short break eating. The Crowne Plaza Coogee Beach has three main dining experiences - Bluesalt Bar for more casual cocktails and nibblies, Bluesalt Restaurant for more sophisticated dining and Oceans Dining & Drinks for delicious beachside treats. We had a scrumptious lunch at Oceans - where the style is share plates and tapas. There’s a dedicated kids’ menu and the little ones were thrilled with their nuggets and fish ’n chips. 

Next up was high tea in the lounge - and the kid's eyes' grew as wide as saucers when the three-tiered towers of goodies arrived at our table. Scones, cream and jam, an assortment of sandwiches, mini cupcakes, brownies and more. What a feast.

One of the highlights was the decadent buffet breakfast. The kids adored the pancake machine and took great delight, in making their own fresh juice, adoring an omelette just the way they like it and trying out different fruit and pastries.

Attractions

There’s always something fun happening in Coogee so we decided to time our staycation for the annual food and wine festival which was a short walk away from the hotel. 

To be honest, the kids didn’t really want to leave the hotel but the lure of ice-cream was strong and we managed to convince them to do some exploring with us. We ambled along the Main Road and enjoyed the local beachfront vibe. We then walked along the seaside promenade and stopped for a play at the action-packed playground.

Value for money 

One of the biggest benefits of a staycation is value-for-money. No need to waste cash on expensive transport to the airport or pay for pricey flights. All you need to budget for is your accommodation and food. Crowne Plaza Coogee Beach offers an amazing family getaway package which includes accommodation, breakfast, a beach game kit and refreshments plus kids eat FREE with a paying adult. Find out more and book your holiday now.

So don’t debate another moment, book a holiday near home and get ready to relax.

What You Need to Know

Contact Information: Call 1800 593 932, 02 9315 7600. or email [email protected]

Address: 242 Arden Street, Coogee

More Info: Crowne Plaza Coogee Beach

Hero image: Sydney.com

Have you signed up to our newsletter? Join ellaslist to get the best family and kid-friendly events, venues, classes and things to do NEAR YOU!