Babies often make good travelers if they are cuddled and fed regularly. Noah had colic in the first three months after he was born, so we waited until we felt a little more settled and he seemed more likely to be ready to travel long distances.
Before we booked our first holiday together as a family of three, we enjoyed a luxury staycation at The Stratford hotel – a stylish urban sanctuary in the up-and-coming East London.
Our train journey was only 31 minutes – thanks to the Southeastern Highspeed train from Ashford International to Stratford and the hotel is right next to the station. At check-in, we were greeted by two smiling members of staff before we were whisked up to our room, with cosy and chic interiors by Space Copenhagen.
If you are booking a holiday or a staycation and your baby usually sleeps in a cot, do ask for one when you make your reservation. Discovering there is no cot when you arrive at your destination with a tired baby is not a good start to a holiday.
As soon as we arrived, Noah had a short nap in what looked like the comfiest cot – it had a good mattress, wheels to move the cot with ease around the room and was made of solid wood. After his nap, we had a few hot drinks in the spacious and sophisticated lobby downstairs, before heading out for some retail therapy in Westfield.
Sadly, I didn’t have room for dessert, but my husband shared with Noah a tasty confit apple mille-feuille with vanilla ice cream and butterscotch.
It’s worth noting that everyone from the staff was incredibly helpful and welcoming with our little one, and nothing was too much to ask – I requested no salt in the dishes because I wanted to share my dinner with Noah. I simply can’t recommend this restaurant enough for a family lunch or dinner!
Noah is an early riser, so we played in the room for a while. With time to spare before checking out, I paid a visit to the well-equipped gym for a quick workout, followed by a delicious breakfast in the Brasserie downstairs.
If you are thinking to book a staycation at The Stratford hotel, you should know that you don’t have to look far to find trendy hangouts, bustling food markets, independent boutiques or exhibitions.
East London has a reputation for its vibrant and creative places – there is always something going on! And you’ll have no difficulty traveling into Central London thanks to the strong network of Tube lines.
Can’t wait to be back!
Book a room at the luxurious and design-led The Stratford hotel here.
Complimentary stay, all views and imagery are my own.
