Our family has never travelled abroad together and this is something I am determined to change in the next year. We don't need to go anywhere massively expensive or fancy like Barbados or Australia, we just want to get away and enjoy the sun, a new culture, some authentic local food and time together.
As this post goes live a load of my blogger friends and their families are off to Corsica, a French island off the coast of Italy with Mark Warner and I have to be honest and say I am more than a little green with envy. Our family would love to have travelled with them and joined in with the sailing, kayaking and cycling but alas JJ has transition days for secondary school and it is super busy at dh's work so this next week doesn't work for us.
It has been a frenzy on FaceBook these last few days with people getting ready and organising cars and airport transfers and I was happy to point them to the fabulous Park, Stay and Go offer at the Heathrow Crown Plaza Hotel. Why would you bother trying to get to Heathrow on the day of your flight when you can arrive there the day before, enjoy a swim in the pool, eat dinner at your leisure and stay in a luxury hotel room? Then also have the peace of mind knowing your car is being looked after in the special parking areas for park, stay and go guests.
When I first learnt about this service I had expected it to be on the pricey side, but it is not at all. Of courses hotels do not come really cheap close to our countries busiest airport but the price is per room and when you can accommodate a whole family in one room with two double beds and in my case an extra roll-away bed or maybe a cot if you have a younger one then the price tag is super reasonable. I did a few accommodation searches and the price varies according to demand but booking a good amount in advance seems to pay off as a family room was as low as £76 for the night of 12th September this year (for an advanced saver rate).*
The park, stay and go option is available on the Best flexible rate and costs an extra £4 for 4 days parking, £8 for 8 days parking and £11 for 15 days parking. I'm sure you will agree those prices are really reasonable and you get the added benefit of one nights stay at a really beautiful hotel that boosts -
- A good selection of room types including family, suites and 8 accessible rooms including one with an electronic hoist
- The largest indoor pool in the Heathrow area, measuring 16 m x 12 m
- Great gym, sauna, steam room and jacuzzi
- Air conditioned rooms
- Complimentary mineral water, as well as tea and coffee making facilities
- Satellite TV
- Luxury bathrobes and toiletries
- In room telephone and high-speed Internet access
- Two children eat free from the children's menu when dining with a paying adult from the A La Carte menu in Orwell's Brasserie
- Best price guaranteed when you book direct
- Interconnecting rooms available
- Round the clock room service
- Regular Hoppa bus service to all the Heathrow terminals
If you are a frequent traveller and may need this service on an ongoing basis then it is worth joining the Park, Stay and Go club for free as you will receive discounts commensurate with the amount of times you have used the service.
Or if you are sure of your flight dates and times you might fancy the 8 day VIP Park, Stay and Go offer as the hotel have teamed up with Value Individual Parking and they will arrange your transfer from the hotel on the day of your flight and then arrange to meet you at the airport with your car when you return. Of course it costs a little more but the lack of hassle may just mean you wish to pay that bit extra and to feel really rested at both ends of your journey.
I know that whenever we do manage to secure that elusive trip abroad we will be using the Park, Stay and Go service at the Heathrow Crowne Plaza hotel as I want to swim in that pool!
* I did a couple of accommodation searches for family rooms and it came up as £109 for the night of Friday 26/6/15, £123 for the night of Wednesday 19/08/15 and £76 for Saturday 12/09/15.
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