Honeymoon Ideas #Justhitched

Ok, so we all know by now that I am an ex travel agent who still loves to help friends and family with their travel needs, yes? I mean I don't book anything any-more, but any advise i can give i will happily help. I will often be having email conversations and DM's from friends with travel questions and i love keeping my foot in the door, as travelling really is a wonderful thing that everyone should experience as much as they can.

It's that time of year when proposals and weddings are in abundance. Whether you're just engaged, thinking about it, or closing in on the deal, i have some honeymoon advice for you, and my favourite destination for a honeymooners paradise too.

First Up

Advice for booking your honeymoon

• When you first start planning your wedding, plan a budget for your honeymoon. Couples will often pour their heart and soul and savings in to their wedding day and then forget about the honeymoon until a couple of months before. Don't do this. Plan it alongside your wedding, as once your big day is through you want to have something to look forward to. Plus its going to be your first time together as husband and wife, you deserve for it to be special.
• Discuss what you both want out of a honeymoon. Do you both want to relax, sightsee, bit of both? Clarify before you start searching, that way you can limit your search down to select areas rather than the whole globe.. trust me on this one, I've been around the world and back planning honeymoons for couples who haven't really thought through what they want.
• Book in advance. Flights come out approx 11 months in advance. The first flight seats that are released for general sale are often the cheapest, the closer you get to the date of departure, the higher the prices will be. So again preparation is key. If you have the time, book in advance. If not seek out some offers through the likes of Flight Centre who have dedicated honeymoon offers
• Indulge.. Chances are this is going to a trip of a lifetime. Don't scrimp on it, indulge in a little luxury if you can. Trust me, you will be talking about this honeymoon for years to come, it will set your married life off to a fabulous start. If it were me (and this is just my frank opinion, because i love to travel) I would forgo a few things on the wedding day, because the marriage to your loved one will be a buzz enough for you on the big day, and put that money towards a fabulous honeymoon. That way you will have the best of both.

My Top Honeymoon Destination for #JustHitched

Bahamas, Sandals Royal Bahamian Resort

White sands, crystal turquoise waters and the most glorious palm tree clad surroundings.
The perfect spot for any honeymooners.
If you aren't familiar with Sandals resorts then let me briefly acquaint you.

Pure Luxury
Adult only resort, perfect for honeymooners (no kids dive-bombing in to the pool, I mean I have kids, but man how awesome and peaceful, right?).
All inclusive: eat, drink and be merry.
Multiple facilities: water sports including diving, land sports including tennis, gym for all your fitness bunnies, and much more.
2 beaches
Spa
10 Restaurants.. all included
And if you're really pushing the boat out, some Butler class rooms have butler service.. oh yes, you read correctly, personal butler service.

So why here?
If you want to be treated like a princess, be left in peace or weighted on hand and foot, this is one of those places.
Beautiful luxury oozes from every corner of this resort, ensuring the most perfect honeymoon is their priority from the moment you set foot on this island.

The reasons i chose this as my top honeymoon destination this year are:

• You are just off shore, on Sandals dedicated island. You want peace? You got it, Want to explore? Take a boat across to the mainland and head out for some fun.
• Speaking of outside, try some day trips, including Swim with dolphins, distillery trip, The Queens Staircase and of course the Waterpark at Paradise island... just to name a few... needless to say you won't be bored.
• If you're staying for 10-14 days (which i would say is best for a long haul honeymoon, make the most of every day I say!) then you want a plethora of restaurants available to you. Sandals has 10 here all included, all available. This is crucial as you don't want to have to eat at the same buffet for 10 nights on the trot.
• Evening entertainment included. Sit back, relax with drink in hand and enjoy the varied entertainment program.

So tell me, if you were to book your honeymoon this year, where would you go? Or maybe your planning your wedding and need some inspo?
Why don't you get involved on twitter with the hashtag #JustHitched

My Holiday to Piran Meadows Cornwall

For the may half term me and the little fam booked a last minute holiday to Cornwall. We LOVE cornwall. I think if we could, we would move here in a heartbeat. But alas, we can not, so we must settle for holidaying there as often as possible.
We have been down to the Cornish neck of the woods a few times over the past couple of years, but this was our first time at Piran Meadows which is just outside Newquay. I have to say, hand on heart, this was by far the nicest most easy going, fun, lovely holiday we've ever had.
We went to Newquay Zoo which was fabulous, Fistral Beach for the day,which is doggy friendly all year round; perfect for Cassy, and Lappa Valley Steam Railway which was the loveliest day out.

You may or may not know but my day job is a Travel agent, so there i was 10 days before half term with dreams of Cornwall and the seaside and clotted cream and scones. I looked through our brochures and found Piran Meadows Resort & Spa. I'm always apprehensive with 'caravan' holidays, we normally stay in lodges or cottages, but I started reading the reviews and looking online at Darwin Escapes as a whole and looking at the gorgeous photos, plus seeing that it only opened last year made me think i'd give it a punt.
And what a punt it was. I was stunned!!!
It was absolutely beautiful. The grounds, the luxury caravans, the facilities all blew me away with their incredibly high standards.
Lets start with the Caravan itself shall we? I opened the door to the caravan with one eye closed, peaking around the corner, hoping it would be nice. I walked in and was wowed.
I went through to the living room and opened the verandah doors on to our enclosed verandah. The living room was perfectly set up with a lovely TV with CBeebies for Neo, a gorgeous fireplace and seating for all which led open plan into the kitchen , which was perfectly equipped for everything.
I walked through to each immaculate bedroom, 2 twin rooms which we set Neo up in one, then on to our double.
It was nicer than my home!
Big double bed with crisp white cotton sheets and puffy pillows, more than ample wardrobe space, TV in the bedroom, hairdryer (!) ensuite wc.. I was in caravan heaven.
I wanted to move in permanently.
I quickly got to settling us in and making it our home for the next 4 nights.
I had never felt so at home on holiday.

The other contributing factor for us was that they accommodated doggies. Cassy is a really good puppy, and she loved coming on holidays with us, i loved being able to take her too.
We planned our days out mostly around what was doggy friendly (all bar the zoo for obvious reasons) and i was so pleased to see how many places in the area welcome dogs.  Then when we would get back to the caravan she would be shattered and fall asleep on the rug (it was adorable) and i would put my feet up and have a lovely cuppa (First caravan ever that i've known to supply coffee, 4 types of tea's, milk and sugar and some biscuits! how nice!)

View of the Cornish countryside from our Caravan.

 In regards to the facilities in Piran Meadows, there were plenty. They have daily sports and activities for all such as archery, water zorbs and footie and basketball to name a few. We didn't partake but saw lots of the activities and the activity team were always so cheery and fun.
There's the spa also, which i never got around to using, but it looked beautiful and would be lovely as a little holiday treat.
There is also the pool which Neo loved (which fyi was the perfect temperature, i hate getting in to a cold pool..what can i say, i'm a wimp, but it was like a lovely warm bath, just thought that was well worth noting haha!) and then a two lane bowling alley, which was so fun, (have i ever mentioned i am awesome at bowling.. with my maiden name as Bowler i had to be though didn't i?!)
There is a great restaurant on site too, to me a holiday is as little cooking as possible;)
The restaurant had a great menu and i can safely say the english breakfast was delicious (the Cornish sausages were to die for) and meals in general were super yum (i had the seafood risotto and chunky chips and i'm salivating just thinking about it!) There is also a Costa Coffee.. i have literally found my slice of heaven here.

 At the bowling alley and then at Lappa Valley, on the canoes.. which i chose to delegate to hubby to do with him.. you know as a father son bonding thing*wink*

 Fistral Beach Fun

 Little train rides (that would be a Thor hammer in his hand if you're wondering.. every 4 year old boys favourite accessory, no?!)

 Fistral Beach with Cassy, gorgeous day, a little chilly but my Seafolly Seasalt Jacket was perfect (more on my packing and outfits in tomorrows post). Piran Meadows was less than 10 minutes outside the centre of Newquay, which was perfect for us; far enough out to really enjoy some peace, but close enough to nip in and out as and when we wanted.

I can't even express in words what a wonderful time we had and i can't recommend Piran Meadows enough.
I've had complete holiday blues for the past 10 days, so much so that hubs and i have been looking at booking again (summer holidays hopefully!), maybe one of their other luxury resorts in Cornwall, or maybe back to Piran Meadows as we loved it THAT much.

Have you ever been to Cornwall? 

I highly recommend it, i really do.

*Fyi this isn't a sponsored post in anyway shape or form.. if you hadn't guessed already i just REALLY loved it there, and the travel agent in me just loves to share these nuggets of travel information with you ;)