Family Friendly Travel Blog

Now's the time to get a great deal on flights

Think: Spend less on flights...more on gorgeous villa!

 
If you want to get the best deal on flights....last minute is not the way forward.

Have you seen easyJet and other airlines advertising their cheap flight offers?
This means the cheapest seats are available NOW!

And yes Christmas is looming and it's hard to think about splashing out on a holiday that's months away....but really, is there ever a perfect time? 
Well yes there is actually! The perfect time is when you'll get the best deal .....which happens to be right now.

Plus there's the advantage that if you book accommodation on the back of a cheap flight now, you'll get a much better selection to choose from than if you wait much longer.


Repeat: Spend less on flights.....more on gorgeous villa!

 

We've been matching great flight offers with gorgeous family friendly accommodation.

Today we're off to Italy with flights to Pisa in Tuscany starting from £29.49 per person in June and from £36.49 in July with easyJet.  That's a fab price.

So off we go in search of hilltop villages, pizza and views of cypress trees......
 

Here are a few suggestions if you're flying into Pisa...

Casa Castagna

Ideal for who want to take friends/family with them. Sleeps 12 plus babies in cots in 6 bedfamilies rooms.
 

• Stunning villa with six bedrooms
• Rural location
• Welcome pack provided
• Enclosed swimming pool
• Breathtaking views
• Gorgeous interior

 
   
Casa Barile

Sleeps: 10 people plus 2 babies in cots in 5 bedrooms in one property which can be split into two if required. Ideal for 2 or 3 families with children and/or babies

• Private rural location
• Nearest shop and bar only 1km; restaurant 3kms
• Enclosed, solar heated pool
• Babysitting available
• Park within walking distance
• Spectacular views over the mountains and villages

 

 

Il Gelso

Apartments for 2 adult and a young child and the larger ones for families of four
 

• Six luxury air conditioned apartments
• Gym and sauna on site
• Private rural location with stunning views
  
• Stunning swimming pool
• Ample space for children to run around
• On site tasting and cooking classes on request for adults and children
• Breakfast & Meals available in your apartment or in the dining area.
• Private Chef available on request

 

 

Click here for more properties in Italy
 
 
All flight prices and villa availability are correct at the time of broadcast - but they won't last long...

 

Cheap flights to Italy from just £27.99

Tip 5) Be flexible:

Flexibility around your choice of airports and times of day you choose to travel can save you wads of cash.

Huge savings can be had by playing around with both your departure and destination airports, even if it means that you may have to drive a little bit further, it may be worth it.


Excitement has mounted this week as we've realised that there are some amazing flight offers around at the moment. But they won't last so speed and efficiency are needed to maximise this opportunity.


All this week we have matched great flight offers with the very best in family friendly accommodation. Today we're off to Italy with flights to Pisa in Tuscany starting at £27.99 per person in July.....in search of hilltop villages, pizza and views of cypress trees.


Here are a few suggestions if your flying into Pisa...
 
   
Casa Castagna

Ideal for families who want to take friends/family with them. Sleeps 12 plus babies in cots in 6 bedrooms.

Stunning villa with six bedrooms
Welcome pack provided
Enclosed swimming pool
Breathtaking views
High standard of furnishings

 
   
Casa Barile

Sleeps: 10 people plus 2 babies in cots in 5 bedrooms in one property which can be split into two if required. Ideal for 2 or 3 families with children and/or babies

Private rural location
Nearest shop and bar only 1km; restaurant 3kms
Enclosed, solar heated pool
Babysitting available
Park within walking distance
Beaches 75 minutes; skiing 80 minutes away
Spectacular views over the mountains and villages

 
   
Il Gelso

Ideal for families wanting to holiday together or with grandparents. Smaller apartments can cater for 2 adults and a young child and the larger ones for families of four.

Six luxury air conditioned apartments
Gym and sauna on site
Private rural location with stunning views
Stunning swimming pool
Ample space for children to run around
On site tasting and cooking classes on request for adults and children
Breakfast & Meals available in your apartment or in the dining area.
Private Chef available on request

 
 
Click here for more properties in Italy
 
 
All flight prices and villa availability are correct at the time of broadcast - but they won't last long...

Meet and greet airport parking is the way forward!

According to a survey just published, meet and greet services now account for well over half of all airport parking and it seems the figure is set to increase further as the prices fall and customer recommendations go up.

I tried it for the first time a few weeks ago and it made such a positive difference to both our outbound and inbound journey that I am forever converted.

I booked the meet and greet parking online through Essential Travel just a couple of weeks prior to departure.  Then on the day called the number provided around 20mins before arriving at the airport to confirm we were on our way.

Then it's simply a case of pulling up outside the terminal building, unloading the luggage and handing over the key. 

No mucking about finding the long stay car park.  No dragging luggage and children and pushchairs through car parks and no hanging about waiting for a lengthy bus ride to the terminal.  We made an altogether calmer entrance to the airport terminal than usual!

The return is even better.  Just knowing that you'll find your car waiting outside for you is a relief when you're at the stage of your holiday when all you want to do is get home sharpish.

A quick call once we'd collected our case from the baggage hall and the time we exited customs and walked to the pick up point the car was waiting for us. 

In go the kids, in go the bags and we're on our way home.

Without meet and greet we could easily have added at least another 30mins and very frazzled nerves to an already late night journey which had also been delayed.

And the surprising thing (to me) was that it didn't cost that much more than plain old airport parking. 

If my experience is anything to go by, then I can highly recommend meet and greet to make travelling with young children much easier.

As a friend of Tots to Travel if you book your meet and greet parking through Essential Travel you'll get a 10% discount.  Essential Travel already offer the best prices out there so with the extra 10% discount through Tots to Travel you'll be getting an unbeatable price. 

Click here to get your 10% discount with Essential Travel.

Last Minute Luxury Family Friendly Villas

Don't miss these BIG discounts on last minute luxury.
 
These fantastic offers for late availability are proving extremely popular.
With two sold already you'll need to be quick off the mark if you want to take advantage of these incredible prices.

Contact us now to snap up one these unmissable deals.

Call us on 0845 26 941 26
or email: http://totstotravel.co.uk/contact/ 
  
  

 Aubriete, Dordogne
30% off 24-30August
New price £1,592 for one week

Sleeps up to 7 in 3 bedrooms plus cots 


  
 Casa Barile, Tuscany
£500 off all available September weeks
New Price: £1,720 per week

Sleeps up to 10 people plus 2 babies in cots in 5 bedrooms

  
  
  
***NOW SOLD***
Casa Diana, Costa del Sol
£300 off 25-31 August
New price: £1,445 for one week

Sleeps 7 in 3 bedrooms plus cots

  
 
Alberi, Le Marche, Italy
£500 off 25-31 August
New Price: £1,575 for one week

Sleeps up to 10 in 5 en-suite bedrooms 

  
  
  
***NOW SOLD***
Chez Vue, Dordogne
£500 off 1-7 September
New price: £1,060 for one week

Sleeps up to 10 (plus 2 babies in cots) in 5 bedrooms 


  

La Maison Verte ,Dordogne
10 nights for the price of 7
8-18 September
New price:£1,595 (10 nights)

 

Sleeps up to 8 in 5 bedrooms plus cots 

  

 
 

 

 

Manoir de Villeneuve, Provence
£1000 off 25-31 August
New price:£3,895 for one week

Sleeps up to 14 in 7 bedrooms plus cots 

  
 
La Maison Jaune, Dordogne
10 nights for the price of 7
8-18 Sept OR 18-28 Sept
New price:£1,595 (10 nights)

Sleeps up to 7 in 4 bedrooms plus cots

Tips For Planning A Group Holiday

^{Tips for planning a group holiday}  

If you are planning a big holiday get-together for 2013 then now is a  really good time to get started.
Whether it's a birthday celebration, a family reunion or just a chance to get a group of friends together for a really special holiday, here's my top tips for organising that group holiday.
•    The big family friendly houses are already getting snapped up for next year so it's a good idea to look sooner rather than later if you want to secure a great family friendly holiday home.
•    Nominate an organiser/organisers to be the central point of contact for the group. Setting up a closed facebook group can be a good way to communicate openly with each other and make sure that everyone has the information they need.
•    The main organiser should also be the designated spokes person for
dealing with the booking , confirming arrival an d departure times and making sure everyone has directions and information about the house in advance.

•    Decide early on numbers/budget/date and set a deadline for decisions on who's in and who's out. You'll have a better chance of finding the right size property, at the right price for the right dates if you know who is committed
well in advance so you can book early.
•    Weddings, birthdays, anniversary celebrations will often dictate dates for your holiday. However, if you don't have a set date then finding one to suit everyone can be a daunting task. Try www.whenisgood.net - a helpful easy to use tool for finding o
ut when everyone is free at the same time.
•    Consider opening a seperate bank account so that one person doesn't get lumbered with paying large amounts of money up front. It also avoids awkward conversations about who owes what.
•    Spend some time organising a rota for cooking/shopping etc.. to make sure the chores get shared. Get a kitty going too

before you arrive to split the costs equally.
•    Decide who gets the master bedroom! There are several opti
ons to deciding who gets which bedroom. It may be individual needs that dictate suitability: those with babies in cots will need a bigger room, grandparents may prefer a room on the ground floor for instance.  The occasion may be the decider: birthday girl gets the master bedroom! Some groups let the organiser pick their room as a reward for all the
effort they've put into getting you all there.  Or simply draw straws if you'd all prefer!
 
 
Free one to one holiday consultation
Let us do the hard work for you.
Schedule a one-to-one consultation with an experienced and knowledgeable Travel Expert.
We'll ask you about your groups requirements and come back to you with a tailor made short list.
Contact us on 0845 26 941 26
or email us at mailto: enquiries@totstotravel.co.uk

 
 
Click here to explore our selection of family friendly properties suitable for group holidays

Last Minute Family Friendly Holidays

Searching for a last minute get-away?
Here's a shortcut to finding last minute family friendly holiday villas with availability over the next few weeks.

Simply click on the links below - which are organised by date to - find villas and apartments in France, Spain, Portugal, Italy and the UK.

Plus, you'll find a useful link below to a great new Budget Airline FlightChecker tool. You can search by date, destination, country....even specify how much you are willing to spend on a flight.
 
 
 
Availability for 21 July 2012
Click here for a shortlist of all holiday properties available w/c 21 July 2012

 
 

 
Availability for 28 July 2012
Click here for a shortlist of all holiday properties available w/c 28 July 2012

 

 
Availability for 4 August 2012
Click here for a shortlist of all holiday properties available w/c  4 August 2012

 

 
Availability for 11 August 2012
Click here for a shortlist of all holiday properties available w/c 11 August 2012

 

 
 Availability for 18 August 2012
Click here for a shortlist of all holiday properties available w/c 18 August 2012

 

 
Availability for 25 August 2012
Click here for a shortlist of all holiday properties available w/c 25 August 2012

 

 

Budget Airline FlightChecker
Try this great new tool from Martin Lewis' moneysavingexpert.com to check where and when to go for the cheapest budget airline flights.
Click here for the Budget Airline FlightChecker.

 
 
Visit our site at www.totstotravel.co.uk
or call us on 0845 26 941 26
or email us at enquiries@totstotravel.co.uk

Last Minute Family Friendly Villas In Italy

Still looking for a summer holiday?.............Can't stand the rain any longer?..............Thinking of Italy?

It's not too late to book a gorgeous family friendly villa in Italy.
 
Here's a selection of baby and child friendly villas in Italy with weeks available during the summer months of July 21 - August 31 2012.



Alberi, Le Marche
Prices from £1055- £2955
Sleeps up to 10 people plus cots in 2 double and 3 twin bedrooms (all en suite).
•    Beautiful spacious house with excellent quality finish
•    Quiet location, gentle rural views
•    Stunning river valley with easy walks from house
•    Large pool, with paddling area and electric security cover
•    English speaking baby-sitter available.

 
 
Monte Bastiola, Umbria
Prices from £1550 - £3090
Sleeps up to 9 people plus cots in 4 double bedrooms all with en-suite bathrooms
•    Peaceful and secluded with stunning views
•    Very well equipped, attractive property
•    Enclosed pool
•    Large play area with lots of space
•    Toys and games for all ages
•    Babysitting available
 
 

 

Casa Alessia, Tuscany
Prices from £1330 - £3160
Sleeps up to 10 people plus cots in 3 doubles and 2 twin bedrooms.
•    Enclosed pool with stunning views
•    Peaceful and secluded with stunning views
•    Complimentary first eveing meal and Pasta Making lesson.
•    Nearest Pizzeria 1.5 kms, Supermarket 2 kms
•    English speaking babysitting available
•    Home cooked food available on request
•    Pizza making lessons

 
 

Casa Piccola, Ancona
Prices from £770 - £1715
Sleeps 4 plus a baby in a cot in a twin and a double.
•    Rural with fabulous mountain views
•    Lovely swimming pool
•    Babysitting available
•    Beach: 35 kms
•    Ideal for family with a non-moving baby or older children (not suitable for moving toddlers/crawling babies)

 
Da Mossa  
Prices from £595
Beautiful 19th Century country house restored with care into four fabulous self-contained apartments.
•    Air conditioning
•    Walking distance of an ancient town with all amenities including restaurants, pizzerias, gelateria and bars
•    Fully enclosed swimming pool
•    Quiet location at the end of a private road
•    Wonderful sweeping views
•    Free WIFI broadband
•    English speaking baby listening and Italian babysitting available
•    Italian cookery courses available

Cortona Hideaway

Prices from £710
Three stunning apartments with one or three bedrooms
•    Rural location within minutes of a local village
•    Welcome pack provided
•    Enclosed swimming pool
•    Babysitting available
•    Lots of animals to pet and keep children amused
•    Organic vegetable patch
•    Tipi (American style tent) to play in

Di Bove, Le Marche
Prices from £665 - £920
Two apartments sleep 4 in two bedrooms plus babies in cots.
•    Modern spacious apartments,immaculately finished
•    Quiet rural location with fully enclosed garden
•    Fenced pool
•    Shopping service on request
•    English speaking babysitting available
•    Excellent children's activities nearby

 

 
Click here for more summer availability in Italy
 
 

For more summer availability go to www.totstotravel.co.uk
or call us on 0845 26 941 26
or email us at enquiries@totstotravel.co.uk

Warm regards


Wendy Shand

 

Luxury Baby And Child Friendly Holiday Villas For 2013

Looking ahead to 2013?

If you're thinking about a holiday with a big group of friends or family next year then now is a good time to plan.  As you'd expect, the best properties get snapped up very early so it pays to be ahead of the game, especially if you have fixed dates in mind.

Here at Tots To Travel, we've already begun taking bookings for 2013 and it's mostly big groups of friends and family looking for large child friendly properties.
 
Here's a selection of fabulous family friendly holiday properties that are pefect for large groups looking for a special venue for a family occasion, be it a birthday, anniversary or just an opportunity to get everyone together to reconnect and spend some quality time together.
 
 
 

The Old Silk Farm, South of France
Prices from £4395 - £5745
Sleeps 14 in 7 bedrooms plus a baby in a cot.
•    Stunning renovated former working silk farm
•    Fantastic location in Peter Mayle's idyllic Luberon
•    Close to stunning hilltop villages of Lacoste, Bonnieux and Menerbes
•    Recently decorated and styled by interior designer
•    High quality furniture and equipment throughout
•    Large landscaped grounds with large gated swimming pool
•    Outside play area with trampoline, sandpit and other play equipment

 

 
La Baie de Sureau, South West France
Prices from £1355 - £3015
Sleeps up to 14 plus 4 babies in cots.
•    Walking distance to village with shops, bars & cafes
•    Enclosed HEATED pool
•    Covered play terrace - vast array of out door toys and games
•    NEW cinema room with proper cinema seats!
•    English speaking babysitting available day or night, by a N.N.E.B Nanny
•    Stunning views.

 

Barrique de Fleurs, Brittany
Prices from £1780- £2910
Sleeps up to 14 in 5 bedrooms plus babies in cots.
•    Enclosed heated swimming pools - toddlers and adults
•    Fantastic tree house, swings and other garden play equipment
•    Spacious, characterful property
•    Indoor games room

 

 
Gascony Views, South West France
Prices from £2000- £3450
Sleeps 11 plus babies in 5 bedrooms
•    Recently renovated stone farmhouse decorated with a perfect blend of original character, style and elegance
•    Fabulous far reaching views across wonderful Gascony countryside
•    Huge 10m x 5m salt water swimming pool
•    Covered outdoor play barn with a plethora of outdoor toys
•    Playroom with toybox situated right in the heart of the house between the kitchen and the sitting room
•    Home cooked meals, beauty treatments, babysitting available on request
•    Fantastic walking routes direct from the house

 

 
Casa Agio, Tuscany
Prices from £2115 - £3755
Sleeps up to 12 people plus cots in 3 double and 2 twin bedrooms (3 bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms).
•    Peaceful and secluded with stunning views
•    Beautifully restored and comfortable property
•    Fabulous new infinity pool
•    Toys and games for all ages
•    Baby pack available on request
•    English speaking babysitting available.
 
 

Le Moulin, Bordeaux
Prices from £1800- £3015
Sleeps up to 12 plus one or more babies, in 5 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms
•    In the heart of the stunning Bordeaux wine areas
•    Stunning 17th century mill house
•    Mid week maid service
•    Enclosed pool with beach style entry and infinity edge
•    Wifi
•    Outdoor kitchen with pizza oven
•    Bespoke chef service available
•    English speaking babysitting available
•    Stunning views.

 

 
Casa das Flores, Portugal
Prices from £2000 - £2710
Sleeps up to 10 (including up to 2 babies in cots), in 5 bedrooms.
•    Europe's premier golf and beach resort, including spa and kids club
•    Enclosed heated swimming pool
•    Large indoor games room
•    Fabulous, well-equipped accommodation
•    Walkable to beach, playground and restaurants
•    Vast range of outdoor activities, incl. tennis, surfing, horseriding
•    Award-winning golf course and driving range on doorstep

 

 
Villa Floresta, Portugal
Prices from £2480 - £3395
Sleeps up to 10 plus 3 babies in cots in 5 bedrooms. Two garden apartments can sleep a further 10 people.
•    Top quality, spacious villa
•    Large gardens with loads of play space
•    Heated enclosed pool
•    Indoor games room and fully-equipped second kitchen
•    Outdoor chill-out area and barbeque
•    Two separate garden apartments
•    Babysitting, chef, bike rental and other fantastic services
•    Close to village, beaches, golf and numerous tourist attractions
•    Area of outstanding natural beauty

 

 
Amelie, South of France
Prices from £765 - £1760
Sleeps up to 10 plus 2 babies in cots in 5 bedrooms.
•    Walking distance to pretty village with small supermarket,bread shop, bar and a couple of restaurants
•    Enclosed pool and safe, enclosed garden
•    Boules court
•    Close to the beautiful towns of Avignon and Uzes & Pont du Gard
•    Completely new property with immaculate decor
•    Virtually car free area on private estate (villa end of cul de sac)

 

 
Apple Tree Barn, Central France
Prices £1755 - £2310
Sleeps up to 10 plus plenty of room for babies and additional children in 5 bedrooms (incl. nursery room).
•    Stunning traditional converted barn
•    Lovely spacious reception rooms - lots of space for all
•    Welcome pack provided
•    Separate playroom with large selection of toys and baby equipment
•    Set in beautiful countryside with rolling hills
•    Central heating for cosy winter breaks
•    Enclosed and heated swimming pool
 
 

 

Free one to one holiday consultation
Let us do the hard work for you. 
Schedule a one-to-one consultation with an experienced and knowledgeable Tots Travel Expert.   
We'll ask you about your requirements and come back to you with a tailor made short list. 
Contact us on 0845 26 941 26
or email us at enquiries@totstotravel.co.uk


For more 2013 availability go to www.totstotravel.co.uk

Warm regards


Wendy Shand

Great feedback from Tots To Travel customer

Just received a lovely email from a Tots To Travel customer who has just returned from Casa Massignano, Italy. Here is what she had to say ...

"We’re just back from Casa Massignano and I thought I’d drop you a line to say how delighted we were with the property. We’ve stayed in dozens of villas over the years, but we really did feel we’d ‘lucked out’ with this one.

The house was well-maintained and well-appointed, without being full of valuable objects just waiting to be destroyed by tiny hands; the views were unbeatable; the welcome pack of food and wine were a brilliant idea and a thoughtful touch; both the property owner and the Italian manager were helpful and efficient; and the gates on the stairs and a around the pool meant that the adults were actually able to relax now and again!

Having spent the last four years deciding whether to

a) stay somewhere that’s perfect for the children and put our aesthetic considerations to one side

or

b) stay in a beautiful property which is totally impractical with small children, I feel we finally hit the nail on the head!

Based on our experience of this property, we’ll certainly be in touch with Tots To Travel when we come to booking our next holiday". Sarah Broadway, June 2012

Tots To Travel saves the day!

Tots To The Rescue!

On Monday evening we received a call from a father on holiday in Italy with his young family and a serious problem.

The holiday villa the family were staying at (not a property from Tots To Travel), was not child friendly. In fact, the parents felt it was unsafe for their young children and were so unhappy that they wanted to leave as soon as possible.

The major problem was the unenclosed pool at the villa. The constant risk of their  small children falling in to the pool had put both parents on edge and the situation was becoming increasingly stressful. 
 

The property itself had uneven levels and open stairs.  Even the outdoor space was unsuitable for the children to go out and play in.

The relaxing holiday that the family had been looking forward to so much had turned out to be a complete nightmare. The parents were stressed and unsettled.

They were so unhappy that they wanted to move out as soon as they could.

Tots to the rescue!

They contacted Tots To Travel, the award winning specialist in child friendly holiday villas, looking for an immediate alternative. They’d heard of us through a friend and knew we could provide a genuinely family friendly property that would fit his family’s needs.  Straight away on Monday evening, Davina found a Tots property that the distressed family could move to immediately, just half an hour from where they already were.

The family packed up and moved to the child friendly Tots To Travel holiday home the following morning, where they are now happily settled and where they will be spending the remainder of their holiday... complete with enclosed pool and stress free!

 

The moral of this story is don't leave your family holiday to chance! 

 

A dream family holiday can be ruined by arriving at your destination only to find that the garden isn’t properly secure or your crawling baby is intent on scaling an open staircase at every opportunity…or that the unenclosed pool means you just can’t relax and enjoy it.   We check all this and much more as part of our inspection which has been developed in conjunction with CAPT (Child Accident Prevention Trust) exclusively for Tots to Travel. All our properties have enclosed pools, stair gates where needed, secure gardens and a myriad of other safety precautions.
So we’ve thought of everything so that you can book your holiday accommodation with the peace of mind that you are taking your family to a safe, fun and properly equipped holiday destination.