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Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Mocktails and a swimming pool swordfight: five ways to make your hotel a child's holiday highlight
'Oh look! A crocodile!' my six-year-old daughter Zenya squeals. We'd planned an action-packed itinerary, but spotting safari animals isn't part of it. She jumps on the bed and puts her arms around it, because this crocodile isn't deadly – it's made out of rolled-up towels. 'Come and look at this!' my nine-year-old son Ziggy calls from the massive living room next door, where a sofa bed is made up for him. He points to more towel art – a monkey in sunglasses, clipped to a wooden hanger. But it's my 10-year-old Zayla who is the first to spot the real piece de resistance: white plates with the children's names written on them in chocolate, on which stand chocolate sculptures sprayed in gold. 'This is why I love hotels!' she says. 'You never know what you're going to find in the room when you arrive.' As a travel journalist, my children have been lucky enough to stay in all kinds of accommodation, from manor houses to canvas safari tents, but for them a holiday means staying in a hotel. They love engaging with the staff, particularly when someone remembers their names. They adore the independence of helping themselves to a buffet breakfast, and they are thrilled when they walk into a hotel room to find it has been especially prepared for them. These are all the little things that make a family holiday special for me. Here are five ways to make your family holiday one to remember. The hotel offers a warm welcome for all the family, with the children particularly impressed by the towel art – and their beds Choose a hotel that comes with family extras The towel art and chocolate welcome plates were just a few of the little extras the Hilton Birmingham Metropole had put in our room to ensure the kids had the best time. We also found miniature versions of the hotel slippers and soft fleece dressing gowns to fit the kids. Grownups hadn't been forgotten either, and we were delighted to find a bottle of vegan prosecco, which because of the confirmed connecting room setup, we were able to enjoy when the children were asleep without feeling we had to clink glasses in bed. It's not easy finding suitable accommodation for a family of five, but the hotel gave us the perfect solution with a king bedroom and twin bedroom either side of a huge living room, which, as well as the sofa bed, had a dining table to seat six and a balcony overlooking a lake. If you're travelling with kids, it's always worth calling the hotel in advance to discuss room options with them, particularly if you have booked via a third-party booking site. This is also an opportunity to let the hotel know your children's names and ages so they have the opportunity to tailor your stay. Pick a place with a variety of dining options We arrived quite late on Friday night, so we wanted to fill our stomachs as soon as we got there. At the Hilton Birmingham Metropole you can choose between dining in the restaurant or the bar, so we opted for the more relaxed atmosphere of the Gild Lounge and Bar. The kids were happy to graze on platters of crisp calamari, spicy chicken wings and cauliflower fritters, but were also pleased when they were given a children's menu with lots of favourites such as margherita pizza, mac and cheese and a burger. When choosing a hotel, it's always worth checking if they allow children in the bar, and if there are any time restrictions on them being there. It's also good to know if the hotel has children's menus or if it can do child portions of dishes from the main menu. To get us in the holiday mood, I let the children order virgin pina coladas, while my husband and I knocked back a couple of negronis. And the hotel provided pens and paper for the kids to draw on to keep them busy between courses. Book a hotel that's weather-proofThe next morning, we were set for a day trip to a nearby castle. Unfortunately, the arrival of a sudden biblical downpour meant we were stuck indoors. So the kids suggested we go for a swim. For a moment, I thought they were joking about the puddles that were fast filling up outside, then I remembered that, of course, the Hilton Birmingham Metropole has a large leisure swimming pool with hydro jets, whirlpool bath and a fabulous view of the surrounding trees. The Hilton Birmingham Metropole's large pool and whirlpool bath were a hit Nothing makes kids feel more like they are on holiday than a swimming pool. I knew they wouldn't regret missing out on medieval jousting if they could pretend to sword fight with a couple of swimming noodles instead. We had a great time splashing around as a family – the kids took it in turns to climb up my knees and be thrown into the water, they showed off their handstands and raced each other up and down the pool. But bear in mind that some hotels have specific times when children can use the pool, which may not fit in with your plans, while some are only available for adults to use. This can particularly be the case if the pool is part of a separate spa. So it's always good to check the overall usage policies. Find out if the hotel offers any other child-friendly activitiesWhen I realised the weather wasn't going to abate any time soon, I asked if the hotel had any other indoor activities the kids could take part in. 'How about our mocktail masterclass in the onsite restaurant?' suggested the cheerful young woman at guest relations. 'I spotted your lot were into the virgin pina coladas last night!' Perfect. With the promise of sweet drinks, I was able to entice the children out of the pool and into dry clothes. We hadn't even noticed that the hotel had another restaurant in our hurry to eat the first night, and were wowed by the stylish space. A large wood-panelled bar lined with turquoise leather chairs, teal velour banquettes with plump cushions and floor-to-ceiling windows. The children were delighted to be in such a grownup place, sitting at high bar stools with their own cocktail shaker in front of them ready to learn how to mix the perfect mocktail. The bar manager was so patient with the children as he guided them on how to measure the ingredients, shake them, pour them and dress the glass. They loved the blue effect created by a squeeze of butterfly pea flower tea, but the highlight was being shown how to use the flavour blaster; a handheld device that creates bubbles of flavoured vapour to sit on top of cocktails. With the kids thoroughly entertained, we were able to sit at the bar, just the two of us, and have an uninterrupted conversation. On arrival, the children were greeted with chocolate sculptures sprayed in gold; later on, mocktail making kept them entertained Make the most of the restaurantThe mocktails led into dinner, a slap-up affair that saw the children try their first taste of scallops and my eldest braving a plate of chilli prawns. As we gave each other forkfuls of our food to try, we all agreed how grateful we were that we'd booked into a hotel for the weekend and not a self-catering property. For our best range of family hotels, see below or book direct at and save on your stay. Join Hilton Honors for free and save up to 20%* in the Hilton Sale, now on. *Terms and conditions apply. Must be a Hilton Honors Member. default
The Guardian
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Mocktails and a swimming pool swordfight: five ways to make your hotel a child's holiday highlight
'Oh look! A crocodile!' my six-year-old daughter Zenya squeals. We'd planned an action-packed itinerary, but spotting safari animals isn't part of it. She jumps on the bed and puts her arms around it, because this crocodile isn't deadly – it's made out of rolled-up towels. 'Come and look at this!' my nine-year-old son Ziggy calls from the massive living room next door, where a sofa bed is made up for him. He points to more towel art – a monkey in sunglasses, clipped to a wooden hanger. But it's my 10-year-old Zayla who is the first to spot the real piece de resistance: white plates with the children's names written on them in chocolate, on which stand chocolate sculptures sprayed in gold. 'This is why I love hotels!' she says. 'You never know what you're going to find in the room when you arrive.' As a travel journalist, my children have been lucky enough to stay in all kinds of accommodation, from manor houses to canvas safari tents, but for them a holiday means staying in a hotel. They love engaging with the staff, particularly when someone remembers their names. They adore the independence of helping themselves to a buffet breakfast, and they are thrilled when they walk into a hotel room to find it has been especially prepared for them. These are all the little things that make a family holiday special for me. Here are five ways to make your family holiday one to remember. The hotel offers a warm welcome for all the family, with the children particularly impressed by the towel art – and their beds Choose a hotel that comes with family extras The towel art and chocolate welcome plates were just a few of the little extras the Hilton Birmingham Metropole had put in our room to ensure the kids had the best time. We also found miniature versions of the hotel slippers and soft fleece dressing gowns to fit the kids. Grownups hadn't been forgotten either, and we were delighted to find a bottle of vegan prosecco, which because of the confirmed connecting room setup, we were able to enjoy when the children were asleep without feeling we had to clink glasses in bed. It's not easy finding suitable accommodation for a family of five, but the hotel gave us the perfect solution with a king bedroom and twin bedroom either side of a huge living room, which, as well as the sofa bed, had a dining table to seat six and a balcony overlooking a lake. If you're travelling with kids, it's always worth calling the hotel in advance to discuss room options with them, particularly if you have booked via a third-party booking site. This is also an opportunity to let the hotel know your children's names and ages so they have the opportunity to tailor your stay. Pick a place with a variety of dining options We arrived quite late on Friday night, so we wanted to fill our stomachs as soon as we got there. At the Hilton Birmingham Metropole you can choose between dining in the restaurant or the bar, so we opted for the more relaxed atmosphere of the Gild Lounge and Bar. The kids were happy to graze on platters of crisp calamari, spicy chicken wings and cauliflower fritters, but were also pleased when they were given a children's menu with lots of favourites such as margherita pizza, mac and cheese and a burger. When choosing a hotel, it's always worth checking if they allow children in the bar, and if there are any time restrictions on them being there. It's also good to know if the hotel has children's menus or if it can do child portions of dishes from the main menu. To get us in the holiday mood, I let the children order virgin pina coladas, while my husband and I knocked back a couple of negronis. And the hotel provided pens and paper for the kids to draw on to keep them busy between courses. Book a hotel that's weather-proofThe next morning, we were set for a day trip to a nearby castle. Unfortunately, the arrival of a sudden biblical downpour meant we were stuck indoors. So the kids suggested we go for a swim. For a moment, I thought they were joking about the puddles that were fast filling up outside, then I remembered that, of course, the Hilton Birmingham Metropole has a large leisure swimming pool with hydro jets, whirlpool bath and a fabulous view of the surrounding trees. The Hilton Birmingham Metropole's large pool and whirlpool bath were a hit Nothing makes kids feel more like they are on holiday than a swimming pool. I knew they wouldn't regret missing out on medieval jousting if they could pretend to sword fight with a couple of swimming noodles instead. We had a great time splashing around as a family – the kids took it in turns to climb up my knees and be thrown into the water, they showed off their handstands and raced each other up and down the pool. But bear in mind that some hotels have specific times when children can use the pool, which may not fit in with your plans, while some are only available for adults to use. This can particularly be the case if the pool is part of a separate spa. So it's always good to check the overall usage policies. Find out if the hotel offers any other child-friendly activitiesWhen I realised the weather wasn't going to abate any time soon, I asked if the hotel had any other indoor activities the kids could take part in. 'How about our mocktail masterclass in the onsite restaurant?' suggested the cheerful young woman at guest relations. 'I spotted your lot were into the virgin pina coladas last night!' Perfect. With the promise of sweet drinks, I was able to entice the children out of the pool and into dry clothes. We hadn't even noticed that the hotel had another restaurant in our hurry to eat the first night, and were wowed by the stylish space. A large wood-panelled bar lined with turquoise leather chairs, teal velour banquettes with plump cushions and floor-to-ceiling windows. The children were delighted to be in such a grownup place, sitting at high bar stools with their own cocktail shaker in front of them ready to learn how to mix the perfect mocktail. The bar manager was so patient with the children as he guided them on how to measure the ingredients, shake them, pour them and dress the glass. They loved the blue effect created by a squeeze of butterfly pea flower tea, but the highlight was being shown how to use the flavour blaster; a handheld device that creates bubbles of flavoured vapour to sit on top of cocktails. With the kids thoroughly entertained, we were able to sit at the bar, just the two of us, and have an uninterrupted conversation. On arrival, the children were greeted with chocolate sculptures sprayed in gold; later on, mocktail making kept them entertained Make the most of the restaurantThe mocktails led into dinner, a slap-up affair that saw the children try their first taste of scallops and my eldest braving a plate of chilli prawns. As we gave each other forkfuls of our food to try, we all agreed how grateful we were that we'd booked into a hotel for the weekend and not a self-catering property. For our best range of family hotels, see below or book direct at and save on your stay. Join Hilton Honors for free and save up to 20%* in the Hilton Sale, now on. *Terms and conditions apply. Must be a Hilton Honors Member.
Daily Express
7 days ago
- General
- Daily Express
Sabah – animal-friendly?
Published on: Saturday, June 14, 2025 Published on: Sat, Jun 14, 2025 By: Shirley Khong Text Size: Ziggy was an abandoned dog but now has the most loving, happy home. Not everyone likes dogs but the important thing is do not harm them! Many people want to own a dog not because they love dogs. It because it is a pedigree that can be got for free! Another reason people want a dog is because when it is a puppy it is 'oh soooo cute!' When asked, the children will promise heaven and earth to look after it, bath it, feed it, clean up after it etc. But when boredom sets in the poor pup is completely ignored and will be lying around neglected probably sitting in its own pee and poop! Ziggy was abandoned probably because his grooming became too costly and a nuisance. Advertisement Nugget was probably abandoned because of all the tumours she has and the owners unwilling to spend money abandoned her. This is humans for you. When they get fed up the first thing that creeps into their mind is to take the easy way out. To give to a shelter would cost money and they probably know that they are hard to rehome. As such cruelty stems from humans sad to say! Subscribe or LOG IN to access this article. Support Independant Journalism Subscribe to Daily Express Malaysia Access to DE E-Paper Access to DE E-Paper Exclusive News Exclusive News Invites to special events Invites to special events Giveaways & Rewards 1-Year Most Popular (Income Tax Deductible) Explore Plans Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
News.com.au
31-05-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Werribee family's almost $200k Amazon thanks to cat
A Werribee home sale that had even the auctioneer nervous by the halfway mark, has gone on to raise the home's price almost $200,000 in fewer than two years. And a homemade cat run for their pet Ziggy was a big part of the success. Josh Palmer and his partner Shayla were 'pretty nervous' as the 4 Amazon Place home started off with low level bidding and stalled in the middle of its price guide. Bulldogs great Mark Hunter lists $4m+ Williamstown home 'And then it skyrocketed,' Mr Palmer said. 'I was just in a whole lot of shock.' Ironically, celebrations for the sale boosted by the carpenter's renovation work had to be kept limited as he was booked in to help some family with a reno on Sunday. 'But we will be looking for another house to renovate,' he added. They'll also be taking some time to enjoy the space that they've filled with memories, including bringing their daughter Mia, 18 months, home to. While the renovation gave the buyers confidence they could just move in and enjoy the home, it was a cat run built down the side for the Palmer family's cat Ziggy that had them enthused. Hocking Stuart's Justin Tong said while the home's renovation, and feline-friendly reno, had given it an edge — buyers hadn't let on until well into the auction. 'It was at $550,000 at the halftime break, with only two bidders, and I was a little bit concerned,' Mr Tong said. 'Then I came out and threatened to pass it in and it just went off.' In a sign that fear of missing out (FOMO) is returning, the agent said such gambits hadn't been as effective recently as buyers were better at holding their nerve. Records show the owners paid $547,000 in 2023. 'So it has gone up nearly $200,000 in two years,' Mr Tong said. A young couple buying their first home outbid an investor and a downsizer. The agent said rising demand after rate cuts had created a 'perfect storm' for home sellers in recent weeks. 'Two underbidders is fairly common at the moment,' Mr Tong said. The agency sold three out of their four auctions yesterday, with the only one falling short priced over $1m. Co-worker Samantha McCarthy yesterday secured a $740,000 sale at the top of the advertised range for 22 Mirrambeek Rd, Hoppers Crossing.
The Sun
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Glastonbury pretends it's the wokest place on Earth – but do they think it's OK to murder Tories?
I'VE had some of the greatest days of my life at Glastonbury Festival. Michael Eavis's annual music jamboree is like nothing else and has to be experienced to be believed. If you know, you know etc. 5 Glastonbury also happens to be the wokest place on Planet Earth. Pin-balling around the 1,000-acre site, you will never stop bumping into people wearing Free Palestine shirts, so much so you'll think it was the festival uniform. You will find dreadlocked, middle-class white men called Ziggy performing 'pronoun poetry' or some such twaddle. You will discover vegan food stalls where non-binary folk in tie-dyed smocks hand out leaflets about Britain's nasty farming methods as they charge you £23 for a bowl of recycled lentils. There will be people reading The Guardian. Yep, whatever is right on, is right there. Yet amid all the hippy-dippy, save the world business, what you don't typically get is calls to murder anyone. This year, that might change. An excitable Irish band called Kneecap, named after a notorious IRA punishment, have been booked to perform — and they want you to kill your MP. Well, only if they happen to be a Tory MP, naturally. These rowdy republican rappers — a cross between Welsh p**s-takers Goldie Lookin Chain and Rage Against The Machine — have been caught telling fans: 'The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP.' Oh, and this Brit-hating band, who were happy to take more than £14,000 of government funding, despite Kemi Badenoch's best efforts to stop them when she was Business Secretary, also like to plug Hamas and Hezbollah. Never mind that supporting them is a criminal offence in Britain — the Kneecap lads decided to chant, 'Up Hamas, up Hezbollah!' at a recent gig in London. 'It just makes me happy', says legendary singer Elton John as he praises 'brave' Irish musicians Cue the counter terrorism police announcing yesterday that they are now investigating both that and the 'kill Tories' incident. Politicians have hit out. Both Keir Starmer and the now-Conservative leader Badenoch have condemned them. As have the families of MPs murdered for doing their jobs. Katie Amess, whose dad, Tory MP David Amess, was murdered in 2021, said she was 'gobsmacked' at their 'stupidity . . . and dangerous violent rhetoric'. The Belfast trio spat out their dummies and evoked the standard response offered by those when caught out saying something reprehensible — that their words were 'taken out of context', before offering a mealy-mouthed apology. 'We do not, and have never, supported Hamas or Hezbollah,' they claimed, adding: 'Kneecap's message has always been — and remains — one of love, inclusion and hope.' Cool. So that's all right, then? Brendan Cox, husband of Jo Cox MP, gunned down in her constituency in 2016, doesn't think so, branding their apology 'not particularly genuine'. Kneecap, who fancy themselves as latter-day punks, probably didn't care about any of this when it all started to erupt. I bet they were dying for a headline along the lines of: Is This The Most Dangerous Band In The UK? (Sorry to disappoint, lads.) They've also been emboldened by their cheerleaders in the music biz, including Eton Rifles' geezer Paul Weller, who reckon it's just 'political repression of artistic freedom'. Would they have said the same if Kneecap had been condemned for calling for Labour or Green Party politicians to be murdered? Of course not. Conservatives are always fair game to the #bekind leftie brigade. 5 But now the row is starting to hit Kneecap in the pocket. A big gig planned for the Eden Project has been kyboshed and two festivals in Germany have dumped them. The spotlight has turned to Glastonbury. Will this hugely influential festival, with its ethos of 'peace, love, music and community', drop them from the bill? Dairy farmer Sir Michael Eavis — knighted last year under a Conservative government — is no stranger to the rough and tumble of politics. The 89 year-old stood as a Labour MP for Wells, Somerset, in 1997 but was beaten by the sitting MP, David Heathcoat-Amory . . . a Tory. The history books record that Eavis did not call for his constituents to then execute him. So does he, or indeed his daughter Emily, who now runs the show, condone those who do? POSH TO GET PUSH 5 SO a Spice Girls reunion is back on (again) but missing one key ingredient (again): Posh. Victoria Beckham is still refusing to perform with her old pals, despite demonstrating that she can bear to be in the same room with them after reuniting for her 50th last year. Much has been made of the fact that she doesn't need the cash. OK. But what about the fans? They know she wasn't the vocal heart of the group, to put it lightly, but they'd love to see her sashay on to a Wembley stage in one of her trademark LBDs (which, let's face it, she could definitely still get into). Instead, they might have to make do with an 'avatar experience', whatever that is. Boo! Come on, Posh, you didn't get where you are today without all those millions of loyal fans. Would it kill you to give them something back? As one Nineties girl group famously sang: 'Who do you think you are?' HISLOP IN PUB PUZZLE HAVE I Got News For You posho Ian Hislop has been claiming he's had a brush with real life and visited a Wetherspoons. But rather than just enjoy a quiet tipple at Britain's beloved bargain- booze chain like the rest of us, he apparently found himself in the belly of the beast. The jowly jester said he witnessed domestic abuse and drug dealing when he turned up, presumably for a pint of Spitfire, at a branch in Wales. Oh really, cried 'Spoons gaffer Tim Martin, who described his claims as 'fantasy'. Martin invited Hislop to tell him which pub this was so he could investigate, having found nothing on CCTV footage from any of his Welsh watering holes. Cue radio silence from the usually fastidious editor of Private Eye. So which one was it, Ian? IT'S weeks like this I feel blessed that, despite fast approaching 50, I still have a full head of hair and don't have to grapple with some sort of dodgy baldness 'cure'. I refer to news that billiard ball-bonced blokes taking a certain prescription-only hair- loss treatment have seen their libido slump and, horror of horrors, their manhood SHRINK. That's one hell of a dilemma for a chap to face. What's more important, an impressive upstairs or downstairs? I'm now praying the penis enlargement tablets I've ordered won't make my hair fall out. Dannii covered herself in glory HOW sad to read that Dannii Minogue always felt like a fatso next to Polly Pocket-sized Kylie. My cold heart breaks. So I would like her to know that there is a small army of us straight blokes out here who have always preferred her to her more famous sis. My devotion to the one-time Home And Away star has lasted more than 30 years. When I was a young pillock in the mid- Nineties, I cleaned the industrial kitchens of Edinburgh for the best part of a year so I could jet off to Australia for some fun in the sun. My arrival Down Under coincided with the delectable Dannii gracing the cover of 'men's sophisticate', Playboy. I skipped a few shrimps on the barbie to have enough cash to procure a copy of this most special of Special Editions. Perusing it in my bunk at the backpackers' hostel, a room mate took one look at it and joshed: 'Who's that mate, your girlfriend?' Cue a heavy sigh from me and the reply: 'I should be so lucky.' POPE? NOPE I WAS busy mowing the lawn last Saturday so forgot to tune in to the 'funeral of the decade' or whatever the Pope's final hurrah was billed as. I know some people were excited, but I haven't had less interest in a global event since Meghan Markle dropped her last podcast. My daughter, 11, summed up the occasion, saying: 'Daddy, I'd never heard of Pope Francis until he died.' Which did make me chuckle until I suddenly thought: So what the hell are they teaching you in R.E. these days? I feel sure I won't like the answer. I'VE said it before and I'll say it again, the whole transgender toilet row could be ended overnight if we just directed trans people to use the disabled loo. Providing accessible, safe and private loos is a legal requirement, so you will struggle to find any public building or office without one. 'Oh, but what if there's a disabled person already in there?' I hear some cry. Look, if you're a trans woman looking for a genuine female experience, then you'd struggle to find a more authentic one than queuing for the bogs.
