At the end of last week we had our first hotel stay since lockdown was lifted. We fancied getting away for a couple of nights and wanting to do it as cheaply as possible, a hotel was the best option.
Upon starting to research, it appeared that there were some very cheap deals to be had on weeknights at the budget hotel chains (Premier Inn, Travelodge, Ibis, Holiday Inn…). All we needed to do was find a town a short distance away from some nice beaches. Swansea seemed like a good choice as it’s far enough from home to justify an overnight stay and there’s many day trips, beaches etc. for us to visit in the surrounding area.
I was about to book the Premier Inn at Swansea marina when I noticed a cheaper option (£40 per night!) a little further afield at the Swansea Ibis. The Ibis is a stone’s throw from a McDonalds drive thru and a 24hr Starbucks, which I thought may come in handy as at the time of visiting restaurants were either eat outside or takeaway only in Wales.
When we arrived, the check-in process was very quick and efficient; plenty of hand sanitizer around the entrances/communal areas. The hotel seemed quiet and we never felt unsafe whilst we were there.
We pre-booked a breakfast pack the night before for each morning. £6.95 gets you a hot drink, cereal, a pint of milk, croissant and several mini pain au chocolates. This was plenty for Sophie and I to share – especially as I’d bought some of her usual Cheerios with us from home, she just needed the milk!
On the first day I’d made us a packed lunch to eat on the beach, but the other days we decided to wing it and try to find some food out and about. I’d done a bit of research before we left as I knew we’d have to eat outside, so I asked in a local FB group and this was the list I’d compiled of recommended child friendly restaurants and cafes in the Gower where we could eat outdoors:
The Britannia Inn, Llanmadoc https://www.britanniagower.com/
Castellamare, Mumbles http://www.castellamare.co.uk/
The Secret Beach Bar, Swansea https://www.thesecretswansea.co.uk/
Any of the cafes overlooking Southend Gardens in Mumbles (shared picnic area over the road)
King Arthur Hotel, Reynoldston https://www.kingarthurhotel.co.uk/
The Purple Badger, Llanrhidian http://www.purplebadgerrestaurant.co.uk/
The Rake & Riddle, Gowerton https://www.therakeandriddle.com/
The Gower Inn, Parkmill https://www.classicinns.co.uk/thegowerinnswansea
Obviously things have changed slightly this week and places will start to open up for indoor eating, but hopefully this may be helpful to some who prefer to stay outdoors.
The hotel had a little table in the foyer where delivery drivers were to drop off food orders for guests. We took advantage of this and had a Domino’s pizza delivered one evening.
The only little thing we did notice (which I presume was a COVID thing) was that our room wasn’t made up at all during our stay, so the beds weren’t made, bins weren’t emptied and we didn’t have a clean towel or extra toilet paper. Not sure if this was Ibis specific, but I didn’t see any notices stating this would be the case.
All in all, we had a lovely stay for the price we paid and I now feel confident to book other hotel stays this Summer. Also, I think finding cheap chain hotel rooms in towns near, but not in, tourist destinations might be our new thing!
Up next, a full write-up of our Gower stay and what we did each day.
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