Disney’s Newport Bay Club Hotel

Disneyland Paris Newport Bay Club

There is something about nautical inspired hotels that just does it for me. In Walt Disney World, I’m obsessed with Beach Club Resort, and its a total dream for me to stay there one day. At Disneyland Paris, Newport Bay has always had my heart, and last weekend I finally got to stay there for the first time since I was a toddler!

I had intended to save money and stay at Santa Fe or Cheyenne, but when I phoned to book they didn’t have availability for my dates, and with thanks to my annual pass discount, I managed to snag 2 nights at Newport Bay for 60% off the usual rate – WIN!

Disneyland Paris Newport Bay Club

The hotel is enormous, and I’ve never really properly appreciated the size until I was stood in front of it. Following the recent refurb of the hotel, everything was so pristine and pretty! I had a standard room, which had two of the cutest double beds I’ve ever seen, complete with not so hidden Mickeys and nautical cushions, and I loved the wallpaper with the adorable porthole designs, and all the furniture was designed to look like trunks. I also squealed just a little when I looked out the window and could see over the lake.

Disneyland Paris Newport Bay Club

The hotel also has its own gift shop, located just off the reception area, and two restaurants on the ground floor. I had breakfast included, which was a buffet of both hot and cold breakfast items. While I didn’t use it, the indoor pool was open, located by the side of the lake, and understandably, the outdoor pool wasn’t! What I did use, however, was the fitness centre. It was fairly small, but there was plenty of equipment available, and its open 24hrs, so I could go down first thing in the morning before breakfast, and I had the place to myself! Its also got lovely big windows, and also looks out over the lake.

I had a lovely stay here, and the staff were wonderful! If my trip had been longer, I’d definitely have spent more time exploring the hotel and testing the facilities, but I guess that means I’ll just have to stay there again..

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January 27, 2017Lottie 4 Comments

Hotel AmicitiA

I’m dipping into my travel archives a little bit to recommend a truly unique experience for anyone looking to do Amsterdam on a budget!

If the thought of a regular hostel doesn’t quite float your boat, then the answer is simple: float on a boat at Hotel AmicitiA! Permanently docked right in the city centre, this hotel on water is the ideal location for tourists looking to cram as much of ‘Dam’s sights and culture in as possible, while also being part of the culture itself!

Hotel AmicitiA

The boat has two decks; the upper deck being a communal area with a few kitchen-y bits like a microwave and cutlery, and also a stocked fridge of drinks that has an honesty-box style donation pot. Its cosy and a great place to spend evenings playing games or utilising the free wifi. I spent a rainy afternoon curled up in an armchair, reading, writing and watching the world go by; I had the whole place to myself and it was perfect! There’s also a few toilets and access to the outside deck.

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The rooms make up the lower deck of the boat, accessible only by a very narrow flight of stairs – worth bearing in mind if you have large suitcases! Each cabin sleeps two people in built-in bunk beds, and also has a little sink and a bit of storage. They’re small, but if you’re spending all your time in your cabin then I think you’re doing something wrong, ha! At the end of the corridor, there are showers and toilets; they’re pretty small and the water pressure was a bit dodgy at times, but they do the job.

The hotel has a slightly unusual set-up when it comes to staff; for the duration of the day, there’s no staff aboard, and access to the boat is by a door code, with room keys left out on the desk in named envelopes. If you have any problems, there’s a contact number – I actually had to call it as I was having a problem with the door code and they were really helpful! The owner is around in the morning for breakfast, which is a Dutch/continental style buffet, and this is when you can sort out payment (cash only!) and checking out.

Overall Pros:

Great city centre location – right outside NEMO
Nearby underground public car park – I think I paid about €12.50 for 24 hours
A short walk from the train station and ferry terminal
Super rustic and full of character
Great for backpackers
Facilities like free wifi, microwave

Overall Cons:

Not really suitable for families
All bunk beds
No staff around during the day
Showers were a tad unreliable
Not ideal if you can’t stand swaying a little while trying to sleep!

I honestly loved this hotel; I know there were a few flaws but I had such a lovely relaxed time on the boat that I really didn’t mind the dodgy showers and small cabin. It was just such a unique and fun experience, and I would 100% recommend it to backpackers and budget travellers!

Would you sleep on a boat?

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July 4, 2016Lottie Leave a comment

Tokyo Disneyland Hotel

Tokyo Disney has three Disney hotels, as well as six ‘official’ hotels, five partner hotels and a load of Good Neighbour hotels, so finding somewhere to stay nearby is not a difficult thing to do, but the Tokyo Disneyland Hotel takes the cake if you ask me! Ok, this was the only place we stayed and we didn’t get any of the other hotels, but just look at it:

If the exterior doesn’t drop your jaw to the floor, then the lobby definitely will!

During our stay, we actually stayed in two different rooms: a standard room for the first night, then we moved into a family room for the rest. Both rooms had the same decor, a gorgeous classic design, with elements of Beauty and the Beast throughout, so the only difference between the two was the size. The standard room had two double beds (although double is a generous term, these beds were so narrow my parents ended up sleeping separately!), but had a roll-out and a sofa bed as well, whereas the family room had three doubles and a roll-out, and also a sitting room area with a sofa and another tv, and both rooms had a sink area, a toilet, and a wet room with a shower and bath.

As well as the beautiful lobby, the hotel also has several gift shops, restaurants and a swimming pool (which is pretty small, just to warn you!). It also has a Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique for your little princesses, and some really pretty gardens to stroll around.

The hotel is literally on the doorstep of Tokyo Disneyland, and less than 100 metres from the monorail station, so there’s no worry about transport to and between the parks, and guests staying at Disney hotels get early access to the parks – only 15 minutes but its worth it – as well as all the extra Disney magic that staying on site provides!

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