As a parent, when you get a rare day off work, the pressure is on to find something that will keep every member of the family happy. A recent midweek gap in the diaries meant that I was able to book a fun day and night away with my husband, nearly three year old and 11 month old. Trying to find something that the baby, the toddler and parents will all enjoy, isn’t always the easiest, but we definitely managed it on our latest trip.
First thing first was to book somewhere to stay and make a plan from there. Having recently stayed in the Rose & Crown in Wimbledon and never having stayed in a Young’s pub (or any pub for that matter) I was astonished by the service, rooms and quality of the breakfast. So I decided they could be a good option for this trip too. I asked some of the hotel team there to make their top recommendations of the best pubs to stay in with a family.
Their favourite choices outside London included Stuart House at The Bell at Stow as it has a little annexe at the back and has two separate rooms of different floors which is great if your children are slightly older. City Gate, Exeter has a large family room, as does The Lamb in Hindon, Wiltshire.
In London they suggested The Alma in Wandsworth, Dog & Fox Wimbledon, The Windmill in Clapham, and Fox & Anchor Farringdon. This last has a beautiful suite and is situated a stone’s throw from the outstanding SMITHS of Smithfield where I’ve been going for years and has also just been re-launched.
In the end we opted for the last of their suggestions, the Orange Tree in Richmond. We quite often head to the country as a safe bet, so we thought London would be fun for our eldest Tillie. Richmond seemed to us the ideal middle ground – plenty to do and see, but away from the hustle and bustle of central London. We looked forward to relaxed walks by the River Thames, luscious green parks and quick dashes in to the plentiful and tempting boutique shops.