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Monica

Hi, I'm Monica! This is my family lifestyle blog where I share posts about motherhood and microadventures.

  I have a confession I need to share with you today. I am a magazine junkie. I’ve been this way for as long as I can remember. I thought I might grow out of the addiction as I grew older but, if anything, it’s getting worse. The addiction started with Girl Talk when I …

Read More about Introducing Readly Magazine App: Heaven for Magazine Junkies

  A summer holiday is the perfect time to get stuck into a good book. Reading is the perfect way to pass the time during a long flight and the best thing to do while lazing in the sunshine. We’ve put together a list of our all-time favourite books to give you some reading inspiration for your …

Read More about Essential Summer Reads by The Travel Hacks

This post is sponsored by British Red Cross I’ll never forget the first time I realised the importance of knowing first aid. I was in Byron Bay on the east coast of Australia and was lazily dozing on the beach. Nearby there was a dad and his three kids who were playing around in the …

Read More about Rapping babies encourage parents to learn first aid with British Red Cross

I’m suffering from the post- Isles of Scilly holiday blues today. It’s a real thing; I checked and other people are suffering too. I’m missing that fresh, salty smell of the sea and icy blue waters where bright boats bob about. I’m missing the flamboyant flowers that line the wonky roads and decorate the windows …

Read More about 53 photogenic reasons to fall in love with the Isles of Scilly

  I love glamping. You get to enjoy the great outdoors and feel closer to nature but without the nasty side of camping. You know, the bit with cold, leaky tents and deflated airbeds. I love bell tents and teepees, pods and treehouses and now I have a new type of glamping to add to …

Read More about Gorgeous glamping in Swansea Bay in a Shepherd Hut

  The problem with luxury hotels is that old-fashioned, stuffy air they often have. They can be formal and uncomfortable with outdated routines and overly complicated menus. The décor might be fancy but it looks a hundred years old and I feel like I can’t relax. Why can’t luxury hotels be young and stylish? Why …

Read More about The Hospital Club: Modern luxury in the heart of London

Today’s competition is for all the backpackers and budget travellers out there. If you’ve ever backpacked or stayed in a hostel you will have undoubtedly come across someone who has had something stolen. It’s a sad fact but when you’re in communal areas with lots of people coming and going, there’s a really high risk …

Read More about Win a Numinous Anti-Theft Backpack

One of my favourite things about travelling is actually the part before the travels; it’s the travel planning. I love deciding where to go, what to do, where to stay and where to eat. I like to plan a rough itinerary and then I love that excitement just before you leave as you pack your …

Read More about My trivago app family travel challenge: How I got on + a video!

  Welcome to the second day of our 7-Day Summer Giveaway! If you missed yesterday’s prize you can check it out here. Today’s prize comes from the Japanese lifestyle brand, MUJI – the experts in stylish but practical products for every day life. The range MUJI to Go is a selection of practical, lightweight and …

Read More about Win a MUJI to Go travel kit worth over £150!

  Welcome to the first day of our 7 Day Summer Giveaway! This week we’ve got 7 amazing prizes to giveaway and we’ll have a new competition every single day. The 7 day giveaway is to celebrate our amazing new team here at The Travel Hack. And, of course, to giveaway some fantastic prizes to …

Read More about Win a pair of tickets to Festival No.6 – Portmeirion’s award winning music, arts and culture festival

  For those wishing to inject a little vivacity into their holidays or weekend breaks, then we’ve got you covered with this list of the UK’s best adventure getaways! Jolly Days Glamping A luxury tents and huts camp site with beds, fires, hot showers, BBQs kitchens – and all in the middle of a wood …

Read More about Extraordinary Stays in the UK for Adventure Seekers

  I’m really excited to announce that I’ll be speaking at a travel blogger event in Leeds next month. The event will be hosted by icelolly.com, the UK’s leading holiday price comparison site. They’re holding #BlogAtTheBeach so they can get to know bloggers who they think could potentially be ambassadors for the brand. It will be taking place …

Read More about I’m speaking at icelolly.com’s #BlogAtTheBeach Blogger Event

What’s that? There’s a stroller that converts into a car seat? WHAAT!? Yes, if you’re looking for a stroller into car seat contraption then I’ve got just the thing for you. Let me introduce you to the Doona and keep reading for my Doona car seat stroller review. I’ve been putting off writing my review …

Read More about Doona car seat stroller Review: The amazing stroller into car seat we all wished we’d invented!

Wales is my favourite place for a short break or a weekend away. I’m always surprised by how beautiful this little country is and the small size makes it easy to discover a lot in a short space of time. Road tripping is the best way to discover Wales and I love nothing better than …

Read More about 3 days in North Wales: Portmeirion, Criccieth and Nefyn Itinerary

Here at The Travel Hack we’re all about luxury hotels without the luxury price tag so I’m excited to share with you a new hotel-booking platform. This new platform is called Dayuse.com and allows you to book hotels during the daytime for between 3 to 8 hours. OK, OK, the alarm bells are ringing already, …

Read More about Travel Hacks: Save money on luxury hotels with Day Use, hotels for the day

Nothing can induce the jealousy in me like someone who lives in Thailand. Yes, actually lives in Thailand. And that includes all Thai people because Thailand is one of my favourite countries in the world. That’s why I’m really pleased to have an Insider’s Guide to Chiang Mai on the blog this week. Big thanks …

Read More about An Insider’s Guide to Chiang Mai, Thailand

I’ve been taking the concept of a ‘staycation’ to a whole new level recently as I’ve been taking holidays close to home. REALLY close to home. A few weeks ago I even went on holiday just half an hour from home when I visited Llangollen. Yes, I packed a suitcase, filled up the car and …

Read More about Would you go on holiday half an hour from home?

This week I’m delighted to welcome Char Taylor from Taylor Heart’s Travel to The Travel Hack. She’s put together an Insider’s Guide to San Francisco. As you can see, Char really knows her stuff when it comes to this gorgeous city and has some great recommendations for things to see and do. Enjoy! Photo credit: Golden …

Read More about An Insider’s Guide to San Francisco

On Wednesday evening, PhotoBox gave a handful of lucky dads an amazing opportunity. They gave them the chance to be featured in London’s National Portrait Gallery alongside other dads like David Beckham and Henry VIII. I couldn’t quite believe it when an email pinged into my inbox asking if I’d like to surprise Sam and …

Read More about Sam’s first Father’s Day surprise

  “Oooh a country house. That sounds fancy.” My mum and I were searching through the trivago App looking for somewhere to stay for the following night. We were half way through our trivago App Family Challenge whereby trivago had challenged us to use their new app to find family-friendly hotels. We were in North …

Read More about Visiting North Wales’ best beaches and a stay at Bron Eifion Country House

I wrote this post last year, ‘10 things I wish all hotels had‘. It’s about all the silly mistakes hotels make and the little details that make a hotel stay either bland or brilliant. I’ve stayed in a lot of bad hotels and I think that all these bad experiences could be used to create …

Read More about Introducing Amberlair: Crowdsourcing the dream hotel