First Trip With a Baby: an All-Inclusive Hotel

Our bloggers Yannick and Charlotte, travellers at heart, wondered how to take their first trip with their baby. After careful thought, they decided to leave nothing to chance.
Here is their account, which will certainly be useful to other young travelling parents in the same situation.

How to travel comfortably with a baby?

Have you just become a mum or dad for the first time and want to travel with your little one? Are you looking for comfort comparable to your own home, while also enjoying the sun, the sea and great food, without having to worry? Are you afraid of a long-haul flight with your baby, or wary of a new environment or cultural differences? We understand you perfectly, because we also hesitated for a long time before booking our first holiday with our baby.

But the call of the sea was strong. Especially for us, tireless travellers that we are. But travelling for the first time with a baby did make us a little nervous. What should we do? What should we choose?
In the end, we settled comfortably and booked a luxury hotel suited to a baby's needs, near Antalya in Turkey. And we fell in love with the place.

Why stay in a "luxury" hotel with a baby?

In the end, we booked an "all-in" holiday and did not regret it at all. We were looking for peace and comfort and didn't want to worry too much about food quality, hygiene, or other things that can disrupt a stay with a baby. The Paloma Finesse resort in Side, near Antalya, met all our expectations. We explain why below.

The benefits of an "all-inclusive" stay with a baby

• We had booked a family room with a separate room for the baby. That way, he could take his afternoon nap in the dark while we were in the room next door.
• We also had a private pool, thanks to the "swim-up room" concept — a pool at the back of the terrace, shared only with our room's neighbours.
• The beautiful surrounding nature and the secluded location of our room made us feel like we were travelling alone, even though we shared the resort with a few hundred other guests staying further away.
• Meals were prepared for us three times a day. One less thing to worry about.
• We could completely adapt our pace to the baby's.
• The baby monitor had enough range to reach the nearest restaurant. So after a few days, we were able to let our child sleep in his room while we enjoyed our meal.
• With an app such as Luna or EZ, you can also use an inexpensive camera to keep an eye on your child at all times. A handy tool for worried parents.

In short: a luxurious, fully comfortable hotel is of course very expensive, but you get twice the benefit. You are well looked after and can enjoy a relaxing holiday in peace and privacy. However, you will have to give up the idea of long excursions, though short trips into the nearby town, organised between two of the baby's naps, remain possible.

Do you love adventure travel, but still want to enjoy a luxury hotel?

The best advice is to travel at your baby's pace. Don't be afraid of an "all-in" holiday.
This was the first time we travelled with our baby, and this formula was ideal for us. Next time will probably be a little more adventurous, because who knows, our child will become a traveller like us, and it's best to pass on the bug as early as possible. But we have a wonderful memory of this first trip with our baby, and we really don't regret our choice.

About Yannick and Charlotte
Yannick and Charlotte travel around the world with their son Sue. They publish their stories on the blog Soms Ook Heimwee and have been loyal partners of Redion for several years. Soms Ook Heimwee is a visual travel blog that, through inspiring travel stories and engaging storytelling, wants to convince hesitant travellers to set off too. However, you will have to plan your own itinerary, as they don't write ready-made travel guides.

Photos © Yannick De Pauw