Where To Spend Your Child’s Birthday in Hong Kong?

You might be expecting the answer to be Hong Kong Disneyland or Ocean Park. While they are very good attractions to spend birthdays for your kids in Hong Kong (like how we did last year!), we share with you a family-friendly hotel venue to celebrate in for the special day! Cosmopolitan Hotel in Hong Kong is the perfect hotel destination for birthdays and other celebrations for children (and adults who are child-at-heart!).

How dreamy is this room, darling daughter? I shall dream of bubbles tonight!

We did not expect to be surprised by the Cosmopolitan Hotel at the very dreamy Ocean Park Family Suite for my son’s 9th birthday celebration. Complete with cake and a birthday song by staff members, it truly made him and his sister happy to be there!

(This was a downloaded snap from our Snapchat account. Follow us at mylittleglobe to see our current adventures!)

What I adored about the Ocean Park Family Suite is the full blown world map on their wall which is perfect for photo shoots. I hear that they do get booked for that purpose, too! Wanderlusting pre-nuptial shoots? How about a “Oh, The Places You’ll Go” themed kiddie partyyyy!?!

More things to love about Cosmopolitan Hotel in Hong Kong…

Newly renovated rooms, some of which overlook the Happy Valley Race Course like this glamorous Premier Room!

Bespoke furnishings like the Mother-of-Pearl work desk found in this Grand Deluxe Course View Room.

The Deluxe Family Quad room (where we obviously stayed) is spacious enough for 2 adults and 2 children.

They have kid-friendly amenities like this Head To Toe Pampering kit and a children’s library for bedtime reading rituals!

Points for having a bathtub, of course!

I swoon over watching my little precious ones enjoy bathing. Ah, the simple joys!

There is also free WiFi in every room booking plus a smart phone which acts like a pocket wifi when you are away from the hotel. You also get free international calls to some countries like Austalia, Canada, UK, US, etc.

And last but not the least, I love the pretty design of their hotel lobby! ❤ ❤ ❤

This is where we would wait for the free shuttle to places like Sogo and Times Square in Causeway Bay. If you’re going to wait 15-30 minutes at a time, at least you wait in style 🙂 Bring out your cam for a selfie marathonnnn 🙂

Cosmopolitan Hotel, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
387-397 Queen’s Road East, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
http://www.cosmopolitanhotel.com.hk

 

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What’s A Kid-Friendly Hotel on Nathan Road, Hong Kong?

In our last trip to Hong Kong, my family first checked in Eaton Hotel in Kowloon. This hotel is famous primarily because it is situated on Nathan Road very close to the Jade and Mongkok Market. It brought back a flood of memories as this was also our hotel when we first visited Hong Kong in my teenage years. I return as mother of two children and I couldn’t be happier to bring my own kids this time around.

As a Mom, I love it when kids get special treatment. Hotels that extend extra goods and services obviously get extra cookie points!

Trivia: My daughter likes to remove the paper from the crayons and will give me about 30 minutes of peace at a time. (I know, it’s funny!).

It was Mother’s Day weekend so even I got a special treat upon check-in!

It is nice to see that they have newly renovated rooms, like the Smart Rooms which I would totally choose to stay in (if traveling without the kids!). Ergonomically designed, the Smart Room of the Eaton Hotel mixes modern style with maximum functionality.

 

I love the open lay out which reminds me so much of Hotel Des Arts, our hotel in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam a few months back.

Another new room option is the Family Room (where we stayed) which features two-bedroom and a bathroom with a walk-in shower. The parent’s room is equipped with a large queen sized bed while the second bedroom has two full sized bunk beds and a full size single sofa bed. These rooms can comfortably accommodate two adults and 2 to 3 children (or a nanny!). About the bunkbeds- Oh, what joy it brought the kiddos for it was their first time to sleep in such!

Amazingly, the bunk bed completely vanishes into the wall for lots of playtime space!

 

 

See video of our room here:

The view each time we would go down from our room 🙂 Trippy!

For stressed out parents needing an outlet of energy. A modern gym with state-of-the-art equipment is open 24 hours a day. Trained, professional instructors are also available to help direct and support your workout. The heated rooftop swimming pool is open daily from 7am-11pm.

The E Club Lounge serves light continental breakfast, coffee and tea throughout the day and cocktails and snacks in the evening. It also offers private check in / out and complimentary use of a wide selection of books, magazines and DVDs. The Club Room & Suite residents are also entitled to a free laundry pressing service and full buffet breakfast.

Check their buffet breakfast offering here:

Can you spot the living green wall on the upper right corner of the photo below?

 

The Eaton Hotel “is part of an environmental conscious and committed management company based in Hong Kong. It has actively introduced environmental and social performance initiatives to reduce overall resource consumption whilst promoting efficiency and behavioral change amongst colleagues, suppliers, guests and clients.” Bravo!

They’ve also stopped giving water in plastic bottles and started using reusable glass containers for every room. Less carbon footprint, my kinda thing! Kudos on that, Eaton Hotel Hong Kong!

Here is a video of my parents (the super cool grandparents of my little globetrotters) doing the complimentary Tai Chi class at the deck the next morning.

Of course, I gave it a try myself with baby in arms! Oh, the multi-taking mama! I’m sure many of you can relate 🙂

If you are heading to Hong Kong with children for a shopping spree, consider Eaton Hotel for its location and convenience.

Eaton Hotel
380 Nathan Road, Kowloon
Hong Kong
www.eatonhongkong.com

 

 

Nayong Pilipino This Weekend in Rizal Park, Manila

Calling all parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and godparents in Manila, Philippines this weekend! There is something culturally exciting for the whole family —

Let’s take the kids to Nayong Pilipino at a satellite facility in Rizal Park. As a tourism facility, Nayong Pilipino showcases various aspects of Philippines’ heritage, people and culture. It fuels the passion of the next wave of Filipino artists.

Parkfest PH, in partnership with Common Room and Type-Kita, was envisioned to be an event that will reinvigorate and revitalize Nayong Pilipino as a place that showcases the modern Filipino culture, beauty, traditions and the many passions, quirks, talent, creative diversity and ingenuity of its people.

The challenge is to re-establish Nayong Pilipino and make it relevant to the youth and tourists of today who are always looking for something new and exciting. The big idea is to make Nayong Pilipino park a must-see destination that is bursting with modern Filipino talent.

Parkfest PH is a week-long event where many of today’s beloved Filipino artists will be creating their art installations from May 23-27.

Featured artists include Abbey Sy, Alessa Lanot, Anina Rubio, Ella Lama, June Digan, Mabby Camacho, Camy Cabral, Patrick Cabral, John Ed De Vera, Geli Balcruz, Jelvin Base, Carl Chua, Iori Espiritu, Ang Ilustrador ng Kabataan, Doodle Art Enthusiasts, ARTitas of Manila, Maikala Concepts. The launch of these art installations will be on May 28-29, along with a pop-up arts and crafts fair, food, and several talented young performers. It will be one exciting weekend that just screams “SOBRANG GALING TALAGA NG MGA PINOY!”

Here are the scheduled workshops for May 28 and May 29:

Nayong Pilipino is located at Rizal Park, Padre Burgos cor. Finance Road, Ermita, Manila. Parkfest PH will be open from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm on May 28-29, 2016. Entrance fee is PhP 30.00. (Yes, you read that right, that is less than 1 USD!)

For event announcements, please email monica@mylittleglobetrotters.com ❤

 

Blue Palawan: A Child’s Ultimate Playground in Puerto Princesa

What are the things that you look for before booking a resort for your family? Of course, there is a need for more than a single bed, so that all of you can actually fit! Then I reckon, you also look for a beach front property where kids can play in the sand and get some real good sunshine.

A pool would be icing on the cake, too! If there are any extras, that would really surpass standards especially in Puerto Princesa where you’ll have to choose between having good hotel / resort amenities OR being by the beach. Well, now you can have both and MORE at Blue Palawan.

My children really enjoyed this resort because it had all the fun things to do! It was the first time for my son and I to do zipline – right on the beach! Oh, it was superb! And they had two slacklines and kayaks, too! If you’re lucky enough, you get to learn how to kiteboard and go sailing on a sunset session. Too bad we didn’t get to!

 

The rooms are awesome as well. Like I said, two beds. And well-lit room cottages. Wee!

View from our room.

Nothing like eating out in nature!

And yes, you must order their mango shake 🙂

Blue Palawan
Hidden Beach (turn left at the end of BM Road)
Puerto Princesa, Palawan
http://www.bluepalawan.com

Air Asia flies to Puerto Princesa from Manila, Philippines.

 

How To Travel in Comfort & Style in El Nido Paradise

We get it, you are older and like to travel comfortably especially when taking the kids with you. That’s really how we feel and prefer the same set up, too! This is why we chose Skipper Charters for our island hopping tours in El Nido, Palawan. Our country’s last frontier a.k.a. paradise!

Here are our top 3 reasons for choosing Skipper Charters as our tour provider in El Nido, Palawan:

1. Comfort – You see, I am currently still nursing my 26 month old daughter. She is quite a sensitive child (just like her older brother). Being on the Skipper Charters speed boat is a breeze because there are no noisy sounds from the engine that would startle her nap. See her sleep so soundly below. The ride is very comfortable and spacious enough for a whole family (we were babysitting a whole kaboodle of kids in one boat).

2. Save on Time: We visited several faraway islands in less than a full day! We started by getting fetched in Corong-Corong cove, then picked up the rest of the group on Cadlao Island and headed to Nacpan or Twin Beach where it started to pour heavily. See overcast photo below.

Afterwards, we went to Linapacan to experience one of the clearest waters to swim in before you die. Now, this leg alone would take half a day of boating in itself, but only took 2 hours by speedboat.

This is where we had our lunch break! An island all to ourselves, perfection!

We finished off at a nearby cove closer to El Nido proper before calling it a day.

3. Style – There were tweens on the boat wanting to listen to their pop music. There is an available iphone cable so you can listen to your favorite Spotify tunes while discovering paradise. Some of us started singing, dancing on board. How can you not?!

Just look at that – styling around Palawan with your squad! Make your dream vacation happen while summer’s still hot!

Skipper Charters
http://www.skippercharters.ph

Air Asia travels to Puerto Princesa from Manila, Philippines. Take the 5-hour van to El Nido from Puerto Princesa and experience paradise like no other!

 

Lio Villas: A Truly Kid-Friendly Resort in El Nido

We were on the look out for a kid-friendly resort in El Nido, of course! And the planets seemed to align for us because in no time we were able to find a room in Lio Villas Resort where we spent for 3 glorious nights.

Since Lio Villas is a relatively new place, you should expect that your quarters be a haven of rest and relaxation. While not being a beachfront resort, it didn’t really matter to me because you really would like to be away from the noise and crowds of El Nido beach proper.  (If you have been to El Nido town, you would understand that it can get very hectic and resorts and restaurants are an arms stretch away from each other so there is very little privacy and quiet – which is precisely what you want  and need for a vacation with children!) It is 15minutes away from the main town. Hire a trike to take you for P200.

Bathrooms are a big deal to me and my family. I can forego air-conditioning (who needs it at the beach, anyway?) but we need a bathroom where we won’t feel icky not wearing slippers. I learned that concept from my husband because he has this practice of wearing his flip flops whenever we stay in questionable places — and we have, trust me! So, we were so very pleased at the size and state of Lio Villas’ bathrooms. S

There is a swimming pool… (yay!)

And the occasional chickens from the friendly neighbor which my kids came to stalk daily with the children of the resort owners. Oh, they’re such a friendly brunch!

You get to eat your meals in this large nipa hut which protects you from the heat of the summer.

 

This resort is certainly a quiet home away from home for my family. I highly recommend staying in Lio Villas Resort if you are traveling with children to El Nido, Palawan!

Lio Villas Resort
Church Road, Villa Libertad, El Nido, 5313 Palawan, Philippines
http://www.liovillas.com

Air Asia Philippines flies to Puerto Princesa, Palawan from Manila. From Puerto Princesa, take the 5-hour van ride to El Nido.

 

What To Do and Eat in El Nido For Kids

Here’s an easy guide for what you can do with your kids in El Nido, Palawan.

1. Have Halo-Halo in a native hut at the Marygold Resort in the main El Nido beach cove.

2. Watch the beautiful sky burst into brilliant hues with your kids as they frolic freely on the sand with the locals.

3. Try the different food carts at the back roads of El Nido town.

4. Let your children exercise their balance and climb the trees on the beach.

5. While you have a real cocktail or a mocktail in La Plage Sunset Bar and Restaurant in Corong Corong, the kids can take a dip in their pool to beat the heat!

6. Beach combing during the early morning when the tide is low is fun and oh-so-interesting for the young ones! Say hello to local doggies, too!

7. Schedule a Skipper Charters tour for an experience like no other of the pristine waters and islands around El Nido, Palawan. Travel Tip: Make sure to book the Nilapacan tour to see the clearest water in the whole world!

8. Another kid-friendly pool to swim for the kids would be in Lio Villas Resort. My kids loved playing with the kids of the owners, chasing the neighbors chicken. Oh, life’s simple pleasures!

9. Craving for crepes? Find this little joint called Belle lle in the backroad of El Nido town proper.

Do you have any other ideas for kids that I missed? Please share! I may re-visit El Nido soon!

Air Asia Philippines flies to Puerto Princesa, Palawan from Manila. From Puerto Princesa, take the 5-hour van ride to El Nido.