If you’re a parent, you probably regularly get those social media videos telling you how limited your time with your kids in a particular phase is.
How many summers you have before they’d rather be with their friends, how many family holidays you actually have etc – the list goes on.
They are always a stark reminder of how special the period of your life is when you’re the entire world for your kids. When every experience and memory matters.
Cost can always be a hurdle to creating these magical moments, but so often you can create an experience without breaking the bank – one that seems so simple, but means the world to them.
With this in mind, little-miss-five and I packed our bags (in her case, the world’s smallest backpack with nothing actually practical included) and headed to the PARKROYAL Parramatta last weekend.
The plan was simple: An overnight stay, room service, a movie night and buffet breakfast.
All classic hotel staples, but in her case – a magical experience.
She continues to be amazed at the very concept of hotels, let alone the idea that you can actually get food delivered to your room. Wild.
PARKROYAL currently has a promotion focused around the winter school holidays that includes an overnight stay, daily breakfast, late check-out (subject to availability) and even a special treat for the kids by way of a plush toy and storybook.
The great thing about staying at the PARKROYAL Parramatta is that it is right in the heart of Parramatta, so it becomes the perfect home base for whatever it is you’ve got on the agenda – whether that be checking out the popular restaurants on Eat Street, heading to the movies or seeing a show at the nearby Riverside Theatre.
Parramatta has had quite the glow-up in recent years, particularly with the development of Parramatta Square, so if you haven’t been for a while, you’ll likely be quite surprised at just how different it looks to even a few years ago.
We had a Deluxe King Corner room for the night – which was spacious and comfortable, and from the 11th floor offered great views of Parramatta. Little-miss-five discovered ‘people watching’ on this trip and was fascinated by what she could see below her.
We opted for room service which was quick and delicious – a selection of pizzas, steak and a sneaky cheesecake were all well-devoured before we settled in for a movie (can I just note as well how simple the setup was to stream to the TV – often you require a Master’s Degree to get those things working in hotels!).
After a comfortable night’s sleep we headed downstairs for the buffet breakfast – it was busy, but the food kept coming out quickly and there was a great variety of hot options as well as fruits, pastries and the like.
We headed back home around lunch time and as I drove out of the car park, I thought to myself – well, we didn’t really do much.
But little-miss-five? She couldn’t stop talking about that view, the fact pizzas were delivered to the room, her comfortable bed and the “unlimited pancakes”.
An experience she will remember, and therefore one I will too.
It may be simple, it may just be down the road. But with a small investment and minimal planning, you can deliver a special family experience.
PARKROYAL Parramatta’s Family Escape Offer is available for a limited time.
Troy is an experienced writer with more than 20 years experience in print media, digital media and radio. His favourite travel destinations include Nashville, New York and Fiji.