Luna Park Melbourne’s Mr Moon

I have a thing with hotels.  Let’s call it a minor irritation.  No, let’s call it a major irritation.  It has to do with check-out times.  Usually check-out is at 10am, if we are lucky it is 11 am.  Once in a blue moon we may score a 12 noon check-out and usually we have to pay extra for it.  I’m mum to three little kids so check-out is a major pain in the buttocks for me.  The mad scramble to fit in breakfast, a nap for baby and chase around after the kids packing up before we receive that phone call from reception asking why we haven’t checked-out already is stressful.  Frankly, with my kids at the age they are it is a big deterrent against weekend mini-breaks.  The good news – I recently found the solution for my check-out angst during our Saint Kilda Staycation. Novotel, one of the flagship hotel chains of the Accor Brand offer a range of privileges for families traveling with kids.  The kind folk at Novotel Saint Kilda invited us recently to stay a night and experience a Saint Kilda Staycation.  Now I am sure they would love me to tell you all about their beautiful rooms, and delicious buffet breakfast.  Our mob of five greatly appreciated both.  The slam dunk for our family was scored by Novotel Saint Kilda though because of one thing – their late checkout for families on Sunday mornings.  When I say late, I don’t mean 11am, or the blue moon late checkout equivalent 12 noon.  Their late checkout on Sundays is 5pm.  This allowed us to fully immerse ourselves in the bayside dining precinct of Saint Kilda for a full weekend.  Consequently, we had a jam packed weekend which left everyone happy – the kids frolicked at Luna Park, I explored a whimsical community art-garden and everyone left Saint Kilda full of Acland Street’s delicious cakes.

Play area Saint Kilda Novotel

Saint Kilda Novotel is not alone in catering specialing to families.  The “Family and Novotel” program operates throughout the chain and allows families special privileges:

• Kids stay free using existing bedding.
• A second room can be booked at 50% of the regular rate.
• Kid’s are welcomed with a present.
• There are play areas in the lobby.
• Two kids under 16 eat breakfast for free.
• The spectacular late checkout of 5pm on Sundays.

Buffet breakfast

A little more about Saint Kilda Novotel… We stayed in a Superior room inter-connecting with a standard room.  The Superior room easily accommodated our cot with room to spare.  We also had fabulous views of the Bay.

Superior room Saint Kilda Novelette

Our kid’s loved their welcome gifts of crazy straw glasses and activity packs.  The welcome gift set the tone immediately that this was a hotel that appreciates their younger visitors rather than just tolerating them.  The kids were also welcome in the hotel restaurant that served a really lovely dinner (actually much nicer than standard hotel food) where they were provided with colouring in and puzzles.

The breakfast was lovely and had a make your own pancake machine that the kids thought was amazing.  The weather was rather less welcoming than the hotel therefore we had to give the pool a miss but I was assured it was a warm 26 degrees and that even though it is outside many kids still swim in it in winter.  Oh, there was a small play area in the lobby but it included stories that we could borrow for bedtime – gold.

Kid’s welcome packs Saint Kilda Novotel

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