A friend recently asked me where to travel for Easter break and May half-term, which was not too far, had good weather for swimming, with a bit of culture but not too much that the kids would start complaining. I knew exactly where to send her. Last year, I finally made it to a hotel I have been eyeing since its opening during Easter break: The Four Seasons, Astir Palace on the Athenian Riviera, Greece. While technically not in Athens, it is only a cab ride away and offers the best of all worlds: a beautiful, seaside hotel, the best service around, plenty of excellent restaurants, things for the kids (pools, kids clubs and more), things for the adults (spa etc..), and plenty of culture within reach in Athens. And of course, all our children have been exposed to Greek mythology with the Percy books, so for any fans of Greek mythology, this is a great place to come.
The Pool. NHYM 2025
We came as a multi-generational family, and it has something to please everyone: sun and sea for the granny, pool and fun for the kids, boat days for me, good food for Mr. X, and culture, for well, everyone.
View from our room. NHYM 2025
The morning seaview was a pleasure to wake up to every day. The rooms are tastefully decorated, as is the whole hotel. There is a sophisticated luxury vibe, with added local touches of olive trees all around the property. With the Four Seasons, you always know what you’re going to get: a perfect combination of luxury and service. This Four Seasons manages to do this seamlessly: the lobby is filled with elaborate floral displays and the staff is friendly but professional, which is different to some hotels where the staff can be a little too uptight and cold. The facilities are excellent, from the spa to the restaurants to the pools to the gift shop, to the terraces. The restaurants include the main restaurant Pelago with beautiful seaviews, Beefbar (always yummy), Matsuhisa (beautiful views although a bit too expensive in my taste) and the water-side Greek taverna restaurant is also very good for a dose of Greek cuisine. There are multiple hotels on site, but we stayed in the main one, which suited us perfectly.
The Acropolis. NHYM 2025
For our hit of culture, we took the whole family for some sight-seeing in Athens with a tour guide, which is an absolute must. I am lucky enough to know people who live in cities all over the world, and love to meet them to get a real flavour of the place. I had dinner with one of our friends in Athens (well, friend of friend, but that still counts!) who invited us to a cool, trendy Athenian restaurant. There, he explained the difference between North Athenians vs the South Athenians. The Four Seasons is South of Athens and fits in where the new money is. North of Athens is old money, more traditional, with Ambassadors and old families and good schools.
Hydra. NHYM 2025
For me, a boat day is always a highlight of my trips, and this time, it was for my kids. We took a day trip to Spetses and Hydra, which are both beautiful islands accessible by boat, both with their unique personalities and fans. A question I learned to ask any Athenian: are you Spetses or are you Hydra? Spetses is for the old money aristocracy, and Hydra is more for the artists and writers (Leonard Cohen lived there). I loved both for different reasons, but I have to say that Hydra stole my heart with its charming Marina, although there were too many tourists. Spetses is quiet, off the beaten path, which people love because it doesn’t attract too many tourists. I have many friends who spend their summers on Spetses, so I’d love to go back in the summer.
Hydra Marina. NHYM 2025
For a quick weekend away or a multi-generational family trip, the Four Seasons Astir Palace is highly recommended. It won’t disappoint, and collects awards and accolades each year. In 2025, it was voted 17th best hotel in the world in the World’s 50 Best Hotels 2025 and even the new Michelin Guide awarded it 3 Michelin keys. So for anyone looking for a perfect mix of sea, service, luxury and culture, easily accessible from London, it’s hard to beat.
If like me, you have had a dreadful January, you are not alone: everyone I have spoken to has had a pretty miserable January. The last few weeks have been dreary and depressing: it’s been dark, cold, and very, very wet but beyond that, we’ve recently witnessed two mass shootings (a friend’s son was stuck at Brown University during the shooting and other friends were on Bondi beach right before the shooting), then the fire in the nightclub in Crans Montana was shocking, with friends of friends who lost their child, but also because my kids are the age where they could have been there (and then the fire at the Roof Gardens a few nights ago, but thank god no one was hurt). The two shootings in the US left me horrified and speechless: people in the US are scared and do not feel safe. And let’s not mention Greenland. It all feels way too close to home, and right now it feels like we live in a twilight zone. So when I write my travel posts, it’s not because I ignore what’s going on in the world, but it is a way of using memories to dream of happier times. First up, Ibiza.
All Photos Copyright NHYM 2026
A few months ago, someone asked me to write a post about where to stay in Ibiza, particularly agroturismos, after I had been to a 50th birthday party and stayed at Atzaro. He had never heard of it- and agroturismos – before last year. What a lot of people don’t necessarily know about Ibiza is that it is multi-faceted; there is the trashy San Antonio crowd, the party drug-fuelled crowd, overlapped with the club people and the hippy crowd that came in the 70s. Then, finally, there are the inbetweeners, who love the clear waters of Formentera, the laid back vibe of the island, with a stop at Pacha once in a while, like me and my friends. I have been going to Ibiza for 30 years, the first time when I was 18 yo going to foam parties at Amnesia and going to the VIP section of Pacha to listen to David Guetta. I remember those days going to sleep at 10pm and waking up at 3am to go to clubs when they opened. Then, I discovered Formentera and Juan y Andrea in my 20s, when a friend of a friend literally bought a Sunseeker overnight and we spent endless days on the boat, mostly spending our time in Formentera. Then came the kids, and we rented gorgeous villas around the island with other friends with kids. Needless to say, I have wonderful memories of the island through the decades.
NHYM 2026
So, when a good friend invited me to her 50th birthday party last May, there was no way I was going to miss it. I had always wanted to stay at Atzaro, but somehow it never happened. Atzaro is one of the original luxury Agroturismos, in a part of the island that is still mostly undeveloped, which is Ibiza before Ibiza became Ibiza. Agroturismos are working farms that offer accommodation and dining to visitors and the spectrum runs from rural farms to very nice luxury hotels, which Atzaro is a prime example. They are very popular in Spain and Italy, especially in Ibiza, and shows an authentic side of Ibiza.
Atzaro is a thirteen hectare estate with beautiful bougainvillea covered buildings and terraces, ponds, gardens, restaurants, pavillions, orange groves and a vegetable garden. It was born from a 300 year old finca, and has been turned into one of the best hotels in Ibiza.
The interiors are typical finca style with terracotta tiles, littered with white fresh cotton sofas, wood materials, and low wood ceilings to keep the interiors cool in summer.
The pavillions are covered with climbing flowers and plants and inside are stylish rooms with teak four poster beds, and outside are private terraces and pools. The style of the hotel is understated yet luxurious, and has all the mod cons you can think of and every detail is thought of. Even their hotel shop has original Ibizan pieces that I couldn’t resist.
The outdoor restaurant is situated under grape vines and for breakfast is as magical as it could be.
Bougainvillea overflowing on the terraces.
The 43 meter freshwater Pool in the Spa.
There are day memberships available for guests staying outside the hotel, so my preference was the hotel pool, which is exclusive to hotel guests and has more privacy.
Spa with Balinese architecture surrounded by ponds, filled with singing frogs.
The gardens are wonderful for a wander and to get back to nature.
The event space is beautiful and if I were a die-hard Ibiza fan, this is where I would find any excuse to throw a party: wedding, anniversary, or a 30/40/50th birthday party. Or maybe I can renew my wedding vows like Brooklyn and Nicola.
My friend’s 50th birthday party was equally beautiful at another Agroturismo, Can Curreu, where the speeches were tear inducing, both from their sentimentality as well as from laughter. It was a wonderful weekend surrounded by old friends and new friends, and we danced and partied like we were 18 years old. More wonderful memories to add to my Ibiza Memory Box.
There are now so many accommodation options in Ibiza that it’s hard to know what to choose from, but here are my and my friends’ favourite places to stay in Ibiza:
Six Senses: The Six Senses landed in Ibiza a few years ago, and it is in a beautiful spot with gorgeous views and an amazing spa. Here it’s all about wellness, healthy living, Mediterranean food, and a superb spa. Perfect for a wellness break. The service can be hit or miss, but I would happily go with a few girlfriends for a weekend away.
Nobu Hotel : For a more modern hotel, Nobu Ibiza is the one to go for. Clean white lines and sea views make this one an easy pick.
Villas: Mi Casa Su Casa: I love all their villas, rustic chic and luxurious, but the one we rented was one of the most beautiful villas in Ibiza with an Olympic sized pool (well, almost) and a breathtaking sea view.
Petunia Ibiza: A Beaumier property and sister hotel to Les Roches Rouges in France, it’s a beautiful boutique hotel near Es Vedra.
Es Cucons: This rural, rustic chic hotel is inland and away from the crazy Ibiza nightlife. So if you want peace and quiet and nature, this one is great. I stayed years ago, and it’s still as good as it was 20 years ago.
Can Curreu: This is where the 50th birthday was, so although I have never stayed there, my friends loved it enough to host a party there and most of their guests stayed here. And it comes with very reasonable prices.
Can Jaume: Another lovely Agroturismo rural hotel, with orange groves and farmlands, it’s still close to Ibiza town, but with a slower paced Ibiza life.
Dynamic Lives Villas: Friends of friends who go to Ibiza every summer rent villas from this villa rental company. It specialises in villas in Mallorca, Ibiza and Mykonos and they highly recommend it.
Les Terrasses Agroturismo: Another Agroturismo, which like it names says, is full of terraces, and is a family friendly, intimate hotel that friends return to year after year. They have a lovely restaurant in their garden, and you’d never guess you were in Ibiza.
Soho Farmhouse and Mondrian Ibiza are new openings in Ibiza. I haven’t been yet, so let me know what they’re like!
It’s the second Monday of January, and let’s face it, we are all feeling the Winter Blues. The excitement of Christmas, New Year’s, holidays and holiday parties are all over and it’s been cold, wet and dark. We are in the deep, depths of winter, without sun or fun in sight. Travel agencies even coined the term ‘Blue Monday’ to encourage people to start booking holidays to get out of their post-holiday slump and to dream about some faraway sunny spot for their next holiday. Blue Monday is actually next Monday, but my Blue Monday started early this year! So to cheer myself up, instead of future holidays, I’m reviewing past holidays and a fantastic hotel we found over Christmas, that I thought was a hidden gem, until we ran into TWO people we knew there.
The Regent is an ultra luxury, five star hotel in Phu Quoc, a tropical island in the Gulf of Thailand off the coast of Cambodia, which belongs to Vietnam. It’s a 45 minute flight from Ho Chi Minh City airport in South Vietnam. We had been eyeing this hotel for a while, which received rave reviews since it’s opening in 2022. Here I thought that I had found somewhere original to travel to, yet by day 2 I had already run into a friend from my 20s, and by day 5, run into another family who lives in West London. I was impressed that they both had found this off-the-radar hotel. I had already visited Phu Quoc 18 years ago when it was completely deserted and barely had any luxury hotels, so this hotel is a welcome addition.
The Regent Beach
The hotel’s beach, as you can see, is incredibly spacious – unlike the sardine-sunbeds of the South of France – and full of fine, soft sand and picturesque palm trees. Don’t expect translucent waters like in the Indian Ocean or the Andaman sea here, but it is a wonderful spot, with ultimate privacy. The water is warm, but not as clear as other places you can travel to, so if it’s clear water you’re after, you are better off going somewhere else.
Ocean Club Pool at Sunset
The sunsets from the hotel are just about as perfect as they can be, both from the Ocean Club/pool area (above) as well as the Rooftop pool, or from your room. These are postcard-worthy sunsets that competes with the best of the sunsets. I mean, even the palm trees are perfectly situated in my photo.
Main Pool
There are many beautiful pools around the resort: the main family friendly one, the Ocean Club pool, the rooftop pool and the adults only pool, so if you’re a pool lover there are plenty of options. There are also private pools with some of the rooms, but we didn’t really need one since we were always at the Ocean pool or beach, or rooftop pool for the sunsets. Every few hours, you are treated to coconut or strawberry ice cream by the pool attendants. Can I say this is heaven?
There are multiple restaurants around the resort: The main Rice Market which has breakfast and buffets, the sushi Oku which was really delicious, the beach one, which is really relaxed with Fire Shows, and the Ocean Club which we preferred for lunch. Because we were there during the Festive Season, there wasn’t much a la carte, so I would suggest trying some of the restaurants on the island like Camia restaurant because we got tired of set menus every night.
Main Pool with Rice Market at the back – where breakfast is served
The hotel really delivers in service, style and luxury. It is owned by a very rich Vietnamese property developer and I was impressed by the details, the architecture, and the style which can sometimes go wrong in some hotels. It is quite modern/contemporary but yet still imbues warmth and character, which some minimalist hotels can lack. It is run by Regent Hotels, a brand that kind of disappeared but is now being revived by the IHG Group as their ultra-luxe brand, and I have to say that I was impressed. I pretty much liked everything about the hotel.
Sunset from Room which comes with a large living room/terrace
The rooms were all beautiful, huge and well – appointed, with tons of amenities, and all with wonderful sea views. The sunsets were gorgeous from our room and my mother found her happiness at sunset. There are also large villas dotted around which we didn’t try this time but definitely want to try next time. Their sunsets though won’t be as spectacular as ours. There are two bedroom beach villas that I would love to try one day, which literally look like full apartments. The rooms come with everything you could ask for, including free mini bar and snacks, which were obvious winners for the kids: crisps, Haribo, dried fruit, almonds, juices and more were replenished every day. We had interconnected rooms so perfect for a family.
Bedrooms are all luxurious and stylish with nice textures and warm, natural colours
Even though there was no hotel shop, one of the few negatives, you could literally Whatsapp the hotel at any time and ask for anything you want and it would appear: Forget nail clippers? Check! Forgotten tooth brush: check! Glasses cloth? Check! And the best challenge I gave them: I wanted a small Christmas tree for our Xmas celebration. Guess what, they actually brought me a little Xmas plant! This service was some of the best I’ve ever seen. With the room comes 3 items of laundry per person, per day. Another huge plus for Mr. X!
Good Morning Vietnam! Fruit and Coffee by the pool…
There was also an activity schedule for adults that my daughters loved. They have sadly grown out of the kids club – which by the way is amazing – so it was great that they could partake in the adult activities: Kite making, candle making, canvas painting, Vovinam martial arts, etc…Ok, so my kids were the only ones to take advantage of the activities, but it was great to have them on offer. Mr. X also had enough to do with Pilates, Yoga and Boxing, all complimentary. There was a coastal bike ride that we couldn’t do sadly because it was full so book that in advance! In addition, there was beach volleyball, basketball, beach tennis, paddle all available on the beach. (Just don’t bother with the pearl farm visit which essentially was a pearl shop!)
Island hopping to the An Thoi Archipelago
Phu Quoc island has been slowly developed in the past 20 years. When I first went, only 1 luxury hotel existed. Now, there are quite a few, but the Regent is by far the best one. Unfortunately, island developments, as we all know, can be hit or miss. On Phu Quoc, there are some great developments like the Regent, just as there are some not-so-nice ones. There are many what they call ‘ghost towns’ which are unfinished towns all around the island. Our tour guide explained that it was Vietnamese mafia parking their money and never finishing the developments. Other funny developments are ‘the Venice’ of Phu Quoc which is a village designed like Venice, or the tower of Pisa. For Europeans, it really is quite a funny sight to come all the way to Asia to get replicas, but I guess it’s a bit like Las Vegas. One of the families we ran into didn’t love the island, but they went scuba diving, which I wouldn’t have recommended, unfortunately there’s not much to see.
We did enjoy snorkelling around the islands at the south tip of Phu Quoc. The water there was really clear, and it definitely felt like we were castaways. There is a hotel catamaran you can take, which I would recommend to avoid the crowded tourist boats (although there were some with slides which we were dying to try). We took a small semi-private boat to a semi-deserted island (picture above) which was gorgeous where we had a beach picnic with a very entertaining tour guide who kept calling Mr. X Tom Cruise.
Feeding Capybaras at the Phu Quoc Safari & Zoo
What my kids loved the most though, was the Phu Quoc Safari, so if you have young children or animal-loving kids (like mine), you have to go. It’s really rather impressive, with large grounds for animals to roam around in. There is a safari park that you go through in a bus where you can see tons of white rhinos, which are going extinct, so it is impressive they have 44 white rhinos. A good sign of health and that they are happy is that they are making babies. There are also Bengal tigers, Asiatic bears, zebras, baby zebras, Antelopes and many giraffes.
I was most excited by the Giraffe restaurant, where you can feed giraffes while you have lunch. I no longer need to go to the Giraffe hotel in Nairobi to pet and feed giraffes! I’ve already done it in Phu Quoc! My kids also loved feeding the Capybaras, which are a really popular animal at the moment. Feeding parakeets and holding macaws was also fun, so there’s lots of interactivity with the animals which is great. For younger kids, there is the option of Zoo Keeper for the day, which we sadly couldn’t do because my kids are too old now.
My friend, the friendly giraffe
We got to pet everything from giraffes to elephants to parrots to capybaras and tapirs. The giraffes were so friendly, I was literally hugging a giraffe! There were also wild monkeys running around the zoo, but we were explicitly told not to pet or feed them, as they can get quite aggressive and steal your hat or phone!
Elephants saying hello
We were three generations travelling together, so as you can imagine, it wasn’t always smooth sailing coordinating tweens to seventy year olds, but what an amazing trip for both my kids and my mother. The hotel was fantastic and everyone enjoyed the activities we did. There was even an inflatable water park next door that the kids loved.
It wasn’t my first time to Vietnam, and Phu Quoc wouldn’t necessarily be the first place I would choose to go to, because there isn’t much culture (go to Hoi An/Halong/Saigon/Hanoi first), but if you’re on your fifth trip in, this hotel is incredibly affordable, especially away from the high season. You get so much for your money, it’s a third of any hotel in the Caribbean or Thailand or the Indian Ocean at the same luxury level at the same time of year, so I would definitely go back for that reason. So for those looking for ultimate luxury for reasonable prices, just go and try it out.
Sunset from the Rooftop Pool
The sunsets, the hotel, the food, the service, were all impeccable so for the hotel alone, I would go back in a heartbeat. The staff also made it so worth it, everyone was just so friendly and nice, you can’t even drop anything without someone running to catch it for you. It is far to go just for a stand-alone trip, but if you combine it with a sight-seeing trip beforehand, it’s a perfect place to wind down, feel pampered and just relax… One of my kids asked if we could extend our trip for a few more days. Or just not come back home at all. I get what she means.
View from the Cheval Blanc Rooftop with the Tour Eiffel. NHYM 2025.
Last Christmas, I found the perfect Christmas gift for Mr. X: a romantic weekend away to Paris. It ticked all the boxes: what he loves (Paris), what I love (travel), something memorable (I often give him memories and experiences instead of material goods), and gave us a perfect excuse to spend time together (sans kids!) So, I asked my most glamourous Parisiennes friends where to stay. Both answered with the same exact response: Le Cheval Blanc, Paris. ‘It’s best hotel we’ve ever stayed in! Six stars!’ ‘Cheval Blanc just opened in La Samaritaine. It’s the new place to go.’ It’s already in the World’s 50 Top Hotels of the world, coming in at number 20, and received a global recognition award, so after oohing and ahhing about going (the price is a drawback), I decided to surprise Mr. X.
Biggest downside: You just won’t want to leave it. Well, that and the price tag.
We arrived late afternoon and went straight to their fabulous rooftop for a hot chocolate (me) and Champagne and patisseries (him). The view cannot really get better than this: on the left is Notre Dame (which had just been renovated and unveiled) and on the right is the Eiffel Tower, both with expansive views of Paris and the Seine. This view really is unbeatable.
Rooms: The rooms are all you can ask for with views of the Seine or Paris streets, but my favourite part was all the goodies they give you. I know, it’s really childlike, but I didn’t even need to go shopping after that! I was so excited to open all my goodie bags: there were Cheval Blanc keyrings, pens, toiletry bags, and Dior everything in the bathroom (eye cream, serums and more). We were literally fighting over all of the goodies that came with the room.
Food: The food selection is really excellent: La Langosteria upstairs on the roof with night-time views of the Eiffel Tower is delicious and very sexy. On the first floor, 3 star Michelin restaurant Plenitude made it to 13th best restaurant in the world in the World Restaurant Awards 2025. Need I say more? And the breakfast is really divine, their pastries incredible, which made it hell for me, given I am allergic to gluten and dairy, although I gave in to temptation and still ate their croissant. It was so good, it was worth the stomachache.
NHYM 2025
Spa: Dior. Lovely.
Crowd: We came right before Fashion Week, and everyone was oh so fashionably cool. The Asians, the fashionistas and the super rich. So just for three days, we actually thought we were one of them. Pharell Williams was staying at the same time as us, and we saw him in full head-to-toe Louis Vuitton gear. Of course. He was just appointed Men’s Creative Director line for Louis Vuitton. Is there anything this guy can’t do?
LVMH has really hit a homerun here (with Lauren Sanchez staying here for her Bachelorette party). I loved it and so did Mr. X. It showcased Paris in its most beautiful light, from its rooftop to its restaurants. The only problem, was that each time we stepped out of the hotel, we just wanted to go back ‘home.’ Yes, it felt like it was our home for a few days, and the biggest problem, is we never wanted to leave.
The Royal Monceau is definitely my kind of hotel, designed by Philippe Stark and is equally as cool as luxurious. The rooms are very stylish yet came with every luxury you could ask for, and the food always good: there’s a Matsuhisa which we loved, even though we were given a seat at the bar. For breakfast, we sat next to Sting and Trudy, which confirmed its coolness factor.
For ultimate luxury, the Peninsula can’t be beat. It’s well known to offer the ultimate luxurious experience, with everything including Japanese style toilets. Every details is top of the range and expensive. The top floor restaurant is very elegant and grown up, with beautiful views, so this one is for those looking for modern luxury. Olivia Palermo was also staying there during Fashion Week, riding the elevator with us.
I was once invited – years ago – to Paris before the Lehman meltdown and the Credit Crunch, when banks and private equity shops and hedge funds were splashing their cash to impress clients. Well, somehow I was part of the clientele, and stayed at the George V, Four Seasons. As with all Four Seasons, it was a great, know-what-to-expect stay. At the time, it hadn’t been renovated so I found the rooms a bit on the heavily-draped side, but as expected, the service was top notch.
Of course I could continue with a list of other ultra luxury hotels like the Plaza Athenee and The Ritz and the Crillon, but these are a little old school for me. They are beautiful – don’t get me wrong – and the ice rink at the Plaza Athenee looks so cute at Christmas (it just opened Nov 27th), but I feel like I am visiting my grandmother when I go there. So, if you like the old Paris, don’t hesitate to go! But for those wanting something a little cooler, Hotel Costes is an old stalwart for the cool crowd. The bar and restaurant and its playlist reminds me of the 90s and summers in Paris, and its location is conveniently located next to the Louvre and Le Fumoir, one of my favourite places in Paris. It is dark and broody, so don’t expect light and brightness, but it does add mystery to the whole place and is apparently known for being a ‘den of opulence’ on Wikipedia.
Ski Season is upon us! The temperatures have dropped overnight and London had its first snow of the year this morning, so it is making me think of Ski Holidays! Years ago, an American friend who just moved to London asked me about where to go skiing in Europe and I realised that there are so many great places, depending on what you’re looking for. What she really wanted was to understand every European ski resort’s own distinct personality and reasons to go: ski area, snow quality, apres-ski and party scene, restaurants, luxury hotels, non-ski activities, the charm of the village etc… so here are my Top 10 Best Luxury Ski Resorts in a Snapshot:
Chamonix: Best for the hard-core skiers and snowboarders looking for a challenge, glacier and off piste skiing. The highlight is to ski down the infamous, La Vallee Blanche, right off the Mont Blanc Massif, with a 2700m vertical descent, which can take you all day to ski down. Just walking off the ski lift to the top of the Vallee Blanche is already a challenge: there is a tiny path with ropes literally keeping you for slipping down a vertical drop. The glacier skiing with a private guide is spectacular, taking you places with no other skiers have been before and exploring gorgeous ice formations. Even I can do it, so it’s not only for the super advanced heli-skiers. Here, it’s all about the skiing, so if you’re not too bothered about five star luxury, Chamonix will definite offer plenty on the slopes. Where to Stay: Hotel Mont Blanc Chamonix, Heliopic Hotel & Spa.
Courchevel: Best for glitz, glamour and ultimate luxury, and the most ultra-luxury five star hotels in the Alps, Courchevel is the place to go. I learned to ski in Courchevel and I am filled with nostalgia when I go there. It was my father’s favourite ski resort and it is Mr. X’s favourite ski resort too. It really has the best-of-the-best of everything: hotels, restaurants, skiing, shopping and nightlife. From the Les Caves night club, to Cap Horn, there is plenty of partying to be had. It is used to be a high end luxury resort catered to the French, but I have witnessed it change over the years, first attracting the Russian billionaires, and now the Chinese, Middle Eastern and Indian billionaires too. There is plenty to do as non-skiers too: shopping, cafes, restaurants and dog sledding. The biggest downside now is how expensive it has gotten: friends tell me that a coffee is now 25 euros on the slopes, so this is best for those not looking at prices. Even though it is the victim of its own success, the slopes are still great, and the restaurants too, if you don’t mind paying for it. Where to Stay: With unlimited funds, there are so many high end, ultra luxury options from K2 Palace or L’Apogee, to Hotel Barriere Les Neiges, Six Senses. The Rosewood is landing in 2026. For more reasonable hotels: La Sivoliere or Les Sherpas.
Gstaad: Best for old school charm and a royal favourite. Friends with titles and royal affiliations love this resort. They come at any time of year, winter and summer, and some even settled down here permanently to stay out of the public’s eye so their kids can attend Le Rosey, one of the most exclusive international schools in the world, fit-for-royals. Celebrities and jet-setters have been going here for years, from Roger Moore (who used to live there), to Madonna, to Anne Hathaway to Brigitte Bardot. You don’t really go there to ski, it’s more for those uber wealthy but who want privacy. You just need to look up @thegstaadguy on Instagram to get the gist. Where to stay: Gstaad Palace, The Alpina.
Kitzbuhel: Best for its very cute pedestrian town centre, it’s great for good skiers and non-skiers. There’s plenty to like in Kitzbuhel, a cute pedestrian town centre with pastel coloured houses, shopping, and a great ski area for beginners, intermediate and advanced skiers. They now have a Zuma, so you know it is firmly on the modern ski map. It is very easy to get to: Munich is 2 hours away and Salzburg only 1.5 hours away. The only downside is its low altitude so there is a chance of little snow at times and for the die hard skiiers, the skiing might not be challenging enough. Where to Stay: Kitzhof for a modern hotel, Weisses Rossl to be in town. Stanglwirt Hotel is ridiculously cool for kids, I haven’t stayed, but many of my friends have, with its own children’s farm and children’s water world.
Lech: Best for a world-class skiing area, luxury accommodation, and an understated, sophisticated family friendly vibe. Many of my friends go to Lech, which scores a lot of points; excellent skiing, excellent food, family friendly, and plenty of luxury hotels but is discrete and sophisticated. Princess Di brought the boys here if that describes it in a sentence. It doesn’t have a big party scene, so skip it and go to Verbier if that’s what you’re looking for. It has very good snow throughout the year, so that’s another positive point for it. Where to stay: Hotel Aurelio and Hotel Arlberg.
Megeve: Best for foodies and its picture-perfect historical village centre, with horse drawn carriage and cobblestone streets. Mevege’s village centre is absolutely gorgeous: it is a traffic free medieval area with cobbled streets and is full of fairytale charm. In addition, it has so many excellent restaurants, including many Michelin starred restaurants like Flocons de Sel, and the mountain restaurants are all fun, proper, sit down restaurants than fast food canteens like L’ideal 1850, Super Megeve, Le Refuge etc… It is easily accessible from Geneva so a quick-hop from the airport. The downside is that it often lacks snow, given its low altitude and there is very little ski-in, ski-out accomodation. Where to Stay: Four Seasons Megeve, Les Fermes de Marie, L’Alpaga.
St Mortiz: Best for old world class and timeless elegance. St. Moritz is glamourous, but old school glamourous, (unlike the newer Courchevel), where heavy draped ski hotels are still par excellence. Its life revolves around the Hotel Kulm, the first five star hotel in St. Moritz and whose Kulm Country Club re-opened, and Badrutt’s Palace, both Grande Dame hotels of St Moritz. I was once invited by Lehman Brothers for a ‘Closing Weekend in St Moritz’ when I was 27 years old (possibly why Lehman went bankrupt), when I stayed at the Hotel Kulm and where history reverberates in every room of this hotel. I had an amazing weekend of skiing, paragliding, and partying at the Dracula Club. Of course, St Moritz is where the Snow Polo World Cup is and remnants of the Winter Olympics can be found on the ice skating rink and bobsleigh track. For the real jet-setters, there is a private jet airport right there, and taking off from it is really a one in a lifetime experience, otherwise, you can fly into Milan and drive from there. Where to Stay: Badrutt’s Palace, Hotel Kulm.
Val D’Isere:Best for a combination of high altitude skiing, affordable and luxury hotels, and partying at the original Folie Douce. Val D’Isere is where the French have spilled over to since they were priced out of Courchevel, and new hotels have followed. Val D’Isere is well known for its party scene, with the first Folie Douce created in 1974. The village still fulfills the ‘cute Alpine village’ feel with traditional chalets and charming streets. There’s great high altitude and off piste skiing, and a variety of hotel options, ranging from luxury (Les Airelles), to affordably cool (Experimental Chalet) to lots of more affordable boutique hotels (Hotel Mont Blanc, Hotel Yule). This one is good for people looking for all price ranges, snow-sure conditions and a party vibe. There is also the highest hotel in the Alps, Le Refuge de Solaise, for a completely unique experience: you can only access it via gondola, so you don’t want to miss the last one! Where to stay: Les Airelles for luxury, Le Blizzard for mid luxury, a friend recommends Maison de Famille Les Cinq Freres for a more reasonable bill (but needs to be booked a year in advance) and the Experimental Chalet for a stylish stay.
Verbier: Best for Sloaney-ponies looking for English style apres-ski and advanced ski slopes. It’s been called ‘Sloane Square on Slopes’ and ‘London in the Alps.’ Oh the Brits love Verbier in Switzerland and it is really like a London ski outpost. It has everything a Brit could love: great skiing (not for beginners), plenty of Brit loving apres ski, close to Geneva, and the Farm Club, the quintissential iconic club, which really hasn’t changed much since the 70s and, yes, it is where Prince Andrew used to go to. James Blunt lives there and even has a chair lift named after him. The Farinet apres ski is still as popular as ever, and there are plenty of nice mountain restaurants but it is not the ‘fur-wearing’ set or too chi-chi crowd, which appeals to the Brits. Where to Stay: The W hotel if you want the ultimate modern hotel experience, which is often named best ski hotel in the world, although I prefer La Cordee des Alpes, which is a boutique, chalet-style hotel with yummy restaurants. For private luxury chalets and apartments, contact The Luxury Chalet Company, who has access to top chalets and rental apartments, as well as great local knowledge.
Zermatt: Best for serious skiers looking for snow-sure conditions and for its car-free village and picturesque train ride. It’s also known for the Matterhorn mountain and the highest gondola in the world (3883m). Someone told me it’s not for beginner skiers but caters to intermediates very ell, and for serious skiers who want absolute snow-certainty. The village is cute and there are plenty of nice restaurants on the slopes, as well as plenty of apres-ski for the partiers. We know people who go there every year who like the combo of beauty, year round skiing, and challenging off piste, without all the chi-chi of some of the other resorts. Its biggest draw-back is the limited ski-in, ski-out options, which for me, is not an option but a necessity. Where to stay: Omnia, Mont Cervin Palace Hotel, BeauSite hotel.
When the kids were younger, I dreaded taking them on city trips for 3 reasons: 1) Tantrums and museums do not mix 2) Their attention spans and boredom just didn’t make it worth it 3) They were going to forget it all anyway and leave me traumatised. So, now that they are older and can actually appreciate the joys of city trips, I have been taking them (dragging them) to all the major cities I once avoided. Last year, my kids were learning about the Roman empire in school, so this was an opportune time for them to visit Rome in the fall, when the crowds weren’t as dense and the summer heat had gone.
I had last been in Rome when I was 20 backpacking across Europe with my uni friends. I know, you’ll say, ‘You? Backpacking? I can’t imagine that!’ Well, it was even mentioned in my bridesmaids wedding speech, so yes you should believe it. In any case, all I remember from Rome was a blur of stracciatella gelato, being turned away from the Vatican for our skirts being too short, and getting pink-eye from a cockroach falling onto my pillow from our not-so-luxury hotel. This may be why I am now obsessed with luxury hotels!
So my memories of Rome were – literally – blinded and blurry so, this time around, I asked a friend from Rome for tips for a perfect Roman Holiday.
If you have endless zeros in your bank account and want this to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, Hotel de Russie really would be my number one choice: right in the middle of all the attractions, shopping nearby, and that gorgeous courtyard and terrace, there’s no other hotel in Rome quite like it.
We chose to stay at the Villa Aggripina, which combined historical elements of a former palazzo, as well as a swimming pool when the kids were bored of sight-seeing. It is an oasis just a 15 minute walk across the river to all the sights, but offers a swimming pool, and tons of outdoor gardens and space for the kids, this one is perfect during the sweltering summer.
4. Hip: Soho House Rome. Other friends who were in Rome at the same time as us stayed at the Soho House, for a stylish yet reasonably priced hotel stay.
Explore Top Attractions with an exclusive Golf Cart Tour: Our friend’s suggestion and our favourite activity of our Roman adventure had to be the Golf Cart Tour. The golf cart agilely weaved its way around the city and monuments where cars couldn’t pass and gave us a whirlwind tour of all of the most important sights in Rome. It’s perfect when you don’t have a lot of time in Rome and can be adjusted to fit your itinerary, spending time at sights you want to see, and whizzing by those with too many tourists. We hit all the major sights: the Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Colloseum, Spanish Steps etc…
Sunset at the Colosseum: During the day, the crowds abound at the Colosseum, so my recommendation is to do this sunset tour, when the crowds have gone back to their hotels and you can see it in its sunset splendour.
Shopping: Our golf cart tour ended at the Spanish steps, which was a perfect place to go shopping at all my kids’ favourite Italian stores: Subdued, Brandy Melville etc… This was the perfect end to a morning of sight-seeing.
Truffle Pasta at Hotel de Russie Terrace NHYM 2024
Of course a trip to Rome wouldn’t be a trip to Rome without eating out. Here’s a few recommendations:
Il Marchese Restaurant: I loved Il Marchese, which serves typical Roman cuisine, it is cozy and local for a true Roman experience.
Pier Luigi Restaurant: More gastronomic, this one serves delicious seafood to everyone from Bezos to Leonardo di Caprio. The tables outside are prime spots for watching life go by in Rome.
Roscioli: Amazing bakery, where you can get delicious pizza on the go, or book a table for lunch.
Hotel de Russie Terrace & Courtyard for Aperitivo: Even if you aren’t staying at Hotel de Russie, you can always enjoy its terrace for Aperitivo or its gardens for lunch. One of my favourite meals in Rome.
Pier Luigi Rome. NHYM 2024
This trip to Rome completely exceeded my expectations and I loved everything about it: the hotel, the food, the shopping and the sightseeing. Everywhere you turn, there are ruins and remnants of Roman history which continues to fascinate us today. I can’t wait to go back!
A few years ago, our family had to go to Somerset for some reason or other during the October break, and of course Babington House was fully booked, so that’s how I discovered The Newt in Somerset. How had I not known about the Newt before?! The Newt is the creative brainchild of South African Billionaire Koos Bekker and Karen Roos, who developed Hadspen house, an 18th Century Georgian Manor house, and its 800 acre estate into a luxury hotel and extensive gardens, restaurants, cider orchards, beezantium, and much, much more. It opened in 2019 and is so much more than a hotel and that’s what keeps it being awarded the UK’s best hotel in the Conde Nast Readers Choice Awards 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025.
Bonfire Night NHYM 2022
We were there right around Bonfire night and we saw the biggest and most sculpturally complex bonfire we had ever seen: it was in the shape of a dragon and you can compare the gardener for size comparison in the photo. It was huge! And how did they manage to create this? Cranes? Drones? Ladders? It was so captivating that I was just sad they were going to burn it and it would disappear after bonfire night: with all the effort put into it, I wanted it to be kept as a permanent fixture.
NHYM 2022
In the front fields of the Manor house were sheep munching on grass and on the far side of the Manor house, landscaped gardens a la francaise were for walking around and enjoying their beauty. Beyond the gardens and grounds right around the main house, you can take buggies to explore the rest of the vast estate, which I can assure you, was one of my kids’ highlights and are free to be driven around to see the apple orchards, vegetable and fruit gardens, the Farmyard and more. Luckily enough, I didn’t crash it (unlike a friend visiting Fisher island who famously crashed a golf buggy while slightly intoxicated, you know who you are!!)
NYHM 2022
The beauty of the manicured gardens against the rolling hills of Somerset really are aesthetically perfect in my eyes; both elegant and wild, they include fountains, paths and mazes.
The Garden Cafe at the Newt & the Apple Festival Fountain NHYM 2022
There are multiple restaurants that use the estate’s produce and put it at the forefront of each of their dishes. The staff tell us that they are aiming to be fully estate-to-plate in the future, for now everything is locally sourced, with all the produce grown on the estate. They hope to turn the estate into a fully sustainable endeavour in the future and the waiters know exactly the origins of everything on the plates served: the vegetables were from the vegetable patch, the beef from some of their cows in the pastures across the road, and the pork from the pigs at a farm next door. The enthusiasm of the staff was a testament to what kind of estate it is trying to be: sustainable, local and community oriented.
The Newt Spa 2022
The Spa was serene and had an inside/outside pool which my children loved. For once, kids were allowed in the spa, so that scored big points for them. The hotel rooms were nice, my favourite being the family two bedrooms in the main house, and although there were a few service glitches around slow breakfasts and appliances that didn’t work, it didn’t take away from the whole experience. All the staff were locals, who were very excited to be part of this vision and very eager to please.
But one of the most exciting parts of our trip was that we were there – coincidentally – for their annual Apple Festival. It really made our trip go from a nice country weekend away in a luxury hotel, to a unique, fun, engaging, and unforgettable festival getaway. On display, there were every kind of apple grown on the estate. Who knew there were so many kinds of apples?
NHYM 2022
The best part of the festival was that we were able to make our own apple juice: one of the fountains was filled with hundreds of apples that you could fill a bucket with and then turn into apple juice with a hand press. After collecting the apples, we did a lot of squishing, turning and pressing, making our own apple juice, which we funneled into glass bottles and were given to take home with us. It was so fun and it felt so productive and satisfying making our own juice. The juice was so fresh and without any additives; it was as natural as it could be. Who knew I would be so happy to become an apple farmer for the day?
NHYM 2022
NHYM 2022
Not only did they have apple pressing, but every kind of possible apple games galore you can imagine: apple toss, apple skittles, apple bowling, and toffee apples and roasted pork & apples to taste. We were amazingly lucky with the weather, and the whole experience was unbeatable (friends who went when it was pouring rain another time, did say they were disappointed with their Newt stay, so check the weather ahead of time to make the most out of your trip).
NHYM 2022 Apple Skittles
We loved the whole experience. My children were at the right age to fully engage and enjoy all the games, food and estate exploration. There are also multitudes of events throughout the year for members: woodland tours, garden tours, Christmas trails, a Beezantium, cider tastings, Bee safaris, Roman Villa tours etc etc etc. Need I say more? We didn’t even get a chance to see the whole estate in one weekend and even if you don’t stay at the Newt, you can always book tickets to explore this magical estate and the annual memberships are really reasonably priced, especially to support what they are trying to create.
This is a really special place indeed, created and conceived to glorify all things gardening, apples, cider, woodlands, farmlands with sustainability in mind. Finally, what I loved the most, was that behind all this ‘Billionaire fantasy estate’ talk, was a place that was giving back to its community: the events sell out quickly and you can see how much it is not just about creating a luxury hotel that only a few can enjoy, but creating a place that welcomes the whole community, providing jobs, food and special events for the whole community throughout the year, that is loved by all.
‘Technology is a useful servant but a dangerous master.’ Christian Lange Nobel Prize Winner
A few months ago, I was organising a sleepover for my daughter and her friends when I was accosted by one of her friend’s mums asking me: ‘Does your daughter have a cell/mobile phone?’ with the same intensity and anxiety as if she were asking me if we kept guns at home (something that does happen in LA I’ve been told!). Taken aback, I wasn’t quite sure how to answer. Sheepishly, I replied, ‘Yes, but she’s only allowed an hour a day.’ I was faced with a blank stare. ‘She has time limits.’ No change. ‘She doesn’t have TikTok or Instagram. Only 5 minutes of Snapchat a day just so she can communicate with a few friends.’ Still, my response landed flat. I soon realised that there was no way I was going to assuage her or win this argument. Then, she proceeded to lecture me that I needed to take away her phone at night for the sleepover. I was so petrified and paralyzed that I failed to find any witty comebacks or to tell her that my daughter’s phone shuts down at night anyway so it wouldn’t be a problem.
Of course, I wish I had said: ‘But I am a good mum! Both my children are top schools in the UK! One of them is a national level performance athlete and the other was invited to Mathematics Masterclasses at the Royal Institute of Mathematics! They’ve both sang at the O2 with Paul McCartney! Both their names are inscribed in plaques in their primary school’s dining hall for their contributions to their school! They’ve been called perfect and I’ve literally been asked for breakfast for parenting/schooling advice!’ But instead, I was speechless, #mumshamed. I had yet again, been made to feel like a #Mumfail.
Turns out, I am not even safe from the Phone Mafia even in my own house. Social media and screens have been the hot topic of every Whatsapp parent group, and only more spurred on by the book ‘The Anxious Generation by Dr. Jonathan Haidt,’ and the TV Series ‘Adolescence.’ At school, we are constantly being given lectures and workshops on how to navigate screen times and social media and on Digital Safety. It’s a hotter topic than the European wildfires.
Let me clear, of course I often wish my kids never had phones, but this is where we are and there’s no going back but with some common sense and a lot of parent involvement, you can really get through this unharmed. It is the parents’ responsibility once they give their child a phone to know what is going on with their kids online. I mean, you should really know if your child is on Onlyfans or watching pornography or bullying others, that is a parenting responsibility.
I don’t think the issue is black or white and I do not inherently think that phones are ‘good or evil.’ It’s how they are used that matters. As a scientist, I do not believe that phones and social media are the sole cause of all of our children’s mental health struggles (the scientific basis of the Anxious Generation book is at best loose, and doesn’t distinguish causality from correlation and omits other world variables on children during the same time period). I do agree that it can be very scary navigating unknown teenage internet territory and we should be wary and involved in their digital lives. I do believe that social media companies have a responsibility to keep children safe, rather than feed them dangerous algorithms of starvation, suicide or other ridiculously inappropriate content. It’s a complex subject to say the least, but it’s important not to label phones or all social media as the root of all evil.
Both of my children received phones when they started senior schools and started travelling to school on their own. They use their phones to call me when they’re late, when they’re lost and when things change like the tubes being suspended and they have no way home. They use the bus and tube timetables in the morning to get to school, and googlemaps when they’re walking around in the neighborhood. (And I can track them when they are riding the bus in the wrong direction!). Unlike Dr Haigt’s argument about kids being less independent when they use a phone, it’s been quite the opposite; they have the confidence to travel alone in London because they can look up maps any time they get lost and know they can call me any time.
Not only that, but they keep in touch with friends from all over the world, speak to their grandparents on Whatsapp video calls who live across oceans and channels, and use phones creatively all the time for capcut videos, sing-a-thons, travel vlogs and learn how to draw online. They follow sports and news and share their interests with us. It’s not all bad. The reality, is we live in a digital world, and we, as parents, have to help them navigate the digital world in a positive way.
But I agree that there is plenty of value highlighting the need to be aware of what’s going on online in our children’s worlds: pornography, strangers connecting with them, cyberbullying, blackmail but also, screen addiction, shortening attention spans, and obsession with looking a certain way. It can happen to adults, but children will evidently be more vulnerable. There is so much to unpick when discussing screens, the internet and social media usage but we, as parents, have a duty to try to keep them as safe as possible. For now, I will contribute some tips I have learned so far while parenting the digital generation.
Here are my top 10 Tips of dealing with social media and screen time:
Digital Education: talk, talk, talk to your kids about what they might come across online and what they need to do to keep themselves safe. Talk about how much screen time is healthy and go over their screen usage together. Encourage them to choose their own ‘screen time’ goals and see if they can achieve them. Set healthy boundaries for them.
Use the Parental controls to block any unwanted websites: violence, drugs, pornography etc…
Time limits can be valuable. Iphones have inbuilt time limits in their parental controls settings, otherwise Qustodio or Family Link are useful apps until they are responsible for their phone usage. But it’s not only how much time they spend on screens, it’s also quality: learning a new language and learning how to draw online is not the same as talking to a stranger online or ‘doomscrolling.’ A big benefit of Qustodio is you can actually see what your child has been scrolling online: you can see how much time they’ve spent on Life360, Whatsapp, Capcut, etc… and what searches they’ve done on online.
The first most important tip from psychologists: Take phones away a night. My children’s phones shut down from 9:30 pm to 7am to avoid the screaming and shouting matches when I try to take them away.
Make sure you have screen – free meals and screen – free time as a family. Remind them that there is life outside the internet. How you use screens as a family is important: model positive screen usage.
Ensure that they have IRL hobbies and friends. Complete seclusion from real life is a warning sign.
Phones are not the only screen that can cause harm: ipads and other screens can also affect your child so make sure those are protected too.
Wait – as long as possible – to give them social media apps: Insta, Snap, TikTok, Youtube shorts. They are not necessary for 10 year olds. Whatsapp is a personal choice, but it has its benefits for communicating with friends. You can also give them phones with only child-friendly apps and without social media, adult content, and addictive apps like the Balance Phone, which is a great option.
If your schools use Ipads, you can also invest in apps that can shut down the internet to school devices and home internet once they have finished their homework. Youtube is a big culprit for time-wastage, and it can be hard to control, given that many school iPads allow Youtube. A bit drastic, but when Youtube is driving you crazy, it’s good to know you can still have control!
The most important tip, is to continue to connect with your child, so that if anything ever were to come up online, they feel comfortable opening up to you. This is my most valuable tip. If you’re going to give your child a phone, try to have a good grasp of what’s going on in their digital lives, just as you would in real life. You might not know everything that’s going on, but you should try to have a good understanding of your child’s screen life, just as you do in real life. It’s not always easy, but at least they know that they have someone to turn to navigating this new world.
We are the first generation of parents dealing with screens and social media and there is no set path or blueprint on how to best support our kids; we are learning as we go along. Not only that, but the effects of screens on our kids (and us) keeps emerging. We can only try our best. Just try not to make other mums feel bad about their choices: we’re all trying to do what’s best for our kids.
Lately, I have been approached by a lot of mums going through the 11+ process who have been asking me for advice. When I was trekking through that minefield, I had – luckily – some elders who gave me a lot of advice: some good, some excessive, some useless, but mostly I was really grateful to have people to talk to. Earlier in the year I wrote my first blog on senior school anxiety: nottinghillmummy.com/2022/04/20/senior-school-entry-anxiety/ and here is the follow up blog Version 2.0.
(Note Bene: these were all mothers who had been through the process and had a lot of opinions. I did not speak to other mums going through the 11+ at the same time for a number of reasons, but mostly because they would stress me out or put their stress on me.)
This is how I navigated the 11+: I took advice from those who knew better and learned from them. Here are some of the questions I wish someone had answered before I started the whole process.
When do you start prepping for the 11+ process? Every parent is different. Of course, you will always have the kids who know their entire multiplication tables by the time they get to Year 1, but those are the outliers. And those who might be behind academically might need to start earlier. But as a general rule, a good start for the 11+ prep is one year from the exam. So if it is in December, start one year before. Some will start later, like in Easter, but I think that’s too late in case your child has weaknesses that you haven’t spotted yet. You can start more than a year before, but in my opinion, that’s a bit of overkill and might burn out your child too soon. With the one-year-before approach, I would advise little and often. If you decide to start earlier, one good thing to do is to assess your child to make sure they are on the right path. Your school should have given you their test scores and you should have a decent grasp of how they are doing. This is where you can see what your child needs to work and address those weaknesses early on.
How do you prepare for the 11+?
Everyone wants the magic formula. Of course, tutors pretty much have to be involved if you are aiming for the most academic schools. Very few get in with little tutoring. It is still possible, but your chances are inevitably lower. For good, but not the most academic schools, you can get away without tutoring if your child is bright enough. For me, as I already mentioned, I addressed my child’s weaknesses and put my focus on that. In that way, I didn’t have to over-tutor and kept the process relatively gentle (unlike some parents who were tutoring every day). But many people feel that’s not enough so in general, for those aiming at the most academic schools, I found that most parents have two tutors: one for English and one for Maths. On top of that, Bond books and atom are very popular (Bond books for general knowledge and atom for exam practice). After that, everyone has their own methods and needs and each child is an individual.
How do you choose a senior school? Now, everyone has different requirements and values so the schools you like are not necessarily the school other people will like. So every person should just do what’s right for them. But don’t always voice your opinions. (Recently, someone I know went to visit my child’s senior school on open day and came back to me and said, ‘I hated it!’ which is probably something one should avoid doing).
The way I chose our school is as follows:
Academics
Proximity to home
Curriculum
The School & Facilities
Social environment
Extra-curriculars
I’ll go through each topic in some more detail.
Academics is of course on top of most people’s list: will the school challenge my child but not push him/her too far? Schools that are going to be too intense may not be the right school for your child, which is why sometimes over-tutoring can backfire. Do you want your child to be a big fish in a small pond or a small fish in a big pond? You could argue for both. But you want to make sure the school is right for your child: I repeat, not all these pushy schools are right for your child. There are plenty of kind, good schools particularly for those who are less academically inclined.
Proximity: Proximity is very high on my list on how to choose a school. I wanted a school that wasn’t too far from our home. Ideally under 30 minutes, but 30-45 minutes max. Having spent 3 hours on the school bus every day growing up, I didn’t want them to have the same experience. In addition, you want your child to have friends that live nearby and not have friends scattered far away. This makes it so much easier for playdates. Even for boarding schools, it is much easier if they are closer so your child can easily come home for the weekend. Also, how are the transport links? Because soon enough, they will want to travel on their own.
Curriculum: Not all schools have the same curriculum so make sure it is a school that offers what you are looking for. For example, some have only A Levels whereas some offer the International Baccalaureate as well. Most academic schools will have a broad, somewhat similar curriculum, but some will have more languages on offer for example or be more focussed on sciences and maths.
The school & facilities: My child immediately wanted a school with sports facilities and big spaces. It’s not easy to find that in Central London, so until you see the schools, it will be hard to decide. Just as someone might like a smaller school saying it is more cosy, someone else might say the exact same school is very cramped. So everyone has their opinions and needs. Facilities like a nice gym, a climbing wall, modern 6th form areas, swimming pools, sports pitches on site all add something as well. Also, do you like the neighbourhood? Is it somewhere you could see your child hanging out after school?
Social Environment: This is an important topic that is just as important as the other ones. Every school has a reputation: ‘the urban school, the drugs and alcohol school, the trustafarian school, the super-academic school with mental health issues, the sporty school, the ED school’ and the list goes on. Every school has a reputation and you will have to decide which aspects you are willing to live with and which you just don’t want to ever come across. The schools have very different feels to them and it has to be the right environment for your child.
Extra-curriculars: It’s not the most important on the list, but is still to be taken in consideration. Some schools offer lots of sports, some offer music, some art etc… Just have a look at them and see if there is something your child would like to do. A few jumped out when we were visiting schools and it was one of the big reasons my child chose that school.
At the end of the day, each child will end up where they should end up. And if it doesn’t work out, they can always change schools. This school will not determine the rest of their future, so relax a bit, take my advice and all will be well. I asked my child what they liked about their school and the reply was: 1. My friends 2. The lessons 3. The atmosphere. So far, it sounds like we made a good choice.
They say a picture conveys a 1000 words and for those of us who live in London and have children who will – inevitably – take the 11+ exam (or 7+/13+) to gain entry into the most coveted senior school places, the 11+ conjures images of bloody backstabbing, intense Olympic-tutor-training and Edvard Munch type fear. (For those of you who don’t have kids – stop reading – or this will put you off kids forever).
But don’t worry. You are not alone. And you will survive. I promise.
The bad news is that it can be as bad as you can possibly imagine, I mean tears, pill-popping and lying-to-your-best-friends-face bad. But the good news is that it doesn’t have to be and I am here to hold your hand and guide you through the whole process. Not sure if I will actually help, but think of me as a ‘survivor’ and someone who made it out alive in – barely – one piece.
I was very lucky in that I had friends with older children who had gone through the whole process and gave me their infinite wisdom, some of which I ignored completely, but a lot of it which helped me infinitely. And for those who don’t have that luck, well it’s your lucky day, because I can be that person. Hopefully, in the next few blog posts, I can give you some of my wise advice.
So to start, ** drumroll* here are my 10 Commandments for getting through the 11+ and Senior School Exams:
Always remember, it’s the school that chooses your child. Not the other way around.
Look at schools that will fit your child, not where you think you would like your child to go to.
It’s not about what you want. As a matter of fact, it’s not about you. Did I already mention that?
Over tutoring may not be a good thing. They may end up overanxious, stressed out, eating too much or too little, and end up a statistic in the increasing teen mental health problem.
Don’t listen to what so-and-so is doing. Anyway, most of them are lying.
As a matter of fact, if you really want to stay sane, don’t talk to any of the other mums at the school gates. Choose a few close confidantes that you can talk to, who will support you, and that’s it.
Make a plan of what you think is reasonable for your child. Don’t over tutor just because you think you have to. Have a clear idea of where your family values lie and don’t waver.
Have reasonable expectations and be realistic – if your child is in the bottom sets, don’t try to make them sit St Paul’s. That’s just a waste of time and energy.
Don’t stress, or your child will stress too.
Remember, it’s your child’s race, not anybody else’s. So support them, love them, guide them, but the rest is up to them.
So remember, just Keep Calm and Carry On and you will get through this.
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