Experience at Novotel Canberra hotel and First Edition

I love going away with my beautiful family and creating new memories. But let's face it, when you have a young family you have to take so much into consideration when picking a place to stay, a restaurant to eat at, and activities to do - it all has to suit everyone. I always look for a simple, family friendly hotel with options for eateries which are also appropriate for kids to dine.

HOTEL

We had one night stay at Novotel Canberra. The Novotel is in a perfect location, close to the city centre, airport, entertainment and Parliament House.

The hotel has a lovely newly renovated indoor pool, sauna and gym. For convenience they have concierge service and car park that you can self park or opt for valet parking. Novotel Canberra also has 24 hour room service and 24 hour reception, which I find important when booking a hotel, as you never know when you might need something especially with kids.

STAFF / CHECK IN

The staff at the Novotel were very friendly, they explain everything you need to know in detail when checking in, and have a "Kids Corner" right next to check in/out desk so your children can play while your organising everything. How cool is that!!. My girls played there while we were checking in and out, very convenient.

INDOOR POOL

The indoor pool was one of the highlights of our experience staying at Novotel. The Pool has included a ramp at the entrance so for families with prams and the less mobile can enter through with ease, a Sauna for the adults, and plenty of walking space to get through. The Pool had hand rails on the steps for added safety and also featured shallow end for kids and deep end for more stronger swimmers. My girls and hubby had a ball in the pool, while this relaxed mummy sat on the pool chair near them reading a lovely book, bliss.

ROOM

Our room was on the 5th floor and was very spacious and clean. It had 2 double beds, fridge, tv, tea & coffee and the bathroom had a shower and bathtub. We had bathrobes waiting in our cupboards and we each got a pair of slippers which is always a nice touch.

RESTAURANT

When it comes to finding a child-friendly restaurant, it can be a real jungle out there. We are all too familiar with those "typical" kids meals, like frozen something with fries!. So I've made it my mission to find a nice restaurant every time we eat out, that would get my girls excited about what they eat. Something that is still kid friendly but more healthier, I want them to try new dishes with an experience making them feel they’re a world away from the stuff their palates might be used to.

We found a place to eat inside the Novotel hotel, a beautiful restaurant called First Edition. The atmosphere of the restaurant is, to say the least, welcoming and magnificent, whilst we noticed it was newly renovated walking into the beautiful restaurant instantly made us feel like we had walked into the most stylish and sophisticated venue. The restaurant had a large book space but with modern Lounges where you can sit back and have a drink before entering to have your meal, or sit back and read a book. Madison and my hubby sat there together reading books. 

When we walked into the restaurant we were greeted with a smile and were directed to our table which had windows that faced the city. Madison and Macie were instantly intrigued they spent a good amount of time looking outside “watching the world go by” I loved seeing their reactions. It meant Madison and Macie were calm and entertained while hubby and i looked at the fabulous menu.

Executive Chef, Jennie Tressler created a diverse seasonal all-day dining menu and is known to source the best local produce. Everything on the menu looked amazing, we decided on an Italian board, salad with halloumi. For our mains we had Chicken Cashew Curry for myself and Chargrilled Rib Eye with lemon roasted Potato for hubby.

I was delighted to see that the Kids Menu had a good variety of foods that are usually a favourite amongst kids but with a healthy twist. The girls got spaghetti Bolognaise and chicken which was served with fries and veggies. If “watching the world go by” wasn’t enough entertainment for the girls, on the table was a place mat size kids activity page and some pencils.

The food was delicious and colourful, you can taste that every ingredient was fresh and is obvious it was made with care and delicacy.

SUMMARY

Although this was a short stay, it was one of the most memorable family getaways we have had, we made so many memories, ate great food, stayed in a fabulous hotel and most of all shared it with the people who matter the most, my beautiful family. Thanks to Novotel Canberra for having us.

Check out First Edition Canberra

Check out Novotel Canberra

Our stay was hosted, but all opinions are my own.