Travel with Me: A trip to Hatta Fort with Sharky Knows

Last week we had part 1 of our honeymoon adventure in Singapore which was lovely to reminisce about.  This week I am once again joined by another lovely blogger who is taking us on an adventure to Hatta Fort hotel which is on the border of Oman and Dubai….yep you guessed it the lovely Charlotte is a fellow Dubai blogger over at Sharky Knows.  I love Charlotte’s blog as she is currently embarking on a toddler craft week by week which is alphabet based, a
particular favourite was Q-week and I am impressed she found crafts to do!  She also heads out and explores Dubai, uncovering places I must go find when the baby arrives.
This interview really made me smile because I have in fact been up to Hatta Fort hotel for lunch with the husband, Father-in-Law and toddler when my father-in-law was last over.  This was a nostalgic trip for the husband and father-in-law as they did in fact stay there in the 80’s, looks as though it hasn’t changed much….without further ado I hand you over to Charlotte!

Where are you taking us to today?

 
Hatta Fort hotel, Hatta, Dubai.

What sort of trip was it, adventure, beach, relax, sightseeing?  

Relaxing by the pool, quality family time sort of trip!

Tell me all about it; where you stayed, food you ate, how the little person took it all!

During February half term this year, my parents were visiting us here in Dubai. They were staying for two weeks and
while my husband was on half term holiday (he’s a teacher), we decided to have a night in a hotel just a short drive from Dubai. We chose Hatta Fort hotel, as we had heard some great reviews about it.
It took approximately an hour and a quarter to get there, including navigating the boarder control points of Oman.  The hotel was great, it felt a little dated, but in a good way. Like you were on holiday In the 80s. The staff were fab there and couldn’t do enough for us, truly making us feel welcome. We stayed in a villa which was made up of two
bedrooms, living area and enclosed private garden featuring a jacuzzi. The accommodation was perfect and we really appreciated the safe, private outside space for William.
Most of our time there was spent by the pool, relaxing, swimming and playing with our son William who is 3 years old. He had a wonderful time! We had some really special times with him practicing his swimming and making real progress. There were lots of activities to take part in at the hotel. we tried mini golf (which was hilarious with a three year old who had never played before, a competitive husband and a very competitive but slightly rubbish dad!). As we only stayed for one night we could not complete all they had on offer so in a way it was a shame we couldn’t stay for longer.  
We had some great meals at Hatta fort. The breakfast in the morning was just spot on! Actual real pork bacon (a
surprise gem considering its a Muslim country), all the fruit, cereals and pastries you could eat. This is where we get our money’s worth as William just ate and ate and ate! We visited their gazebo restaurant in the evening for
dinner and were treated really well by the staff. The food was delicious, restaurant was laid back and so easy to take William to. The staff made a real fuss of him.
William has stayed in a few hotels in his short life, part of the joys of an expat life I guess. So he takes everything in his stride now and settles in easily to new places. He enjoyed spending time with his grandparents and gave us many laughs.

Why did you choose to tell us about this holiday?

Holidays abroad are wonderful, and we have had a few with William. But sometimes a quick getaway somewhere more local can leave you as refreshed and be just as much fun. And cheaper. We found a deal with the Groupon website for our stay at Hatta fort, and if you are flexible with dates you can get some great deals on stay-cations. It was also a great place to take visitors as it’s not too far from the centre of Dubai.

What is your favourite memory from this trip?

We had a fab time at Hatta fort with my parents, lots of laughs playing mini golf, climbing up the hill to see the
great view overlooking Hatta and the mountains. But my absolute favourite memories will be of the times William spent in the pool with my husband and I. Learning to swim, He held his breath and dived into the water, kicking his
little legs as hard as he could to reach my husband. The look on my husbands face of pure love and pride along with Williams enthusiasm and excitement really melted my heart!

What did you learn about travelling with babies/toddlers/children from this
experience?

The hotel was well equipped for kids and there was plenty to do. However just spending time together was what we
enjoyed most. My husband works hard during the week and doesn’t get much time with William, and even though I am a stay at home mum at the moment, I still find myself busy at home with cooking and cleaning etc. so to spend quality time together where we weren’t distracted by chores, work or TV, was wonderful.
I feel like I have learnt to appreciate these family times more. To leave the iPad behind, get in the pool or play
games with my son and really interact. Who knows, this might be the first memories he has for the rest of his life!

What is your top tip for travelling with little people?

Relax! I know it’s easier said than done but actually, when you let go a bit, things seem to go easier. If travelling on a plane and changing time zones, forget about schedules and just wing it! Your children will figure things out for themselves. A few late nights aren’t the end of the world, so enjoy your holidays!
Oh, and take lots and lots of snacks!!!
Thank you Charlotte!  If you want to read more about Charlotte and William’s adventures in Dubai head on over to Sharky Knows, I also should have mentioned she is a fab crocheter and you can find some creations on her InstagramPinterest and Facebook page along with blog post links and Dubai tips!
As always, if you would like to take part in my “Travel with me…” series I would love to have you, please get in touch with me by email on lifewithbabykicks@gmail.com see you on our next adventure!

 

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