hotel Archives - Mummy's Little StarsMummy's Little Stars

We all know the dreaded horror stories we hear when either you or family members get hit by the dreaded Norovirus or Rotavirus. Days in bed ill, the kids have to be kept of school for days, constant cleaning the bedsheets to keep them fresh and germ free, and most importantly keeping everyone hydrated.

Dioralyte Family

I remember back a couple of years ago, when my daughter Miss M came home from school telling me that several of her friends were off school ill. The next thing I knew, poor Miss M herself was poorly and totally unfit for school. She was on and off the toilet with diarrhoea all day, couldn’t eat and so the one thing I tried to make sure was that she stayed hydrated. I remember giving her a few sachets of Dioralyte to drink as I had some in the cupboard at the time and they are so much better than just plain drinks as they help to replace essential salts in the body. It did take her a few days to get better then a further 48 hours off school so she didn’t spread it to others, although my now it seemed to have made it’s way around a fair few members of the class. My little boy also suffered a little although I really pushed the point of washing hands all the time to prevent the spreading of germs. Fortunatley the adults escaped this episode but with both children poorly, it wasn’t a very nice week at home at all!

Dioralyte is the number one selling rehydration drink and available in three variants, natural, citrus or blackcurrant. Suitable from 2 years of age, it’s worth keeping some in the medicine cabinet for all the family to use at time of diarrhoea and viruses.

DioraleZe is another product in the Dioralyte family, which aims to stop diarrhoea in it’s track with just one does. Suitable for adults and over 12’s, this is definitely worth keeping an eye out for should you start suffering from such symptoms.

Some important facts you should remember if a bug reaches you or a family member are:

• Norovirus, is one of the most common stomach bugs in the UK. Sometimes referred to as the “winter vomiting bug” it causes diarrhoea and vomiting.
• It’s important to STOP & rehydrate from the first signs of illness, so it can be helpful to have the Dioralyte family on hand to help
• Dehydration is the loss of water and electrolytes (mineral salts)
• The Dioralyte family includes Dioralyte, Dioralyte Relief and DioraleZe
• Dioralyte provides the right balance of mineral salts and water to combat dehydration and rehydrates better than plain water, fruit juice or fizzy drinks
• Dioralyte Relief includes rice powders to reduce symptoms of diarrhoea as well also being formulated to hydrate better than plain water, fruit juice or fizzy drinks
• Drinking plenty of fluids, taking antidiarrhoeal and/or anti-emetic (anti-vomiting) medication, as well as getting plenty of rest are just some of the ways you can help manage the symptoms of norovirus
• Oral rehydration salts are recommended as good sources of rehydration in guidelines
• Even mild dehydration (between 1% and 2% loss in bodyweight) can cause a lack of concentration in the short-term, headaches and reduced mental capability

** Winner as picked by Pegasus is Rebecca Beesley!** Congratulations!

I’m pleased to announce that in association with Dioralyte I am running a fabulous competition for my readers “Gastro Ghouls & Noro Stories”.

All you need to do is comment below with your Gastro Ghoul & Noro Stories including the following information:

• What gastrointestinal illness (gastro ghoul) did they suffer from?
• When did they get ill?
• What happened?
• How did it affect the family & in which order did it travel around the family?
• How quickly did it spread?
• Who was affected the worst?

Feel free to also submit a ghoulish video of your story which you can email over to me.

The winners story will be made into a promotional video by the promoter Pegasus to which you will be invited to a screening. Your details can be anonymous for this if you wish.

In return one winner will be selected according to the terms and conditions below and can choose one of these fabulous prizes!

Option 1
Family mini break (2 adults and 2 children) to Legoland Windsor, including centrally located hotel accommodation for one night and tickets to Legoland.

Option 2
Family mini break (2 adults and 2 children) to Chessington World of Adventures Resort, including centrally located hotel accommodation for one night and entry to the resort.

Option 3
Family mini break (2 adults and 2 children) to Longleat Safari Park, including centrally located hotel accommodation for one night and entry to the safari park.

Competition terms and conditions:

1. This competition is open to residents of the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man and Republic of Ireland.

2. All information detailing how to enter this competition forms part of these terms and conditions. It is a condition of entry that all rules are accepted as final and that the competitor agrees to abide by these rules. The decision of the judges is final and no correspondence will be entered into. Submission of an entry will be taken to mean acceptance of these terms and conditions.

3. Entries should be submitted as a comment on the blog post or via the bloggers given email address. Entrants should include their own name and relevant contact information i.e. email address.

4. All entries must be received by the midnight 1st May 2016

5. Each entrant grants a worldwide, irrevocable, perpetual licence to Sanofi to feature any or all of the submitted story in consumer and trade press and Sanofi company publications, on their websites and/or in any promotional material connected to this competition.

6. Late, illegible, incomplete, defaced or corrupt entries will not be accepted. No responsibility can be accepted for lost entries and proof of transmission will not be accepted as proof of receipt. Entries must not be sent through agencies or third parties.

7. The winning entry will be chosen by Pegasus. The winner will be notified within seven days of the closing date of the competition.

8. Offensive or entries deemed by the competition organisers to be inappropriate will not be accepted.

9. The winning entry will win an experience with a perceived value of £560.

10. The winners may be required to take part in publicity.

11. Events may occur that render the competition itself, or the awarding of the prize, impossible due to reasons beyond the control of the Promoter and accordingly the Promoter may at its absolute discretion vary or amend the promotion and the entrant agrees that no liability shall attach to the Promoter as a result thereof.

12. English law applies and the exclusive jurisdiction of the English Courts shall prevail.

• This competition prize is provided by Dioralyte as part of their Gastro Ghouls & Noro Stories campaign
• Dioralyte has not influenced the content of this piece
• To find out more about Dioralyte, Dioralyte Relief and DioraleZe products visit www.dioralyte.co.uk
• Always read the label (to be included if referencing product information)

Last week we reached our 10th wedding anniversary, having been together for almost 18 years. I’m not sure how we made it this far, but I’m keeping this post positive and want to show you the beautiful hotel we got married in and returned to last week to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary.

On the morning of our anniversary, my husband passed me an envelope with an anniversary card in. Within this card was a note instructing me to pack the children’s bags and take them to my mum and dad’s house along with Mister B. Miss M would be picked up from school and I was to wake the husband at 1.30pm (as he needed a bit of a sleep after coming off night shift that morning).

So we set off and as we drove I had my suspicions as to where we were headed. We soon turned in to the long, winding entrance lane to the hotel we married in exactly 10 years earlier – Kitley House.

Immediately I could feel the memories flooding back as well as feeling incredibly relaxed. The building hadn’t changed, apart from a bit of the decor which had naturally been updated. I love the beautiful double sided staircase which I walked down with my dad to the room I got married in, the dining hall where we had the afternoon wedding meal in, and the peaceful ambience of the whole place.

The stairs haven’t changed but they do have a new red carpet! It got me looking back at old photos and I found this one of me and my dad walking down the stairs into the ceremony room back in 2004!

After checking in to our bedroom, “the bridal suite”, where we stayed 10 years ago, I felt so relaxed and away from everyday life. I found out the room has literally just been refurbished in the last few weeks and my husband had only seen it in a mid decorative state when he booked it so wasn’t sure on the final finish.

Gone was the four poster bed and in it’s place was much larger queen bed, which although I like the idea of a four poster, the luxurious queen bed was definitely more indulgent being three whole pillows wide and littered with rose petals – a treat I’ve never had before.

The view from the bedroom window is one I won’t forget in a long time, it looked so tranquil, I felt I was a million miles from home, although only 7 & a half, but felt like I was in a different place and time. I love this picture and can’t believe it was taken from my phone through an old little pane of glass on the panelled bedroom window.

When we arrived in the room I was overwhelmed to find flowers and wine from my mum, and champagne waiting for us due to my husband having ordered the indulgent package for our overnight stay.

We then explored the room and I couldn’t forget the enormous bathroom that I’d got ready and dressed in for my wedding 10 years ago, before arriving a fashionably ten minutes late to the ceremony! It had the same sink and bath but was revamped with new wallpaper, wooden style flooring and some lighter dressing table furniture which really lifted the room giving it a lighter, French feel to it.

A then and now picture below, although I must stress that the now doesn’t mean I’m single – we just didn’t have anyone to take a picture of us both and couldn’t stage the camera in the middle of the doorway to get the same view!

After dropping our bags off it was time to go down to the bar for a cream tea, I had hot chocolate with my warm scone, jam and clotted cream – a proper bit of indulgence for the afternoon that I hadn’t been expecting!

We then enjoyed our bottle of champagne before freshening up to go down for a three course meal in the dining room. I loved the little bread rolls that were served to us in flowerpots and my meringue dessert was amazing!

The next morning we took a stroll around the grounds, down over the little bridges across the lakes. It turned out that we were staying for lunch and you never guess who turned up – my beautiful children accompanied by my parents who were celebrating their 45th wedding anniversary that day! A lovely lunch followed before it was time to head home and leave the idyllic surroundings of Kitley House behind us…