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Original poster

Lakitira/Mark warner with a baby in 10 days...help...

17 replies

vava · 28/05/2006 19:06

Hi, we are going to Lakitira in 10 days time...just found out that they are not providing with beach towels, very practical given the amount of things to take with a baby! I find that quite unelievable given the price of the holidays. If you have been there, could you please tell me if there is a fridge/kettle in the hotel's room? Do they have washing machines there? I can imagine that we won't last 10 days with the baby clothes without having to wash them...When I booked, they said that they have purees for babies + nestle jars and now I just read that there are jars in the resort at extra resort. Do we have to pay for the jars or are they included in the price? I know that my baby doesn't eat at the time the baby club usually feeds the babies and wonder how I am going to do to feed him as I don't feel keeping a fresh puree that he might not like outside of a fridge by 30 degrees! Also do they sell Pampers Premium/Active fit there? I cannot imagine how to carry nappies, baby food, beach towels etc...with 20kg luggage allowance. Any feedback, tips, advice welcome.

OP posts:

ladymuck · 28/05/2006 19:16

Fairly cheap beach towels available in the shop (6 Euros from memory). There is a fridge in the hotel but no kettle, but you do have access to 2 24hr kitchen stocked with kettle/sterlizers, microwave & milk & bottled water. Pampers Premium were available in the shop last year. When does your baby eat? There are jars and purees available at breakfast/lunch and the baby club has access to purees during its opening times, so I guess the only time you might be stuck is if your baby only eats outside the hours of 8am and 5:45pm. The jars were inlcuded in the price in previous years, though the selection could be limited - I foudn that the nannies were hapy to stock up for you at the supermarket if you paid them. But you can of course take a jar to your room (or keep some labelled in the 24 hour kitchen). There is a laundry roon with washing machine and dryer.

Are you going with a partner? I've usually found that 40kg allowance is fine. But I still buy nappies on site to reduce bulk.

Original poster

vava · 28/05/2006 20:24

Thank you ladymuck for the info...yes I am travelling with my husband...when you say that there is a fridge in the hotel, so it's not in the room? I was thinking that it's not practical to have to go to the kitchen in the morning to warm a bottle and give breakfast to a baby...and then it's not possible to keep some jars opened in the room and don't feel comfortable leaving them in a fridge where everybody has access. Is one of the kitchens in the hotel or in the middle of the resort?...My baby eats around 7:45/8am then 11:45, 3pm and 6:20pm + bottle and cereals at bedtime. Regarding the towels, I like the fact that club med gives a fresh towel every time people wants instead of having to use the same towel for 10 days or having to wash it every few days...Is it necessary to take feeding bowls, spoons etc? Did u try to go to the supermaket to buy nappies, wipes, baby food? It is worth it? It's just so difficult to find the suitable jars accordingly to the baby taste and to what he can eat...Are the fresh purees good?

OP posts:

ladymuck · 28/05/2006 22:19

Sorry - the fridges are in each room. As far as feeding goes, I can't see that you would have a problem tbh - most of these timings are pretty close to main meals anyway and chances re that your baby's timing will naturally slip by 15-20 minutes.

I guess that the only issues with the purees is of course that they were very smooth, so fine for 4/5 month olds but a 7/8 month old would want something different? And I did draw the line when the same ones were on offer for a few days in a row, an resorted to their jars, although the staff did try to reassure me that they were always freshly made. I would bring your own cereal though.

I didn't bother going to the supermarket as the shop in the resort had everything (including Weetabix).

One of the kitchens is in the hotel (on ground floor, garden facing (near the Pizzeria) and the other is beside the baby club.

There were plenty of plastic bowls. As far as spoons go I think that they just had normal cutlery available at main mealtimes though the baby club had everything you would need.

Bathroom towels get changed, but you do need to have your own beach towel.

Original poster

vava · 29/05/2006 09:25

thanks ladymuck for the tips...my baby is going to be 8mth and 1/2 so we'll see, I guess I will bring some jars...Do they sell kettles there? I guess it would be convenient to have one in the room. Do the normal socket adaptors for Europe work there? Did they have a TV in the rooms, my husband is worried that he's going to miss on the world cup! Is the gym with air conditioning? is it any good? what about the fitness classes? Do u know if it is possible to bring a suncanopy for the baby? I thought it would be good when we have him with us on the beach...Do u remember which mineral water they have there? Some of them have to much minerals and are not supposed to be good for babies...First long trip away from big cities, a bit stressed! easier when u know u can just walk to a supermarket! Until know I was just carrying lots of jars, for 10 days, it would be too much!

OP posts:

ladymuck · 29/05/2006 09:55

No, from memory they don't sell kettles - I used to warm bottles by putting them into a sinkful of hot water. I guess that you could bring a travel kettle if you really wanted to but most parents just use the kitchens. All part of the holiday experience - bumping into other parents at 6am with whom you've been in the bar with until the wee small hours, and seeing who has survived the best!

No TV in the rooms, but I assure you that you won't escape from the World Cup! They have screens available.

Normal adaptors work fine. We usually bring a laptop (for dvds/games etc).

Plenty of fitness classes - a very full program. Also football and waterpolo which are v popular. As far as the gym is concerned there is an outdoor sheltered area with some weights and a few machines which get used for circuit training, so that might be the "gym" I guess! Tennis, fitness classes, sailing and windsurfing are the main activities.

Bottled water is a local brand. I think that it was preferable to use boiled tap water to make up bottles. An odd mineral content for a few days is unlikely to cause any harm.

Suncanopy - not sure what that is as such, but there are umbrellas etc on the beaches. The kiddies beach has plenty of shade from memory.

ladymuck · 29/05/2006 10:39

If you are there for 10 days then you would have time to get to a supermarket. You can get to town by bus, or it is a 30-40 minute walk down the beach. Or there are cabs. As I said before when I wanted a change in jars (there are jars avialable at mealtimes and in the kitchens which are "free", but just sometimes a limited variety) I asked one of the nannies to get some for me (they tend to live out so can pass by the supermarket on their way home). Unless you have a Weetabix baby, then I would bring cereal in favour of jars.

Nannies like to be taken for guest dinner once during their stay. We put an evening aside and invite nanny/sailing staff/tennis pro all at once, and make an evening of it.

MissChief · 01/06/2006 14:51

they provide baby food, also can grab extra bananas at breakfast to make do
use boiled water form tap
thought they provided beach towels?? or there are lots by the beach (few yrs ago though)
relax! honestly, it's well set up for kids, inc babes, you just ahve to gwt used to sharing all the facs though (but can be quite sociable in the kitchen)

Original poster

vava · 02/06/2006 20:46

sorry for delay, I was away for a few days. Thanks again for the tips...Did they have juice and yoghurt for the babies? Where are the big TV screens?

OP posts:

ladymuck · 03/06/2006 13:14

Yes there is yoghurt available (as well as fruit etc). There is juice available as well. Where they put the TV screens seems to vary each year, but honestly, your dh will be fine!

Original poster

vava · 04/06/2006 23:01

great....Do people dress up in the evening or is it casual? How are people there? I find it quite difficult to pack....

OP posts:

ladymuck · 05/06/2006 22:18

Most things go. Think of an evening out in a country pub... Definitely not "dress up". Lots of Boden on display.

Original poster

vava · 06/06/2006 11:40

didn't expext that...what a shame! nice to dress up on holidays as it's quite difficult with a baby otherwise! Whick kind of crowd goes there?

OP posts:

ladymuck · 06/06/2006 11:47

Well most things go.... you just don't "have" to dress up!

Depends on time of year, but outside school hols then it is ususally white middle class families with young children and some sporty singles.

Original poster

vava · 06/06/2006 13:04

and during school holidays?

OP posts:

MissChief · 06/06/2006 18:24

I always feel so sorry for the sporty childfree singles..completed outnumbered by the likes of us!

MissChief · 06/06/2006 18:25

and during sch holidays, much more mixed obviosuly in terms of kids ages but families of sim type (and more likely to be wealthy if paying MW sch holiday rates x 2)

ladymuck · 06/06/2006 22:27

School holidays just seem to be louder (and Lakitira is full). Last year we went for 2 weeks just prior to school hols. started off at 220 guests at the start of the hols and went up to 600 by the end (they do 2 transfers a week so every 3/4 days there was a new intake).

The singles may be outnumbered but they still seem to have fun. But it is always fun to spot them at the airport check-in. I had never been on such a small plane with 40 under 2s before! By the end of the flight all the singles are sworn against ever having children .

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