Back To School…
Next week sees the first full week of school after the Summer Holidays! There is nothing like a busy summer holiday in our sector. As parents ourselves though, we also know there is nothing quite like getting back to some sort of routine too!
Plymouth is a remarkable city to visit with your family. With so much to see and do there are no limits to the memories you can make. It’s not surprising that so many families choose our city as their destination. It makes the perfect choice for a family UK Summer break.
Little ones all packed up and back to school this week. The obligatory ‘Back To School’ photo is posted. That means the busy Summer months are almost behind us. Up next will be Christmas! However, before then we take the chance to sit down with our Operations Manager.
We do our own little summer de-brief!
Summer In The City 2019…
Summer is one of our busiest seasons at the hotel. Even though we love nothing more than welcoming all of our guests, all of the year, seeing families arrive in the summer is amazing. Knowing and seeing how precious their time is together, being united without work or life, it’s truly magical. With our family rooms and suites; central location; leisure complex; great Wi-Fi and amazing food offer, we know that we can offer the perfect family holiday. Where everyone can really enjoy every precious moment together.
We also know that the needs of travelling families are a little different, different that is from the wants, wishes and desires of those who travel without the little ones in tow!
Simon Say’s…
Today we talk to our Operations Manager, Simon. We ask him: ‘What are the main differences when you have the next generation along for the ride?’
Simon is a highly experienced manager within the hotel. A role that is challenging by nature as it involves constantly developing, redesigning and aligning with the needs of all of our guests. Operations Managers have a wide variety of tasks that they’re assigned, and even they can vary depending on the day! More than just his role on site; he connects his staff with the city. Through great mentoring and leadership he is always the first person to ensure that the New Continental Hotel is a business that is well rooted in city wide events. Always the first person to but an idea into action!
Simon and his teams work tirelessly to ensure all guests have the best possible experiences. Be that through our food and beverage offer; having adequate staffing at any one time; developing strategies for an overall better service … it’s honestly endless!
It’s an Operations Manager’s job to oversee the entirety of the hotel; making sure everything is running as smoothly as possible. As you can imagine, this is a constantly changing and challenging job, because our needs as guests are always changing and shifting shape.
Not only an Operations Manager, but also a devoted Dad of two, Simon understands the needs of our families all too well. Of course all guests have overlapping needs such as a desire for comfortable beds, good service, great food, happy staff … but there are some differences unique to our family travellers.
Family Travels…
What would you say is the biggest difference with a Family staying at the hotel opposed to a say a couple?
Generally speaking, families really do need more usable space. So they can all spread out! There is nothing worse for a family than a tight spot, with everyone getting ready on top of each other, with no room for toys or play!
Having on-site breakfast is always a bonus. You can slip out of your room, children still in PJs if they want, and have a leisurely breakfast to start the day right!
An activity within the hotel also helps. Our leisure club is perfect, we have a really nice warm pool for them to splash about in and some play equipment. This offers great and free entertainment for all the family to enjoy. It’s especially handy on those grey summer days, a great indoor activity to hide from the elements!
What about the food offer for families?
As well as a bright breakfast room, we have Steve’s Brasserie. This is our in-house restaurant. We have a fabulously simple children’s menu with some great healthy choices as well as the classics like Chicken Nuggets. We take as much care in our children’s menu as we do our regular menus. The ingredients used is all of the same calibre, and our kitchen teams LOVE adding a little extra to the plate – a smiley pea face is a firm favourite!
What do you think makes us different to other hotels?
Our sector is fiercely competitive, more so than ever before given the current social and economic landscape. This is a big bonus for our guests.
Many hotels are all striving to offer the best experiences, best prices, best value, best service, best everything! What I think truly gives us our uniqueness, and perhaps helps us stand, is that we are a family run business and we really understand the needs of families.
PLYMOUTH…Britain’s Ocean City
With summer being busier, and rates slightly higher during this time of year, when would you advice families who want to travel to visit Plymouth?
Like with any hotel, booking with them direct is always the best option. Checking their websites for special offers is always a great way to start. Not only to save money, but gain really tangible added value too.
Plymouth is a remarkable city, not only due to the sensational vista but also the rich history, cultural offer, amazing events and of course the sensational people that are so proud and passionate. Visiting Plymouth at any time of the year will offer a platform to grow great memories from.
Special Offers…
If Simon hasn’t got your fingers clicking on Plymouth yet, for your next holiday destination, maybe this will! We work tirelessly to ensure that we are offering great value all of the time. That is why our Offers page is constantly updated…
Christmas 2019…
Christmas is a great time to explore the city; especially with little ones. Here at the hotel we really want people to benefit from the offering that Plymouth has during this time of year; not only the beautiful lights and the amazing Christmas Market, but also the activities and events, mostly free, that are scheduled during this time of year.
Our Winter Break offer gives guests the opportunity to enjoy not only a winter break in Plymouth but also 15% OFF their entire stay! Guests can choose any of our rooms between 28th October and the 23rd December and use the promotional code WB19 to get 15% off.
The Christmas Shopper promotion is also a great way to have more money for shopping with 20% Off your stay! Book any nights between Monday 16th and Friday 20th December and enjoy the festivities that Britain’s Ocean City offer. The promotional code for this is XMAS19
If you are thinking about planning ahead, then our Early Bird Offer will help you spring into 2020. Book any rooms and any nights throughout January 2020 and receive 20% OFF your stay. Although this is a non-refundable and non-transferable rate, once booked and looking forward to your stay in Plymouth there wouldn’t be a reason to not check-in!
