A Babymoon in Croatia

A few weeks ago, Rob and I flew off to Croatia for a ‘last hurrah’ holiday before the arrival of Baby A.

It. Was. Amazing.

The idea of a ‘babymoon’ is to get away with your significant other for one last trip, just the two of you, before your baby arrives. Rob and I love travelling together and we know we’ll get far fewer chances to do that once Baby A is here, so a babymoon sounded really appealing.

We’d already been on a few trips since finding out I was pregnant (we did a mini USA roadtrip at 10/11 weeks and Copenhagen at 20 weeks), but our babymoon was the ultimate in pre-newborn relaxation – a 5 star, all-inclusive break on the Croatian coast. Yes.

Croatia has been on my must-visit list for years, so when I saw Sarah’s tweets from the most beautiful Croatian hotel, I asked where she was staying and discovered the Sensimar Adriatic Beach hotel. It’s one of Thomson’s couples only hotels and as it’s just been refurbished, we managed to get a great deal on an all-inclusive package.

I’ve never stayed at an all-inclusive hotel before – usually my favourite part of a holiday is discovering local cafes, bars and restaurants and I love exploring my surroundings. But this was a babymoon – the whole point is to relax and let someone else do the hard work. Plus I’d be 31/32 weeks pregnant when we travelled, and the thought of traipsing around an unfamiliar area looking for preggo-friendly food didn’t appeal to me.

I spent hours reading the TripAdvisor reviews on the hotel and it was almost unanimous that the food at the hotel was outstanding, which was another tick in the ‘book it now!!!!!!’ box. Combined with the beautiful location and great price, we were on to a winner.

We arrived at the hotel around 12pm after a 6am flight from Manchester and a 2 hour transfer from Split airport. The hotel’s changeover day is always Friday, which means around 400 people descend on the hotel all at once, and I’d heard reports that check-in was a bit hectic – guests were sent off for lunch while bags were taken to rooms, which were eventually available at 3pm.

But! I didn’t experience any of that because as soon as they clocked the belly, Rob and I were whisked to the front of the queue, checked in straightaway and had our bags delivered to our room. We got the chance to unpack and freshen up before we went down for lunch and a wander round. Excellent service all round!

The hotel was just beautiful, and possibly the cleanest place I’ve ever stayed. It was spotless, the staff were a total delight and service was quick and efficient. I’d read that there were quite a few steps that made the resort unsuitable for those with mobility problems (i.e., a 7 months pregnant woman), but we found lifts almost everywhere and the steps from the hotel to the beach, although tiring, were manageable.

Once we were settled, our days were spent lounging at the beach or by the pool, eating heartily at every opportunity and enjoying stunning sunsets on the terrace. The atmosphere was so laidback – it didn’t matter that we spent a good chunk of our afternoons in our room, napping. No one pestered us to take part in activities or bothered us when we sheltered from the sun under big umbrellas. We drank fruity cocktails (mocktails for me) and ate 6 types of carbs for lunch and basically did nothing. It was blissful.

We did have one active day – we booked an excursion from the hotel to Dubrovnik, which was about a 2-hour coach ride. The drive itself was stunning, with a short stop-off in Bosnia before we reached Dubrovnik’s old town.

We had a tour guide who took us through the city walls and showed us lots of points of interest – I’d never usually go for a guided tour but this was such a good way to discover Dubrovnik’s rich history as well as all the Game of Thrones settings! The guided walk took 1.5 hours and was completely flat, so perfect for me and my limited energy reserves. Afterwards we had a bit of time to explore on our own and I really wanted to go up on the walls but I just couldn’t manage the steps in 25 degree heat, so Rob and I meandered around and stopped for a drink before heading back to the coach.

Then it was time for a quick trip out of Dubrovnik to watch the sun set over the city – an absolutely beautiful sight that I’ll remember forever. And then we headed back in for another hour and a half within the city walls, soaking up the evening atmosphere.

Rob and I absolutely loved Dubrovnik and can’t wait to go back to explore some more… hopefully I’ll make it up those walls next time!

After our Dubrovnik adventure, we had another few days chilling at the hotel before it was time to head back to the airport for our flight home. Everything ran so smoothly, even with so many people doing everything at the same time – the whole experience, from the airport transfer to the delicious food and the beautifully-maintained pool, was a dream.

We had such an amazing time in Croatia – it was the perfect luxury setting for our babymoon, with the scenery and culture we love alongside an all-inclusive service that made it extra special.

If you’re pregnant, a babymoon is a great way to celebrate those last few months as a twosome before you welcome a baby into the world. I know it’s not possible for everyone to get away, especially if you’re having a tough time during pregnancy. But even if it’s just a couple of nights in a nice hotel, a break away gives you the chance to relax, unwind and enjoy some time to yourself before life changes completely.

Here are my top tips for excellent babymooning:

– Go somewhere you won’t be able to go with a tiny baby. It’ll probably be your last chance for a while!

– Don’t push yourself to do too much – a babymoon should be about total relaxation, imo.

– Scope out the nearest hospital to your accommodation and take your maternity notes, just in case.

– If you’re flying somewhere, check your airline’s policy for pregnant women – many require a fit to fly note after 28/29 weeks, and most won’t carry you after 36 weeks (34 for twin pregnancies). You can get a fit to fly note from your GP or midwife, but make sure you ask in advance and be prepared to pay around £20 for the pleasure!

– Get comprehensive insurance that covers you, your partner and your baby. I used this MamAtoB Pregnancy Travel insurance – it was way more expensive than regular insurance but it covered me, Rob and Baby A for treatment, labour and a stay in hospital afterwards.

– Be aware of the health situation in the country you’re visiting – I was particularly worried about Zika and kept a close eye on where it was developing. Another reason to have robust travel insurance, too!

– If you’re heading somewhere hot, pack lots of high SPF sun cream and keep out of the midday sun – I used children’s products as I figured they were a bit less chemically, always wore a hat and spent most of my time in the shade.