More than just a weekend…

lady looking at a rail of vintage clothes

Some say that a weekend consists of a Saturday and Sunday –not in Plymouth! A weekend is so much more!

A city steeped in history and packed full of fun action, events and things to be part of EVERYDAY!

This weekend is no exception:

Bohemian Rhapsody Outdoor Cinema Experience |Fri 10 May –  Saltram House

Pirates Weekend | Sat 11 and Sun 12 May 2019 – Plymouth Barbican

Cheese Fest |  Sat 11 May 2019 – Plymouth Pavilions

Performance: The View From Behind The Futuristic Rose Trellis | Sat 11 May 2019 – Barbican Theatre

Worth The Weight – Vintage Sale | Sat 11 May – Plymouth Guildhall

Plymouth Comic Con |  Sun 12 May 2019 – Plymouth Life Centre

We hope you enjoy your weekend in Plymouth if you are staying with us. Alternatively, if you have a stay planned and would like to know more about all the fun happening during your stay in the city by the sea, we would love to hear from you.

Simply comment with the dates you are interested in and we will be sure to send you all of the action!

Wedding Guests…

Five Ways To Ensure Your Out-Of-Town Wedding Guests Feel At Home In Your City…

Over the years we have loved welcoming out-of-town wedding guests to Plymouth. There is something so exciting about sharing a new city and a new life in one weekend! The smell of perfume and aftershave linger in the lift and the outfits are always on-point, stylish and super chic.

But what happens when your wedding guests don’t just live down the road? How do you welcome them and ensure they have a great time while you’re busy getting wedding ready?

We share 5 of our top tips on how to enable your guests to feel at home…

1) It’s all in the detail…

Your out-of-town guests will go through a lot of effort, and probably expense to share in your momentous occasion. And they wouldn’t have it any other way.  Part of your job though is to welcome them, but that’s easier said than done when you have so much to do before your special day.

To help them get around and ensure they stay entertained during their time in your home town a great tip is to create a wedding itinerary. After sending out your invitations, mail guests an additional clever, elegant or interesting ‘communiquè’ with a complete rundown of the events leading up to and following your walk down the aisle, with tips on what to do in spare time. We love hearing that couples have created a Facebook Wedding Group, or even websites! These are easily referenced one-stop-platforms for guests to check up on everything you have planned. In both cases, include key times, locations, who is hosting, what to wear and how to get there – then get them to tag in any pictures so you don’t miss out on all the fun that the guests have!

2) Welcome Hampers…

We adored the ‘welcome hampers’ left in the apartments for the arrival of a couples out-of-town friends. It was all things Plymouth and really aided their recovery from the long drive down South!

The purpose isn’t to show off or spend loads of money; home made cake or brownies would be perfect. It’s just nice to let guests know you appreciate their effort to join you for your special day.

The hampers that were left with us apparently had phone numbers of the families of the bride and groom, the names of the other guests staying in the apartments with a ‘they said call them when you arrive’ message, nearby hot spots to check out and local maps and transport details.  The tear-jerker for this family travelling down was a penned personal note from the bride; thanking her sister and family for making the journey.

Mid-week weddings at the New Continental Hotel, from just £1500 per package. 

3) Help Them With Their Home-From-Home…

Overnight accommodations, fuel and transport in general isn’t cheap, so doing some of the leg work for your guests, using your local knowledge, will really help them.

Hunt out important details, like train and coach times and prices, hotels and apartments.  Share websites, street addresses, phone numbers, directions and cost information with your guests and even go as far as to take a look around them so you can make personal recommendations.

Look for places to stay near your ceremony and reception sites, if you start calling around six months beforehand to check on  availability for the days surrounding your wedding. Always ask about group rates too.  Some settings will allow you to block rooms and apartments to ensure they are available and close to one another. Always ask.

Keeping an idea of your guests budget too; and always plan for those guests that may want to make a min-vacation out of your special day.

4) Show Off Your City…

Leading up to your big day, you will have lots to do and time will whizz by! But your out-of-town guests may feel a little stranded. To ensure they have plenty of literature and information visit your Tourist Information Centre and ask for a local pack of things to do, places to go and wheres good to eat. When we live in a city we tend not to ‘tourist’ very well. This way you too may find out some handy information, things for you to do once you’re married!

Make your wedding day extra special at the New Continental Hotel, Plymouth.

5) Enjoy Them…

It may sound daft, but enjoy their company. What better reason to see loved ones than them coming to celebrate with you. Soak in their love, their time and their presence. This is your day and they are beaming that they could make the journey to share it with you.

PHOTOS THANKS TO THE NEW CONTINENTAL HOTEL; THE PERFECT WEDDING VENUE. MID-WEEK WEDDINGS FROM £1500!

Home Away From Home This Easter…

Everyone loves a family holiday.

There is no question, if we could all be guaranteed a couple of weeks a year when we can all diarise the time to take off together we would.  Ok, so we would also all diarise non-moody teenagers, tantrum free toddlers and partners with patience – but time at least is something most of us can manage!

Easter is the perfect time to get away; it’s a reward for getting through the first part of the year, and the springboard that connects us to summer being just around the corner!

Staying at the Strathmore House Apartments makes so much sense; it is the perfect home away from home for all the family!

 

New Continental Hotel’s leisure complex; swimming pool

PLUS…Strathmore House Apartment guests get to use Club Continental for FREE!

Meaning parents can have some chill time in the sauna and steam room; and children can have some fun time playing in the heated indoor pool.

 

Steve’s Brasserie is also just a moment away from the apartments and based in our sister hotel; the New Continental. Great for families, as they not only have an amazing pizza oven (see here for offers) they also have a great children’s menu.

Outside Strathmore House Apartments…

Plymouth as a city offers so much to see, do and be part of.  There are lots of free activities as well as theatre fun, the National Marine Aquarium and MUCH, MUCH MORE!

The Theatre Royal Plymouth has these amazing shows coming up this Easter, and it’s just a two minute walk from the apartments:

Pepperland | The Worst Witch | We’re Going on a Bear Hunt | Woodland Tales with Grandad

Saltrum House is an amazing National Trust House & Garden. It was once a home to the Parker family and is now a home to lots of wild animals.

You could easily spend one or two of your days in Plymouth exploring the park, dressing up in the house or finding out all about natures ‘Grand designs’. There is an infamous  Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt too.

Easter Egg Hunt | 24 March – 8 April | 10am to 4pm. £2 per hunt. Normal admission prices into the house and garden apply. There is no admission charge for Under 5s and National Trust members.

Plymouth by Foot & Bike  is an amazing FREE activity. Given our cities history; there have been many famous people walking the Plymouth cobbles. Follow in their footsteps of these infamous explorers, pioneers and artists and walk the Southwest coast path from Royal William Yard to the Barbican.

You will encounter iconic naval buildings, breath-taking views over the natural harbour of Plymouth Sound and the intriguing characteristics of the former towns and villages that make up this original marine city.

Also on route are lots of Cafés, restaurants and bars such as The Mission as well as  Smeaton’s iconic tower, the Mayflower steps and The Hoe Promenade.

Getting Here By Road…

A city that is easily accessible, the road trip here is good too! And if you want some tips on how to survive ‘The Family Road Trip’, staff at the New Continental Hotel have shared some of their own survival tips! They have added some great printable resources too!!

With so much to see and do; check our availability or contact us for more details?

We would love to hear from you.

Relocation Special | New Year, New Home

lady jumping with green trees either side in the sunshine

Moving To Plymouth…

The start of a new year can often bring with it big, bold, brave new decisions…like relocating!

They say that moving is one of the most stressful things; but fuse that with moving to an entirely new city and things can feel terribly overwhelming.

Fear Not!

Here at Strathmore House Apartments we have worked with individuals, businesses and families who are thinking about Plymouth being their new home.

Over the last 10 years, we have grown to understand all too well that it’s a big step to relocate for work or pleasure.  Whether you already have a job offer or are just taking the plunge and moving to look for work in another town or city – it can be really tough.

Yet still, even if you’re relocating for pleasure, to be with family or friends, it still can be hard; to lose the things you are familiar with. Not just friends but also the sense of routine, that scalextric track we all get far too used to driving or walking, the vista, the short cuts, the where to get your hair cut!

Yes, it can be tough, terrifying and totally daunting, but it’s also an extremely exciting time: a time we love to be part of.

Be it that you are striking out on your own, with your family or to start a new career; exploring a new city brings so much opportunity to explore you – as well as a new city!

Meeting new people, experiencing a different place, stumbling on hidden gems; there is so much to look forward to.

 

How Do We Help..?

A place to call home

In the past, we have had people stay for a month or two; to make sure that before any final decisions are made they are certain that Britain’s Ocean City, is the city for them.

As serviced apartments, we have a flexibility that really works for people relocating. We all know that moving house, be you buying or renting is never straightforward. A date can change three or four times easily. With our 2 nights to 2 year or more attitude we are open, willing and able to offer you a home no matter how many times the dates change. So although still annoying, we will be your safe place, where you can close the door and lock yourself away from the frustrations!

We arrived at the Strathmore in November, as the property we were purchasing was still not completed for us to move into! We were met by Ali, who from the first meeting was very welcoming and made our stresses much more bearable! Ali continued to support us even with the uncertainty of when we would actually leave, nothing was too much trouble at all. The housekeeping staff were extremely efficient, so lovely to come home to a beautifully cleaned apartment with an abundance of towels for our needs. The apartment we had was amazing, four good bedrooms with amazing views of the Sound and our new property! Would recommend for this accommodation for any use, business, holidays or simply temporary home, which was our situation. Thank you to all and especially Ali! Julie, Rik and Family

TRIP ADVISER

 

New Friends

With our friendly, local knowledge you will always be guaranteed a warm family welcome and a happy information centre for all your local knowledge needs! Doctors & Dentists but also places to eat, explore and learn about our beautiful city and its rich history.

Incredible location on the Hoe, very close to the Barbican, it has an express Tesco market next to it. Apartment is spacious and very clean with all necessary equipment. Very good and reasonable prices, spent almost 2 months there. I would recommend it to anyone as a family, friend or business trip stay, short or long. Excellent services and help provided from Ally is a wonderful host, manager and apartment operator. I came from Saudi with my 2 year-old.  Ally made sure everything was available and needed and pops by to see how your doing. She basically makes you feel home away from home (two thumbs up).

TRIP ADVISER

 

For you to be reading this, Plymouth has probably already captured your heart.  We know how easily our city can do that! Still haven’t made your mind up? Do you need a little taster of what living and working in Plymouth might be like? We can help.  Here are some links and clips that may just help make your mind up.

Plus, if we can help in any other way, we would love to be one of the first to help welcome you to our spectacular city.

Helpful Links 

Great videos with ‘real’ people telling their ‘real’ stories about Plymouth.

Visit Plymouth – useful guides and information.

Family Fun In Plymouth…

baby on playmat with toys

Family Holiday In Plymouth…

Sometimes, all you need is a family holiday. It can work wonders for your family dynamic to just take a few days out and have some down time. Some time to relax and unwind and reconnect with each other again.

Not only as parents do we need to step off the treadmill, but our children need to see us a little more care free from time to time too, at our best and at peace some might say.

Being free from the demands of a hectic schedule, housework and ferrying from club to club; quality time together, it’s a real tonic.

If you are thinking that it’s time in 2019 to reduce stress levels and connect as one again, we have just the solution.

Plymouth is an amazing city to enjoy some downtime in; and Strathmore House Apartments is the perfect location to kick back and relax…together.

With our one, two, three and four bedroom apartments, we are the perfect home from home; just without the everyday stresses and strains!

Cost doesn’t have to be high to have a relaxing getaway, and to safe the stress in the planning; we have done the hard work for you!

Below you will find links to some great family sites and family fun activities in and around Plymouth. With our low prices and so much to do; Britain’s Ocean City makes for the perfect family holiday destination.

Mum and son by the sea laughing

Useful Links:

 

Create A Family Scrapbook…

collection of photos on a bed

Happy New Year to you all!

It’s the dawn of a New Year!

Perhaps your Christmas Tree and it’s needles are now slumped in your garden ready for the next dry weekend to be removed to the tip..?

Maybe you are down to the last crumbs of Christmas Cheese and the chocolates that nobody liked..?

Whatever the post Christmas blues look like; the days are dark and dreary and somehow the air just feels deflated.

FEAR NOT! We have the perfect solution. No. REALLY WE DO!

Thanks to social media, we have memory reminders flashing through our fingers (or thumbs!) throughout the year.  But how about you set yourself a new memory making challenge, ready for the most amazing Family Newsletter ever sent!

Creating a family newsletter can be a fun way to stay in touch with your friends and far-flung family, but also to record moments that could so easily be forgotten.  It’s something you can do as a family, and a way that the magic in the moments that you make throughout the year, can stay for a lifetime, and beyond.

At Strathmore House Apartments, we LOVE being part of peoples memories and so we wanted to help inspire, and perhaps be part of something, that the entire family can roll up their sleeves and be a part of.

Our Challenge/Suggestion!

Keeping a family scrapbook may sound old school; but we figure if Champion and Fila can make a come-back, so too can the good old scrap book surely!

By keeping an active scrapbook that documents memories both big and small, you will have a record of your year that you can keep on a shelf – not just in the clouds!

Photos, maps, receipts, bottle tops, pictures; you name it. It can all go in the scrapbook to cherish. In isolation pretty insignificant, in your family scrapbook  a fantastic time capsule of what your clan’s been up to. Keeping moments alive; but also a great reminder when it comes to writing your family newsletter in the New Year of 2020!

2020 is one heck of a milestone year. The mark of a significant new chapter. How wonderful would it be to have something that boasts about your families whereabouts, adventures and triumphs the year before 2020, the year of 2020 and the year after 2020?

It could be first days at School, College, Uni even. First Car;  First bike (maybe first girlfriend…eek!!).

This amazing book of family wonder will help you keep your memories alive, but also there to share with future generations. Noting what may at the time seem like not much, but in the future will be your family history gems.

An activity for the whole family to help out with; and have fun with; even your pets perhaps!

Make it pretty. Make it fun. Make it all about you!

If the Kardashion’s can – so too can you! Let’s not let January make us grey – let’s put some colour back in our days and start a new, fun, family project!

Make the memories. Share the memories. Keep the memories.  AND if at all possible – let us be part of them too!

Happy 2019 everyone. Here’s to a fabulous year.

Happy scrapbook making. Happy memory making. Happy Holidays!