Our Sydney staycation had all the resort feels and none of the resort prices

Forget Fiji and Bali… If beach vibes and yes, a BRAND NEW KIDS CLUB is your thing, this could be the answer to your next mini-break.

They say holidaying with kids is just parenting in a different location. A different location without any of your stuff. 

Add in some jetlag, some overtired kids and a lack of routine and is it even a holiday at all? 

No, no it is not. 

Which is why picking where you stay is paramount to the success of your trip. You’re going to need a pool, a buffet, some activities for the children and preferably, a really good kids club. 

Now while normally I would look at destinations like Bali or Fiji to achieve this kid-utopia vibe, with the cost of travel at the moment, who can afford that? Not me.

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So what about a staycation? A staycation WITH a kids club? Does such a thing exist? 

If you live in Sydney, I can confirm indeed it does. 

Crowne Plaza Sydney Coogee Beach has recently launched a brand new Kids Club, the first of its kind attached to any hotel in Sydney, and when they invited me and my three rugrats to sample what was on offer over the Easter weekend, I gleefully accepted. 

We kept our stay brief, for just the one night, but it was such a fun 24 hours I have no doubt we’ll all remember it for years to come. 

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Staycation at Crowne Plaza Coogee Beach. Image source: Supplied

Location, location, location 

First up, I want to take a minute to talk about the location of a) the hotel and b) the Kids Club within the hotel. 

The Plaza is situated smack-bang opposite Coogee beach with 180-degree views from the rooftop pool (squeal) as well as from our balcony. It’s a mere hop, skip and a jump to the beach with kids - so close you don’t even have to take the pram if you’re heading for a swim. 

As for the kids club, it’s right near the pool (yes, the one on the roof with those views) which means you can easily pop in and check on your kids if you need to, or if you have an anxious little one, you can reassure them that you’re not very far away! 

The hotel had even organised a ‘paint and sip’ event for the parents on the terrace so those who didn’t want to lounge by the pool (weirdos) could unwind with a few drinks and a creativity session while their children were being cared for only a stone’s throw away. 

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Did I mention there was a donut wall and a giant Connect 4? Image: Supplied

So many activities 

There was Easter face painting, mermaid hair braiding, and even a bunch of little (and not so little) critters brought in for the kids to marvel at an even hold. 

We arrived at roughly 10.30am and the lids had held a crocodile, patted some turtles and had faces painted in a design of their choice clocked by lunch. 

There were also Easter crafts, Disney movies on repeat, a ping pong table, Air Hockey and a giant Connect Four. 

And did I mention we even got to meet the Easter Bunny in real life? Handing out chocolate eggs, no less. Needless to say, my kids were stoked. 

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Face paint and turtles for the win! Image: Supplied

Dinner downstairs 

While children of all ages are welcome at the Kids Zone at all times, an adult must be present. (Once again, handy when the pool is right there and you can tag-team). 

For a child to attend a Kids Club session without a parent present, they must be over the age of five. 

Our littlest was well beneath this age, so we didn’t take advantage of the later Kids Club session where you could leave your kids while you popped down for dinner - but if we had had older kids, we definitely would have! 

Once again, location is key, with a restaurant just downstairs or a smorgasbord of eateries along the main strip at Coogee so you’re never too far away. 

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The view from Coogee Beach from our balcony. Image: supplied

The verdict 

Crowne Plaza Sydney Coogee Beach was an ideal getaway for a short staycation, particularly over the Easter weekend or, I imagine, the school holidays, when activities abound and prices of travel are more expensive. 

It is not an accommodation option with kids front and centre - there is simply no room for the waterparks and bike tracks you might find if you went out of town - but it is a lovely hotel on the forefront of one of Sydney’s best tourist sites providing a memorable getaway experience for your whole family…. Kids Club included.

 In fact, we might even be back next year. 

Emily and her family stayed as guests of Crowne Plaza Sydney Coogee Beach. The opinions expressed in this article are her own. 

Originally published as Our Sydney staycation had all the resort feels and none of the resort prices