Since its conception, the competition has been organised and run by Flea Enterprises Ltd, a friendly and experienced organisation that manages and runs several of the United Kingdom’s largest blogging communities, including Tots100 and Foodies100… yummy!

This year, Best Western is getting involved. We want to be a part of this wonderful online community and to help the competition run efficiently and smoothly and reach the largest audience possible.

We are contributing several prizes and incentives, including luxury stays around the country as well as many other bits and bobs. We are also helping to promote the awards, so keep your eyes on our blog to hear of any news and see some our favourite blog posts…

So, how does the competition work?

Members of the public (often regular readers, friends or family members), nominate their favourite blogs (obviously of ‘the mummy/daddy variety) to be entered into the competition. A particularly ambitious blogger can even put forward their own…

There are 15 categories including: ‘Best Craft Blog,’ ‘Most Innovative Blog,’ ‘Best Food Blog,’ and our particular favourite (of course), ‘Best Family Travel Blog. Have a look at the other categories and the blogs nominated in each…

On that page, there is also the option to vote for your favourites. Why not have a read through the nominated blogs as there are a number of engaging and fun sites out there, all wonderful and inspiring in their own different ways. You are allowed to vote once in each category, so make sure you choose wisely.

Best Western and the MAD Blog Awards 

We are sponsoring this competition because in our eyes the mummy and daddy blogging community is truly inspiring and always fun. These awards are a great way of bringing the community closer together and showing them our appreciation for their efforts.

We are hugely looking forward to working with everyone and please show your support by dropping by here as well as voting and commenting on the MAD blogs Facebook page. Get involved bloggers!

To help our lovely fans get through another joyless Jan, we decided to host a fairly generous (if we do say so ourselves) competition to help brighten their spirits.

On the 1 February, we hosted a mass prize giveaway on our Best Western GB Facebook page. We hoped it would be something for our fans to look forward to during dreary January.

There were a whopping 24 prizes in total so we decided to ask a question every 30 minutes over a 12-hour period. This marathon competition started at 8:00 a.m. after which, entrants were given 15 mins to respond to each question via app, comment or email.

Our questions were a complete mixed bag, ranging from film knowledge, to food and drink, from wine tasting to Best Western-related questions. We selected a winner at random for each question. These lucky guys each ended up with a 2-night break at a range of Best Western hotels in Great Britain (a different one for each winner obviously).

The response we got was awesome, so we just wanted to thank everyone who took part! Our team monitoring Facebook that day was certainly kept on its toes and enjoyed a lot of laughs.

Check out our Facebook page to see the questions, answers and responses (with such a high engagement rate, this may take a bit of scrolling).

Commiserations to anyone who didn’t win! But have no fear! The competition was such a success and we enjoyed organising and running it so much we will, without a doubt, be repeating the operation in months to come!

Keep your eyes on our Facebook page!

Which 6-10 year olds don’t love a bit of splashing around in the swimming pool, a board game session, a game of croquet or, of course, our special and tasty kids’ menu?!

We’re very proud of this family-friendly reputation and to strengthen and build upon it further, we have recently launched a new campaign – something very exciting, original and different!

We are looking for Junior Best Western hotel inspectors to come and review some of our family friendly hotels. A critique from a child’s perspective will let us know what our younger guests love, as well as what needs to be worked upon and improved. We are hoping to make our stays as memorable as possible for guests of all ages!

Are the beds bouncy enough? Are the chips crunchy on the outside and fluffy on the inside? Were any pieces missing from the monopoly set? Are there enough snacks in the mini bar? We are looking for answers!

We feel that kids are having more and more input into family trips away, so we’re looking forward to getting a younger (and fresher) perspective on our family-friendly hotels.

If you know of any likely candidates (i.e. kids who like to explore and discover new things, as well as to write and discuss), please view the entry details below and get in touch.

Competition Details:

-The competition is aimed at 6-10 year-olds.

-Entrants need to write a short paragraph (no longer than 100 words) explaining why they would make a great hotel inspector, or, alternatively, send in a short video introducing themselves.

-You can enter on our facebook page www.facebook.com/bestwesterngb or send an email to kids@bestwestern.co.uk before 11th February.

-We will choose the 5 best entries and contact the winners.

-The winners will win a two-night stay at a Best Western family-friendly hotel including breakfast and dinner.

Look forward to hearing from you and meeting our new inspectors!

Once upon a time there was a man named Guy
An unusual name in England at the time
Famous for his part in a plot gone awry
His life was forfeit to atone for his crime

One of Thirteen men who contrived to rebel
To bring a Catholic monarch back to the realm
Through an act of treason they hoped to compel
Powerful supporters to retake the helm

But a letter was sent divulging the scheme
Only Guy was discovered, not the thirteen
Tortured he confessed he was part of a team
And they planned to make Elizabeth Queen

The powder was for parliamentary use
To blow up the houses and begin a coup
By sparking a war with no option of truce
To rouse fury and watch as the violence grew

The sentence was death so the public would learn
But the message was needed for a longer term
So each year fires are made with Guys to burn
So the futility of treason can be reaffirmed

By Danielle Wardman – Web Development Executive at Best Western GB

• A ghost to be sent up to the room at night

• A meeting room for four people…with a bed in it

• A place at breakfast for a statue

• A large bedroom to store an expensive motor bike

• A sea view bedroom (OK, this is isn’t that strange, until you find out it was in Birmingham!)

• A hotel worker was asked to attend a bedroom in order to comb a guest’s hair!

• One guest wanted a sea salt scrub to remove her fake tan that had gone wrong, and someone to scrub it off for her!

• A second TV for a couple who were arguing over what to watch.

• A place at the Christmas party for a pet hamster

• Some ferrets to take to a small animal show.

Can you guess which we requests we were able to accommodate?

I was lucky enough to win a competition run by Best Western, Tots100 and Legoland earlier this year, and chose to take my prize on quite possibly the hottest weekend of the decade so far.

I took my eight year old son, Dexter, and we drove down to the BEST WESTERN Royal Adelaide Hotel in Windsor, late on Friday night. A genius idea, if I say so myself, as we missed all the traffic and got there in just over an hour from Kent.

We were warmly greeted by a member of hotel staff but were both asleep within minutes of getting into our air conditioned room. Bliss.

We had a lazy Saturday morning, enjoying a chilled breakfast at the hotel, before heading off to Legoland. To say Dexter was excited, is a massive understatement, and as the temperature gauge rose and rose, so did his excitement. I wondered, however, if perhaps, it was just going to be too hot for us.

I needn’t have worried. Yes, it was absolutely roasting, but this is where the water rides come into their own at Legoland – what better way to cool off!

I had decided beforehand that I was going to pay for a Q-Bot ride reservation ticket to try and jump the queues. The queues are the only downside to Legoland (and all theme parks,) and I thought I’d see if paying £15 each would make a difference.

And it did. You’re given a small device that you programme yourself, choose which ride you want to reserve a place for, you’re given a time, and you then go back to the ride at the given time. All quite simple really and saves having to wait around for hours on end.

We knew already which rides we wanted to go on; Pirate Falls, Jolly Roger (which, incidentally, scared the bejesus out of me,) Vikings’ River Splash, Spinning Spider and the Dragon roller coaster – they didn’t disappoint.

There’s so much to do at Legoland, but we managed to fit a lot into one day. The heat had taken it’s toll and it was time to go back to our hotel.

We showered and wandered into town for dinner, heading back full, tired but happy that we’d had such a great weekend.

Check out Kate’s blog www.witwitwoo.com

The Isle of Man is starting to be seen as an attractive destination for golfers planning their next golfing holiday. With 9 courses to choose from, boasting amazing links, heathland and parkland, and stunning views out to sea, you can be sure to enjoy your golf break.

With the help of Isle of Man Golf Tours, we’ve compiled a quick guide to the Isle of Man Golf courses.

Castletown Golf Links

The course matches the setting – among the top echelons of links courses in the British Isles.

Mount Murray Golf Course

A superb 18-hole championship course set in magnificent scenery, where the view from the 18th tee is a treat to look forward to….

Peel Golf Course

One of the Island’s most popular courses, Peel offers a spectacular variety of holes and natural hazards in just one course.

Rowany Golf Course

Greg Norman played his great pal and former Island resident Nigel Mansell at this outstanding course. Wide open in places and tight and narrow in others, this is a tricky course to master yet very rewarding.

Port St Mary Golf Course

No other view in Manx golf compares. Bobbing boats in the harbour form a perfect backdrop as your ball sails towards a guarded green…

Ramsey Golf Course

Featured in the Golf Monthly’s Top 100 Hidden Gems – “a seriously pretty course in a superb and tranquil setting.”

Glen Truan Golf Course

Located in a nature reserve, Glen Truan offers pure and natural links golf in a stunning setting near the tip of the Island and tranquillity like no other…

Douglas Golf Course

One of only a select number of golf courses in the world designed by Dr Alister MacKenzie, architect of some of the world’s most challenging courses including Augusta in Atlanta.

King Edward Bay

Boasting some of the best views on the island, a round of golf at King Edward Bay is a memorable experience. The course is superbly maintained, and the springy mountain turf is quite exceptional.

WIN a fabulous golf break to the Isle of Man

The Island’s only golf tour operator – Isle of Man Golf Tours are giving you the chance to win a fabulous 3 day golfing break to the Isle of Man.

Teaming up with the BEST WESTERN Palace Hotel and Casino and with Manx2.com you could win -

- Return flights for 2 from any Manx2.com airport

- 2 nights bed and breakfast at the Best Western Palace Hotel and Casino

- 3 rounds of golf for 2

- Golf Club Hire with the latest TaylorMade RocketBallz clubs

- All transfers between airport, hotel and golf courses

Just visit www.isleofmangolftours.com/bestwestern to answer the simple question and enter your details. The competition closes on the 31st of August and is open to over 18s only.

Hotel : BEST WESTERN Beamish Hall Hotel, County Durham

Job title : Night Porter

Adam is a mysterious character, who only appears at night! He likes to play jokes on other members of staff, you never know where he might turn up, and could be hidden in one of the suits of armour, so watch out!

The BEST WESTERN Beamish Hall Hotel has stunning period features including ornate ceilings, chandeliers, stained glass windows and a sweeping staircase. With windows overlooking the 24 acre estate, you might catch a glimpse of rare and exotic trees, planted by the hotel’s former owners, or possibly Gerry and his birds of prey!

Hotel : BEST WESTERN Cartland Bridge Hotel, Lanark

Job title : Barman

Scott has worked at BEST WESTERN Cartland Bridge Hotel since he was 16, and 6 and a half years later is still loving his job. He enjoys the bar when it is busy, as it has a great atmosphere. Scott has seen the mysterious Annie, the hotel’s 7 year old girl ghost, late at night in the bar by himself!

Set in 19 acres of woodland and a stone’s throw from Lanark’s UNESCO world heritage site in the Clyde Valley stands BEST WESTERN Cartland Bridge Hotel, a Baronial style Scottish beauty from the 1800′s. A fine example of Sir John James Burnett’s Scottish architecture, this Grade A listed building was once a family mansion!

Hotel : BEST WESTERN PLUS Bruntsfield Hotel, Edinburgh

Job title : Breakfast supervisor

Jean has worked at the BEST WESTERN Bruntsfield Hotel for 25 years, although, believe it or not, is not quite the longest serving member of staff! She works in the hotel every day, and her favourite part of the job is meeting the variety of guests that stay. The regulars love Jean, as she knows their breakfast order already!

Name : Angela Dobbie

Hotel : BEST WESTERN PLUS Bruntsfield Hotel, Edinburgh

Job title : Accounts and Reception

Angela is Jean’s daughter, and has worked at the hotel for 4 years. She has 2 roles, and enjoys them both, but her favourite part of the job is getting out of the office and meeting the guests. Her funniest experience while working here was when a guest locked himself out of the room, naked! He came down to reception in the lift for a spare key. Luckily the guest is now a regular, and often has a laugh and a joke about it!

With stunning park views, and staff who go the extra mile, the BEST WESTERN PLUS Bruntsfield Hotel is minutes away from Edinburgh Castle and the Royal Mile. The building is unique in layout and structure; converted from 3 townhouses there are plenty of opportunities to explore the hotel (or get lost!) The homemade shortbread is not to be missed!