Family Stays & Getaways

For family stays of more than a couple of nights, serviced apartments tend to work much better in practice than a standard hotel setup. The main difference comes down to space and how you use it throughout the day.

In a hotel room, everything happens in one place — sleeping, relaxing, getting ready — which can quickly feel limiting, particularly with children. With a serviced apartment, you have separate living areas, bedrooms and a kitchen, which naturally makes the stay feel easier and more comfortable. Children can settle into their own space, and evenings don’t have to revolve around staying in a single room.

There’s also a rhythm to family trips that becomes clearer after the first day or two. Plans change, people need downtime, and not every meal fits around restaurant timings. Having an apartment allows you to adapt to that rather than sticking to a rigid structure.

Top tip: If you’re staying for several nights, treat your accommodation as a base rather than just somewhere to sleep. That shift alone makes the whole trip feel more relaxed.

Mansley apartments are designed around the idea of giving guests the flexibility to live comfortably during their stay, which naturally suits families. Instead of adjusting your routine to fit the accommodation, the space allows you to structure your day in a way that works for you.

The layouts are a key part of that. Having separate bedrooms and a living area gives families room to spread out, while the kitchen means you can handle simple meals or snacks without needing to plan everything around eating out. Over several days, those small details make a noticeable difference.

The locations also play a role. Mansley properties are typically positioned in central, well-connected areas, which makes it easier to move between activities, return during the day if needed, and avoid unnecessary travel time.

Top tip: Even if you plan to eat out most of the time, having a kitchen is useful for breakfasts or quick meals — it gives you more flexibility than you might expect.

Each Mansley location offers something slightly different, depending on the type of trip you’re planning.

London works well for families combining sightseeing with shopping and cultural visits, with easy access to parks, museums and major attractions.

Edinburgh offers a mix of history and walkable city exploration, with attractions like Edinburgh Castle and the Old and New Towns providing variety across several days.

Inverness is often used as a base for exploring the Highlands, with access to Loch Ness, walking routes and outdoor experiences.

The “best” choice really depends on how you want the trip to feel — whether that’s city-focused, nature-led, or a combination of both.

Top tip: Rather than trying to do everything in one place, think about how each location fits into your overall trip — sometimes combining two destinations creates a more balanced experience.

Yes — in fact, this is where serviced apartments tend to work best.

Over a longer stay, the need for space and flexibility becomes more noticeable. Being able to settle in, unpack properly, and maintain some normality in your day-to-day routine makes the experience far more comfortable. You’re not constantly planning your day around returning to a single room or working around hotel schedules.

For families, this often means the trip feels less rushed. Instead of trying to fit everything in, you can spread activities out, build in downtime, and adjust plans depending on how the day unfolds.

Top tip: Plan your stay with a mix of busier days and slower ones — having the space to relax in between is what makes longer trips enjoyable rather than tiring.

Yes — many Mansley apartments are designed with larger layouts, including multiple bedrooms, which makes them well suited to bigger families or even multi-generational groups travelling together.

One of the main advantages is being able to stay in a single space while still having room for privacy. Instead of booking multiple hotel rooms and separating the group, everyone can stay together more comfortably, with shared living areas and individual bedrooms.

This tends to make the stay feel more connected and easier to manage, especially when coordinating plans across different ages or routines.

Top tip: If you’re travelling as a larger group, think about how you’ll use the shared space — having a central area to come together at the start or end of the day often becomes one of the most enjoyable parts of the trip.

A kitchen adds a level of flexibility that’s especially useful when travelling with family. It allows you to prepare simple meals, manage different schedules, and respond to changing plans without needing to rely on restaurants for every meal.

In practice, this often becomes more valuable than expected. Breakfasts can be more relaxed, snacks are easy to manage, and evenings can be as structured or unstructured as you like. It also makes it easier to handle dietary preferences or younger travellers who may not want to dine out constantly.

Over several days, it can also help balance costs and make the overall stay feel more sustainable, without taking away from enjoying local restaurants and experiences.

Top tip: Pick up a few essentials locally when you arrive — even just drinks, snacks and breakfast items — it makes settling in much easier and gives you flexibility from the start.