Remember what brunch was like in the pre-kids days? Leisurely, long; there'd be newspapers, steaming-hot coffee, endless courses... Relaxing... And a not-to-be-repeated for 18 years memory?!
Because even the best-behaved kids won’t sit for *that* long - and you can't even leisurely stroll around the buffet table when you've got people hanging onto your legs, begging to have yet another chocolate croissant...
Or that's what we thought, until we hit up a new family-friendly brunch at the NH Hotel in Kensington this weekend.
After a morning at the Natural History Museum (the hotel is a 20-minute walk away) we strolled down to brunch. Musicians were playing chilled Latino tunes, and we first all enjoyed a gazillion-course brunch of waffles, roast meats, cheeses, salads, eggs, chocolate fountain - and bottomless bubbly - whilst the kids had a ball too. First they ate with us, then they were entertained at the fab adjacent kids’ room.
It was packed with board games (think Hungry Hippo, rather than Scrabble...!) plus Twister, cuddly toys, a screen projector with kids' films (The Lion King was on offer when we were there, but ours were having too much fun with the games). There's colouring, and Laser Quest for older kids, and a fab supervisor, Ana, who was super-happy to lie tummy-down playing Hungry Hippo for longer than my patience would allow... whilst we relaxed! Ana even did face painting, turning our two little men into a rainbow and dog respectively.
So the kids were super happy - and we gorged and chatted like the old days. There was a lot of choice on the buffet: salads, oysters and other seafood, cheeses, breads, then a carvery of roast meats or fish with veg, desserts, fruit, a chocolate fountain (tiny man hadn't seen one before; his eyes were wider than the plate he almost dropped in excitement). Plus, there's a menu to order egg-y dishes (Eggs Royale, waffles, and more) for the grown-ups, and kid-focused things like burgers and fish fingers if they don't fancy the main buffet.
The food was good, although some parts could have been perfected (some of the veg was overcooked, as was the chicken) - but the variety was enormous. That, on top of a drinks area - huge range of hot options, plus unlimited soft drinks or Prosecco or Moet, depending on the option you pick - meant we left super-full and relaxed, whilst the kids had a ball too.
Because even the best-behaved kids won’t sit for *that* long - and you can't even leisurely stroll around the buffet table when you've got people hanging onto your legs, begging to have yet another chocolate croissant...
Or that's what we thought, until we hit up a new family-friendly brunch at the NH Hotel in Kensington this weekend.
After a morning at the Natural History Museum (the hotel is a 20-minute walk away) we strolled down to brunch. Musicians were playing chilled Latino tunes, and we first all enjoyed a gazillion-course brunch of waffles, roast meats, cheeses, salads, eggs, chocolate fountain - and bottomless bubbly - whilst the kids had a ball too. First they ate with us, then they were entertained at the fab adjacent kids’ room.
It was packed with board games (think Hungry Hippo, rather than Scrabble...!) plus Twister, cuddly toys, a screen projector with kids' films (The Lion King was on offer when we were there, but ours were having too much fun with the games). There's colouring, and Laser Quest for older kids, and a fab supervisor, Ana, who was super-happy to lie tummy-down playing Hungry Hippo for longer than my patience would allow... whilst we relaxed! Ana even did face painting, turning our two little men into a rainbow and dog respectively.
So the kids were super happy - and we gorged and chatted like the old days. There was a lot of choice on the buffet: salads, oysters and other seafood, cheeses, breads, then a carvery of roast meats or fish with veg, desserts, fruit, a chocolate fountain (tiny man hadn't seen one before; his eyes were wider than the plate he almost dropped in excitement). Plus, there's a menu to order egg-y dishes (Eggs Royale, waffles, and more) for the grown-ups, and kid-focused things like burgers and fish fingers if they don't fancy the main buffet.
The food was good, although some parts could have been perfected (some of the veg was overcooked, as was the chicken) - but the variety was enormous. That, on top of a drinks area - huge range of hot options, plus unlimited soft drinks or Prosecco or Moet, depending on the option you pick - meant we left super-full and relaxed, whilst the kids had a ball too.
* The Sunday brunch at NH Kensington is available from 12-3pm; kids under five are free, 5-12 year olds are £24.50, for adults, the bottomless prosecco brunch is £59.95, with a non-alcoholic option of bottomless juice, tea and coffee for £49.95. Brunch with bottomless Moet et Chandon Champagne is £79.95.
Thanks to NH Hotel for inviting us to try out their new brunch; rest assured we're seriously gobby and only rave about things we genuinely love.
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