Travel with Kids: Our Favourite Family-Friendly Luxury Stays
Discover our favourite family-friendly luxury stays — real hotels, villas, and resorts we’ve loved, with honest notes on price points, perks, routines, and how to
If you’ve ever been on a family holiday and thought, “I could totally share this as content”, you’re absolutely right. As a mum, travel influencing isn’t just about pretty posts; it’s about showing what family life really looks like in beautiful places. Brands are actively seeking creators who deliver that authenticity.
It’s never too late to begin. You don’t need thousands of followers or a polished feed. What you really need is consistency, clarity, and courage.
“There are so many influencers already. Is there room for me?”
If you’ve caught yourself asking that, you’re not alone. I’ve felt the same. But here’s what I’ve learned:
Mindset checklist before you start:
Before you capture your next sunset or family shot, pause and get clear on your brand foundations.
Your content should orbit around 2–3 pillars (topics you’ll return to):
Decide who your audience is; what they want, what they struggle with. For me, I landed on “affluent mums who crave influence + travel.”
I refined that in part by doing vision board exercises. That helped me clarify tone, look, and direction before posting too much.
Your visual style should support your message:
When linking your visuals with voice, people remember you.
Your bio is your “micro pitch.” Some examples:
Include what you do + who you serve.
|
Element |
Notes / Questions |
|
Pillars |
List hero + supporting pillars |
|
Audience |
Who do you serve? Age, location, dreams |
|
Voice & Tone |
Warm, mentor, reflective, aspirational |
|
Visual Style |
Aesthetic, filters, fonts, colours |
|
Bio / Tagline |
One line that communicates who + what you do |
FREE DOWNLOAD
Download my free Influencer Starter Kit for Mums.
It’s a fillable roadmap to help you define your brand, plan content, and build your first pitch. If you want, the kit also has a paid, upgraded version with templates and swipe files.
Let me walk you through my content stack; the tools I relied on before I had fancy gear.
|
Purpose |
Tool / App |
Why It Helps |
|
Capture |
iPhone + tripod |
Always with me, no heavy setup |
|
Lighting |
Portable ring light / mini LED |
Even hotel rooms or evenings |
|
Editing |
Lightroom (mobile), VSCO |
Quick photo colour tweaks |
|
Video / Reels |
CapCut, Splice, InShot |
Mobile video edits on the go |
|
Cover graphics |
Canva (mobile + desktop) |
Easy templates for pins / thumbnails |
|
Planning |
Notion / Trello / Airtable |
Map content ideas, batch schedule |
|
Analytics |
Instagram Insights, Google Analytics |
Know what’s working / not |
When I went snowboarding last winter, I returned with 12 Reels, 8 blog drafts, and 30+ Pins, all from one trip. That’s how powerful batching is when you have the right workflow.
Here’s where many mums feel stuck. But kids are part of the magic; not the obstacle.
For example, during our Bali holiday, I had a list including “villa reveal,” “kids at play,” “villa to beach walk,” “pool time with kids,” and “sunset portrait.” That yielded multiple content pieces from one location. See A Blissful Retreat at Villa Mawar, Bali for that trip edge.
These little moments give texture and relatability.
Your audience doesn’t need staged perfection; they need story.
“I’ll never forget Ari’s face as he ski’d down his first green run!”
These mini story snippets bring connection.
Content Capture Checklist:
☐ Transitions (arrival, unpacking)
☐ Kid voice or reaction
☐ Room / property details
☐ Food, meals, surroundings
☐ Nature / environment shots
☐ Quiet moments + chaos
☐ B-roll (walking, textures, closeups)
Discover our favourite family-friendly luxury stays — real hotels, villas, and resorts we’ve loved, with honest notes on price points, perks, routines, and how to
Learn how to build a personal brand that feels like you — authentic, balanced, and true to your values. Discover how to define your brand
Learn step-by-step how to build your personal brand, grow an audience, and land collaborations, even if you’re starting from zero and juggling motherhood.
<aThis is where many mums hesitate. But done right, your travel can pay for itself and even pay you back.
Your media kit should include:
When I pitched hotels early on, I led with story + benefit: “I plan to create a family story at your property featuring kids exploring your grounds, me doing a room tour, and Instagram content + blog coverage.”
Always tailor each pitch. Don’t send the same copy to every brand.
Income Paths to Explore:
Partner with family-friendly hotels, lifestyle brands, or beauty companies that align with your audience.
Example:
When we stayed at Oaks Hotel in Nelson’s Bay, I collaborated with them to highlight their family-friendly amenities — the pool, balcony views, and kitchen where we could make our own breakfasts. I created Reels, a blog post, and Pinterest pins that showed how the property fits both family and luxury travel audiences.
Pro tip: Start locally. Pitch small boutique hotels or family-owned brands first. Then scale up to national or global partnerships as you build credibility.
Earn a commission each time your audience purchases something you recommend — from swimwear to travel essentials.
Example:
I use affiliate links through rewardStyle and Amazon Associates. When I post about my favourite outfit or travel must-haves (stylish skirt or travel organisers), those links generate passive income every time a follower clicks and buys.
Pro tip: Only promote products you genuinely use and love. Authenticity drives far more conversions than volume.
Turn your expertise into simple, downloadable resources or mini-courses.
Example:
I created The Influencer Starter Kit for Mums as a free resource — and later offered a paid upgrade, The Influencer Business Builder, which includes pitch templates and rate cards. You can do the same: sell Lightroom presets, Canva templates, or an eBook like “How to Plan Pinterest-Worthy Family Trips.”
Pro tip: Use Canva or Notion to design beautiful, easy-to-share resources. Once created, they can generate consistent income with very little extra work.
Brands pay you to write authentic, SEO-friendly articles featuring their products or services.
Example:
I’ve partnered with skincare and wellness brands to share honest reviews, such as ManukaRx’s Pro-Aging Trio. Sponsored posts let me blend personal experience with useful storytelling — readers get genuine insights, brands gain exposure, and I’m compensated for the content I create.
Pro tip: Always disclose sponsorships clearly. Transparency builds trust and long-term loyalty with your readers.
Build longer-term collaborations where you represent a brand over several months or campaigns.
Example:
Over the past five years I have worked regularly with Oaks Hotels on a collaboration basis.
Pro tip: Think of ambassadorships as relationships, not transactions. The stronger the values match, the more likely brands will want to partner with you long-term.
Learn how to plan luxury family travel that serves your brand — from choosing hotels to creating content, pitching collaborations, packing smartly, and balancing work
Some places in the world leave an everlasting imprint on your heart, and for us, Villa Mawar is one of them. Nestled in the lush
As the end of the nine-week school holidays approached, I knew I wanted to do something special. The holidays had been filled with fun, chaos,
No influencer journey is all smooth. Let me share some real talk.
When rejection comes, breathe, learn, adjust. One of my cornerstone posts, Embracing Failure: How to Learn and Grow from Setbacks and Rejections, dives into this more deeply.
If I had a redo:
That path is how I built This Sweet Life’s content ecosystem, linking between posts like How to Create a Vision Board, Embracing Failure, How to Get Beautiful Family Photos, and more.
Q: Do I need thousands of followers to start?
No. Brands often prefer engaged micro-creators with niche audiences.
Q: Can I become a travel influencer without travelling abroad?
Absolutely. Start local — weekend escapes, city guides, nearby adventures.
Q: How long before I make paid collaborations?
Often 6–12 months of consistent posting, depending on niche and strategy.
Q: Is it okay to post imperfect content?
Yes — your audience connects with authenticity more than perfection.
Becoming a lifestyle influencer as a mum is not about glamour or perfection; it’s about story, heart, and relationship. It’s about the real moments that make people stop and say, “Hey, that feels like real life.”
If you’re ready to begin, I want to help you take the first step:
FREE DOWNLOAD
Download my free Influencer Starter Kit for Mums.
It’s a fillable roadmap to help you define your brand, plan content, and build your first pitch. If you want, the kit also has a paid, upgraded version with templates and swipe files.