EXCLUSIVE: Gabrielle Warner managed to bag herself a free one-night stay at Nobu Hotel in London and thousands of others can too. Let’s have a look at her story
A woman revealed how she managed to bag a free night at a fancy hotel loved by A-Listers – and thousands can do it too. Gabrielle Warner, 28, was in desperate need of a getaway like most of us are. However, unlike the majority of us, the young mum rarely has any time for herself.
That’s because she’s the unpaid carer to son Arlo, seven, who has autism, severe speech delay and sensory processing disorder. This means Gabrielle cares full-time for her child, without any help or compensation from the government, which proves to be a relentless and exhausting feat.
Gabrielle however was given her first breather in years thanks to Carefree – a charity that offers unused hotel rooms to unpaid carers.
The mum and her partner stayed at Nobu Shoreditch, a chain where A-Listers such as David and Victoria Beckham, the Kardashians and Justin Bieber have been spotted. Nobu rooms can cost upwards of £200 a night.
Speaking of her much-needed night away, Gabrielle exclusively told us: “Our stay at Nobu Hotel was absolutely amazing.
“It was initially hard to fully switch off at the start as I was assessing the hotel door locks and windows as this is the normal procedure when we have our son with us, but then I remembered that for once, I didn’t have to do that for this break.
“I was able to venture down to the spa and use the facilities and we booked a local restaurant for dinner.
“Taking my son to restaurants isn’t something that happens often. He can’t cope with the busy environments, smells and loud noises so having dinner in a restaurant felt like luxury!
“Being able to sleep through the whole night and not having a 3am wake up call was definitely a highlight. Getting a full 12 hour sleep in a wonderful hotel definitely helped me to relax and clear any anxiety.”
Gabrielle is just one of the 5million unpaid carers in the UK, whose huge responsibility of looking after a loved one is collectively valued between £162 billion and £184.3 billion per year – which is the equivalent of funding a second NHS.
These vital individuals can either assist their loved ones a few hours each week or provide around-the-clock care, with 54% of unpaid carers having to either entirely give up or reduce their paid work.
This leaves many unpaid carers with little financial support, a lack of support and subsequently takes a huge toll on their mental and physical health.
Wanting to give carers a chance to relax – even for one night – Carefree have partnered with the likes of Radisson Blu, Nobu, and Axiom Hospitality, who donate unused rooms at no cost. The only thing carers need to pay is a £33 admin charge to help keep the charity running.
So far, the charity has delivered 17,677 breaks to unpaid carers, 43,780 carers are registered and 95% admit that their break improved their wellbeing.
Gabrielle candidly shared that her stay at Nobu through Carefree was a “lifeline” for her after feeling trapped in a cycle of never-ending anxiety and worry.
For one night, Gabrielle was able to enlist a family member to care for little Arlo and enjoy a restful getaway for the first time in years.
The mum said: “I think if all hotels offered these types of breaks for carers, it would be a lifeline to a lot of people.
“With the cost of everything rising, it can be hard to put money away for yourself. My son has very high care needs which financially can be quite tough.
“But, with Carefree, you don’t need to worry about funding the whole price of a break or feeling guilty from taking any money away from important sectors in your life – and that is such a relief!
“It’s also a goal to look forward to and not only helps with the physical side of relaxation but mentally as well.
“Carers have a lot of anxiety and worry which sometimes feels never ending. They are always advocating for their loved one and quite often you feel as though you’re in a hole with no way out.
“Carefree offered us a ladder to get out of that hole at a time when it was much needed! Our break was much more than just a night away, it was a chance to reconnect with myself and spend quality time with my partner.
“By helping out a carer you’re also helping out someone who depends on them.”
To see if you’re eligible to apply for a stay through Carefree or want to donate a room, then you can find more information here.