For (mainly) UK parents who know the value of their hard-earned money.
(because great family adventures shouldn’t require a second mortgage)
The ones who love discovering a great place without paying a ridiculous price for it.
The ones who know a good find when they see one.
The ones who can pack snacks, wet wipes, and a healthy dose of humour into the same bag.
Real Days Out. Honest Budgets. Hidden Gems.
No glossy travel brochures.
No “luxury family experiences” that quietly cost £300.
Just real places we’ve actually been.
And approved.
Or not.
hi, I am Marta!
Mum of two boys, hospitality professional, and someone who has always had a bit of a talent for finding great things
— good places, great experiences, and phenomenal deals.
Approved by Marta
grew because hospitality has been part of my life since...always.
It taught me how to notice the small details that make experiences memorable — and also the ones that make them disappointing.
But my UK hospitality story didn’t "just" start.
Starting in the UK
When I first came to the UK from Poland, my English was extremely basic.
Like many immigrants, I started with cleaning hotel rooms.
From there I slowly worked my way up:
hotel housekeeping
→ catering assistant in a conference centre
→ and eventually Duty Manager at a luxury retirement living community, which is my daily job today and one I genuinely love.
Doors opened
Learning the language was the first big step. I completed ESOL at Matthew Boulton College in Birmingham, which gave me the confidence to continue my education.
Later I went on to complete a Master’s Degree in International Hospitality Management at University College Birmingham.
For someone who once arrived with barely any English, that felt like quite a milestone.
(And yes, sometimes I still pause and think about how unlikely that journey once seemed)
Pushed online
Like many people, the pandemic changed my direction.
Suddenly the world moved online — and I followed.
That period introduced me to digital tools, platforms, and online projects. Curiosity turned into experiments, and experiments turned into projects.
(If you're curious about those, you can explore the Books and Other sections on the top right of this site)
Motherhood looked a "little" different from what I had imagined.
Living in the UK meant I didn’t have the traditional “village” many parents rely on.
There was no built-in support system — just the reality of raising children while building a life in a new country.
Over time, I created my own village through friendships and community, but those early years taught me something important:
When you’re raising a family far from home, you start looking at the world differently.
You become more resourceful.
You look for ways to make things work.
Deals.
Opportunities.
Experiences hiding just under the surface.
I research.I compare.I explore.
And over time friends started asking:
"Where did you find that?"
"How do you even discover these places?"
That’s where Approved by Marta comes from
After years of sharing recommendations with friends and family, it slowly turned into something more.
Approved by Marta is simply my way of sharing the places and experiences that genuinely passed the "test".
If you’d like to see where this journey goes next
choose your favourite social platform and follow/subscribe.
That’s where I share new discoveries, hidden gems, and the kind of good finds that make you think “how did I not know about this before?” — along with honest recommendations, family adventures,
and the occasional behind-the-scenes glimpse of real life as a mum, explorer, and professional deal-hunter.
If there is anything specific that you would love me search/show/explore for you- please get in touch too!
