'I found the ultimate 24-hour break for burnt-out mums.'

Mums, I have a community service announcement. I've discovered the ultimate rejuvenation hack for those of us running on empty. Welcome to our NOMO-era (Night On My Own) — the perfect escape for burnt-out mothers everywhere.

Picture this: 24 glorious hours. No kids, no partner, no roommates. Just you. No cooking, no cleaning, no dishes, no washing. No "I'm hungry" bickering, or small humans climbing into your bed at 3am.

Watch: Madeleine West talks parenting later in life on No Filter. Post continues below.

I recently discovered that IHG Hotels & Resorts has thoughtfully crafted a package specifically designed for exhausted mums at various participating hotels across Australia.

It offers a full 24 hours of pure, uninterrupted "me-time" — whether that means pampering, reading, breakfast in bed, or binge-watching trashy TV shows from under crisp hotel sheets.

I have never spent so much time in a bed. Image: Supplied.

From chaos to calm.

As a single mum, the lead-up to my NOMO retreat (which I already desperately miss) was particularly chaotic. Due to a scheduling change, I had my kids for additional days, and naturally, they were both sick. Tag-team style.

So, while juggling my full-time job, I was also playing full-time carer, snack provider, and chicken soup maître d' to two hack-coughing children. The soundtrack to my week was a symphony of sniffles and "Muuuuum, I need..."

I do get breaks from my children as I share custody. But when I'm home, there's always an endless cycle of dishes, tidying, and washing — so much washing. Plus, it happened to be raining every day that week, and my humble little townhouse was leaking from every possible orifice. I had buckets, saucepans and picnic blankets strategically placed around the house like I was living in a shanty.

Shanty no more…Hello I live(d) here. Hotel Indigo Sydney Potts Point. Image: Supplied

The sanctuary.

So when I walked into my 24-hour new abode at Hotel Indigo Sydney Potts Point, I breathed a deep sigh of relief. "Hello, I live here now," I heard myself say out loud to absolutely no one.

I slipped into the plush hotel robe, put on some music, opened my book, and poured a glass of bubbles. And I might have secretly jumped and danced on the bed like I was in my own movie montage, because why not? Nobody was there to witness my joyful regression to childhood.

I never wanted to leave, literally. Image: Supplied.

A new perspective.

The beauty of escaping your normal environment isn't just about the break — it's about experiencing something different. At home, I visit the same cafés and restaurants. We become creatures of habit, ingrained in our local routines.

It was refreshing to explore different streets, people-watch, listen to music and wander around discovering new eateries. Seeing a different slice of the world from where I'm usually so entrenched felt liberating.

Sleep like you remember it.

I slept like a baby in that big lush bed with fresh, clean hotel sheets (why do they feel cleaner than sheets fresh out of my wash?). The next morning, I slept in until 10am. I don't recall the last time I slept past 7am — maybe 2012? The room was blissfully dark, and even my inner insomniac somehow got a break.

Bliss… Image: Supplied.

The ultimate indulgence: breakfast in bed.

The package includes breakfast, coffee and champagne (which I naturally had in bed). Being a single mum, when my kids attempt breakfast in bed on Mother's Day, the toast is either raw or burnt and the tea undrinkable (bless them and the thought that counts, I know).

But this was different — a perfectly prepared bacon and egg roll, a mimosa, proper coffee and fresh fruit. In bed. I popped on the very chic mask from cult beauty brand LOOP (thoughtfully included in the package) between sips of coffee and felt like royalty.

Take me back… Image: Supplied.

The magical 4pm checkout.

The best thing about a 4pm checkout? I continued to luxuriate in bed until 12:30pm. Yes, you read that right — 12:30pm! Watching TV, scrolling through social media without interruption, and simply existing in peaceful solitude.

Leaving my tranquil sanctuary at 4pm was difficult, knowing I was returning to my leaking shanty house. But I felt recharged, like I could face another week of it all. Because I'd had 24 hours to rejuvenate.

Now I'm telling all my burnt-out girlfriends they must try this. Like an enthusiastic Tupperware salesperson, I have to stop myself from shouting about it at the school gate. I can't believe it took me 13 years of parenting to discover this magical reset button.

NOMO— a night on my own. Who knew 24 hours could feel like such a transformative holiday? It's the ultimate gift for any mum running on empty.

You can find your nearest NOMO at participating hotels across Australia here.

All stays include complimentary breakfast and bubbles in bed, a 4pm late check-out, and an exclusive NOMO perk*. The offer available to book and stay until 30 June 2025. *Late checkout is subject to availability.

Mamamia travelled as a guest of the Hotel Indigo Sydney Potts Point. All opinions expressed in this article are the author's own.