Luxury Resorts Perfect For Family Holidays

If you’re looking for a holiday where treasured memories will be created, where the whole family can take part in activities together, or where you can enjoy a little guilt-free us-time knowing the youngsters are being wholesomely entertained at the best kids clubs on the planet, then read on…

5* Daios Cove   // Where: Crete   //   Flight Time from UK: 5hrs    //   Best time to go: Mid-May to October

Daios Cove in Crete is perfect for family holidays.  Crete itself is very family orientated and full of welcoming locals.  The majority of locals speak fluent English which allows for a stress free trip. This resort is located on one of the best parts of Crete’s north-east coast, with a superb private beach set within a sheltered sandy bay.

• Outside of the resort, there’s plenty to see and do. Nearby there’s one of Europe’s most important archaeological sites, a Bronze Age palace, where legends has it Theseus killed the Minotaur.  Plus explore nearby lively towns with cafes, tavernas and restaurants and shops.

  

• Within the resort, there are some great childcare options.  There’s a Creche Club for babies from 4 months old, run by qualified staff meeting UK childcare standards and regulations.

• For children aged 4-12, there’s a kids club offering a varied program of activities.  With both indoor and outdoor play areas, as well as a dedicated children’s pool.

  

• There are specific activities planned for teenagers, plus watersports, tennis lessons and games room.  If you’re over 4, you can learn waterskiing, if you’re over 10, you can scuba drive, if you’re over 16, you can have a windsurfing lesson.  This all adds up to make Daios Cove a great choice for families with children of all ages.

• For grown ups, there’s an amazing state-of-the-art Spa, plus indoor pools, sauna, steam bath and fitness centre.

5* The Ritz-Carlton Abama   //   Where: Tenerife, Canary Islands   //   Flight Time from UK: 4.5hrs    //   Best time to go: Year-Round 

The Ritz-Carlton Abama in Tenerife comes highly recommended for families.  Together with a fab beach, pools and Spa, it’s well known for great tennis & golf facilities too.  It’s also ideal for winter sun, one of the few places within a short flying time with pleasantly warm winter temperatures (average highs of 21°C in January, 27°C in August)

• The Ritz Kids Club (for those aged 4-12) is without a doubt one of the best Kids Clubs in Europe, and is highly regarded for its fun and educational approach.

• Daily organised activities include cooking classes, treasure hunts, ping pong tournaments, face painting, science experiments, wildlife lessons and more. Kids and parents love it!

• The hotel will happily provide any essential child-related paraphernalia, from pushchair parasols to bottle sterilisers and baby bathtubs.

5* Jumeirah Beach Hotel   //   Where: Dubai   //   Flight Time from UK:  6hrs 45mins  //   Best time to go: October – April

Jumeirah Beach Hotel is one of our favourite Dubai hotels.  This resort has got the balance right between family facilities and luxury (kid-free) relaxation, topped with excellent service. A great family holiday choice for these reasons:

• Unlimited access to Wild Wadi Waterpark. The waterpark contains 30+ rides and is a perfect place to cool down and tire out energetic children.

  

• Complimentary access to Sinbads Kids Club is included.  There are soft play areas, dedicated children’s pool with waterslides, water spray guns, water see-saws and lots of shallow sections of the pool, plus lifeguards for peace of mind.

• Daily activities include art and painting projects, movie nights and face painting.

•  The Hub is a dedicated space for teenagers with iPods, game stations, football matches, etc.

• Big family pool area

• Children’s area in main restaurant with mini buffet and plenty of healthy options tailored for discerning palettes (that’s fussy eaters, to you and me!)  There are also small play areas in both main buffet restaurants so you can finish your meal in peace whilst the little ones play!

5* Atlantis, the Palm   //   Where: Dubai   //   Flight Time from UK:   6hrs 45mins //   Best time to go: October – April

Altantis the Palm is often described as the most family friendly resort in Dubai, and for good reason!  The whole place is a kid’s paradise, from the humungous aquarium so big you can snorkel in it to dolphin swimming experiences… you can guarantee your children will never forget this holiday.  Highlights include:

• Unlimited access to Aquaventure Waterpark and The Lost Chambers

  

• Kids club – with art projects, game stations, daily organised activities, underwater theatre, multiple playgrounds

• Teens Club (Club Rush) – exclusive teen hang out, with their own bar (don’t panic, there’s no alcohol – ‘mocktails’ only!), game zones, entertainment lounge, internet cafe, chillout zone

• 

  Dolphin experiences

• Family pool areas with shallow areas, slides and water-guns.

• Large Sandy Beach – perfect for days when all you need is a good old fashioned bucket and spade.

4*+ Windjammer Landing   //   Where: St Lucia   //   Flight Time from UK: 8hrs    //   Best time to go: December to June

St Lucia itself is a great choice for family holidays, especially those who like to keep active – with excursions from mountain biking, catamaran trips, horse riding and hiking to whale watching.  Windjammer Landing is particularly family focused, with staff that genuinely love children and take care in making sure they have a super holiday:

• Two swimming pools devoted to kids, one with a giant inflatable floating iceberg that will entertain them for hours. There are 5 swimming pools in total so no danger of overcrowding.
  

• Jacquot Fun Club (4 -12 yrs old ) Organised activities for children include: Visit to the Mini Zoo, Watersports, Nature walks, Tee shirt design and tie-dying, Arts & crafts

• Themed nights for kids, including: Pyjama night, disco night, kids mocktail night, pirate night, movie nights

• Teens Club offers themed nights and activities, like bonfire nights and escorted days out to Boutiques and stores nearby in Rodney Bay

• 5 restaurants in the resort
  

• Large rooms and villas (some with private pools) provide plenty of space for everybody

• Kids Stay and Eat Free – First Child (4 – 12 years) stays and eats free on same meal plan as two paying adults year round

• Up to two children (4 – 12 years stay) and eat free on same meal plan as two paying adults between 04 April – 20 December 2016

• Families with infants benefit from the Baby Bonus Offer – Stay 14+ nights between 04 April – 20 December 2016 and receive complimentary 20 hours of day time babysitting services (maximum 7 hours per day – that’s a lot of Spa time!)

4* Crystal Cove Barbados    //   Where: Barbados   //   Flight Time from UK: 8hrs   //   Best time to go: Year round – most popular December – April

One of the best all inclusive resorts in Barbados, Crystal Cove is particularly family friendly.  All-Inclusive really means All-Inclusive, and with no hidden or optional extras you don’t ever have to worry about the cost of taking part in their many and varied family activities:

• Spend some quality time together with the summer program of activities from sandcastle contests and beach obstacle courses to Bonfire Boogie Nights, face painting, fun fairs in traditional costumes, or explore Barbados with Freddie’s Island & Adventure Tours

• Families travelling with infants can pre-order essential items for the baby, like nappies, baby wipes, formula, etc, to save packing them.

  

• Watersports included: snorkeling, sailing, paddle boarding, kayaking, windsurfing,waterskiing, banana boating
  

• There are three swimming pools, dedicated childrens splash pool and 1500ft of white sandy beach

  

• Flying Fish Kids’ Club caters for children aged 3+ (those under 3 can use the facilities when accompanied by a parent or nanny). Organised activities include movie night under the stars, mini chefs, beach cricket and snorkelling with turtles

• Splashtastic! is a mini water park set up on the beach, with a slide, spray guns and large water balloons.

• Dine around programme with sister properties can be easily used with babysitting services (babysitting is about the only thing you may have to pay extra for, depending on when you stay).

• 1^st child stays free in the same room as parents between April and September 2016.

To find out more about any of the hotels mentioned above, please give one of our friendly destination specialists a call on 020 3603 9665 or visit https://www.letsgo2.com/family/ to see our current special offers for family holidays.