The Best Family-Friendly Holidays to Book Now
Where to enjoy a real break with all the family
Pine Cliffs, Algarve
– Portugal –
Under two hours flight time has to be part of the appeal when you are looking for a family break abroad. Lots of distractions for the kids, meaning plenty of down time for the adults, is also tempting. But family holidays aren’t about shedding your responsibilities and shuffling the kids off to their clubs each day.
Pine Cliffs does, however, have one of the largest kids’ clubs in Europe, but there’s also plenty for everyone to do together as a family if you can tear the youngsters away from the football, archery, mini-golf, crafts, the cookery school and the vast Porto Pirata village with two life-sized pirate ships to play on.
Golfers will love the nine-hole course set along the cliffs, and tennis enthusiasts can make use of the Annabel Croft Tennis Academy with tennis and padel courts and expert coaching available too. The Football Academy often hosts international teams on training camps, but all budding Ronaldos can join the daily classes to hone their skills.
Accommodation varies from two and three-bedroomed townhouses to expansive apartments, terraces and villas all within Pine Cliffs Village resort and all perched on the clifftop overlooking the Atlantic and the Praia da Falésia, one of the Algarve’s most beautiful unspoiled beaches where there are plenty of water sports on offer to keep everyone thoroughly entertained.
The 15 restaurants and bars and eight pools may sound daunting in scale, but that means there are plenty of quiet spots to escape the crowds (try the Sunset Pop-Up Gin Bar) and plenty of choice when it comes to dining options, (we love the Japanese fusion Yakuza by Olivier Algarve). The on-site mini market is where to go to stock up on essentials, or if you want a quiet family meal at home.
Albufeira, Algarve, Portugal
pinecliffs.com
Bedruthan Hotel & Spa, Magwan Porth
– Cornwall –
Every family should experience a British bucket-and-spade holiday at least once. That’s not to say you have to compromise on luxury, although the weather may be less predictable than the facilities. After 65 years, they reckon they’ve got the perfect formula for families, and it certainly sounds like it with plenty of family-friendly activities and opportunities to grab a little you-time too.
Book a two-hour session in the Play Space Creche for the under fives where they can sing, play, dance and create to their heart’s content. For everyone else, there’s a daily programme of workshops, classes and artist-led sessions so you can all try something new like lino printing, pot making and canvas painting. If you want a little more adult time the hotel’s Kids’ Clubs run through the school holidays and into the evenings for the over fives, including silent discos, story telling and quiz nights so you are free to enjoy a sundowner at the bar.
For beach babies, young and old, Mawgan Porth beach is just down a sandy path where you can dig holes, build sandcastles and go rock pooling all day, but if rain stops play then Bedruthnan has a Jungle Tumble soft play area, an indoor swimming pool, a cinema room and plenty of blankets and board games (it is a seaside holiday in the UK after all).
The beautiful Scandi-style rooms are bright and airy, with sliding doors and shaded terraces, with plenty of space for additional beds, or book the larger, two-bedroom apartments with their own lounge area.
The Cocktail Bar & Terrace has unobstructed views across the bay, the view from the all-day Wild Café is really something at sunset, and The Ogo serves up a feast of seasonal specialities (and a children’s menu from 5.30pm – 6.30pm).
Mawgan Porth, Cornwall
bedruthan.com
Hillside Beach Club, Fethiye
– Turkey –
Tucked into the idyllic Kalemya Bay, terraced rooms and suites crawl up the wooded slopes above the sandy beach giving the impression of a secluded holiday village. The award-winning rooms benefit from beautiful views and the sea breeze ruffling the trees above the bay and include two-bedroomed Family Rooms with a private terrace.
The kids’ club here is separated into three and starts with the Baby Park for under threes. Designed to provide some quality time for parents and babies, there’s a sandpit, baby pool and playground. Experienced entertainers are on hand in Kidside, catering for ages four to 10, providing everything from tennis lessons to piano workshops. Send the eight-to-15-year-olds to the Club Activity centre and you may never see them all holiday. Here they can hang out safely in and out of the water with plenty of organised activities to keep them entertained all day.
Three beaches make up the resort. Main beach buzzes with sailing boats and wakeboarders whilst the adult-only Serenity and Silent beaches offer a quiet escape from all the activity. Sporty types can take part in beach volleyball, beachside yoga, Zumba, tennis and even archery.
The three restaurants offer a choice between the candle-lit, beachside eatery Pasha on the Bay serving Turkish mezzo, the misleadingly named Beach Bar & Restaurant (it’s in the gardens) offering authentic Italian dishes, and world-wide cuisine served buffet-style in the Main Restaurant.
With the family occupied, take time out at the Sanda Nature Spa on Silent beach where Balinese therapists work their magic in the therapy rooms dotted between the trees, before rejoining the family on the beach for a sundowner.
Fethiye, Turkey
hillsidebeachclub.com
Vivosa Apulia Resort, Puglia
– Italy –
This award-winning, all inclusive, family-friendly eco-resort is set in the protected pine forests of Litorale di Ugento Natural Park, along a stunning stretch of coastline known as the ‘Maldives of Salento’ where guests can enjoy the beauty of nature while knowing that their stay supports local conservation efforts.
A carbon positive resort, Vivosa combines green initiatives with a high-end experience perfect for all ecologically-minded families, and from turtle-hatching to treetop adventures, there’s so much to do here. Animal-loving families will love Vivosa’s TartaFriends initiative, which works with the local Sea Turtle Rescue Center to protect Puglia’s resident sea turtles, including those who make their nests on Vivosa’s sandy beach. Families can join the resort’s weekly meeting with the Rescue Center to learn how to identify new nests and about the life and conservation of turtles and, if you’re lucky, see the turtles for yourself. The resort has five dedicated kid’s clubs all packed with different itineraries depending on the age group, and from Italian ceramics and papier-mâché workshops to high ropes courses, beach volleyball, and nature-focused activities like falconry, beekeeping, and gardening, children will be entertained from morning to night.
And while the kids are kept busy, parents will love to take advantage of VOS, the Vivosa Organic Spa with its wellness centre. Yoga, pilates, HIIT and spin classes are all included too.
Vivosa’s buffet restaurant serves a special, nutritionist-designed menu made using local ingredients and there are regular themed evening including woodside barbecues and show-cooking by the sea. With an emphasis on healthy (but delicious) food and wellness, guests can take advantage of cutting edge diagnostic tools such as BIA and Multi-Gene testing to help identify the right dietary and fitness choices. There’s no wonder it’s been voted Italy’s best all-inclusive resort four years running.
vivosaresort.com
Glen Dye, Banchory
– Aberdeenshire –
For those families that love an action-packed break and want their kids to learn more about nature, this is the place to let them go wild in 15,000 acres of stunningly beautiful Scottish landscape.
It’s all about the sense of adventure here, and Glen Dye’s purpose-built Discovery and Adventure Centre is where you’ll find everything from axe throwing and bushcraft workshops to riotous archery tag (all under close supervision, of course). With plenty of activities for all the family to join in, this is a great bonding opportunity, whether you want to learn how to light a fire in the woods, build dens or make your own weapons, what you do is up to you, but there’s no doubt every day brings the opportunity for a whole new experience.
Follow the Adventure Trail, with plenty of challenges along the way. Once you’ve completed it, treat yourself with a session in the woodland sauna (and a dip in the cold water tanks) as a reward, or pop into the Seed Store to collect your well-earned badge and open a book or break out a board game and warm up by the fire.
Accommodation comprises everything from luxury, self catering cottages with wood-fired hot tubs to rooms on a bed and breakfast basis, and whilst there’s no permanent restaurant here, special pop-ups do take place with chefs cooking over fire throughout the summer.
