As much as we love a good bit of culture, delicious independent restaurants and properly exploring and getting immersed within the country we’re holidaying in, sometimes you just need to make things easy for yourself and book a family friendly resort. We’re talking the hotels with water parks, kid-adapted menus and brilliant kids clubs.
So we took to Instagram to ask you guys about the best European resorts aimed at families that you’d ever stayed at, and this post is the result.
Honest first impressions? To get all the fancy add-ons (like chic interiors and multiple pools) you do have to pay more.
We’re open to expanding this post and including more resorts in a variety of prices and locations, so if you’ve got recommendations for us, just slide into our DMs and emails.
Here’s the best family-friendly holiday resorts in Europe, as voted by you…
IKOS Resorts
For the creme de la creme of family resorts, meet IKOS which has five properties across Spain and Greece (with a new hotel opening in Mallorca in 2023). The rooms and communal areas are likely chicer than any other family hotel you’ve ever laid eyes on – all neutral tones and white and rattan. Included as part of your stay is 24-hour room service, Michelin starred menus and a complimentary MINI to drive for a day as part of your stay to explore the rest of the local area. All hotels are located on sandy beaches, there’s heated pools, kids clubs, in-room Nespresso machines and even complimentary beach childcare. It’s luxury but bring ya kids along for the ride.
Prices start from: Around £350 per night (all-inclusive) for a couple and a child off-season but quickly go up in price during the summer (first child up to the age of 12 is free).
Bahia Principe Fantasia Tenerife
For a beach resort with a sprinkle of Disneyland style magic, take a look at Bahia Principe Fantasia Tenerife. The all-inclusive complex features five swimming pools, a mini water park and splash pool, as well as three fancy a-la-carte restaurants which are included within the cost of your stay. There’s also kids clubs and teen clubs and a theatre with productions for the guests (big and little). It comes highly recommended by a lot of you. Interiors are simple yet chic too which is always a bonus.
Prices start from: Around £200 a night (all inclusive) out of season for a family of four, but again, go up quickly in the warmer months and school holidays.
Zafiro Hotels
There’s 12 hotels in the Zafiro group, spread across Mallorca and Menorca and all are rated either 4* or 5*. It’s the Zafiro Palace hotels – located in Alacudia, Andratx and Palmanova. Expect luxury whilst also being family-friendly. The Palmanova hotel has a children’s pool with pirate ship and splash area. There’s four a-la carte restaurants, mini golf, a kid’s playground AND a spa and wellness area for you. Plus, flight-time is short (around two hours) and regular from the UK.
Prices start from: Around £250 a night (room-only) and £450 a night (all inclusive) for a couple and a toddler. Prices creep up again later in the year for peak-season.
Martinhal
There’s four Martinhal properties and all are in Portugal. The Sagres and Quinta locations are both in the Algarve and perfect for a beachside spring or summer break. What makes Martinhal so magical then? Well, aside from looking the part, there’s five kids clubs, a baby concierge (who provide everything from potties to bottle sterilisers) and in each on-site restaurant you’ll find a kid’s buffet (so there’s no wait time for food), plus a kid’s entertainer who’ll keep your child engrossed whilst you enjoy a well-earned glass of wine. There’s also all the extras like a gym, a spa and plenty of pool and activity choices.
Prices start from: If you’re happy to go off-season (around March time) you’ll find rooms for as little as £150 a night (room only), but as it gets warmer prices go to £400/£500 a night and more if you’re going in school holidays.
Sani Resort
Sani Resort in Halkidiki, Greece offers five hotels within one resort. There’s free stays for under 12s, plus there’s a beautiful creche operating to UK OFSTED standards for you to drop little ones if you fancy a spa treatment or exercise class, or just a quiet lunchtime. Annabel Karmel (queen of kid’s cooking) has worked on the food menus, the resort supplies everything for babies (including pushchairs, video monitors and Gro Clocks) and there’s evening babysitting too. You’ll also find an incredible beach, plenty of pools, places to eat and spa amenities.
Prices start from: You can nab a week in early May for a couple and a baby for around £300 a night (half-board) but prices shoot up in high season to around £600 a night (half-board).
Tui Blue (formerly Family Life)
We’ve all heard of Tui, but they actually have a dedicated range of resorts aimed at those with small kids and they’re known as the Tui Blue for Families collection. All of these hotels have childcare, baby lounges (open all day with microwaves, changing tables etc), kids clubs and fun pools aimed at children, some with splash pools too. There’s multiple properties in places like Mallorca and Lanzarote as well as Greece and Turkey. You’ll also find simple yet chic interiors and plenty of food options.
Prices start from: You can get a week in early May with two kids for around £150 a night (all-inclusive) which goes up during the summer holidays to £250 a night for a family of four.
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