It’s not always easy finding a resort that appeals to everyone, especially if you’re travelling with fussy children, demanding teens and even critical grandparents.
There’s a lot to consider, from making sure the kids are kept occupied at the children’s clubs and the teenagers don’t get bored, to ensuring adults have their own spaces to retreat, such as a stress-busting spa or peaceful adults-only pool where the risk of getting splashed by overenthusiastic youngsters is non-existent.
If you’re planning a getaway with the whole brood, fear not, as we’ve rounded up a few of our favourite family resorts, offering everything you’d need for a holiday that keeps everyone happy.
Blue Waters Resort & Spa, Antigua
Blue Waters is a firm favourite with families, not only for its broad offering of entertainment at the fantastic kids’ club, including football, tennis, arts and crafts, but also for its interconnecting family rooms, large villas and wide-ranging facilities. The secluded beaches offer watersports in abundance including snorkelling, windsurfing and kayaking, and four fabulous dining venues ensure plenty of choice.
All restaurants feature a dedicated children’s menu and, knowing that younger guests sometimes like to eat outside of normal service hours, Blue Waters open their eateries slightly earlier for families. For something extra special, why not book into the Cove Suites; set apart from the main resort, these stylish suites and penthouses have one or three bedrooms, full kitchens and a large living/dining area.
7 nights from €1,715 per person sharing a Superior Hillside Room including breakfast.
OFFER: Save up to 35% + first child stays free
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Long Beach, Mauritius
The kids club at Long Beach goes above and beyond when it comes to making sure their youngest guests are happy. Activities abound with archery lessons, pizza-making classes and even yoga sessions. And the fun continues beyond the resort with a range of excursions – glass bottom boat rides introduce children to the wonders of the Indian Ocean, and nature walks take in the plants, animals and insects native to the region, so young minds are educated as well as entertained. Plus, at Long Beach, children under 12 stay and eat free on the same meal plan as their parents year-round.
7 nights from €1,645 per adult and €675 per child sharing a Junior Suite on Half Board.
OFFER: Save 46% + kids stay free + special savings on All-Inclusive
Expert View - Nicola, Destination Manager:
“For me, Long Beach is a great all-rounder, with a huge main pool, over 1.3 kilometres of beautiful beach and an impressive selection of complimentary activities for children and adults, including Zumba, a climbing wall, windsurfing and snorkelling. The atmosphere is elegantly relaxed, with four out of five restaurants set around a central piazza, where there’s a great buzz in the evenings, and I would definitely recommend upgrading to All-Inclusive, as the supplement is great value and even includes beer, soft drinks and juices from your mini bar.”
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Grand Velas Riviera Maya, Mexico
The Riviera Maya entrances with its ancient archaeological sites, postcard-perfect beaches and exotic jungle environs. Plan a stay at Grand Velas Riviera Maya though, and you’ll find you might be tempted to never leave the resort, even for the nearby Mayan pyramids of Tulum. Coexisting beautifully with its natural environment, Grand Velas’ 200 acres encompass wild jungle scenery and a 1,700-foot stretch of private, white-sand beach.
And it’s not just the natural wonders of Mexico that so delight families, here. It’s the bewildering choice of facilities, restaurants, activities and entertainment. The expansive spa is heavenly and features a series of holistic treatments and a blissful hydrotherapy experience; there are eight restaurants to take your pick from, including fine dining options; and activities range from snorkelling to ecological tours around the property taking in the flora, fauna and even cenotes on site.
7 nights from €3,269 per person sharing a Zen Grand Suite Jungle View on All-Inclusive.
OFFER: Save 34% + $50 spa credit
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Bahia del Duque, Tenerife, Spain
The setting of Bahia del Duque will delight and enchant children; the buildings look as though they’ve been etched from the pages of a fairy tale with their pointed turrets and vibrant colours. The staff are adorned in traditional Canaries costume, and bridges and pathways weave between a medley of lagoon pools and exotic gardens, the whole scene being more reminiscent of a Spanish colonial-style village than a resort.
It’s not just the fantasy-style design that gives this resort its sought-after status; it’s located right on the palm-studded Playa del Duque beach with its crystal-clear water and soft golden sands. There are ice cream parlours and restaurants galore along the beach, but you’ll want to sample as many of Bahia del Duque’s eight restaurants as you can. From Mexican tacos to Japanese sushi, you’ll find there’s enough to satisfy all palates here.
7 nights from €1,475 per person sharing a Double Room Garden View including breakfast.
OFFER: Save 20%
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Carlisle Bay, Antigua
We all remember family holidays spent on the beach with a bucket and spade, dipping our toes into the ocean and marvelling at starfish lurking below the waters. Beach holidays provide the best of memories, so what could be better than basing yourself right on one of the very best beaches in Antigua, an island renowned for its awe-inspiring swathes of sand? Carlisle Bay occupies a simply remarkable setting right on the cashmere-soft sands of a natural harbour, flanked by the vivid green hues of the rainforest.
As well as offering a fantastic kids’ club, Carlisle Bay’s plentiful facilities include a cinema screening room, nine tennis courts and an abundance of watersports. Aspiring marine explorers of 8 years and over will no doubt want to take the PADI Bubblemaker course which introduces them to the fundamentals of diving.
7 nights from €2,349 per person sharing a Garden Suite including breakfast.
OFFER: Save up to 30%
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Atmosphere Kanifushi, Maldives
Resorts in the Maldives, with their castaway island setting, need little help when it comes to impressing the whole family, yet Atmosphere Kanifushi delights with more than just its spectacular natural scenery. Boasting some of the largest entry-level villas in the Maldives, this all-inclusive resort offers suites just footsteps from the beach, separated by lush tropical vegetation and towering coconut palms. Sunset Family Villas have interconnecting doors and a large amount of indoor and outdoor space, plus they’re located closer to the kids’ club, main restaurant and sports complex.
7 nights from €3,415 per adult and €1,195 per child sharing a Sunset Junior Suite on All-Inclusive.
OFFER: Save up to 30% + complimentary room upgrade + kids stay & eat free
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Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa, Oman
Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah - Al Waha is Oman’s first dedicated family hotel, and along with its next-door sister hotel, Al Bandar, provides the perfect environment for a holiday filled to the brim with adventures and amenities. The resort is absolutely bursting with things for families to do; kids can get soaked with jets and mists in the Splashpad aquatic play area, float along the Lazy River, and play air hockey or video games in playroom, ‘GameZ’. The whole family can compete against each other in mini golf, or enjoy a meal together at one of nine main restaurants.
5 nights from €1,479 per adult and €809 per child sharing an Al Waha Superior Sea View Room including breakfast.
EXCLUSIVE OFFER: Save 30% + complimentary room upgrade + 20% off spa & watersports
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Saint Peter's Bay Resort & Port Ferdinand Luxury Marina & Residences, Barbados
Villa and apartment-style holidays are a great option for those who like to keep their independence while on holiday. However, sometimes this means compromising on service, without the benefit of a dedicated concierge, supervised children’s clubs and daily housekeeping. Not the case at sister resorts Saint Peter’s Bay and Port Ferdinand in Barbados.
These two resorts, based close by to each other on the island’s northwest coast, offer palatial villa-style living with the benefit of all the comforts and luxuries you’d expect from a first-rate hotel. There’s a complimentary water taxi between each resort so you can enjoy the facilities of both, including the three wonderful restaurants and Port Ferdinand’s tranquil spa.
Saint Peter's Bay
Saint Peter’s Bay is set along a sun-kissed stretch of beach with the glamorous beachfront villas each adorned with terraces with spa pools. Children will love the lagoon-style swimming pool, complimentary watersports and fun-filled children’s zone for ages five and up. One of the highlights of Port Ferdinand is the resort’s turtle conservation programme where children can snorkel with, and help with the release of, turtles.
7 nights from €2,219 per person sharing a One Bedroom Beachfront Room on Room Only.
OFFER: Save 35%
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Port Ferdinand
Port Ferdinand is based on its own glitzy marina, and each of the villas are meticulously decorated, with a marble finish and coral stone walls adding to the grandeur. Each villa features its own individual yacht berth and the resort even features an on-site yacht concierge service. While the kids and teens are having fun doing their own thing, adults can vanish to the Sandbox Tree Spa or the newly-opened Nikki Beach club located on property.
7 nights from €2,329 per person sharing a One Bedroom Luxury Harbourside Villa on Room Only.
OFFER: Save 35%
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If you’d like to find out more, give one of our expert travel advisers a call on 01 431 9700.
