The best family hotels in Europe

Holidaying with kids is fun but no one would call it restful. But these family-friendly hotels specialise in small-people entertainment – from kids’ clubs and splash pools to treasure hunts and “Babewatch” sessions. Which means the grown-ups get to unwind – for at least some of the time...

Porto Sani, Halkidiki, Greece

On arrival at Porto Santi, I noticed “strangely mellow parents in pleasant trances”, said Florrie Thomas in Condé Nast Traveller. It’s easy to see why. Each detail at this tranquil hotel in northwestern Greece has been carefully designed to “take the heat off baby and toddler parents”. Newly renovated, the property is “sleek yet child friendly”, equipped with “a splash pool, kids’ club and friendly staff who’ll play peekaboo with the baby”. There’s also an Annabel Karmel-inspired healthy kids’ menu (“the beetroot brownies were a hit”), cots with a white noise machine, a crèche with a “baby consultant” on hand, and a “Babewatch” service that treats parents to 30 minutes of free childcare a day (“cue glorious solo dips”).
sani-resort.com

Moar Gut, Grossarl, Austria

Nestled in a valley in the Austrian Alps, this “private alpine estate” offers an “entirely screen-free, nature-rich children’s programme”, said Risa Merl in The Independent. The on-site nursery welcomes babies from 30 days old, with “sensory play” and “cosy nap spaces”, and the hotel is even home to a baby spa “where little ones can enjoy baby yoga” and “gentle developmental therapies”. For older kids and teens, there is an array of activities including woodworking sessions and “crafting with natural materials”. Family suites are kitted out with changing tables and high chairs, and the organic buffet at breakfast features “soft fruit and veggies” for weaning guests.
moargut.com

Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco, Tuscany, Italy

This “beautifully maintained 800-year-old estate” in Tuscany is an “enticing space” where “little legs” can “get utterly worn out toddling between the dreamy cypress trees”, the “tumble-down castle” and “the sparkling infinity pool”, said Becky Lucas in Condé Nast Traveller. The revamped kids’ club offers “quite possibly the most varied range of locally-inspired activities in the region”, spanning everything from pizza making to birdhouse building. Children’s meals are “served to order” in both of the restaurants and, over the winter months, a mini Christmas market pops up with a secret Santa retreat and an ice-skating rink.
rosewoodhotels.com

Jumeirah Mallorca, Mallorca, Spain

This “serene retreat” overlooking Port de Sóller offers an abundance of “family-friendly extras”, said Merl in The Independent. Kids are treated to “thoughtful gifts” on arrival, including stuffed animals and wooden games, and they can “splash safely” at the child-friendly pool by the beach. There are English-speaking babysitters, child menus, and the kids’ club welcomes little ones aged three to 12 at its complimentary two-hour daily sessions, keeping them busy with an array of arts, crafts and treasure hunts. Parents can “unwind at the adults-only infinity pool with never-ending sea views”. Bliss.
jumeirah.com

The Yeatman, Porto, Portugal

From the “lift designed like a hot air-balloon with ropes and all” to the “decanter-shaped infinity pool”, The Yeatman’s playful side is “plain to see”, said Katie Bowman in The Times. But it’s not just the design features: the city-based hotel’s “genuinely family-friendly atmosphere” makes little ones feel welcome. The kids’ club “takes them on treasure hunts through olive groves”, while grown-ups can make the most of the idyllic spa with its “port-barrel hot tubs and wine-inspired treatments”.
the-yeatman-hotel.com

Terre Blanche, Provence, France

The kids’ club is a “real highlight” at this five-star Provençal resort, said Rosalyn Wikeley in The Standard. The days in its “superlative facilities” are packed with activities, including archery, gardening, tennis and beekeeping, as well as opportunities to meet farm animals and learn about the resort’s diverse array of plants. Terre Blanche also offers family activities, like cycling and cooking classes, “for precious bonding time”, and most of its villas have balconies or terraces “where parents of napping sprogs” can read, relax or even “enjoy an al fresco lunch, without forking out for a babysitter”.
terre-blanche.com