More often than not, family vacations are only fun and relaxing for the kids. The parents, however, tend to have a hard time enjoying themselves. That’s because much like when at home, mom and dad have to organize everything and keep everyone happy and entertained at all times. But, if parents were to choose the right destination, they might be surprised to see that they can, indeed, have a good time and unwind, even if they’re traveling with the whole clan. The following six European hotels are ideal for a family vacation where everyone gets to have a restful and engaging experience.
Borgo Egnazia, Puglia, Italy
Address: Strada Comunale Egnazia, 72015, di Savelletri BR, Italy
Borgo Egnazia is a luxurious resort built to look like a traditional Puglian village – and the illusion is perfect. So perfect, in fact, that Justin Timberlake and Jessical Biel opted to get married there back in 2021. While it has all the features of a village (bell tower included), it has all the amenities of a five-star resort. Think pool, spa, golf course, private beaches, and so on.
And while parents get to hit the links, enjoy a massage, do a bout of shopping at Bottega Egnazia, or swim in the Adriatic, the kids are kept busy and happy at the Trullalleri Kids Club. Activities at the club include creative workshops like painting and cooking, outdoor games, and a visit to a local farm where little ones can learn how to care for donkeys and ponies.
Il Borro, Tuscany, Italy
Address: Via dell’Oreno, 1, 52024 San Giustino Valdarno AR, Italy
Il Borro is not really a hotel; it’s an estate. In fact, it is an estate that covers 2,700-acres and includes an organic farm, multiple villas, and a 1,000-year-old hamlet. The medieval village comprises several buildings, including a 19th-century mansion complete with solid wellness amenities, outbuildings, and, most importantly to gown-ups, a winery. Of course, that means that parents can indulge in wine tastings, while the kids are busy taking part in the wealth of activities at their disposal.
The menu of experiences available to kids at Il Borro include art and crafts workshops, tennis lessons, golf lessons, games, horseback riding, and cooking classes.
Marbella Club, Marbella, Spain
Address: Av. Bulevar Príncipe Alfonso de Hohenlohe, s/n, 29602 Marbella, Málaga, Spain
Marbella Club is the farmhouse-style hotel you want to stay at if you’re desperately in need of vitamin D and delicious seafood, and if you’re dying for a break from your beloved kiddos. Let us explain: Marbella has over 320 days of sunshine per year so no matter when you book, you’re pretty much guaranteed good weather. Not only that, but Marbella Club is right on the Alboran Sea (the westernmost portion of the Med) so the onsite restaurant has no problems filling their fridges with some killer seafood. The beach restaurant, MC Beach, serves prawns, lobsters, sea bass, and a huge variety of sushi every day, so you’ll never go without.
And, of course, there’s the supervised kids club open to children from age four to 14. Your kids will get to partake in candle-making and perfume-distilling workshops, paddleboarding lessons, gardening activities, science experiments, painting and pottery lessons, etc. Not only will they never be bored, but they’ll never interrupt your sunbathing sessions.
Grand-Hotel Du Cap-Ferrat, A Four Seasons Hotel, Côte d’Azur, France
Address: 71 Bd du Général de Gaulle, 06230 Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, France
The French Riviera is always a good idea, no matter the season and no matter if you’re going on your own, with your better half, or with the entire family. It’s sunny, it’s chic, it’s beachy, the food is excellent – what more can you ask for? But not every hotel will meet your expectations for a luxury vacation in the south of France. The one you want to book if you’re traveling with the kiddos is Grand-Hotel Du Cap-Ferrat.
Not only does the peaceful resort on the Med have children’s menus in its restaurants, but it offers many supervised activities for little ones and teenagers. Such activities include kids massages and facials at the spa, luxury mini car rides, open-air movies at night, guided nature walks, and even mixology classes (for mocktails only, of course). Sign them up for the Sea Explorers Kids Club where they can participate in arts and crafts workshops, ball games, and enjoy the huge playground at their disposal, including a pirate-themed village and a treetop course.
Woolley Grange, Wiltshire, England
Address: Woolley Green, Bradford-on-Avon BA15 1TX, United Kingdom
Who said a trip to England with the kids automatically meant that you had to take them to see London’s Harry Potter studios? You don’t. Instead, you can head to the countryside, and they’ll have as much of a blast as you will get to relax. Woolley Grange is the perfect option for such a trip. The Jacobean manor, where you’ll stay, is the stuff of dreams. The grounds are incredibly peaceful, and kids stay for free (if they are in the same room as their parents, that is).
To add to this very good-looking picture, you get to send your little ones to the kids club two hours per day without spending a single penny. There, they’ll do hands-on indoors and outdoors activities. Just note that you have to book them in advance at the club. If you prefer to enjoy activities with the children, there are family cooking classes, gardening experiences, and even marshmallow-roasting sessions. Babysitting services are also available if you want to have a kid-free evening.
Mandarin Oriental, Costa Navarino, Pilos, Mainland Greece
Address: Costa, Navarino Bay, Costa, Pilos 240 01, Greece
Mandarin Oriental properties are so elegant and luxurious that we tend to think of them as adult-only spaces. But they aren’t. Especially the Mandarin Oriental, Costa Navarino in Greece. It’s got all the top-notch amenities for grown-ups that you’d expect from a hotel of this standing, as well as excellent offerings for children. To start, little ones have their own menus at many of the dining venues on site. But that’s not all.
The Coral & Friends Kids Club welcomes children from three months to 12-plus years old. The kids have their own spaces where they can play games, do arts and crafts, take part in mini discos, and more. There are even outdoor movie nights, beach treasure hunts, and tailored spa treatments for them to enjoy the entire resort. And, of course, there’s the giant pool to splash around in for hours on end.
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FAQs
Q: Is there a babysitting service at Woolley Grange?
A: Yes, there is a kids club and a babysitting service at Woolley Grange. Both need to be booked in advance.
Q: What kind of activities can kids do at Borgo Egnazia?
A: Activities at the Trullalleri Kids Club at Borgo Egnazia include creative workshops like painting and cooking, outdoor games, and a visit to a local farm where little ones can learn how to care for donkeys and poneys.
Q: What’s the age restriction at the Coral & Friends Kids Club at the Mandarin Oriental, Costa, Navarino?
A: Children between the ages of three months and 12 years of age are welcome at the Coral & Friends Kids Club.
