Top family-friendly travel companies
These days, most parents are rather good at spotting package holidays that cater for the family, but what if one of those family members happens to be under three? Where do you go on holiday and which holiday company will get you there at an affordable price?
Babyworld has compiled a list of family-friendly holiday companies that look after the entire family, even the littlest member. More companies are now offering infant and toddler-friendly facilities than ever before, but it's always best to ask, ask again and then re-ask if infant and toddler facilities and activities are on offer BEFORE you pay for that much-needed holiday.
Information and prices at time of publication are correct but are subject to change. If you've the time and energy, ask for a holiday brochure so that you can read about a resort's baby facilities before you book.
- Airtours
- Caribtours
- Club Med
- Cosmos
- First Choice
- Just Sardinia
- Keycamp Holidays
- Powder Byrne
- Simply Travel
- Sunsail
- Mark Warner
- Scott Dunn
- Thomson Holidays' Superfamily Holidays
- Virgin Holidays
Airtours
Tel: 0800 028 8808
www.mytravel.com
Airtours' Family First and Super Family First programmes offer a range of packages for families with children under three, including the Balearic Islands, the Greek Islands of Cyprus and Corfu, the Canary Islands, the Costa del Sol and Costa Brava in Spain.
Childcare facilities: On offer are supervised activity clubs for children between three to 10 years and crèche facilities for babies and toddlers, staffed with qualified NNEB personnel and open six hours, six days a week. Parents can also book evening childcare sessions for just £3.50 per hour for two hours, six days a week. Baby equipment is for hire, from highchairs to baby monitors.
Prices: Seven nights in Minorca through October for two adults, two children, inclusive of flights, transfers, self-catering at the Sun Centre Son Blanc Apartments is just £874 total for two adults and two children. The cost of children's clubs is not included in the price and will need to be paid locally. A good rule of thumb: Family packages inclusive of children's club fees will cost up to £600 extra.
Caribtours
Tel: 0207 751 0660
www.caribtours.co.uk
Caribtours is a privately owned and managed holiday company specialising in completely flexible tailor-made holidays to the Caribbean (20 island countries, 100 hotels). The Company has long established relationships with the best hotels in the region which ensures that clients receive the highest levels of service and hospitality. Whether you're planning to travel with young babies, toddlers, youngsters or teenagers, Caribtours will help you to find the ideal venue.
English summer is a great time to go because the value for money is outstanding
as this was traditionally the low season and is less crowded than many Mediterranean
destinations. Caribtours' all inclusive resorts make an excellent choice because
all food, drink and watersports are generally included.
Childcare facilities: All Caribtours hotels that accept children have babysitting and nanny services and excellent children's clubs that generally accept children between 3 and 11 years, some for up to 12 hours per day.
Prices: Special 2007 family offers include one week at The jalousie Plantation, St Lucia from £2,704 per family (based on 2 adults, first child under 2 years and second child under 12 sharing) in a Sugar Mill Room excluding meals for stays between 8 May - 30 June 2007 or 1 September - 31 October 2007.
This includes Free Night Offer (stay 6 nights and receive 1 additional night free), complimentary babysitting for 4 hours (babysitter's transport to and from the resort will be at the guests' expense), British Airways saving, return World Traveller flights on Virgin Atlantic, return private air-conditioned hotel transfers and complimentary lounge pass for London departures. A saving of £541 per family. Must be booked before 31 May 2007.
Alternatively, one week at The Jalousie Plantation, St Lucia from £3,593 per family (based on 2 adults, first child under 2 years, second child under 12 years sharing) in a Sugar Mill Room, all inclusive basis (infant on room only basis) for stays between 8 May - 30 June or 1 - 30 September 2007.
Includes British airways saving, return World Traveller flights on Virgin Atlantic, return private air-conditioned hotel transfers and complimentary lounge pass for London departures. A saving of 31,017 per family. Must be booked before 30 April 2007.
Club Med
Tel: 0700 2582 633
www.clubmed.co.uk
Club Med villages worldwide cater to families of all ages, with 33 resorts.
Childcare facilities:Children's clubs, crèche facilities and babysitters for hire. In most cases children's clubs are open from 9am to 9pm six days a week, babies to 5.30pm daily. Activities include supervised windsurfing, circus school, horse riding and more. Baby Club Med takes children as young as four months in five resorts, while Petit Club Med takes children from two to four years in 21 destinations. Mini Club Meds caters to children 4-13 years, and Junior Club Med is run at all 33 Club Med destinations.
Prices: An all-inclusive, seven-night stay at Club Med Ibiza
for two adults, two children is just £1,992 through October. Club Med Cos in
the Greek Isles has an all-inclusive, seven-night stay for two adults, two children
at just £2,032 through October.
Cosmos
Tel: 0870 908 4299
www.cosmos-holidays.co.uk
Cosmos has been in the family-friendly holiday business for many years to 20 destinations, including Goa, Egypt, Greece, Kenya and Mauritius.
Childcare facilities: Certain resorts offer free children's clubs from toddlers to teenagers. Crèches with qualified Nannies are also available and can be purchased from £18-£45 per day through pre-booking. Baby packs of nappies, baby wipes, bottles, bibs and bowls for toddlers up to 24 months can be purchased at just £30 each. Single parent holidays are also on offer, which include free child places and reduced prices, but enquire before booking.
Prices: Super Club Pontarena in the resort of Varadero, Cuba, is offering an all-inclusive package for two adults, two children sharing a bed but with interconnecting rooms at just £2,912 in October.
First Choice Holiday Villages
0870 850 3999
www.firstchoice.co.uk/holidayvillage
There are First Choice Holiday Villages in Majorca, Lanzarote, the Costa del Sol, Turkey, Sharm El Sheikh on the Red Sea and the Dominican Republic. Each Holiday Village is a beautifully located resort in itself with a multiplicity of restaurants, bars, pools and entertainment possibilities combined with stylish accommodation and superb health and sports possibilities.
Childcare facilities: Holiday Villages cater for children of 12 months or more with a dizzy array of services and activities. The Tweety and Evening Creches, staffed by qualified nannies, look after 12 to 35 months. The Bugs Bunny Club provides 8 hours of amazing variety, 7 days a week for 3 to 8 year olds, with the Pyjama Club offering evening sessions. 9 to 15 year olds can have DJ and music production sessions in July and August and there's a Soccer school (5 - 16years), Swim Kids - fully qualified instruction for children 3 years and above. There are kids disco's, kids menus and other activities too numerous to mention here.
Prices: From about £1550 for 2 adults and two children under 5 for 10 nights fully inclusive at the Holiday Village, Costa del Sol in July, less out of season.
Just Sardinia
Tel: 01202 484858
www.justsardinia.co.uk
Just Sardinia specialise in a wide range of family friendly holidays throughout the beautiful Italian island of Sardinia. All of the resorts featured have been personally visited by a Just Sardinia representative so if you're unsure of where to go, they can suggest the best resorts to suit your needs.
Childcare facilities: The 'Family Sardinia' section of the website features resorts for the whole family and if you fancy a trip to the Northern part of the island, there is a mobile English-speaking nanny available to help look after your children. Most of the resorts offer supervised kids clubs, play areas, babysitting services, excursions and baby equipment.
Prices: Holidays start at around £359 per person (low season) but vary widely according to the standard of accommodation and whether you choose to go on a self-catering or half/full board basis. Children from 0-24 months either go free or there's a small supplement per week, whereas children of 2+ will have a reduction on the adult price.
Keycamp Holidays
Tel: 0870 7000 740
www.keycamp4toddlers.co.uk
With 106 sites across Europe, Keycamp certainly has plenty of choice for young families but it is the superior accommodation (in fully equipped 4 bedroom Supertents, Mobile Homes or Villas), the site facilities, thoughtful finishing touches (such as fitted stair gates and night lights in the mobile homes) and above all the childcare facilities that make life easy and relaxing, as well as fun for your little ones. Childcare Facilities: The Keycamp ethos is that the better kids are cared and catered for the more relaxed Mums and Dads are too!
Childcare facilities: While Toddlers are welcome and provided for at all Keycamp sites with a variety of facilities including paddling pools and play areas, 16 sites feature Mini-Fun Stations for children aged 12 months to 3 years with a gentle programme of activities, 5 hours a day, 6 days per week including storytelling, games, songs, arts and crafts. An array of exciting, sturdy play equipment can be used at any time from 10.00am to 7.00pm. It's big fun for little ones and it's free. On 5 of the most popular campsites in Brittany there is a partnership with Tumble Tots, the UK's leading provider of physical play programmes for toddlers, to create something extra special for the under 3's to help develop their physical and social skills. Cots, high chairs and baby baths are provided free. On selected sites you can rent all terrain buggies and if you choose to stay on one of the Toddler Friendly campsites, you could receive (and keep!) a free Toddler Tent that takes seconds to put up and protects your little ones from the sun.
Prices: Prices start from £119 in low season for 3 nights for the family, high season prices start from £575 for 12 nights in July/August for the family.
Powder Byrne
Tel: 020 8246 5300
www.powderbyrne.com
Powder Byrne Resorts are an excellent range of top hotels in the Mediterranean, Caribbean and Indian Ocean beach holidays . Powder Byrne Original Skiing offers ski holidays in > top European resorts. They run their own baby and kids clubs managed and operated by their own qualified nursery nurses.
Childcare facilities: Powder Byrne runs several clubs in their summer resorts - a creche for children aged six months to three years, Scallywags for four to nine-year-olds,and The Zone for children 10 to 14 years. Activities vary according to the resort but every creche is well-equipped with toys for indoor and outdoor activity. They also run clubs in their ski resorts where PB nannies will take care of the little ones.
Babysitting can be arranged in all their resorts and is provided either by a member of their staff or carefully selected local babysitters regularly used by the hotel.
Prices: A seven night skiing holiday in Flims costs £914 per adult.
£70 per child under 2 years of age. Free creche (subject to availablity)
from Jan to March, otherwise it costs £260 per child.
For their summer resorts the out of school holidays prices are in the region
of £1678 per adult for 7 nights in a five star hotel, breakfast, economy
return flights with BA plus transfer by private transfer at the PB resort in
Cyprus. Creche or club facilities cost £250 per child per week during
school holidays but otherwise are free.
Simply Travel
Tel: 020 8541 2222
www.simplytravel.com
Simply Travel hand-picks accommodation across the Mediterranean for those who prefer to holiday away from the well-trodden paths of the tourist masses. They opened their first crèche (6 months to 5 years) and children's club (6 to 10 years) at Capicciolo in Corsica and have since added facilities on Zakynthos, Crete and Lefkas in Greece and in Akyaka and on the Bodrum Peninsula in Turkey. Both crèches and childrens clubs are staffed by qualified British nannies and can be booked for 5 half days or 5 full days in advance, or on a day to day basis when on holiday. Their location, away from mass market resorts, allows you to explore the authentic corners of these destinations whilst your children are kept entertained and happy.
Childcare facilities: Simply Crèches (6 months to 5 years) offer well-equipped play rooms and sleeping rooms for younger members. There is a selection of toys, games, books and videos to keep youngsters busy and their childcare staff are always on hand to make sure children are happy and comfortable. Simply Club (6 to 10 years) is aimed at keeping children entertained whilst developing skills and making friends. Exciting programmes of events are organised, depending on the age group, ensuring that parents are greeted with happy faces and stories of the adventures children have had. Babysitting is available on request.
Prices: Prices start from £309pp B&B for 7 nights at the Tamarisk Beach Hotel including flights and transfers. Prices for the Crèche and Club are £100 for 5 half days (mornings or afternoons) and £160 for 5 full days with a £20 supplement for infants (6 months to 2 years) for 5 half days, £30 for 5 full days. Babysitting will incur a small charge, payable locally.
Sunsail
Tel: 023 9222 2222
www.sunsail.co.uk
Family-friendly destinations with Sunsail include Greece, Turkey and Antigua in the Caribbean.
Childcare Facilities: Infants cost £65 for one week or £90 for two weeks. The cost of supervised care is £195 per week and features supervised Nanny care. Activity assistants keep the toddlers and over twos entertained and are included in the price of the holiday. Older children can sail, swim, canoe or participate in a host of team sports with the price for this included in the holiday. Half-board stays feature a baby-listening service and babysitting can be arranged (charged locally).
Prices: A seven-night stay at the Galini Club on Lefkas on the Greek Isles is £465 per adults and £325 per child over two in late October, sharing a room.
Tel: 0871 703 3889
Ski: 0871 703 3890
Families can holiday in 8 locations in the Mediterranean and Agean Sea.
Childcare facilities: Six children's clubs catering for infants to 17 year olds, running six days a week. Pre-booking is advisable as demand is high. An infant club from four to 12 months costs £150 for six half days or £300 for six full days of childcare. An evening creche service is available for younger children (4 months to 5 years) at all resorts. Babysitting can also be charged at €12 per hour and is bookable in resort.
Prices: A seven-night stay at Mark Warner's Lakitira Beach Resort in Kos, Greece costs from £575 per adult based on two sharing. Children 2 - 12 sharing parent's bedroom are charged from £345 in October. Under two's pay £100 per week.
Scott Dunn
020 8682 5050 Scott Dunn Ski
020 8682 5040 Scott Dunn Mediteranean
020 8682 5010 Scott Dunn World
020 8682 5030 Scott Dunn Latin America
020 8682 5020 Scott Dunn Oceans & Islands
www.scottdunn.com
Many of Scott Dunn's luxury holidays cater for families. Destinations with child friendly features include the Mediterranean and ski holidays.
Childcare facilities: Both ski chalet and Mediterranean villa holidays come complete with a chef, host and a private nanny. Also many hotels featured in the brochure have a Scott Dunn children's clubs.
Prices: Seven nights in a Mediterranean villa in June costs from £1525 per adult, and £400 per child based on 2 adults and 2 children (infants under 2 are £105) and includes return flights, car hire, a Scott Dunn chef who provides all meals for five and a half days a week, and a Scott Dunn nanny.
Thomson Holidays' Superfamily Holidays
Tel: 0870 514 3499
www.thomson-holidays.com
The granddaddy of all Family package holidays, Thomson now offers family-friendly hotels and apartments to 13 destinations in the Med, the Balearics, the Algarve and Spain.
Childcare facilities: Infants to early teens are welcome, with baby packs on sale, to Mothercare baby equipment for hire (cots, highchairs, playpens, strollers, bottle warmers and sterilizers) and even pagers and mobile phones are available for free so parents can keep in touch with their brood throughout the day. Crèche facilities for infants up to 4 years are £4 an hour, and open daily, bookable in advance or on site. You can also pre-book baby feed packs from Heinz for babies aged four months onwards and a UV-safe tent for the beach. Children's clubs, called Kidszone, cater to children three to 12 and run a range of events from five-a-side football, water and beach sports, to nightly family entertainment.
Prices: A seven-night self-catering stay at the villa Nova at Sao Joao resort in the Algarve leaving from Gatwick for two adults, two children sharing a room but with children's rollout beds is just £1,099 48, and includes flights and all transfers.
Virgin Holidays
Tel: 0870 000 0870 br Brochure line: 0870 990 4215
www.virginholidays.com
Virgin Holidays now flies more people to Florida than any other holiday company in the UK. Virgin also has packages to California and New England, the Caribbean and South Africa.
Childcare facilities: These include children's clubs, crèche facilities, babysitting services (paid locally), and free child places and reduced prices for older children. Single parents specials are also on offer.
Prices: A seven-night stay at the Family friendly Royal Pacific Resort, Orlando, Florida, for two adults and two children in November is £869 per adult and £349 per child and includes flights, transfers and a free family pass to Universal Studios Theme Park (subject to availability).
by Julie Collins
Where to next?
- Booking a holiday? Check out the best family airlines
- Read one mum's account of flying long-haul with her baby
- Have you had a bad travel experience abroad? Share your tips with other mums on our discussion forum
- Visit our summer section for everything you need to know to get you through the summer
- Going abroad soon? Use our Holiday essentials guide to check what baby goods are stocked abroad
- Check our suncream test results
- Read our summer safety feature
- Buy your summer bargains online from shop@babyworld
Useful Organisations
- MASTA (Medical Advisory Services for Travellers Abroad), tel: 02392 553933, offers information on travelling abroad, particularly concerning vaccinations.
- British Airways Travel Clinic tel: 01276 685040, for details on health information and your nearest clinic.
