Devon has a multitude of hotels, B&Bs, self-catering apartments, cottages
and campsites that all welcome families with children of all ages. Please
note that the following is a guide only, and babyworld.co.uk has not
visited these establishments.
Hotels,
inns and B&Bs
Bovey Castle, Dartmoor: is situated in the heart of Dartmoor
National Park and is wonderful for both older and younger children.
Family rooms and interconnecting rooms and suites are available, with
a baby listening service. Activities include a playroom, tennis, horse
riding, mountain bikes, golf, falconry displays, walks and fishing.
The long barn shows children how apple-pressing, bee-keeping and other
crafts are done. There are indoor and outdoor pools and a special children's
high tea is served each day.
More info: www.boveycastle.com
The
Bulstone Hotel, Branscombe caters for families with young children
and children under 11 stay for free. Activities include beaches, wine
weekends, teddy bears' picnic, bonfire nights and puddings galore.
Child-friendly facilities include: a special tea at 5pm, baby listening,
large indoor and outdoor play areas, woodlands and gardens, en suite
family rooms and childfree candlelit dinners.
Price guide: B&B for 2 adults and up to 2 children under 11years
old from £90 per night.
More info: www.childfriendlyhotels.com
Fingals
Country House Hotel, Dittisham a luxury hotel situated in an idyllic
valley near the river Dart and with easy access to Dartmouth, Totnes,
Salcombe and Dartmoor.
Some of the rooms are family rooms and self-catering. The hotel offers
a swimming pool, tennis court, croquet lawn and French cooking. Early
high tea is provided for children and on Sundays and Mondays they offer
a barbecue and roast.
Price guide: Midweek, low season with under 3s sharing parents'
room from £95 per night. Family room £130.
More info: http://www.fingals.co.uk
The
Gara Rock, Nr Salcombe
Located close to a lovely sandy beach at the southernmost tip of
South Devon, with spectacular coastal scenery and rolling hills stretching
far into the distance, this friendly hotel offers a blend of fun and
relaxation.
The Gara Rock is especially popular with families during the school
holidays.
All bedrooms and family suites have en-suite facilities and there are
self-catering apartments sleeping from two to ten people. Special children's
entertainment (clowns, tournaments, nature safaris, parties), Mini Club
(3-10 year olds), Mother and Toddler mornings, indoor playroom, outdoor
heated swimming pool, tennis court and baby listening service.
More info: www.gara.co.uk
(the hotel is currently undergo a re-furb and will be open again in
2008)
Langstone
Cliff Hotel: this three-star hotel is situated near the family beach
resort of Dawlish Warren, on Devon's south coast. Its facilities include
two swimming pools, tennis courts, children's plays areas, baby listening
and family rooms.
Price guide: Breakfast and dinner in a family room £68 per person
per night, up to two children under 10 go free when sharing parents'
room. More info:www.langstone-hotel.co.uk/
The
Saunton Sands Hotel: located in north Devon, next to a spectacular
beach, fantastic for walking, swimming and playing around in rock pools.
Kids and adults can learn to surf with the hotel's surf coach, play
in the games room or adventure area, or swim in the indoor and outdoor
pools.
During the school holidays, the hotel runs an entertainment programme
for children including activities such as face painting, water fun,
football and kwik cricket. Magicians and performers also come regularly
to entertain.
An OFSTED registered playroom, baby listening service and locally
bookable babysitters enable parents to have some time to themselves.
More info: www.brend-hotels.co.uk
Thurlestone
Hotel, nr Kingsbridge: Set in the pretty village of Thurlestone
on the Devon coast, this hotel was originally the village inn. It sits
within ten acres of grounds and looks out over its own golf course towards
many lovely sandy beaches.
It's a quietly elegant hotel, which warmly welcomes families and holds
organised children's entertainment during the school holidays.
The hotel has 65 en-suite rooms including family rooms and suites which
can sleep up to six. Most rooms have balconies. Facilities include an
indoor swimming pool with paddling pool, outdoor heated pool (end May
- mid-September), sauna, spa bath, snooker and games rooms, nine-hole
golf course, tennis and squash courts, indoor badminton court.
Children's play area and play room. Babysitting by arrangement, baby
listening, early suppers, children's menus.
More info: www.thurlestone.co.uk
The Woolacombe Bay Hotel, Woolacombe: Set in six acres of grounds,
this traditional family hotel has 
direct,
safe access to a beautiful, seemingly endless, sandy beach. There's
plenty of entertainment for children in holiday periods, including discos,
and for adults there are dinner dances in the elegant ballroom.
Many of the 65 bedrooms have sea views, all have en-suite bathrooms
and many are family suites. There are also self-catering suites and
apartments.
Facilities include an indoor swimming pool, heated outdoor swimming
pool with flume slide, paddling pool, games room, short mat bowls, all-weather
tennis courts, squash courts, gymnasium, spa bath, sauna, solarium and
steam room, nine-hole golf course, billiard room, table tennis, hair
and beauty salons. Baby listening service, early suppers/children's
menus.
More info: www.woolacombe-bay-hotel.co.uk
Self-catering cottages and apartments 
Lower Yelland Farm: is a working farm providing both self-catering
and B&B accommodation near Barnstaple, Devon. www.loweryellandfarm.co.uk
Country Cottage Plus: offers luxury family self-catering cottages
throughout the county, some with access to swimming pools, wildlife
walks and bluebell woods. www.countrycottageplus.co.uk
Dittiscombe Holiday Cottages, Kingsbridge: traditional stone
cottages situated in South Devon, each with their own private garden
and a nature trail with ponds and woods. For children, there is a play
area, swings, slide, climbing wall, sandpit, trampoline, and a living
willow wigwam. www.dittiscombe.co.uk
Holwell Farm Cottages, Dartmoor: five-star farmhouse cottages
proving spacious family accommodation on this working farm on Dartmoor.
Walking, cycling and petting ponies are all part of the fun!
The farm has cows, pigs, ducks, chickens, horses, doves, ponies, dogs
and sheep for children to marvel at, and can help arrange activities
such as falconry, hawking, fly fishing, climbing, canoeing and riding.
www.holwelldartmoor.co.uk
Newbarn Farm Cottages, Paignton: six deluxe cottages with wonderful
views, sleeping form 2 to 12 people.
The site has six lakes/ponds and a barn play area for children.
There is a large indoor heated swimming pool, an outdoor play area
with swings, slide and an adult-size trampoline with safety net. You
can walk and picnic in the 40 acres of private land and dogs are welcome
in three of the cottages.
Baby packs are available for £20 and include a full-size cot, stairgate,
bath, changing mat, high chair, reins and a sling. www.newbarnfarm.com
Caravans and campsites 
Dartmoor View Holiday Park, Dartmoor: A park offering holiday
homes and space for touring caravans. Heated swimming pool and paddling
pool, games room, games area, heated toilet and shower block, pets welcome.www.dartmoorview.co.uk
Peppermint Park, Dawlish Warren: A four-star holiday park, situated
in its own 26 acres of grounds, just a few minutes' walk from Blue-Flag
Dawlish Warren beach.
The site offers touring caravan and camping pitches and luxurious
Retreat Lodges and its facilities include free use of their heated outdoor
swimming pool, children's pool and water flume, free entry to the Peppermint
Club (with family entertainment), coffee and mini-market, coarse fishing,
WiFi and internet kiosk, children's play area, laundrette and ironing
facilities. www.peppermintpark.co.uk
Higher Longford Caravan and Camping Park, Tavistock: This is
a small, friendly, family-run caravan and camping park for campers and
caravanners. Families are welcome and are catered for with recreation
and play areas and countryside walks. Pets are also welcome. Facilities
include a modern heated toilet block, family room, shop, off licence,
take-away and laundrette, as well as a campers' lounge and family room
with TV, games and pool tables. www.higherlongford.co.uk
Woodlands Caravan Park, Totnes: This large and award-winning
caravan park has three camping parks, all with spacious pitches and
modern facilities such as family bathrooms and shower rooms, free showers,
laundries, baby rooms and a small shop. The entertainment provided is
sure to keep families occupied, with playzones, rides, and attractions
free to people staying two nights or more. www.woodlandspark.com
South Breazle Holidays: A secluded caravan and camping site
two miles from Roadford Lake. There are 25 super-sized pitches with
fantastic views over Dartmoor on an organic farm. Facilities include
a purpose-built shower block (including a family and disabled room),
power showers, a well stocked shop, WiFi connection on all pitches,
a play field, and a fun fountain.
The farm is currently building a conservation area and you stand a
good chance of seeing roe deer, red deer, squirrels and birds during
your stay. http://www.southbreazleholidays.co.uk
