| Holiday Resorts for Families |
Many parents spend so much time and effort in deciding where to take their children on holiday that they need a rest after just trawling through all the brochures! In an effort to make your lives a little easier, Holiday Resorts Guide.com has put together a few suggestions for ideal package resort deals that can be booked for the kids.
Research the Resort!
It is worthwhile carrying out some research before deciding on a destination as the wrong choice of could end up being one of those recently well-publicised "holidays from hell." Anybody who has been to San Antonio in Ibiza or watched "Ibiza Uncovered" on television will know that its a great place for the 18-30's to eat, drink and be merry but its not the ideal destination to take your toddlers to build sand castles on the beach.
Book Family Friendly Packages Deals
Most package travel companies realise that a significant proportion of their business is booked by families with children of all ages and they have tailored their products and deals in recent years to meet the growing demand to book "family packages.
Free Child Places
All the major tour operators now offer free child places which can result in a significant saving on the resort price, although some companies only have a limited number and they may only be available if the holiday is booked well in advance. Also, remember that children aged under 2 by the date of return travel usually travel for only around £20 and other child discounts generally only apply up the age of 11 (hotel accommodation) and 16 (self catering accommodation).
Kids Clubs
For the sake of the parent’s sanity it goes without saying that if the kids are happy, you're happy. With this in mind many resorts have introduced more and more accommodation featuring kids clubs to keep the children entertained allowing mums and dads to recharge their batteries sipping Sangria by the poolside. The kids clubs are generally for children aged between 3 and 12 years old and provide about three hours per day of well-supervised fun activities.
Family Accommodation
In addition to kids clubs some holiday resorts feature deals specifically aimed at families. For example Thomson have a dedicated "Super family" brochure with all the accommodation containing features suggested by parents and children.
Typical features include the following:
• family size bedrooms
• interconnecting rooms
• playground with slides & climbing ladders
• soft play area for under 4's
• daytime & evening professional entertainers
Also Thomson have teamed up with Mother care and are able to supply quality cots, strollers, playpens and bottle warmers which means you've got extra room in your suitcase for even more unnecessary items of clothing.
Family Destinations
Florida
The "Sunshine State" has everything and more. The kids will love it but there's much more to Florida than Walt Disney and theme parks. The theme parks are not suitable for very young children, as they might not be allowed on some of the rides. The main disadvantages are the nine-hour flight from the UK and hot, humid and sometimes wet weather in July and August. The best time of year for weather is in the spring although it can be very busy at Easter.
Menorca
One of the Spanish Balearic islands the resorts of Menorca are perfect for a safe and peaceful family package whilst still being able to enjoy all the best that Spain has to offer. There are dozens of delightful villages and resorts all around Menorca with nightlife relatively low key. Some resorts do have clubs, discos and lively bars but others are much more subdued with evening entertainment centring on pavement cafes, local restaurants and friendly bars. Many tour operators feature their family orientated accommodation on the island.
Camping in France
Tour Operators like Keycamp and Eurosites have an excellent range of holidays perfectly suited to families with children of all ages. Tents and mobile homes are superbly equipped and campsites have every possible amenity, including children's clubs run by dedicated children's representatives. Baby sitting services are also often available too. These have too many advantages to list, including no air traffic control delays. The only disadvantage is that you don't get away from the washing up!
Oasis Forest Holiday Village
Ideal for a long weekend break or a longer stay Oasis is situated on the edge of the Lake District near Penrith in Cumbria. Accommodation is in self-catering lodges or apartments set in a beautiful woodland location. There is a wealth of activities for all to enjoy in a safe environment, as cars have to be kept in the car park well away from the accommodation, footpaths and cycle tracks. Many of the activities are under cover so if the weather's poor there's still plenty to do. This also means that Oasis is ideal in the winter. The main feature of Oasis is "World of Water" which is a sub-tropical paradise offering swimming pools, spas, fountains, slides, flumes, wave machines, water cannons and more. Unlike most of the other activities at Oasis, "World of Water" is included in the basic price with unlimited free entry. The only disadvantage here is that you come out of the pool after six hours looking like a shrivelled prune. Still, Rolf Harris was right when he said many years ago "kids in the water - they'll love it!"
Finally, remember that wherever you decide to go: don't forget your toothbrush!
|
|
|
|
|
|
