Best Family-Friendly Resorts in Europe to Book This Summer
A well-executed family vacation can be difficult to get right. With adults seeking a rejuvenating escape and children craving a dynamic adventure, trying to strike the balance can leave either party feeling short-changed and frustrated. Thankfully, there are a number of mesmerizing hotels peppered throughout Europe that have mastered the art of family vacationing.
From a hill-side stay in Cyprus and a getaway on Portugal's wild West oast to a peaceful retreat in rural France, we've has selected the most idyllic stays that will satiate the travel-bug in all members of the family.
This article was originally published on Condé Nast Traveller U.K.
All listings featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. If you book something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Yotam Sandak/Courtesy of Kimpton Aysla MallorcaKimpton Aysla Mallorca
Mallorca, Spain
Hammock chairs and bulbous ceramics, geometric tiles and woven lampshades, are just a few of the standout design features at Kimpton Aysla Mallorca. Outside, little paths wind past pomegranate and olive trees, punctuated by wicker seats and benches so that, at night, the garden resembles a fairy grotto. You can venture out on the hotel’s e-bikes to experience the cheap thrills of Santa Ponsa and the smart marina at Puerto Portals, where there’s a quieter beach, but mainly this is a place to lie back and let the island do its thing. Aysla opened last autumn, and this season will bring T-shirt-painting and ceramics sessions, along with a Mediterranean grill, and the Asian restaurant is great for sushi-loving teens (there are seats at the counter where we watch chefs slice tuna and stir-fry bibimbap). We’ve never been to a small hotel with so many pools—two outside and one inside. Surprisingly for Mallorca, the island where modern tourism was invented, there are few other resorts open year-round, making this a no-brainer for quick-fix, out-of-season holidays. —Rick Jordan
Price: Rooms from around $394
Nicola Neri/Courtesy of OasyhotelOasyhotel
Tuscany, Italy
This former hunting estate is set in more than 2,470 acres of wild-flower meadows and beech and pine forests. We visited in deepest autumn, but in the summer a lake offers swimming, paddleboarding, and kayaking. For grateful parents, there is yoga and an on-site spa offering massages. And for kids, the utterly charming staff brought a relaxed and fun energy, even during the swanky dinners in Le Felci, one of two restaurants. The ecological ethos extends to the food: 70 percent of the produce used at the hotel comes from the mountain, so breakfast included the estate’s own organic yogurts, cheeses, jams, and juices, while dinners were mostly rich, hearty, and meaty Tuscan dishes of pork, rabbit, and beef. The younger and pickier guests among us were plied with fantastic burgers, cotoletta cutlets, and fries on repeat. —Clare Coulson
Price: Rooms from around $465
Alicia TaylorAnassa
Paphos, Cyprus
Anassa is supremely beautiful. A glossy supermodel of an estate and one of the best hotels in Cyprus, it cascades down the Paphos hillside like flowing golden Champagne, a mirage of effortlessly chic, traditional white buildings with blue shutters and terracotta roofs, manicured gardens and gently swaying trees, infinity pools, lush lawns, and cappuccino-shade sands. But your kid doesn’t care about any of that. What they do care about is the daily breakfast and supper banquets, where tribes of children dart excitedly between buffet tables, wondering how long they have to wait before they can hit the spectacular spread of kids’ desserts (so good the adults go in for its ice cream with all the toppings too). They care about the toys magicked up on the beach, the zoo trips, pottery lessons and baking at the excellent kids’ club open to babies from just four months, or the self-captained boat trips they can paddle off on (along with their adults), out into the serene, memory-forming Mediterranean blue. Parents, meanwhile, are passionate about the hotel’s suitcase-saving Baby Go Lightly service, which ensures all vacation-changing essentials, from baby wipes to strollers, are on-hand upon arrival, the early restaurant sittings, evening kids’ activities and babysitting options. It’s no wonder so many families return year after year to this now decades’-old dream of a destination, until one generation slides into another. —Becky Lucas
Price: Rooms from around $516
Heinz Troll/MarBella ElixMarBella Elix
Igoumenitsa, Greece
You should choose to arrive at MarBella Elix by private boat transfer from Corfu. Even the surliest adolescent will be exhilarated by the Mediterranean breeze, the coves and caves, and secluded beaches. Like a hidden Bond villain’s lair, the hotel, opened in May 2021, emerges from the pine-covered hillside, with a funicular running down to the cream-colored sands of Karavostasi beach. In another life this was a favorite hangout of German campervanners. Today it’s one of the best beach hotels in Europe, home to inviting sunbeds and a smart beach restaurant and bar, Azure. From strollers and baby monitors to the well-stocked shop and the heated and shaded children’s pool, all the key ingredients are here. The hotel draws on its surroundings, with complimentary sailing tasters and snorkeling around underwater meadows, hiking, yoga, and mountain biking on land. A London creative events company organizes everything from stargazing to Greek-mythology games for children come summer. Choose from nine family-room options, some with panoramic private pools or two stories—all of them, like the rest of the hotel, comfortable but super smart; beachy but beautifully pared back. —B.L.
Price: Doubles from around $388
Airelles Saint-Tropez, Château de la MessardièreAirelles Château de la Messardière
St. Tropez, France
St. Tropez’s hedonistic charms are famous, and this is a glorious invitation to flop beneath olive trees amid the soothing peace of a 30-acre estate away from the main event. The fairy-tale château, the latest Mediterranean opening from the group behind Le Grand Contrôle in Versailles, is all turrets and cupolas with a sun-blazed ochre façade. The suites spoil with sea or pool views, Ralph Lauren homewares and citrus products from Parisian perfumer Blaise Mautin. Creative dining panders to every tantrum and tiredness level: Italian in the Carrara bistro, real McCoy Provençal at the Thirties L’Auberge des Maures (which moved here from downtown St. Tropez last year) or pan-Asian at Nobu-partnered Matsuhisa (kudos for the DJ and itinerant magician). Seafood and cocktails with lavender, thyme, and other local herbs seduce guests in the superlative beach club on A-lister Plage de Pampelonne. But where are all les enfants? Having a ball at the kids’ club extraordinaire, a palatial villa with activity rooms (Lego kingdom, arcade games, art studio, pottery workshop, cinema, you name it), trampolines, tennis courts, a treehouse, pirate-ship playground, and smart outdoor pool.
Price: Doubles from around $844
Almyra
Paphos, Cyprus
Paphos city and its melee may be moments from Almyra, but you’ll be hard-pressed to drag yourself from the hotel’s family comforts. Every age group is catered for, from the five freshwater pools—including one for kids, heated and partially shaded by a beautiful olive tree, and one sleek adults’-only option, some distance away—to tennis and swimming lessons for the easily bored, and the mighty, multi-spaced kids’ club. Split into groups from four months to teens, it guarantees the most attention-grabbing activities—from rather impressive art projects to exploring the nearby harbor and castle. It comes armed with every piece of kit a young human could possibly need, including the space-saving Baby Go Lightly service (also on offer at Anassa, which is owned by the same family), enabling you to pre-order most paraphernalia ahead, from car seats to swim diapers.
Parents can therefore shoot off stress-free to the adults’-only wellness spa for a spot of sage-smudging, meditation and massage. You actually want to spend time all together? Book an experience: maybe picking and pressing olive oil, or trekking to where Aphrodite met Adonis. The ultimate highlight here, however, is the food. From heavenly sushi and miso cod at cool Japanese-Mediterranean fusion spot Notios, to super-fresh fish and salads served with a serenade at beachside Cypriot restaurant Ouzeri, all dishes are wonderfully distant from chicken nuggets. Somehow this reasonably priced family-owned hotel manages to be laidback enough for rambunctious crews, yet smart enough for grown-ups after a real escape. —B.L.
Price: Rooms from around $253
Charly SimonIkos Andalusia
Málaga, Spain
As you cycle along the boardwalk that leads to Estepona, it’s fun to peek over walls at the other hotels and villas—a Malibu-like jumble of architectural styles that track Marbella’s evolution. Ikos arrived in 2021 with a fresh approach and an aquatic symmetry—buildings are set either side of four main swimming pools, leading down to the beach—that would have the designers of the Alhambra tipping their hat. Dolphin inflatables and pool-side rosé appear throughout the day, the day’s newsletter perused—aqua aerobics at 9 a.m., perhaps, with football for teens before lunch.
This is the brand’s first hotel outside Greece, but it’s the smartest, an Ibizan-style chiringuito writ large in white walls, rattan, and straw lampshades. Ikos’s great idea was to redefine the all-inclusive concept for those who’d never normally consider it. Room service and bottles of Taittinger are covered, as is a round of golf if desired, and there’s an urban buzz to the many restaurants, mostly devised by Michelin-grade chefs (try the Spanish and Greek first), and bars (cocktails by Shoreditch-based Marian Beke). What’s more, guests are encouraged to connect with the region. A day’s Mini Cooper rental is thrown in and the all-inclusive perks are extended to local restaurants, meaning you never feel hemmed in. The only downside is the Melissa Odabash kaftans in the pool shop are not included.
Price: Doubles from around $716
Henrique SerucaPraia do Canal
Aljezur, Portugal
You’ll find Praia do Canal where the drama of the Atlantic pounds limestone cliffs and surfers dot the waves. This is Portugal’s wild west coast, and the resort sits just inland on its own 500 acres, in a protected spot with scope for exploring. Praia do Canal’s particular beauty lies in its privileged sense of space. There are paths to follow through the forest; bicycles to ride down bumpy tracks to a pebbled beach; and expanses of verdant lawns beyond the seemingly never-ending infinity pool.
The subtle kasbah aesthetic that pervades the airy, modern, and somewhat minimalist rooms is a nod to the Algarve’s Moorish heritage. Two-bedroom family suites lead to lawns inset with private pools so parents can keep a close eye on splashing children. Regional dishes such as codfish and chickpea purée and veal with sweet-potato chips blend vague familiarity with new tastes for young palates (or there’s always wood-fired pizzas), while local products are to the fore for parents: cheeses from Odemira, Serpa, and Evora; the black pork of Barrancos and Estremoz; fish from the sea at the end of the gardens.
Cocktails made with fruit from a strawberry tree at the Medronho Bar and an Elemis-stocked spa with glass walls that appear to melt into the leafy landscape complete the parent-pleasing picture.
Price: Doubles from around $275
Courtesy AmaraAmara
Limassol, Cyprus
If you’re the sort of parent who likes to be reminded that you’re still cool, you’ve probably had one beady eye on this hotel opening. Nobu Matsuhisa chose its designers—New York’s Rockwell Group, along with SB Architects and WA Interiors—as one of his conditions before agreeing to open his restaurant, Matsuhisa Limassol, here.
Everything is contemporary and subtly masculine. However, the stylish aesthetic doesn’t render the place child-repellent. The hotel is shrewdly divided into two wings. One is adults-only with a spa. The other, open to families, has a cozy crèche and shiny, well-stocked kids’ club. There are separate infinity-pool areas for grown-ups and children, while baby bathtubs and bottle warmers can be borrowed free of charge. Excellent babysitters can also be arranged should you wish to reclaim your evenings. Amara has two big-gun restaurants: Michelin-grade Ristorante Locatelli, with possibly the best beach views in all of Cyprus, and Nobu’s ultra-cool Japanese-Peruvian outpost. Believe it or not, children are made to feel extremely welcome at both, no matter how much food they may be splattering, with the friendly team happy to cater to any whims. —B.L.
Price: Doubles from around $564
Rupert PeaceOne&Only Portonovi
Portonovi, Montenegro
Mountains, pine forests and preserved medieval villages ring the sumptuous, fjord-like Bay of Kotor. More recently, slick superyacht marinas have been popping up along the shore. The latest is Portonovi Village, home to the first European outpost of the glossy One&Only marque that is more often seen on the beaches of Mauritius and the Maldives. It has pulled out all the stops here. Children start the day devouring doughnuts at breakfast before joining the melée at KidsOnly, a club for treasure hunts and telescope making, science labs, and stick-raft building.
Parents lurk by the pool in Chanel beachwear, ordering Veuve Clicquot by 11 a.m. The most health-conscious focus on recalibration in the heavyweight Chenot Espace, which offers medical-grade diagnostics and transformative treatments from wellness pioneer Henri Chenot. While the Chenot diet is legendary, and effective, it would be a shame to miss out on all the other sensational food (and perhaps foolish to attempt a detox on a family holiday). Sabia turns out the best Italian dishes this side of the Adriatic—don’t skip pizza-making in the kitchen. In summer, the kids’ club is open for movie nights on request, meaning parents can slip off to sushi suppers at the Tapasake Club. It’s not often that indulgence can be this family-friendly.
Price: Doubles from around $881
Six SensesSix Senses Ibiza
Ibiza, Spain
The understated, haute-bohemian Six Senses was the most significant Ibiza hotel opening of last year, and it raises the game for the entire Balearics with its legions of staff, immaculate interiors and impossibly cerulean views. Set in the far north, it is not just physically removed from the action, but feels a world away from the posadas that pump out poolside techno. Merging with lush gardens bursting with pomegranate, pomelo and quince trees, the family-friendly junior suites (which can fit up to two children) are prepped with bespoke midcentury-modern furniture to please the adults and a fenced terrace that will contain crawling babies.
While grown-ups are enjoying the contemporary Middle Eastern cooking at the open-air HaSalon or sushi at BondSt, the kids’ club offers the earthy activities one might expect from Six Senses, such as yoga and art made from recycled food, while older children can join apothecary classes where fragrant lotions are mixed from their home-grown herbs, or have a junior reflexology treatment in the spa. Hotel cars are available for safe passage to that first trip to Pacha. No, you are not invited. Just cross your fingers and hold on till dawn.
Price: Doubles from about $415
Claus Brechenmacher & Reiner Baumann PhotographyCretan Malia Park
Crete, Greece
A considered boho revamp has given this classic Greek Islands hotel on the northeast shore of the island a second wind. Opened by the Sbokou family in the 1980s, with low-rise buildings set in tropical gardens of banana trees, palms, and cacti, it is now drawing in a curious Euro crowd. On the private beach, Italian couples kick back and sunbathe, a bookish Parisian flicks through the latest Prix Goncourt-winning novel, and a group of Germans order a round of Negronis. Little ones come out of the kids’ club giggling before splashing into the river-like swimming pool, racing for the pink-flamingo and crocodile inflatables. Teens hang out at The Place, with its hammock-strung outdoor cinema where parents are kindly invited not to come. The modernist spaces were cleverly designed more than three decades ago—despite having 204 rooms the property never feels overcrowded. Nature envelops it all: the many trees provide shade throughout the grounds and the grassy lawn makes everything smell cool and fresh even in the searing summer heat.
When Agapi and Costantza Sbokou undertook the complete renovation in 2019, they focused on sustainability and the Cretan soul of the place. Designer Vana Pernari opted for knocked-back tonal textures for the interiors with lots of ceramics, wood and stone, plus nature-inspired jungle green and Aegean blue alongside works by urban artists Thanassis and Dimitris Kretsis. Make a beeline for the deluxe family bungalows—with their built-in bunks and separate bedrooms for the grown-ups, they get snapped up early. At Mouries restaurant, the large open kitchen with a huge fireplace hosts cooking lessons using vegetables from the garden during the day and becomes a farm-to-table taverna after sunset. It’s lovely to feast on local flavors under the starry sky listening to the sound of the lyre. This is definitely an elegant new look for Malia.
Price: Family bungalows from about $323 per night
Courtesy Puente Romano Beach ResortPuente Romano
Marbella, Spain
Wander out to the balcony around sunrise and beyond the bougainvillea and ceiba flowers rustling in the breeze you’ll hear the Mediterranean rolling in. Built like a traditional Andalucian village with whitewashed walls, sky-blue ceramic tiles and winding terra-cotta pathways, Puente Romano opened in the late 1970s just down the Golden Mile from its older sister The Marbella Club. And after a series of refurbishments and embellishments—including a Six Senses spa, Nobu outpost and turbo-charged tennis club where Novak Djokovic’s coaches Pepe Imaz and Marko Djokovic give lessons to guests—it may even have the edge now. While most of southern Spain’s smartest stays shout about their seclusion, this hotel is firmly rooted as a local hub—there will be a gang of cocktail-sipping marbellís at Ibiza offshoot El Chiringuito, weekending madrileño couples strolling on the silver-sand beach, and Valencian children trotting to cooking classes in the dynamic kids’ club. It is a busy machine of a place veiled as a laidback hangout.
Dawn beach yoga gives way to lazy breakfasts of mushroom omelettes, just-cut jamón, and freshly squeezed orange juice at Bali-feel Sea Grill before a dip in one of the pools. The spa gets crazy booked up for its new CBD-oil massages, as do martial-arts sessions in the just-revamped gym (the wellness and fitness program is ever-changing). In the evening, as the sky swirls dusty pink, everyone gathers by the first-century Roman bridge at buzzy La Plaza. Punchy chili-coconut Mojitos do the rounds; superstar Dani García’s team delivers wood-fired tapas and succulent steaks; and Nobu chef Eleni Manousou works magic with market-fresh produce in spinach and miso salads or spicy salmon maki. The sun-baked Costa del Sol sometimes gets short shrift, but for an all-singing, all-dancing, everything-at-your-fingertips break, this is about as reliable as it gets.
Price: Junior suites start at $918 per night for a family of three
Heinz TrollPorto Sani
Halkidiki, Greece
While Sani Resort as a whole, with its stellar reputation, is a failsafe option for exhausted parents any time between May and October (and even better for those with under-fours who can avoid school holidays), picking which part of the sprawling set-up to stay in is trickier. But this year the focus is on Porto Sani, tucked away in the lush manicured grounds like a secret hangout. What it lacks in beach frontage it more than makes up for with bobbing-boat views and finger-clicking-quick access to the shops and restaurants of the marina. Last year saw a good, thorough refurb of the hotel—rooms now channel a stripped-back, sun-bleached palette with pale duck-egg blues, abstract seascapes on the walls, and hessian and rattan making an appearance in the sitting rooms. And while that all sounds nerve-rackingly easy for children to trash, this is actually one of the most family-friendly parts of the complex.
Kids go wild for the looping, lagoon-like swimming pools; there is a mass of choice when it comes to rooms (suites, extra bedrooms, interconnecting, with a garden, with a pool); and Annabel Karmel makes a starry appearance on all the menus. The gelateria is a 30-second scoot away, as is a brilliant supermarket for picking up any forgotten essentials—although you’ll find practically everything you need in your room. There is a kind of village vibe here, with children forming little tribes, ordering their own juices from the bar, plotting and planning to go into the kids’ club at the same time. It’s hard to ask for more than that. Be sure to pre-book dinner reservations before you even get on the plane. It sounds nuts, but if you want that sunset slot at gorgeous sushi restaurant Katsu or at the pretty taverna Ouzerie in Sani Club, you need to be on the ball.
Price: Rooms from around $719
Linus BergmanUrnatur
Ostergotland, Sweden
Ulrika Krynitz and Håkan Strotz have been running a farm here at Odeshög since 1993 and their extraordinary hideaway, three hours east of Gothenburg, is bound up in their love of the environment. Meaning ‘inspired by nature’, the eco-lodge takes you right to the heart of it, with 10 fairy tale treehouses and turf-roofed wooden huts buried deep in the forest. The hand-built cabins are cozy and—most importantly—have no electricity. The idea is to embrace a stripped-back existence in all its simplicity: if it’s dark, light a candle; if it’s cold, start the fire. That simplicity is a guiding factor, with composting loos, resident chickens, and a complete lack of screens, but that’s not to say this spot isn’t special or delightful. It has all the best elements of nature right here: clear water to swim in, a marked trail lined with wild strawberries, the sound of birds to wake you up. For city dwellers needing a biophilic lift, this is it.
The main clubhouse, where breakfast is served, is a two-minute walk past horse paddocks and sheep pastures. Beyond, Lake Visjö glitters in the early-morning light, waiting to be explored with canoes and paddleboards. The sauna is ready, piping hot, on your return. Vegetarian food is included on a cook-it-yourself basis, much of it grown in the nearby vegetable patch by Krynitz and her gang; local meat, beers, and wine are also available. In the evening, a medley of adults stir pots over crackling fires and share cooking tips in the semi-open kitchen barn while children tumble in hammocks and make new friends. Occasional activities might involve Strotz gathering the kids to pick wild cherries or collect eggs, but overall everyone’s free to roam and enjoy the Scandinavian landscape in a relaxed and thoughtful way. It’s a true rewilding experience.
Price: Cabins for a family of four from around $489 per night, full board (minimum two nights)
Kate SevoMaslina
Stari Grad, Croatia
One of last year’s most interesting but under-the-radar openings in the Med is Maslina, a hideout on the rocky coastline of Hvar. Not one of Dubrovnik’s grandes dames, or the more barefoot lo-fi hotels that dot the islands, but something in between. The positioning is high end, high level, high expectations, but with a 21st-century spin and sustainability at the forefront. From a distance, the low-rise wood-clad buildings are barely distinguishable from the earthy green of the Aleppo pine and olive trees—natural building materials were integral to architect Tomislav Alujević’s design. Inside, everything is open and minimal: sheer linen curtains divide the lobby and library, and a huge slab of Brać stone makes up the reception desk. Interiors don’t distract from the sea outside; the hypnotically blue swipe of Adriatic is glimpsed through every window. It’s this water you will be drawn to for snorkeling, kayaking and exploring the many swimming spots.
For those happier on dry land, the kids’ club hosts cooking classes and climbing-wall sessions, plus farm tours and tree planting. During the day, everyone pads around in their swimsuits, wandering up from sunbathing decks or the saltwater pool for a long lunch. There are cycling and trekking routes through lavender fields, as well as wine and olive-oil tastings at nearby producers, but if you’d rather stay horizontal the spa treatments incorporating sound healing and reiki are very good. Come nightfall, the vibe turns sultry; cocktails served in golden glasses, dinner by candlelight. If you’re staying in one of the villas, definitely book the babysitter and room service for the children.
Price: Doubles from around $443
The UnboundThe Unbound
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
This is where the cool Dutch crew pop to for a countryside blast, but amazingly it’s only a 30-minute cycle ride from the capital’s central Grachtengordel neighborhood. Another world appears at the outskirts of Amsterdam-West as the landscape changes from canals, bikes, and medieval architecture to green polders, ever-changing widescreen skies and fresh breezes blowing in off the North Sea. At The Unbound, young families rent a cabin for the weekend to unwind. Children quickly clamber straight to the natural playground and forget that thing called the iPad ever existed while their parents sink glasses of wine on the sunny deck or nip between the barrel sauna and the dip bath overlooking the pond. Don’t come expecting the pizzazz of Soho Farmhous— things are pretty relaxed but incredibly comfortable.
The forward-thinking, architect-designed free-standing cabins, made from sustainable European wood, sit on stilts and are linked by boardwalks. Interiors are stylishly pulled together by Studio Pistache, with a vintage Ligne Roset Togo sofa, exclusively designed fabrics, and merino-wool blankets. The family-friendly lodges include The Lighthouse, which has its own hot tub, The Barn, modeled on traditional farm buildings, and The Wikkel, partially constructed from cardboard. There is cabin service, which means it’s possible to order in for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, or wander to The Daily shop, fully stocked with wine and food, for supplies to bake your own margherita pizza in the outdoor ovens. But the hub of the place is The Unbound restaurant. Devised by Swiss chef Ralph Schelling, who has worked for big names such as Ferran Adrià and Heston Blumenthal, dishes are inspired by the produce from the organic vegetable fields. Yet there’s no need to dress for dinner. Kick back, relax and no one will bat an eyelid at muddy wellies under the table.
Price: Cabins for a family of four from around $225 per night
Cabü by the LakeCabü by the Lake
Co Cavan, Ireland
It is fair to say that this is one of Ireland’s undiscovered counties. The lake-strewn swath of countryside always seemed to be on the way to somewhere else. Not so any more—the recent arrival of Cabü by the Lakes has put its tranquil charms firmly on the map. Surrounded by the bosky beauty of the Killykeen Forest Park and overlooking Lough Oughter, this cluster of hipster hideaways embraces the great outdoors with its riff on the rustic retreat. A two-hour drive from both Dublin and Belfast, this is where you will find clued-up Irish families eager to immerse themselves in nature. Its wooden huts, loft, and lake houses are dotted among trees and a wildflower meadow, and interiors tap into the cabin-in-the-woods trope with kilims, woolen blankets, and vintage botanical prints. There are fully stocked kitchens, wood-burning stoves, and barbecues, but also Netflix-enabled TVs and Wi-Fi for rainy days. Children can run wild in the 100-acre, car-free grounds and there is direct access to the hiking and biking trails of the forest park. The jetty by the lake has boats and fishing rods for hire to explore the waterlogged landscape of islands, lakes and channels that teem with swans, ducks, and fish. Given the unpredictability of the weather, The Sitooterie is a clever call—an inside-outside space with twinkling fairy lights, cozy blankets, comfy chairs, and a blazing fire to keep chills at bay. The snappily curated Cabü Corner sells coffee and groceries, as well as homeware, gifts, and books. Drop into the Cabin Club for an Aperol Spritz or eat every meal there, taking advantage of the all-day menu and Argentine-style night-time grills. There are also hot tubs and saunas, or steal into the woods for Japanese-style forest bathing surrounded by the swaying trees. This is a Swallows and Amazons fantasy but with all the frills.
Price: Cabins from around $250 per night (minimum two nights)
Deret YannLes Hortensias du Lac
Landes, France
Life is sweet on the shores of Lake Hossegor, a few hundred yards from the rollers that draw surfers from around the world to this southwest corner. Both rugged and cool, the Landes region is usurping the nearby Basque Country in the hearts of Parisians. They come here with their children for August holidays to sidestep the chi-chi hotspots of Ile de Ré and Juan-les-Pins, to roam the countryside and have space to plant their parasols on the beach. Most families hole up in the wooden-shuttered houses between the lake and the sea, but this summer they’ll be clambering for rooms here. This classic hotel, tucked into the pines, was taken over and transformed by the Domaines de Fontenille group: after a top-to-toe renovation it now looks like a kind of midcentury-modern Hamptons surf lodge. The restaurant with its bulb-string-lit terrace serves up a sunny menu of pan-fried squid, mussels, and hay-roasted chicken.
Bedrooms are light and bright, and downstairs whisky decanters and loose-covered sofas have made way for jute rugs on polished-concrete floors, decorative surfboards stacked in a corner, cane benches, and velvet footstools. It feels smart, but also somewhere for wet footprints coming in from the pool or sandy toes from the beach. And the real focus is the sea. The surf clubs that run along La Côte d’Argent offer lessons to everyone from first-timers to near-pros, and there are all sorts of surf competitions and festivals to watch, as well as paddle-boarding on the lake and yoga back at the hotel. A fresh way to tap into the salty-haired vibe of the area, but without the villa hassle of having to cook supper or make the beds.
Price: Rooms from around $297
Karel BalasLes Maisons de Campagne
Ile-de-France, France
The fairy-tale Château de Villiers-le-Mahieu looks on first appearance like any other obscenely romantic, 17th-century French country house: clipped yew trees, a glassy moat, and a portico with pretty turrets peeking out. But inside, the atmosphere is more hip house party with pops of kitsch. Where once might have stood suits of armor there’s an old-school popcorn trolley outside a cinema room, and a big screen displaying the day’s activities, such as yoga and karaoke. Industrial-look lighting and wild wallpapers lend style, and every living space has a help-yourself beer fridge. Help yourself is a running theme at this spot, for not only does it represent a fresh spin on the château, but a reinvention of the all-inclusive, too.
Here, paying upfront and not sweating the small stuff is done the slick way, designed to appeal to Parisian families for whom it’s just an hour’s journey. The focus is on unfussy pleasures: rowing on the moat and borrowing scooters to explore nearby towns. At the pool, baskets of armbands are one of many thoughtful touches that act as analgesics on stressed parents. Food is of course a self-serve affair, but very nicely done with colorful salads, rich dauphinoise, and dorada sizzled on the barbecue out back. Then, as the shadows lengthen, grown-ups retreat to the pétanque pitch with wine. Everything is chilled, and life is sweet.
Price: Rooms from around $182 per night
Rodrigo Simões CardosoOutpost
Casa Das Arribas, Portugal
Built for a wealthy family in the 1940s by influential Portuguese architect Raul Lino, this white-on-white estate—high on a cliff in the old seaside village of Azenhas do Mar—lay abandoned for 15 years until it was modishly revived by its German owner Chris Kraus two years ago. Outpost is now a collection of six cool, clean-lined apartments set in a tropical garden staring vertiginously down to the Atlantic Ocean, while the midnight-green forests of Sintra-Cascais Natural Park creep up behind. They showcase Lino’s pared-down vision and love of space and simplicity. Most have views on at least two sides, plus polished-concrete worktops and exposed ceiling joists. Original terra-cotta tiles, stone fireplaces, and robust, locally made wooden furniture give the place an air of rugged refinement (and parents a sense of relief that there’s nothing too obvious for the children to smash). The Ocean Saloon is the pick of the bunch, with glass doors looking out to a private terrace and roaring, in-your-face sea views. Wool rugs in block-colored stripes, an oval ceramic bath and a swirling sculptural pendant lamp—designed by Kraus in the style of Le Klint—add character.
In summer, the hotel is filled with fresh-faced, outdoorsy European families. A shared tennis and basketball court, gym, swimming pool, spa, and store cupboard stocked with skateboards, games, and yoga mats keep everyone on their toes, meaning young ones are adequately exhausted by bedtime. Surfing is a way of life in these parts, and the practically private beach—a minute’s walk from the garden gate—offers sheltered waves suitable for the youngest budding boarders. Massages and fitness classes can be arranged, as can childcare—especially useful for a quick grown-ups-only day trip to Lisbon (about 45 minutes away). But with its hypnotic scenery and soothing, stripped-back interiors, it’s easy to stay put at this crazy–good-value hangout.
Price: Rooms from around $182 per night
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Noah Surf HouseNoah Surf House
Casa de Prata, Portugal
A sleepy village overlooking a beach pounded by Atlantic waves doesn’t scream child-friendly destination. Yet under-the-radar Santa Cruz, north of Lisbon, has quickly established itself among in-the-know parents. That’s in no small part due to this hip eco-hotel designed by the couple behind gorgeous Areias do Seixo a few miles away. Noah exhibits the same artistic flair but with a more industrial aesthetic. Rooms are in the main house or boxy wood-clad bungalows, their roofs tufted with grass, and kids love the bunks suspended by cables with rope ladders. Teens roam between the skatepark and chill-out room with its table football, or commandeer the hot tub while adults take a deep inhale of salty air from the daybeds around the pool. The ocean beckons as soon as the sun rises but only the most dedicated surfer would miss breakfast with eggs from the resident chickens.
If conditions are too rough off Santa Cruz’s 11 beaches, head north to buzzing Peniche or south to pretty Ericeira, some of the best beaches in Portugal. For dinner there are two options: the restaurant offers twists on local classics such as Ibérico pork pica pau with spices, and Noah Beach House, right on the sand, is big on seafood. In terms of design, bare bricks and chunky furniture are offset by fishing nets, octopus traps, even an upturned boat—this artful flotsam and jetsam reflects a determination to repurpose. Sustainability extends beyond the styling: instead of air-conditioning, thick walls keep rooms cool; rain water is collected and food composted; 70 per cent of energy for hot water is generated by solar power; and everyone is given metal water bottles to reuse. This is somewhere to teach kids good environmental practice, as well as surfing. The modern way to holiday.
Price: Rooms from around $206 per night
Rocco Forte HotelsVerdura
Sciacca, Sicily
An evergreen beachside hangout, this hotel was a labor of love for Rocco Forte and his sister Olga Polizzi when it opened more than a decade ago on the southwest coast of Sicily. The huge estate between the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento and the fishing village of Sciacca remains as slick as ever. Its architecture, a pared-back, modernist affair, has stood the test of time, the whitewashed buildings sitting strong in the rugged landscape dotted with olive groves and fragrant citrus trees. New this summer are 20 Hollywood Hills-style villas with private pools, and while they might look terribly grown-up, with earthy tones of terracotta and ochre and handcrafted ceramics, they come kitted out with night lights, safety plugs, baby baths and other crucial paraphernalia. The whole place is subtly but deftly geared towards the smaller members of the family.
Fussy eaters won’t have anything to complain about, feasting on spaghetti al pomodoro on colorful plates at Liolà trattoria. Food miles are minimal—the fish at all four restaurants is fresh from the sea. Extra energy is burnt off in the sports clubs where professionals train in everything from football to windsurfing, on the tennis courts, dive-bombing into the indoor and outdoor swimming pools, and cycling around the 230-hectare grounds, which are flat enough to navigate with a buggy. The kids’ club is full of singing-and-dancing Sicilian Mary Poppins organizing fun and games. Toddlers can take naps in a cool sleep room while parents have theirs under the parasols on the sandy beach or on a treatment bed in the state-of-the-art spa. Smart, easy to get to and high-octane, this may be where Diane von Furstenberg, Leonardo DiCaprio and Bradley Cooper come to attend Google Camp, but it’s also a laidback refuge for those looking for some vitamin D–fueled downtime and to feel the sea breeze on the whole family’s skin.
Price: Rooms from around $633 per night
Ricardo CatarroCraveiral Farmhouse
Alentejo, Portugal
Eight years in the making, this project—a self-sustaining quinta set in the dusty hills of Odemira in the Alentejo—has finally come to fruition. The founders became fixated with the idea of communal living; of forging a place where families could get up close to nature and experience the workings of a modern-day farm—and their rambling, village-like set-up offers exactly that. Whitewashed houses are clustered around courtyards, with simple wooden terraces for watching fiery sunsets; inside, they’re light and bright, with jolts of color (a mustard armchair, a navy Hästens bedframe) and slate kitchens for stashing eggs fresh from the hen coop. Rooms are just a bicycle-pedal from the main house, with its curving walls that offer shelter from the Atlantic breeze and a huge pool where children can splash and parents can snooze on loungers. Interiors are cool and contemporary: beneath undulating ceilings are Nordic-style tables, on which breakfasts of charcuterie and soft cheeses, lemon cake and sun-sweetened nectarines are served next to the open fireplace. The buttery suede sofas are less forgiving of sticky fingers, but once the kids are in bed, it’s a great spot for a nightcap, in reach of the help-yourself bar and some very drinkable honey liqueur. Supper is pulled straight from the vegetable patch and whipped up by Portuguese grandmothers: chilled melon and garlic soup, black pork with tangy tomato bread, rice pudding sprinkled with cinnamon. Even the Vicentino Alvarinho, from the nearby winery, is a love affair with local living. As is the cork that lines the sauna—the sleek concrete spa is a beauty, with a hammam lit by burnished copper lanterns—and the logs that carpet the entrance. Sustainability runs through Craveiral’s veins: rainwater is collected and filtered; old trees become fuel for wood-burning stoves. A stay here is delightful—a place where children can ride horses by day, and then sleep with nothing but an open door and a billowing curtain between them and the great outdoors.
Price: Rooms from around $219 per night
Sebastiano Pellion di PersanoBeach House
Antiparos, Greece
Greece is a shoo-in when it comes to a sure-fire, happiness-through-the-ranks holiday. Turbo hotels, with kids’ clubs, a clutch of restaurants, and private beaches, are dotted across the direct-flight islands and throughout Halkidiki on the mainland; unsurprisingly they come with crowds of repeat guests. For those seeking a slower pace, a simpler barefoot offering in the harder-to-reach parts of the Aegean scratches a more adventurous itch. Antiparos is barely more than a dusty islet, half an hour by ferry from Paros. It’s the antithesis of Crete’s package trips, Mykonos’s party-hard beach clubs, or the teenage rite-of-passage scene in Corfu’s Kassiopi. In fact, there’s very little going on. Opened six years ago, Beach House is a Cycladic villa right on a sheltered bay on the south-east coast—a rustic set-up where good vibes rule. The nine rooms are simple, with blue shutters and bougainvillaea-framed terraces, and the three family suites are the ones to book. Mornings on the beach are especially lovely. Breakfast on wooden tables, cats weaving in and out of chair legs, is a feast of any-way eggs, thick yogurt, honey, and spanakopita. Kids can mess about in the playground, where activities are laid on during most of July and August, while grown-ups stay horizontal on sunbeds. The beachfront bar plays trip hop, and the rosé is ice cold. Lunches and suppers showcase authentic food with a deft hand: catch of the day, octopus risotto, seafood spaghetti, plus a marginally less fishy children’s menu. Yoga sessions and boat rides are available; the clear sea is great for swimming and snorkeling (there’s no pool). It feels like a mini Formentera. Supremely low-key but nails all you really need: good food and good wine, lots of fussing over the children, charming staff, and comfortable beds.
Price: Family suites from around $419 per night
Nomades StudioLe Barn
Bonnelles, France
French country hotels have traditionally tended to be stand-on-ceremony château-grand or heavily upholstered floral-chintz classics. Not places, really, for those prone to tantrums. Which is why this laid-back spot—a cluster of reimagined old barns, like a stripped-back Soho Farmhouse or countrified Hoxton, on the 200-hectare Le Haras de La Cense equestrian estate 40 minutes outside Paris—was such an exciting opening. It seems the boho Marais folk agree: on weekends it’s packed out with couples in matching Ray-Bans soaking in the Nordic baths and Carven-clad parents with artful tattoos chasing toddlers around the lobby. Franco-American owner William Kriegel teamed up with two clever collaborators to make Le Barn’s studied ease so on point: Edouard Daehn and Paris design agency Be-Pôles, which had a hand in The NoMad hotels in New York and L.A., and the Côte d’Azur’s Les Roches Rouges. Rooms have a Shakerist, functional minimalist design: Barbour-fabric curtains, enamel mugs and plates, retro camping chairs. Activities are an all-get-stuck-in affair: bikes with child seats already installed are propped outside the front door, guarded by hotel dog Clark. There’s a rowing boat on the little lake, mini orange life jackets flung over the bench next to it, plus a pirate-and-princess-filled dressing-up box and plenty of paths for rambles through the surrounding forest. Saturdays see more planned events, from mural workshops to archery trials. Naturally, horses are a big part of the action: the smallest riders (from age three) bob along on mini Shetland ponies, and graceful shire horses take the whole gang out for a carriage ride before supper at La Serre greenhouse restaurant. This is the rural good life, with a hefty dose of nonchalant Parisian cool.
Price: Rooms from around $248
Vila Monte Farm houseVila Monte Farm House
Algarve, Portugal
Most people flying to Faro rush straight to the coast, to the clipped golf courses of Quinta do Lago, the wide beaches of Vale do Lobo, the hit of dark, chilly Atlantic blue on the horizon of any of the seaside sunspots. It’s a well-trodden path. More interesting, though, is to look the other way, back at the hills, to the farmland, where the manicured lawns and indentikit villas make way for scrubby olive groves and crumbling villages. Moncarapacho is less than half an hour from the airport but a million miles away in essence. Vila Monte has somehow managed to remain a bit of a secret, a mini estate of whitewashed buildings that blend Moorish architecture with Andalusian hacienda style. The grounds are exquisitely pretty: lush gardens, aromatic cypress trees, thick herbaceous borders, orange and fig trees, ripe fruit weighing down the branches. Inside, the look is Comporta-cool, thanks to Portuguese design maven Vera Iachia: rattan headboards, sisal rugs on stone floors, pergola-shaded terraces casting shadows on day beds. It’s a big enough place that staying put is perfectly possible—there are terrapin-filled ponds, a chef’s table set in the kitchen garden, two pools, a tennis court, a kids’ club, and film nights with popcorn. But there are also trips with a local fisherman to harvest razor clams and oysters (eaten straight away on the boat, washed down with chilled white wine), and adventures exploring the wilder beaches east of Tavira, with their white sand dunes and warm water. At night, after wood-fired thin-crust pizzas and chocolate mousse served from a giant sharing bowl, children run wild across the fairy-lit lawn, collecting carob pods. Back in the room, a plate of freshly baked warm cookies awaits by the bed—a gesture that defines the place rather well.
Price: Rooms from around $295 per night
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Ash JamesSão Lourenço Do Barrocal
Alentejano, Portugal
The Alentejo in Portugal has long been a weekend escape for Lisbonites lucky enough to have farms there. A land of horses and cows, cork and olive trees, its plains stretch under a vast blue sky. This is the Pampas of Europe. When José António Uva inherited his family’s 780-hectare estate at just 26, he devoted the next 14 years to remodeling its ancient village as a hotel. Opened in 2016, it has a barefaced beauty: the whitewashed, brick-floored cottages (with Gaggenau kitchens and bright living rooms), the charming restaurant and Susanne Kaufmann spa are simply dressed with local textiles and crafts. The feel is refined yet relaxed farmhouse. But it’s the mementos displayed—black-and-white photographs, a child’s shoe, a skipping-rope—that give the place a kick of whimsical nostalgia.
Fun and games are cheerfully retro: from treasure hunts to horse-and-trap rides. And all around is this natural playground, with neolithic monumental stones to clamber over, meadows to picnic in, and vineyard trails to explore by bike. Children can dip their toes into their own pool (there is a separate, deeply tranquil one for adults). Fish-finger fanatics will be inspired to try the field-to-fork traditional dishes once they’ve helped chef pluck carrots from the organic vegetable garden. Meanwhile, grown-ups can get a taste of the terroir with the estate’s own wines. Barrocal has been home to tight-knit clans for literally ages—prehistoric tribes, Roman settlers, 19th-century farmers, and now, in José António’s two small children, ninth-generation Uvas. Here is somewhere for families to spend proper time together and get a bit dirty in the dusty earth of one of Portugal’s best-kept secrets. A future classic.
Price: Rooms from around $594 per night
Huus Gstaad
Saanen, Switzerland
While Gstaad’s still an old-school place with long-etched family connections, fresh arrivals can scrape their boots on the welcome mat. And in a town where, until recently, diners could be admonished for wearing shirt-sleeves, a new informality has been embraced. The Huus (not in Gstaad, actually, but in neighboring Saanen) opened at the end of 2016, a chalet-style huus of the type insisted upon in these parts; but inside there’s a refreshingly open-plan frame of mind. A hodgepodge of sofas, chairs, and stools create little islets of sociability in the sprawling lobby-living space, with a well-stocked bar on one side and box-shelves of interesting books and objects rising up on the other. Bright pendants give pops of color, as do fabrics in heathery purples and oranges, while river stone, slate, and pebbles add more texture to the ubiquitous wooden panelling. Family suites are kitted out with cool Mammut rucksacks and hiking blankets, with balconies for mountain gazing—the view, across rooftops to the snaggle-toothed, Eiger-like peak, private planes buzzing down on the valley airstrip, should come with its own string-soaring John Barry theme.
Switzerland is flat-out expensive, so the sheer amount of complimentary activities here is a massive draw: from e-bike tours (actually cycling up the hill will make your calves bulge like Popeye’s), abseiling and sledding to fondue parties, swimming, and, amazingly, ski tuition and kit for the under 10s, making this a great choice for those first, faltering lessons. At the very least swing in the gondola up the flanks of Rellerli, where there’s a trampoline, curious cows, and a metal-sided luge snaking down the mountainside—a whole lot of fun. Back at the hotel, small feet will soon learn to navigate from the pool and junior spa to the games room or play-chalet. Food is taken seriously here, with cloches removed to reveal lavender-smoked veal or red mullet, and arancini or sole fillet for kids (there’s also a separate dining space for younger, messier ones). This is a generous, ready-for-all-occasions den for a summer or winter Alpine fix.
Price: Rooms from around $526 per night
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Costa NavarinoCosta Navarino
Peloponnese, Greece
Vassilis Constantakopoulos, aka The Captain, was a man with a vision. Having made his billions in shipping, he dedicated his life to regenerating Messinia, the Peloponnese peninsula where he grew up, and the result was this estate of hotels and villas, golf courses, and restaurants, all with a committed eco punch. It sounds vast and unwieldy, but the design is clever, the landscape swallows up the buildings, the stone echoes the surrounding villages, and the dunes still have a feeling of wildness. Environmental awareness and conservation are all encompassing—rainwater reservoirs keep the rolling fourways a vibrant green, waste water irrigates plants, and the beaches are protected because of the sea turtles who lay their eggs there (the Barbouni beach club even closes at 5 p.m. so as not to disturb them).
Pick between the Romanos and Westin hotels. The former is more reserved, the latter more obviously family friendly, though they share everything—the restaurants, sunbeds on the beaches, swimming pools and spas. Two kids’ clubs come with an army of dedicated local teachers to entertain their charges, and a long-as-your-arm menu of activities including Young Gardeners, which takes them out to the hotels’ vegetable patch to sow and harvest. After a busy morning of gardening, children squeeze onto benches under an ancient olive tree to tuck into Greek salad drizzled with local olive oil. Older children can launch themselves at the climbing wall, bowling alley, tennis courts, water slides, or movie theater, or sign up for football coaching, while parents munch on Kalamata olives and taste wine from the hotel vineyards. For more adventurous guests, there are 10 major sites on the doorstep, including the Palace of Nestor, which was, fittingly, renowned for its hospitality.
Price: Rooms from around $229 per night
George FakarosSanta Marina
Mykonos, Greece
Remember announcing pre-parenthood that having children wouldn’t change your holidays? This could be as close as you’ll ever get to realising that statement, without actually leaving the little ones at home. Looking out from the deck of the bar across the water, the DJ’s house music playing discreetly in the background, it feels like you might just have beaten the system. The hotel sums up Greek chic. A family-run classic hideout, it was treated to a full refurbishment a few years ago by the owner, Christiana Papageorgiou. Out went the traditional taupe and in came coral artwork, bamboo furniture, basket lamps and vintage-style travelling trunks. Unlike the town’s party beaches and narrow streets, it is not short on space. Tiny tantrums are easily hidden; there is room to run around. Vast rattan day beds with hoods are great for lunchtime snoozes under super-size beach towels. Lunch is served as early as you want, and there’s a constant stream of fruit smoothies and ice cream by the pool. Forget bringing the buggy: there is a lift to all levels of the estate, which is cut rather impressively into the rocks. There is also a sleek boat that zips around the island to the beach clubs, so no time is wasted on winding roads in Greek taxis. Not that there is any reason to leave. This is the only private stretch of sand on Mykonos, and it’s all yours. Beach attendants are incredibly friendly and attentive, despite the obligatory dark glasses and swagger, and there is no shortage of sunbeds, front row or otherwise. The sceney Buddha-Bar attracts plenty of private yachters coming ashore, so parents more accustomed to spooning lobster spaghetti into kids’ mouths can still get a small hit of the party vibe.
Price: Rooms from around $524 per night
Six SensesSix Senses Corchevel
Courchevel, France
Here is a snowy village with more Michelin-star restaurants than anywhere in the Alps, more five-star hotels than anywhere in France except Paris. It is ritzy, over-the-top, fur-draped, diamond-bright... but not necessarily easy to navigate with small people. But now Six Senses has teamed up with family-holiday masterminds Scott Dunn to offer smart smoked-oak apartments in a sprawling chalet, complete with massages and herbal scrubs in the spa, and game-changing childcare. It’s a package as delicious as a hot chocolate up the mountains, and all just a two-minute walk from the Croisette. This is something new for Courchevel. And while there may be stellar hotels among the trees and beside the pistes, an apartment is heaven when you have children who need feeding at antisocial hours. A fridge, a microwave, a proper oven! There’s also a Scott Dunn hamper with all the basics—milk, teabags, butter—along with the good stuff, such as a bottle of Laurent-Perrier, olives, and thick salty potato chips. The hand-holding extends to ski passes (waiting for guests on the dining table), boots and skis, a children’s club, and transfers up and down the mountain. A concierge will make reservations at La Cave des Creux, a nanny will do the ski-school pick-up, and a therapist will treat wind-whipped skin with an Organic Pharmacy facial. This is a go-big-or-go-home kind of trip that makes the thought of organizing the next one yourself rather unpalatable.
Price: Three-bedroom family apartment from around $4,610 per night
Sakis PapadopoulosPorto Zante
Zakynthos, Greece
The promise of a villa that has all the bells and whistles of a hotel is pretty irresistible. The space, yes, the privacy too, but also the bed-making in your wake, the sweeping up of toys and trails of crumbs. So it’s surprising that this tucked-away spot on Zakynthos’s green east coast, with its nine houses on a hillside above an immaculate bay, remains so under the radar. This is not driftwood, sun-faded, rustic Greece. Rooms are decked out in Armani Casa and Bang & Olufsen, with Bulgari soaps and lotions (and special kids’ versions) in the bathrooms, while outside teak sunbeds shaded by zingy, canary-yellow umbrellas surround each pool (stocked with a menagerie of inflatables plus baby pool seats and armbands). It’s the kind of supremely well-thought-out place that means for once there isn’t more luggage than people traveling. Cots, stair gates, strollers, and highchairs are already there. Down on the beach are buckets, shovels, and wheelbarrows, with paddle boats, paddleboards, and sea kayaks on standby for the energetic. The kids’ club is filled with craft materials and table-football games, and offers treasure hunts, mini zumba classes, and smoothie-and-dance parties. In the evening, the lovely Vasiliki Bekioti can babysit while you slip down paths lined with bougainvillaea and giant geranium to Maya, the Asian restaurant with a terrace that juts out over the Ionian. But a restaurant that comes to you is much easier. Course after course can be set up at a white-linen-covered table under the pergola, the baby monitor still in range as you sip buttery Greek Chardonnay. Everything is seamless, in part because the owner is a perfectionist. Are the tempura oysters at Maya just-so crisp? Is the Roots Rakomelo, a honeyed digestif that tastes of Christmas, served at the ideal temperature? Is the sand on the beach swept in perpendicular lines? The answer here appears always to be yes.
Price: Two-bedroom villa from around $6,595 per night
Casa la Siesta
Cádiz, Spain
Arriving here with children feels akin to smuggling a toddler into a nightclub: very much not the done thing. The hotel is a grown-up hideaway of stepped lawns and terraces, winding paths and olive and citrus trees sunk into a cleft between dusty hills. Tables for two sit beneath draped vines, and garden nooks are set with day beds for afternoon snoozing. In other words, a retreat where wheeling swifts are the only thing dive-bombing the saltwater pool. For a few weeks a year, however, they elbow out the couples to let families in, with activities that stretch from circus skills and mobile-making to trampolining and pool games, all overseen by a tomboyish childcare whizz and her team. There’s an imaginative children’s menu plus all the pool inflatables, bubbles, and glitter they could ever want (and someone else to clear it up). Complimentary babysitters will relieve you of your charges for an hour or two so you can drink wine and read a sentence of your book before dozing off in the shade. These weeks are the brainchild of the hotel’s owners, Lee and Amelia Thornley, who run the design studio Bert & May and, being parents themselves, are well-versed in the challenges of family vacations. The nine-room finca has been deliciously restored in a restrained, rustic style, with tactile plaster walls, antique dressers, stone arches, iron balustrades, and airy rooms with balconies and bathtubs. For larger families there’s the new two-bedroom villa, The Stables, set away from the hotel but with a direct phone line to reception, so room service can be ordered. Or there’s a three-bedroom casita with its own pool and terrace, and—better yet—a yurt for grumpy teens. This is a supremely clever choice for anyone with a phobia of big, all-singing-all-dancing resorts.
Price: Rooms from around $276 per night
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