What makes a luxury hotel truly family friendly
Beyond the kids’ club: the rooms, equipment, pools, dining and quiet details that make a fine hotel work for children and parents alike.
A beautiful hotel is not automatically a good hotel for children. The marble bathroom, the quiet terrace and the long tasting menu were often designed with adults in mind, and a family holiday asks for different things: space to sleep at different times, equipment that is safe, food at sensible hours and staff who are at ease with babies and teenagers alike. The best family hotels manage all of this without losing their calm. Here is what to look for, and what to ask before you book.
Rooms that give everyone space
The most important decision is the room. A standard double with a cot squeezed in at the foot of the bed works for a night, but rarely for a week. When a baby sleeps at seven and the parents would like to read or talk until ten, everyone shares the same dark room, and the evening is effectively over.
Three room types tend to work well for families. are two rooms with a door between them, so children can sleep next door while you remain within easy reach. A with a separate sleeping area gives you a door to close without splitting the family across two rooms. An apartment with a small kitchen adds the freedom to prepare a simple breakfast, warm milk or rinse bottles without calling room service.
Ask for the actual size of the room rather than relying on photographs, and ask where it sits in the building. A room above the bar or next to the lifts can be noisy long after the children have gone to sleep.
Equipment worth requesting in advance
Good family hotels keep a store of baby and toddler equipment and provide it on request. It is worth listing what you need when you book, rather than on arrival, because popular items can run out in busy weeks.
- A cot, together with the question of whether it meets current safety standards
- Bed guards for children who have recently moved to a big bed
- A high chair for the restaurant and, if possible, one for the room
- A bottle warmer
- A baby bath
The cot deserves a specific question. Ask in advance whether the hotel’s cots meet current safety standards, and look at the cot yourself when you arrive. If anything seems worn, loose or unstable, ask for a replacement before the first night.
Looking beyond the kids’ club
A kids’ club is often the headline of a family hotel’s description, but the name alone says little. Clubs usually group children by age, for example babies, three to six, seven to twelve and teenagers, and the quality of each group can differ considerably. A club that suits six-year-olds may have little to offer a thirteen-year-old.
The , meaning the number of staff to children, matters more than the size of the playroom. So does the training of babysitting staff. Ask directly whether the people who would look after your child in the evening are trained and vetted, and do not feel awkward about it: a good hotel will expect the question.
Pools, shade and the midday sun
For many families the pool is the centre of the holiday. Look for a shallow children’s pool rather than a shallow corner of the main one, generous shade nearby, and fencing or gates around the pool area so that a toddler cannot wander in unnoticed.
Supervision at the pool is always the parents’ responsibility, whatever the hotel offers. Choose loungers with a clear view of the water and take turns, rather than both reading at once.
Supervision at the pool is always the parents’ responsibility, whatever the hotel offers.
Sun is the other consideration. The NHS advises that babies under six months should be kept out of direct sunlight, which makes shade near the pool and a shaded terrace or balcony far more than a nicety. For older babies and children, shade, a sun hat and light clothing that covers the skin are sensible starting points, and your paediatrician or pharmacist can advise on suitable sun protection.
Dining that follows children’s hours
A separate children’s menu is less important than it looks. What matters more is flexible dining: early dinners for children who are tired by six, simple dishes made from fresh ingredients, and half portions from the main menu. A kitchen willing to serve plain pasta or steamed vegetables at short notice is worth more than a printed menu with playful names.
Ask whether the restaurant serves dinner early, whether high chairs are available at every meal, and whether breakfast can be taken slowly. A relaxed breakfast often sets the tone for the whole day.
Questions to ask before you book
Many of the details that make or break a family stay are not in the photographs. A short message to the hotel before booking can answer them.
- How far is the hotel from the airport, and how long is the transfer?
- How large is the room, and is it quiet at night?
- Is the beach within walking distance, or is a car or shuttle needed?
- Where is the nearest medical help, and can the hotel call a doctor?
- Which equipment can be reserved in advance?
Once you are there, plan the days around your children’s rhythms rather than the hotel’s programme. Mornings often suit the beach or the pool, a rest in the room suits the hottest part of the day, and a short outing in the late afternoon keeps the evening calm. A hotel that makes this easy, with quiet corridors, flexible meal times and shade where you need it, is a family hotel in the truest sense.
Glossary
- Connecting rooms
- Two separate hotel rooms joined by an internal door, so children can sleep next door to their parents.
- Family suite
- A larger hotel room with a separate sleeping area, so parents and children can be apart behind a closed door.
- Bed guard
- A low rail fitted along the side of a bed to stop a child from rolling out during sleep.
- Staff ratio
- The number of staff compared with the number of children they look after in a group.
Questions and answers
Should we book connecting rooms or a family suite?
It depends on the ages of your children and how you like to spend the evenings. Connecting rooms give older children their own space while you remain next door. A family suite keeps everyone behind one front door, with a separate sleeping area for the children. With a baby or toddler, a suite is often the simpler choice, and for longer stays an apartment with a small kitchen is worth considering.
What should I ask a hotel about its cots?
Ask in advance whether the cots meet current safety standards, and reserve one when you book rather than on arrival. Once you are in the room, look at the cot yourself before the first night, and if anything seems worn, loose or unstable, ask for a replacement. Bed guards, high chairs, bottle warmers and baby baths are best requested at the same time.
Is a kids’ club suitable for babies?
Some kids’ clubs have a group for babies and others do not, so check the age groups before you book. Ask about opening hours, the ratio of staff to children and whether babysitting staff are trained and vetted. If there is no group for babies, ask whether the hotel can arrange a trained and vetted babysitter instead, and introduce any new arrangement gradually.
