Family-Friendly Resort Tips

Travelling with children changes the shape of a holiday, not the joy of it. The best family stays share a simple secret: give the kids space to run and the adults space to breathe, and let the resort do the heavy lifting. Here's how to set your family up for the easy, happy kind of beach break.

Choosing the right room

Where you sleep sets the tone for the whole trip. A little thought here saves a lot of shuffling later:

• Space to spread out — a suite or connecting rooms means early bedtimes don't end the adults' evening.
• Ground-floor or pool-view — handy for quick changes and keeping an eye on the water.
• Ask about cots and rails — most resorts, ours included, provide them free; just request ahead.
• A kettle and mini-fridge — small things that make milk, snacks and early mornings easier.

Keeping everyone happy

The magic formula is variety: a mix of together-time and everyone-does-their-own-thing:

• Kids' club — a few supervised hours gives children new friends and parents a spa slot.
• Tide-pool walks — free, endlessly fascinating, and best at low tide in the morning.
• Pool before beach — start in the calm shallows, then graduate to the sand.
• An early dinner — eat by the water at golden hour, before the little ones fade.

Packing for little ones

Beyond the usual, a few family-specific items save the day: high-SPF kids' sunscreen and rash vests, a couple of sand toys, swim nappies if you need them, and a favourite bedtime book to make an unfamiliar room feel like home. Everything else — towels, high chairs, extra pillows — the front desk can usually provide, so there's no need to fill a second suitcase.

Ask before you arrive

The questions families ask most — kids' club hours, whether the pool is heated, if there's a children's menu, how far the beach is from the rooms — all have quick answers. On a live resort site our assistant handles them instantly, so you can plan the details from the sofa at home and arrive already knowing the lay of the land.