Holiday with Toddler suggestions - Tenerife? Bahia principe fantasia?

[Sparklesandsunshine1]

Looking for somewhere to take toddler in May would like it warm enough for the pool but not too far as I’ll be 6.5months pregnant too so quick airport transfer preferred too

Looked at Tenerife amongst others, Bahia Principe fantasia looks good but is it worth paying more for than other hotels

any suggestions of countries / hotels / opinions on fantasia greatly appreciated

thanks x

Following with interest!

Bumping for you as also looking for the same

So hard to decide we usually always do Turkey but wanted to try somewhere different / shorter flight this year hopfully the helpful travelling toddler mamas will be along soon with their advice

I think it depends on what your idea of a good holiday is. I'm an adventurer and don't like sitting still (though do enjoy a day or so of pool time) and have kept that up now we have a toddler.

Are you looking for a place you can explore alongside having some relaxing time? Or are you wanting something all inclusive?

@TheBirdintheCave not an explorer like pre kids at 6.5 months pregnant with a nearly 2 year old in tow I don’t think we’ll be too adventurous but a nice village / resort we can wander round seafront / marina
nice shops and restaurants to explore
have done big all Incs but also happy with smaller hotels would be good to have a kids pool / splash park for him to enjoy though
usually go to a riverside resort in Turkey with some history and boat trips nice walks but also good bars and cafes we do like to leave the hotel

Hmm, perhaps Cascais in Portugal? It's not too far to fly to Lisbon and is about a 35 minute taxi from the airport. There are resort style hotels and the town is beautiful. Plus Lisbon itself is accessible if you felt up to exploring somewhere larger. It's also relatively cheap (or at least it was when we went a few years ago).

We went to the fantasia in Feb 2020 with ds1 who was almost 4 and I was 5 months pregnant, it was wonderful we absolutely loved it. The food was perfect, it was our first wedding anniversary and they left chocolates and prosecco in the room. Ds1 keeps asking to go back on the castle holiday. its a lovely hotel, a 5 min walk from some shops, a nice stroll around the golf course and its only 15 mins transfer which is perfect.

I love Albufeira in Portugal - cannot recommend a hotel as we used to rent a villa and they are not as economical since lockdown when they stopped combining rentals with flights and transfers but it has lovely beaches, an old town to wander round and explore, lovely restaurants and good activities like boat tours. It is a tourist area so is geared mainly towards the english though - some people do not like that.

Playa Blanca in Lanzarote was great when DD was 2. We stayed at Gran Castillo Tagoro which was very child friendly - we got an upgraded kids room as it was mine and DD's birthday when we went. Lovely walk along the promenade to the marina as well.

We stayed at the Bahia twice, once pre covid and loved it but found post covid it has gone downhill, nice touches had gone. It’s also really really windy and there’s no beach or much in the surrounding area. We like to have a walk out and eat in different places, even when AI, and there was only a small town square with not many options. The hotel itself is beautiful and the rooms especially are fab compared to traditional canaries ones but wouldn’t go back again.

We took our DD there last year when she was 18months to Tenerife Bahia Principe and we all had a fantastic time. :) would recommend.

Thanks for the suggestions so far I’m searching jet2 and shortlisting a few also found a few nice hotels in the quieter parts of Ibiza that might be nice like the idea of Portugal too and still keep looking at the canaries 😬 too much choice xx

We've stayed at Fantasia twice. Once when DD was 18 months (November 2021 so covid restrictions were in place) then again when she was 2.5. We had a great time both times but more so in 2021 as like PP said, some things had slipped since and it was quite noticeable. It is, however, probably the cleanest hotel I've ever stayed in and the rooms are lovely and big.