To think don't go to a family focused holiday place if you don't want to be around children!

[Familyy]

On holiday at a small apartment complex which advertises itself heavily on being family and young child friendly. The owners are very hands on and have been absolutely lovely with us and our DC one of whom is an 18 month old.

Anyway, today round the pool there was an older couple with no DC who sat by us on some sun loungers and then proceeded all afternoon to tut and look at each other / mutter to each other whenever our youngest made a noise. He wasn't bad, just a typical 18 month old. A couple of whinges throughout the afternoon, one short cry when he fell and then the odd shout / shriek when playing with his brother and dad in the pool.

AIBU to think why go to a place like this (it's all over their website and description on booking sites that it's for families) if you don't want to be disturbed by small kids and why sit next to a family with a small child even more so and then moan about it?!

There were other DC around too making more noise than us but our youngest is one of only 2 babies I've seen here so far (only a handful of apartments in the complex).

They're the same pensioners who get the 4pm bus home from town and complain it's full of school kids!!

@WonderingWanda - I think maybe I worded that poorly- I was absolutely shocked at the amount of school aged kids at Gatwick , they wouldn't be Scottish and def not from private schools (who I know break up early) - I just wondered what the schools can do about it- as im well beyond that stage- seems bloody wrong to me that some parents play by the rules and often therefore have a more limited choice of what's affordable- whereas some parents clearly don't give a shit these days. Sorry- I didn't mean to imply the teachers don't give a shit either.

They shouldn't have sat next to you, why choose to be so close to noise if it pisses you off? Yanbu op I can see why you would be annoyed!

Was the evening swim session meant to be adults only?

We find it more fun and interesting with children about and enjoy watching them play and sometimes talk to them and their families.

I guess we are just nice, friendly and laid back though, life is easier that way.

Going by that post you don't sound nice at all.

I get they were annoying, I think folk expect term time to be largely kid free, which is reasonable!
i had the misfortune to behind a fidgeting 6 yr old on a easyJet flight few yrs ago, asking politely to stop and told I was unreasonable, and term time.
not looking forward to noisy kids on flight soon, my fault for going term time

Why would any adult without kids want to spend their holiday in a hotel in July/August sitting around a pool....

Go hiking somewhere remote ffs.

YANBU.
Now that we are past the school age children stage we go outside of school holidays and choose destinations that don't appeal to families with children or stay at adults only accommodation.

It's likely not their fault, but their travel agent.

We had this with our honeymoon. It was our last child free holiday, so we definitely didn't want a child centric resort & we made that very clear to the travel agent... they still sold us a holiday in a ridiculously kid centric resort. There wasn't even a spot on the beach to get away from the hotel, as the beach was split into family centred strips geared to entertaining kids. It was horrendous & exactly what we didn't want at the time. We did moan, but realised there was no point & instead went of travelling around the country & had an amazing time anyway, but that's not an option for all

No don't keep on at DS to be quiet. You're supposed to ALL be enjoying your holiday, not stopping him making ANY noise. It's not like you're letting him shriek for ages or he's crying/screaming a lot.

if you come across them again, just ask if they were under the illusion they'd booked a child free place. & roll your eyes a LOT!!

idiots.

Jesus Christ.

These poor people have been called all the names under the sun; all because they committed the major sin of… <checks notes> making a face and muttering to each other.

They haven’t voiced their displeasure to OP, they’ve not told OP’s children off; they’ve literally just reacted to what, objectively, can be an unpleasant noise to many people (shrieking).

Lots of places have two pool, one for everyone, then a quiet one just for adults. They should book somewhere like that or Warners or something if they don't want kids around. It's not like there aren't options and the kids shouldn't have to be quiet in the pool - unless it is a quiet pool!

I get they were annoying, I think folk expect term time to be largely kid free, which is reasonable!

Assuming OP is abroad it's been pointed out several times in the thread July is not term time for vast majority of European countries. Expect the resorts to be full of German, Dutch, French, Swiss, Spanish, Irish, Scottish etc kids on school holidays in July

Lots of places have two pool, one for everyone, then a quiet one just for adults.

I've been on cruise ships where one pool was designated adults only but many parents just used it anyway.

I mean, good for you, but there's nothing not nice, or unfriendly, or uptight about not wanting to holiday with kids about. The PP didn't say "I snarl at children who come within 100 feet of me", they said they opt to book adults-only hotels. Which is what I also do, because I prefer peaceful, quiet holidays - it doesn't mean I'm an uptight child-hating ogre, just that that's not what I want out of my holidays.

I find in the UK generally that there is less tolerance in restaurants and hotels to children, particularly from some more senior people (Germany and Italy are much better). I would just carry on as you are. It is their problem. Just makes the holiday less pleasant which is a shame.

There are plenty of options which are child free if that is your thing- I think is it Warners who exclusively do this?

Another here who loves kids, but NOT when I am on hols. So over all that now.

So we play safe and always plan our travels for up to the last week of June and after first week of September. Also avoid half terms and Christmas time. Works fine, airports less crowded as are the places we visit. Never was a fan of resorts though, so it is an independent apartment or a nice hotel.

Worked hard enough all year so I plan to enjoy what suits me best! Some people are idiots, if you don't want to be around kids, plan it out FGS! Those with kids will be delighted you went elsewhere.

Sorry for overreacting, it's been a long term and I am probably feeling oversensitive. It is usually the kids that most need to be in school who get taken out for holidays. I'm not sure what more schools can do about it but it is worse than ever since the pandemic. Parents feel like it was fine for there children to miss lots of school...it wasn't and we will have generations of kids who are less skilled and ready for the world of work than before.

I have been away once without my kids, we looked at 2 hotels one family oriented and one adult only, they are next to each other same company though initially we’re going to book the family version until the next hotel popped up and was adult only I think eventually the adult only was £200 cheaper. And was flipping amazing, I have 4 kids I work with kids and I got a very rare opportunity to have a week kid free and took it.

I could do with another week now mind you. However had I chosen a family resort I wouldn’t have moaned about kids having fun, they are noisy and excitable and on holiday. I can go to a quiet beach or a bar or wherever to get away if need be but no bloody way would I make parents feel uncomfortable for the children enjoying themselves!

it is worse than ever since the pandemic. Parents feel like it was fine for there children to miss lots of school...it wasn't and we will have generations of kids who are less skilled and ready for the world of work than before.

I completely agree with you on this @WonderingWanda
I hear this a lot now, especially on Mumsnet. "Don't want us to take them out of school but it was fine for the schools to send them home for months"
It wasn't fine, it really wasn't

We had this when DS1 was 3, we took him out of preschool for a week and went to an All Inclusive in Lanzarote in September. There was an elderly couple tutting at any child in sight, saying “they should be in school”. The resort had a kids’ splash pool, kids’ clubs, evening entertainment showing Peppa Pig and a mini disco, that type of thing. And they were horrified to find kids there!
We also had a guy come up to us in a restaurant in Menorca when DS1 was 1 to pass comment on “what a loud little chap he is” (he really wasn’t, he had a speech delay and was just making content little happy noises - if he had been kicking off I would have taken him off in the pushchair) and then proceeded to ask DH if he was the father, the cheeky fuck. If it had looked like an adults only/fancy place, we wouldn’t have taken him in, but when the place has a stack of IKEA high chairs by the entrance, and a kids menu, don’t complain about kids being there!

If my parents aren't with their grandchildren then they holiday during term time. Children being children is wonderful if you are WITH children.
Hell on earth if not.
Please do not attempt to curb your toddlers enthusiasm. They have their whole life from 7 upwards for that!

I've just been abroad to a hotel advertised as adult-only. However, at some point that policy has changed and there were children there...

Just ignore them! I love to hear children having fun. Probably just the moaning type .If no DC to moan about ,then too hot /cold .Food unsuitable and so on .Was on holiday in Portugal,there was every kind of food to choose from.Soups ,English Classics ,Italian indian You name it! A woman said to me "I cant find anything I like!