Is there a travel company that specialise in high end but family hols in the med?

[myredcardigan]

Ok, haven't been on a beach/pool type package hol for years. DH and I always went on activity or touring type thingies. Since kids have done uk hols and eurocamp type things in France mainly.

However, next year we've decided to do the resort thing as the kids will be 7, 5 and 3 so think they'll enjoy it.

Must be school hols as 2 in school and keen on mallorca/menorca or thereabouts. We went on a walking hol in Mallorca about 10yrs ago and loved it.

Would be keen on 5star but maybe 4star (are they starred like that in med?)
Max budget for 5 of us would be about 8k.
Looked at first choice premier but DH wasn't that impressed.

So can anyone recommend a tour operator? Definitely want a hotel rather than villa. Would rather it wasn't heaving busy with fight for sun lounger but not sure if that's an impossible dream for end of July.

Any ideas greatfully received.

Hello myredcardigan

I can't really help with a package tour operator as I always book our holidays on a DIY basis (flight and accommodation and transfers separately) BUT I can recommend some high end 5* all inclusive family hotels on the Med sea coast in Turkey if that helps.

As a family we have been lucky enough to travel fairly extensively and have stayed in some very nice 5 hotels around the Caribbean, the USA, Dubai, Egypt and several European destinations but for a high end beach and luxury hotel based holiday, we keep returning to Turkey. In fact we are due to return for the 8th time over October half term because we find that the standard of 5 all inclusive hotels is pretty hard to beat in terms of value for money. We find that the Turkey beach hotels usually have their own aqua park with water slides and often a small fun fair or luna park with big wheel, dodgems, roundabouts etc all for young children the same age as yours. You will also find that family rooms/suites or villas with two bedrooms are available at these hotels and some will have direct (but safe) access to the pool. For activities outside the hotel you can visit the historic and scenic towns of Side and Antalya, take boat trips to the waterfalls, jeep or quad safaris, horse riding, rafting, mountain trekking or go further afield to Cappaddocia and Pamukkale.

Take a look on the Tripadvisor at the 5* hotels in the resort and coastal town of Belek and also the Lara Beach areas in Antalya Lara Beach hotels and read through some of the forums and hotel reviews and photos. If you are interested I can suggest some of the better family hotels to consider. HTH

Thank you, Copycat. Sounds like you have enjoyed some lovely holidays.

We were hoping to find a company whose brochure or website we could flick through. DH particularly keen on returning to Mallorca as we had such a good hol there 10yrs ago but we can't find anything. I keep hearing Menorca is great for families but struggling with that too.

Try Simpson travel -

www.simpsontravel.com/Home.html

Thanks Wheelybug, they look lovely. I think we definitely want a hotel rather than a villa so I'll have a good look through.

myredcardigan

Yes, we have been very privileged and blessed to travel so much and I am very appreciative of the opportunities we have had

I understand about the brochure or specialist tour operator. It helps to have a choice of luxury hotels 'in one place' so to speak.

I expect you know but Thomsons have a Platinum Brochure and Thomsas Cook have a Signature Brochure which offer a range of more expensive hotels. Also, I think Sovereign Holidays offer a range of luxury hotels. Oh and Neilson are always popular on Mumsnet.

We've been to Menorca but not Mallorca. It is a few years since we went, but my feeling is that you are more likely to find the kind of hotel you are looking for in Mallorca. Do use Tripadvisor to check reviews and photos from previous guests so that you can compare hotels before you book.

< whisper > Do look at the Turkey hotels too: the Gloria Serenity, the Cornelia Diamond, Royal Dragon Hotel and the Susesi de Luxe (all have great kids clubs and facilities) are highly reviewed

try Elegant Resorts and also scott dunn and powder byrne
as high- end operators

Some hotels we have enjoyed as a family include:

Le meridien, anassa and almyra all in Cyprus
vila vita parc - portugal
Sheraton also in Portugal
Elounda Beach Club in greece

tbh i have never used a high st tour operator as their 'premier' or platinum ranges I don't think are ever up to scratch.....

Just a word of warning though for 2 weeks in school holidays these are all seriously ££££££....

Another thought try baby friendly boltholes website as they too recommend european hotels

HTH

i used a company called Tots Too who specialise in high end hotels for families and have lots in the Med. we have worked our way through about five of them now and they are all spot on! i am a very fussy mum of two with another one on the way....!
just come back from Kempinski Barbaros Bay in Turkey which was lovely but absolutely loved Porto Sani Village where we went in May which was superb and we plan to return to. i also recommend Abama and the Sheraton Pine Cliffs in Portugal which we stayed at last year. you get a lovely self catering apartment but have all the facilities of the hotel so its the best of both worlds. Tots Too also do a concierge service we pre-booked all our babysitting and kids club slots before we went as if travelling in peak, you can often struggle if you wait to sort out at the hotels. hope this has been helpful

Yes, Tots Too are lovely. Pukka high end. And I second the Abama too.

Lots of great advice, thanks.

TBH, if Thomson Platinum is anything like FC Premier then it's not what I'm looking for. I wasn't really impressed and DH even less so.

Immypants, as mentioned in my OP, we would have about 8k for the 5 of us. Kids will be 7, 5 and 3. Would this be enough or am I well out? We could probably up it slightly if every box was ticked. TBH, I'd rather just a week somewhere nice than 2wks at some of what we've seen on offer.

Will definitely look at Tots too, too. Thanks.

Copycat, I'm sure Turkey has some stunning hotels but as DH's GP were Cypriot he won't entertain it.
It's the one tiny irrational prejudice from my otherwise normal, lefty lawyer husband. He has no problem with Turkish people whatsoever, just the Turkish government.

try classic collections aswell or cadogan

I've used Quo Vadis who are a travel agent who specialise in finding luxury family holidays in Europe and further afield. Had good service from them a couple of times. Think they also have a website if you want a feel of what they do.

Kuoni have a World Class Europe brochure, which although not specifically aimed at families does give details of the child-friendly facilities / activities available at each hotel.

There's quite a good seach engine on their website too.

They also specialise in luxury long-haul family holidays and have a specific area on their website with suggestions.

We have used sovereign before and found them to be very good. Some lovely hotels, private transfer etc.

They even tailor-made our holiday for us, as i knew there were better flight times to a closer airport.

There is a company called kids in the med. Nice brochure. Original Travel also have a family section. Also have a look at the babygoes2 website. You should be able to find them all by goolging.