I hate package holidays but

[gregssausageroll]

This year we have a 3 year old who just wants to play with a few children his own age and have a pool or beach nearby so I think package is the veway to go this year.

We've been very fortunate in previous years to go longhaul and have the pick of gorgeous places plus we lived in Australia for a while.

So this year we are looking at Europe. Probably a package holiday because they can give us a couple of hours of kids club for DS. Sorry if this offends but we simply wouldn't go to places like Benidorm or Magaluf.

Can anyone think of anything that is in Europe that might give us kids club options but isn't going to be full english for breakfast and pints of lager at 10 am!

this will be for 2 weeks in August so budget is restricted by time of year as that is when DHs allocated holidays are.

Looked at Thomson Sensatori but it is £3,500 for 1 week!

We'd probably be happier in a fishing town sort of place where we can go out for dinner but not run the gauntlet with clubbers heading out if we want a couple of hours to chil with a glass of wine.

Can anyone suggest anything!? Happy to go AI if there is a deal to be had but would prefer not self catering as I'd like a rest!

Hmm. I see your point about the self catering but one of the reasons we have gone to chalets/lodges in Europe for the past 3 years with a similarly aged child is the space!! Sharing a hotel room for 2 weeks gives me the shivers. We eat out a lot and dh does the dishes and sweeps out the lodge- not much other housework to do. If you choose a small scenic site within walking distance to a town then you will have a much nicer feel than most hotels and far more space. Most have kids clubs although not all for 3 year olds. We have stayed in one in Italy 3 times that has views down to the sea and is within walking distance to a medieval hill town. Amazing.

We are going to Italy for 2 weeks in August, costing about 2k all in Inc substantial food/eating out budget. Kid club there etc.

Mousses? I personally wasn't that keen when we went a couple of years ago but MNers seem to live it. Basic 2 bed self catering accommodation, v nice pool, bar serving ok food and an on site (good) crèche. It's on the Greek island of Lefkas which - if you drive far enough - does have some v attractive places.

Mousses does get quite booked up so you may not be in luck for August.

Love it. Sorry.

You dont neccessarily need all the kids clubs just other kids around. Why not pick an apartment complex somewhere in Spain or Portugal where the locals tend to holiday more than the Brits.
We have stayed at the place below twice before. Its a little inland but there is a courtesy bus if you dont hire a car. The complex is full of Portuguese and the odd british family. Our kids are older now but when they were small its was lovely. The language was not a barrier and they just played all day long with the other kids. Its very laid back and quiet, spotlessly clean etc.

www.travelrepublic.co.uk/hotels/portugal/algarve_alvor/cheap_rates_bemposta_hotel_hotel.html?mkid=11113124&aid=1

DS is 4 and we have had very nice hols (with kid's club for 3 year olds and no British bulldog tattoos in sight) at Porto Sani in Halkidiki, Le Meridian Limassol in Cyprus and most recently at the Pissouri Beachotel (if you stay there you can use the free creche and all facilities at the Beach Resort next door. All booked through BA.

Would also recommend the website babyfriendlyboltholes for ideas.

I have heard good things about Sani but in August I suspect it would be mire than Sensatori.....

I love package holidays since having dc and find it so much easier.

How about Menorca? Most resorts there are nice but personally would avoid cala n forcat.

My favourite place is corfu. Paleocastricta and kassiopi are lovely.

Or Lindos in Rhodes.

Oh just looked at the prices notyummy Yikes.

We always go on hols in Feb/ Mar or Oct time so never pay anything like that

More, not more!

There are some beautiful spots on Mallorca (thinking of moving there) we have been to Cala 'dor on the east coast a few times, has everything to offer as a resort and the kareoke/full english stuffis there but is is easily avoided. beaches (7 of them) are great and child friendly. its a small island so you can get out and about and see some sights out of resort very easily. Packages are expensive, you can diy it for much less, try Owners Direct, alot of private appartments are on complexes with childrens facilities. we are going again in sept and have managed to get ten days away, flights and accom for four people coming in at just under £8oo.(spends not included, last year we had breakfast and lunch at appartment and dinner out and spent no more than 50 euros aday. hope you find somewhere, good luck.
oh, porto pollensa & sollier are both really nice too

notyummy, where are you going in Italy?

We are going to the lakes. Near Salo which us a gorgeous place. Not tourist free but lovely ambiance, with great cafes and restaurants.

Try having a look at Thomson Al Fresco, Canvas, Eurocamp or similar. Pierre ET Vacances also have a great range. Search for parks of no more than 250/300 placements if you want low key and relaxing. You can also look for ones within walking distance of a town, which we like.

will have a look. thank you. my friend works for canvas and I never really considered them before.

Ps: I dont do camping and prior to dd would never have done mobile homes/lodges. Boutique hotels all the way! We have found though that these places offer dd plenty of company and us plenty of space rather than being hemmed into a single room.

I would second the Canvas/Eurocamp type holiday when children are small. The accomodation will be of an acceptable and sometimes excellent standard. We have tried doing gites/villas with own pool etc but the DCs like there to be a bit of bustle and life around them. They will normally have a shop, a takeaway and a restaurant. The pool will be of a good standard and clean and most importantly it will be fenced off. Having done the gites with a shared pool type of thing I have decided that I would rather share the pool with lots of people or keep it to myself. Sharing with just 4/5 families I find to be hell.

The French do camping, it is part of the culture. Campsites away from the coast will tend to be quieter. In a couple of weeks we are going here:

www.peneyrals.com/

These types of holidays arent going to be 'smart' in an infinity pool type of way. What they are is what you make of them. We love France, we are looking forward to taking the DCs to see some castles, some caves and what has been described as the best market in France at Sarlat.

I second, or even third the Canvas/Keycamp holidays. Some have excellent facilities and are mainly occupied by families. Dd always managed to make a friend at the swimming pool. Another option is Pierre et Vacances who have houses and apartments on a resort - many of which have kids clubs - even for the littlies.

mallorca - soller or puerto pollensa are pleasant and not overun with the 'football shirt' brigade

I agree Mousses would probably fit your bill - although maybe not price and I would also think it owuld be booked up but worth a look.

I wasn't as blown away by it as Mumsnet seems to be but it does suit having young kids - its quite a small complex with about 12 villas and a pool. The kids generally tend to muck in together and it feels safe enough to let them get on with it as its so small. Kids club v. good. Doesn't feel like your standard package holiday. Bar food acceptable - delivered to your villa in the evneings if you wanted.

Biggest drawback for us was that you pretty much had to drive anywhere.

(We probably preferred Peri Yali on Zakynthos but it is more expensive and probably not worth the extra expense !).

Can I ask if you go to Eurocamp or Canvas etc do you need a car? We both drive a lot for work so getting away from the car is good!

I'd suggest going somewhere that Europeans go on holiday- Corsica, Sardinia, Cote d'azur.

gregs I would say you normally do, but we went to Union Lido for a week with Canvas (flying to Venice) and there was so much to do we never needed to go anywhere. We never even bothered with the excursion to Venice.

This year we are going with Siblu to La Carabasse. It is about 15 minutes taxi journey from Beziers airport, and there are shops and restaurants, along with the beach and a big fun fair, all within walking distance. Plus there is a bus stop/train station nearby if you want to go further afield

We always drive beacuse we have 3 DCs so flying is totally uneconomic. Also I fly quite a lot for work so prefer to drive for holidays.

Away from the coast most campsites will probably need a car but on the plus side away from the coast the driving tends to be a lot quieter than in the UK. As with Britain, if you want to see something quirky, interesting and memorable then you will probably need your own transport to get there.

What you can look at doing is flying to your destination then hiring a car once there. The way Canvas/Eurocamp are set up you dont really need to bring anything much with you.

We have stayed on a Pierre et Vacance park near St Tropez. The accomodation was excellent. The only reason I wouldnt recommend that particular location in August is that the traffic was murder even in September.

One warning, I'm afraid that your options are running out fast. The Eurocamp/Canvas type thing is rightly popular with families. I booked our summer holiday for this August last August so that I could get exactly what I wanted.

We live in Perthshire so driving, even to the North of England for a dutch ferry at Hull is a long, long drive.

Canvas do have some availabilty but I am just not that sure yet.

Princes Yaiza or Rubicon in lanzarote

Los Gigantes spa and suites or Anthelia in Tenerife.

Cala longa or es cana in Ibiza

South coast of France?

We did a "P et V" in the Vendee with a nearly 5yo and a 1.5yo, lots of families around, lots of facilities, accom in townhouses with big open space behind that the kids congregated on while the adults sat on their patios and watched (and chatted to others sitting on their patios).

Last few years have gone to Spain in apartment blocks via Holiday Rentals or Owners Direct, shared pool, nearby shops, restaurants, beach etc. Self-catering (but agree with others on the space this gives, and also the facilities - washing machine so only take a few clothes and run through the machine every day, fridge for cold drinks, freezer for ice creams and lollies, ability to breakfast in accom at leisure, ability to eat in if want to - ds was ill one day last year and the last thing he needed was to be dragged out to eat because the rest of us needed to) and no kids clubs (but kids around so people to play with).

Ex has taken them to Centre Parcs.

We also do a static caravan holiday in the UK, again lots of kids around to play with.