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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Summer holiday for 5-2 adults and 3 children

12 replies

tangledzebra · 03/01/2014 07:34

hi,

This will be our first big holiday abroad- we usually visit family who live abroad and this year we want to go all inclusive, to a family friendly hotel with lots of pools and children's entertainment and free beer for DP and a lovely beach and cocktails for me!

We have looked at Egypt but are struggling to find a family room for all 5 of us- we have been told that we can book two rooms but there is no guarantee that the rooms will be close together- which isn't really ideal.

We would like to go for approx 7-10 days end of July and have a budget of approx £4-£5k

Can anyone suggest anything? Previous holidays have been camping/caravanning in the uk

X

OP posts:
tangledzebra · 03/01/2014 07:48

I also love Italy- have been a few times without the DC - so any recs there would be great. The children are all very active- ages at time of travel will be 11, 10 and 6

OP posts:
Budgiegirlbob · 04/01/2014 23:29

Try Turkey, we stayed at Gural Premier in Belek, they had family suites to sleep 5 in two connected rooms with one shared bathroom.

Think we paid about 4.5 k for 11 nights in August, so should work budget wise.

Good kids club, although probably best suited to youngest child, fab waterpark.

youbethemummylion · 04/01/2014 23:32

Talayot apartments in Menorca

Worriedkat · 05/01/2014 08:50

youbethemummylion have you been to talayot? We are booked for this July. Scared of taking 3 kids abroad but have heard so many good reviews.

youbethemummylion · 05/01/2014 12:37

Yes we loved it, what age are your kids? Ill come back and tell you more about it later when im on the laptop the keys on this phone are too little for my poor eyes

youbethemummylion · 05/01/2014 12:38

Yes we loved it, what age are your kids? Ill come back and tell you more about it later when im on the laptop the keys on this phone are too little for my poor eyes

Worriedkat · 05/01/2014 12:52

Kids will be 9, 6 and 3 ( nearly 4 tho). I have visions of the 2 youngest wandering off and falling into the pool(s). Paranoid and also never done this before! Heard so many good things about talayot though, and easily within a 4-5k budget.

Sidge · 05/01/2014 12:58

I took my 3 girls to Rhodes last August and we stayed here - Atlantica Aegean Blue

We didn't need adjoining rooms but there were families there in interconnecting rooms. I found the hotel staff incredibly helpful in accommodating our needs (travelling with DD2 who has SN and disabilities and I'd emailed them in advance of our trip to clarify my requirements.)

The hotel was superb and the water park great. Thomson Kids Club was fab and the food was of a high quality.

(PS if it's any consolation I hated Egypt...)

youbethemummylion · 05/01/2014 15:55

Worriedkat now I can tell you about Talayot as I can see the keys Smile

In the main section of the apartments there is a splash pool (our apartment was right next to this and the kids were never out of it) It has fountains/slides etc but is only a paddling pool so not too dangerous. There is the main pool which is deep but has a fenced off shallow paddling pool bit at each end and another paddling pool near the restaurant

Over the road in the quiet bit there are two pools I think they are both quite deep certainly not paddling pools but we didn't venture over there, they tend to put adult only groups or people who have specially requested a quiet room over there as it is a lot quieter.

Also in the main bit there is a play area with plastic forts/play houses/slides etc, another play area with a bigger climbing frame/slide contraption, go karts which run on tokens from reception, a small soft play type area but really aimed at very little toddlers and an area with pool tables/air hockey etc.

There was a mini disco and a show on every night but we didn't go its not really our thing also the kids club is supposed to be really good but again we didn't use it.

The area of Cala N Forcat itself is VERY geared towards small children so much so I think if you went without kids you would hate it but for us (our boys were 6 and 3 when we went) it was fantastic.

Almost every bar/restaurant has a bouncy castle/play area so you can eat/drink whilst the children play. There is the usual options of chicken nuggets and chips etc if the kids are fussy but also plenty of options to have something more authentically Spanish usually in the same restaurant so we were able to indulge our passion for Paella whilst the kids had sausage and chips! I would certainly recommend the bbq at La Ancora (sp?)

The beaches are not fantastic they are not the long sandy beaches you may find in other places they are quite small but very sheltered as they are in little coves and are shallow a long way out so quite safe (watch out for jelly fish though) The beaches are not that easy to find but ask at reception and they will point them out on the map there are 3 in walking distance (the one behind the aqua park was the best imo)

Apparently there are larger beaches elsewhere on the island and car hire is quite cheap so you may want to explore but we didn't. There is a bus that stops right outside the apartments that takes you to Cituddela (sp?) which is the old capital before they changed it to Mahon there are some nice old buildings/shops/restraunts etc there and a little harbour. The bus is only a few Euro's and in Citudella you can catch a bus to other areas of the island if you want.

I cant really think what else to tell you apart from that it was our first holiday abroad with kids and we were nervous taking them but we honestly shouldn't have worried we were looked after really well by the reps and the receptionists at the hotel but also by everyone that we met from waiters to the bus drivers who were all lovely. If you have any questions I'd be happy to answer them.

Oh and sorry for hijacking the thread tbh the Talayot would come under OP's budget but it really is lovely for little kids.

ranoutofnames · 05/01/2014 20:33

We loved Egypt but we love snorkelling and the snorkelling really is fantastic. However I think the heat might be oppressive in July.

I would have a look at Mexico or Florida. We have done both in early July and both were fine. You might have a few showers but it cools the weather down a bit.

tangledzebra · 05/01/2014 21:39

Thank you for all the replies.

I have worked in Rhodes and could be tempted by Greece but my dp wants to travel a bit further afield for our £- he feels it seems such a lot of money to spend in Europe.

Sidge-why didn't you like Egypt?

I'm not sure about Mexico or florida because of the flight times.

Thank you for all your suggestions

OP posts:
Sidge · 06/01/2014 09:36

We spent 10 days in Sharm. The weather is fab but in July/August it can get up to over 40-45 degrees each day.

I'm not a fussy traveller but I didn't like the food especially (not as much variety as I would have liked), Sharm is a hole IMO and the unwanted attention me and my daughters got was vile, even travelling with my then-husband!

The hotel was fine, and the diving and snorkelling good but not good enough to justify all the rest.

If you want further afield how about Cuba? I loved Cuba! 8.5 hour flight but worth it when you get there.

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