October, heated pool, sun, beach. Where?

[Ithinkwerealonenow]

Hi - looks like we might have to cancel our summer holiday, so I'm looking into an easy October half term holiday - preferably a hotel HB/AI than a villa. Total slob holiday, beach and sun and maybe a couple of mornings of kids club. Short haul, so not Caribbean/Dubai; preferably short transfers as well.

An essential is a heated pool at that time of year, as the children (7 and 5) are skinny wee things who get cold in 5 minutes and refuse to swim otherwise although I have enough padding for us all.

Also would like to have separate bedrooms rather than all in one, so we have somewhere to sit away from the children in the evenings.

I'm thinking Turkey would fit the bill for hotels with sun and good room configurations, and beautiful beaches. Not keen on Egypt for security concerns, and think the Canaries might not be warm enough at the end of October.

Any recommendations from the wise travellers out there?

bump?

We went to Sicily last October half term - we stayed in a house rather than a hotel, so can't recommend somewhere, but the weather was still really nice and hot and the sea was warm.

Thanks keely, nice to know the daytime temperatures are still good at that time of year.

I think the sea is likely to be an OK temperature at the end of October - but the pools will be freezing as they will lose heat quickly after a couple of chilly nights - hence the need for a heated pool!

Turkey might be OK at the end of October - although you should seriously look at Egypt - it ticks all the boxes and weather is still so good you wouldn't even need heated pools (although the one we stayed in had one - coral sea Holiday Village).

Also maybe Cape verde could be an option - it has year round temps of around 29 degrees and is similar flight times to egypt.

Isn't Egypt a little unstable at the moment though?

Cape Verde might be an idea - any particular recommendations?

Thanks

I don't believe so now - there were general elections a fortnight ago and things have settled down in Cairo and tourist trips are running again to the Pyramids etc. Would you not take a trip to London if there had been riots in edinburgh as it that sort of distance?

I only know the Riu resorts in Cape Verde as a friend has stayed their twice. We haven't been as our kids are younger and as its in the atlantic, the sea can be rough with big waves. In sharm, the sea is flat calm with a very gentle slope so perfect for smaller ones like ours.

It's not the political unrest, but the threat of terror attacks. Not sure you can really compare it to riots in the UK, the situation there is a lot more unstable than that. I've just been on the FCO website to double check, and most travel there is advised against. They do make an exception for Sharm, but having been there around the time of the last bombings in Sharm a number of years ago, I don't think I'd like to take that risk with children in tow.

There could be terror attacks virtually anywhere though but I suppose it's all about how you deal with that risk.

I have worked in central London for nearly 30 years. I have become accustomed to dealing with some form of terror threat - from the IRA in the late 80's and my office being evacuated almost on a weekly basis to more recent events such as 7/7 (when I passed through one of the stations 15 mins before the bombs went off). I refuse to life my life in fear now.

Everyone has to do what feels right for them though.

We're going to Menorca for the October half term. I booked a villa with a heated pool through Villa Plus. Their villas all have wifi, satellite TV, a table tennis table and a pool table as standard.

We usually go to Portugal for October half term and usually have lovely weather. When we're there we stay in a complex called Oasis Parque which has an indoor heated swimming pool which is gorgeous.

Website for villa plus is:
t.villaplus.com/

We love Tenerife for the October half term, for us thats mid October. This will be our 5th year in a row. We don't stay in a holiday village as DS isn't a fan of kids club but our friends rate this place www.firstchoice.co.uk/holiday/accommodation/overview/Playa-de-la-Arena/Holiday-Village-Tenerife-042225
Nice weather, separate living area so adults or DCs can sleep in the bedroom and AI.

We had a lovely stay in Lanzarote a year ago in bMarch and was warm - October I think would be much the same - we stayed at Finca de Arrieta in a yurt - was absolutely gorgeous - kids absolutely loved charging round the place with the chickens and donkey and the sunken trampoline, and we enjoyed the peace! We also tagged on a weekend in Barcelona on one of the legs.

Cyprus or Crete

The Canaries are generally nice at that time of year, we have gone in October a couple of times, and once in November, and had lovely weather each time.

I think Canaries is the best option as you can get heated pools, make sure it is heated and not "acclimatised".
Anywhere further north is unreliable for weather. You may be lucky and get sunshine but do you want to risk it?
I also agree with you about Egypt. Unstable, high risk and I would never take DC there.

Thanks for all the ideas. I'd discounted Canaries as I thought it wouldn't be warm enough at end Oct, but I'll take another look. I think the risk that Cyprus or Crete will be warm enough is a bit high. Some relatives have a place in Cyprus and have said November can be nice, but the chances are that it will be cool and rainy.

rookiemater thanks for the link - doesn't look like it has heated pools though, but I'll have a look around for ones that do. Love the idea of a yurt keely79 but not so keen on getting up with the kids in the night to take them to the loo. Strictly glamping only for us!

Any recs for heated pool places in the Canaries appreciated! I think we might end up looking for a villa though to get what we want, it seems hard to come by in a hotel. Will check out your link busyboysmum thanks.

The yurt place is definitely on the glamping side - you have your own fenced in area with your own bathroom and shower - there are outside lights. No reason the kids couldn't take themselves to the bathroom!

The one we stayed in had a small yurt for the kids and a larger yurt for the adults. There was also a separate building with a covered kitchen. I do not camp in general and found it very comfortable.

I'd go to Ann year round place such as The Canaries or Egypt and avoid Summer resorts such as the Med. Pools can be absolutely freezing in Turkey in October.

This is the place we stay in Tenerife normally :www.regencycountryclub.com/en/the-hotel-in-tenerife ( not this year sadly as on economy drive so in apartment). It is a great compromise between having your own space - as we generally go for 2 bed so we have the living area as well with the amenities of a hotel - you can get breakfast and there is a great restaurant beside it as well as food at the hotel. There is a small kids club that operates most mornings, but they also have some other activities - DS loved the Bingo in the afternoon ( classy boy) and the pool is heated !

Not cheap though and not near the beach, but there is a regular mini bus there.

Wow, that looks nice, thank you!

I know a couple of lovely hotels in Tenerife which have heated pools, Abama and Gran Bahia del Duque, good for kids clubs and beach, but I do think the Canaries is pretty warm in October anway.

Thank you for the recommendations, they look good, will check them out

Glamping in a yurt sounds amazing. A Greek Island should still be hot too

I too live and work in London, and wouldn't compare the unrest in Egypt to that in London. That said, I have visited Egypt a number of times, and think it is beautifully set up for kids around the resorts. I'd avoid Luxor, Sharm and Cairo, and head for the quieter resorts at Dahab or Hurghada where the threat is lessened. Actually, truthfully, I'd just go to Greece or Glamping... Xx

yes my advise also, i suggest you should go too Tenerife most especially during October the climate is good and the Hotels provide same of the facilities you required you can use this site www.viztravel.net/flight--hotel.html , it as the hotel in santiago tenerife which has the kids club and even a heated swimming pool especially during October I hope you try Tenerife as the best option

Canaries lovely and warm throughout our winter, have been sunbathing in a bikini on Christmas day a few times.

Easy with children and same time zone so don't even have to change your watch.

I wouldn't risk Greece except possibly Crete. It won't be cold but it gets rainy and temperatures go down to about 20 degrees in the daytime. Been there!

also lots will be closing down in the tourist resorts.