Need help finding a holiday with childcare

[RockCrushesLizard]

We want to go away in August with our 2 1/2 year old, but lack any ideas where to go.

DH dislikes the heat, but I feel it's distinctly necessary for a summer holiday, so we want somewhere where it's likely to be 20-25 degrees or so, within a three hourish flight time of london.

The only essential is that there is some sort of decent childcare provision where we can leave DD for a couple of hours each day, so we get a break too. (Most kids clubs I've seen want parents to stay with the little ones).

Does anyone have any ideas or inspiration - or even better, recommendations?

Also, it doesn't need to be super cheap, I know August isn't the most bargainous time...

Hi Rock!

Have you looked at Kinderhotels in Austria. We have been to a couple in the winter months and are going to one during the Summer this year. My daughter aged 3 and then 5 loved it. There were kids as young as 6months using the childcare there. All the staff (nannies) spoke excellent English and the hotel was just perfect for a relaxing holiday for us. On My phone just now so struggling to add a link but will add one when I get home!!

Sensatori hotels
Neilson holidays have brilliant childcare but resorts in hot countries
Scott Dunn
Simpsons travel

Would second the Sensatori Hotels. Half day sessions available every day , with UK nursery ratios, although most of the time our DS was at the nursery there were more staff than kids. Felt very safe.

If your DH hates heat than you need to stay away from southern Europe.

Friends used Kinderhotel in Austria and while it is obviously not weather proof Summer in the Alps can be gorgeous. But you may have left it a tad late.

I was assumIng for next year? Will be hard to find anything for this year now

Club med hotels. Dotted all over Europe.

Also cheaper may be holiday village hotels. They have a crèche service which has 2 hr sessions 3 x daily for under 3's. All UK qualified staff and adhere to UK ratios of staff to children.

August will still not be cheap though (especially as you have left it late and people are now changing Tunisian booked holidays to other destinations) so there may not be much of a choice left.

Thank you for those suggestions - we know it's last minute, and don't need it to be cheap, but we didn't know if we'd be able to go until now.

I'll have a look at those ideas - thank you

I am sure most places are a minimum of age 3 if not 4 for kids club facilities.

Sensatori will take them at that age - our DTs were 20 months when we were looking and that was fine (but chargeable)

Nielsens...brilliant..been twice and the kids clubs are great..

Holiday villages take babies from 3 months too.

Esprit sun, or alpine elements

Is Cornwall an option? If so look at the Ponsmere in Perranporth (www.ponsmerehotel.com/). My husband's family have been going there for 4 generations! We mostly only use the kids club in the evenings but that works really well. The kids (2 and 5 last time we were there) have an early dinner so we eat in peace and then they stay there for long enough that we can go for a walk on the beach or have a drink in the bar.

It's also right on the beach which makes for lazy days of building sandcastles and paddling and the lifeguards are really good so it's a safe place to be in the sea.

Thanks for those ideas - I hadn't thought of Cornwall.

Sadly sensatori, neilsons and the holiday villages are based in Mediterranean resorts, so fail the heat test. The Alps are looking good though!

Eurocamp holidays don't have to be basic caravans, some have luxury lodges and some have kids clubs. Northern France have a few so it wouldn't be too hot. Also have a look at Thomson Family resorts, kids clubs and crèches available but not as mental a holiday as the FC holiday villages.

^^it spelt properly whilst I was typing creches

Id go for a eurocamp in Brittany, a lot of them have kids clubs, although youd have to double check the ages, as my kids are older.

I love a eurocamp style holiday, we had one at Easter, but the kids have to be 4 before you can leave them at the kids club, so DD isn't old enough yet. You're right about the rest though!