40th birthday, travelling with kids but don't know where to go!

[DarlingCoffee]

Hello, hoping you wise mumsnetters can help me as I'm going round in circles. DH and I would like to take a special holiday with our DD (4) and DS (1) for my 40th. Need to travel last week of August (29th) as nursery closes then and DD starts school in Sept. I was really wanting to travel to the Caribbean for an all inclusive break but am worried about the risk of rain, monsoons etc! Would be rubbish if it rained the whole time! Looking for a special family holiday befitting a 40th with beaches close by, pool, good food, a few things to do locally, but not so noisy that we can't relax. We would like direct flights from Gatwick with max 45 mins transfer time. Can anyone give me any good ideas? I just want to book something! Other thoughts were Cape Cod, Positano but not sure if we would need a car and would want to avoid that. Happy to splash the budget as it's a special occasion. Thanks for any guidance you can offer me

Sicily?

Budget?

Wouldn't recommend Positano with kids in tow - it's beautiful, gorgeous restaurants etc. but not much there for kids.

Up to £5k

Thank you for the advice on Positano! Was considering Mauritius if anyone has any experience there?

I've stayed at The Residence in Mauritius. Not with DC but it seemed family friendly. Was a lovely hotel - brilliant service too. We did a few day trips with private taxi too.

I've not been to Mauritius, so can't comment on that, but a previous poster mentioned Sicily and I'd highly recommend.

There's a hotel called Belmond Villa Sant Andrea, which is on the beach, very luxurious and family friendly.

Yes I have taken my kids to Mauritius it was fantastic.my kids were aged 5.
Have to say with a one year old I would go somewhere with a crèche so that I could have some child free time. It's also along flight, if you go direct it's 12-13 hours, we went indirect with Emirates was 17 hours. You would presumably have the one year old on your lap if not in bassinet I am not sure I could do that for so many hours. We like neilsons holidays when ours were that age, not luxury but the childcare and kids activities were so awesome that it was a proper holiday for us rather than a change of scene.

Mauritius would be fab if you were going in winter but I wouldn't bother flying all that way in European summer time. Esp not with 2 kids to wrangle on a 12 hour flight (we went with one 18 month old between 2 adults and that was just about do able!). If you do decide on Mauritius I recommend Lux Belle Mare.

I suggest a chat with one of the family travel agents like Tots Too or Quo Vadis who will have some good ideas. Off the top of my head have a look at Borgo Egnazia in Puglia, or in Greece/Cyprus how about Almyra, Anassa, Ammos, Daois Cove, Domes of Elounda, Sani Beach. These are all very family friendly (kids clubs, kids menus etc) but also smart enough for a treat adult holiday I think. Some have creches as well. I haven't actually stayed at any of these places myself but someone on MN will have

Thank you everyone for the terrific ideas and recommendations. The reasons you've all given are the reasons I'm torn about Mauritius too especially when like you say there are some decent places closer to home. Really appreciate the hotel recommendations also. Thank you!

I agree - I wouldn't go all the way to Mauritius with a baby and a 4-year-old in European summer when there are so many lovely places to go nearer home. August will be very hot in the southern Med, which isn't ideal with small DC, who want to be outside, playing in the water, digging in the sand, etc. I'd probably go somewhere like Martinhal in Portugal, which is luxurious (some villas more than others), while being very child-friendly and not oppressively hot.

Don't rainy season put you off; I've been to Barbados, Grenada, Costa Rica & Mexico during rainy season & it's always been fine. It's mostly a few short bursts of very heavy rain. It doesn't rain all the time!

Hmm yes that's true juneau August will be jolly hot in southern Med. Last week of Aug might be cooling down but still. Portugal or France could be better bets. OP check temps before you book.

Borgo Egnazio is a great idea but £5k budget won't touch the sides! You are going to be hammered in the eurozone but at least get away without ludicrous flight costs so - south of Corsica / Sardinia / Aeolian Islands / Montenegro / Slovenia

Its not just rainy season in our summer in the caribbean though its also hurricane season.

We have just booked a 5* hotel with Jet2be to Croatia for school holidays for 2 adults, a 19 year old and a 15 year old for £5K.

Cape Verde might be an option too (shortish flight) and nice weather if you only have a £5k budget for 4 of you.
Caribbean is really best between Nov-April.

Sorry missed the budget post

Mitsis is a fab Greek AI chain which has amazing facilities for kids and some of their hotels offer thalassotherapy. A wee bit of luxury closer to home!