Self catering resorts?

[CoffeeOrSleep]

We've done self catering villa holidays in the past and loved the relaxed feel of them, but last year did an all inclusive package deal. The kids loved the water slides and haven't stopped talking about them, their only requirement they keep asking for is "water slides please!" When talking about going away this year. However, I didn't like the faff of having to get dressed nicely for breakfast, back to the room for swimwear, back to get changed for lunch etc and didn't like the being stuck with just buffet food every meal and would like the chance to explore real restaurants in the area!

Does such thing as a resort with proper apartments/villas and water slides in the pool exist? Think a tiny private villa pool won't impress the kids this year! Thanks!

If it does I haven't found it. I'm with you on this is very annoying.

This year we're going to a fairly posh looking French campsite with amazing looking slides. Going for the most expensive looking "cabin", which has 3 bedrooms and air-con, and hoping for the best.

We are staying in self catering apartments in menorca, there's a water park not far and a few pools in the grounds to... would that be an option?

Downstairs - thanks, I've looked at villas near water parks, but we'd lose the relaxed vibe if we were out all day every day anyway, so figured might as well go AI again!

Frazeled - where are you going? In the uk this would be easy, Centre parcs or even Butlins. Closest I've found to perfect is the place in Portugal famed for Madeline McGan going missing from it, but they don't have a water slide in their various pools, even if I can park creepy fears.

DH wants to throw money at this and go posh hotel, so I don't have the buffet hatred.

How old are your children? Parque Santiago 3 in Tenerife is self-catering with water slides, but it’s not a huge water park - I’d say up to age 10 rather than for older ones.

Oh Hairy - just googling that now! Thanks!

Maybe a mobile home holiday? The new ones are pretty decent and comfortable and the ones we’ve been to all have water slides on site.

It’s why we go to be honest, I’d love a villa but my kids like to meet other kids and play with them in the pools.

idontlikealdi - Looking at it, Eurocamp type places with a 'chalet/caravan' might end up being the best option. We did do that one year and it pissed it down all holiday, so DH has an aversion to caravan/mobile home type holidays! He's trying to throw money at it, I just don't think what we want exists as an option, upping the budet isn't going to change that. Why can't they open Centreparcs somewhere hot?!

Our summer holidays sound a bit like yours. Kids want water slides. I hate AI buffets. We go to Eurocamp, always Southern Europe to guarantee weather.
When are you going? There’s endless holiday parks in Italy, Spain and south of France with water parks and it’s very unlikely to rain all week in the summer. Some have proper apartments, tho we have always got a caravan type thing.
Centreparcs is for cold countries where you can’t guarantee the weather. No one would go to an inside swimming pool in the south of France

They have opened centerparcs somewhere hot! We have been to centerparcs in France for the last 2 years. Lots to choose from but we stayed at Bois Aux Daims, as it's the furthest south so hottest! Temps in high 70s every day, sometimes hotter. All the facities you would expect, accommodation much bigger and nicer than UK, way more convenient as you leave your car v close to accommodation, and much cheaper than centerparcs U.K.!

Ha- crossed posts with tails and scales! They have a good outdoor pool too!!

tails - we can be pretty much flexible over the summer, so can do the school holidays. Just looking at Eurocamp cottages, thank you! (It's DH's hatred of caravan holidays I managed to get him to over come for a Spanish Eurocamp holiday a few years ago, except it pissed it down and the sound of rain on the mobile home roof was exactly the childhood memory he hated, a 'proper' holiday cottage on a Eurocamp site sounds the perfect compromise !)

We're going to Yelloh Village Serignan Plage and flying/hiring a car. Is taxiable from
Beziers airport though.

Also look at Les Sablons nearby and the other Yelloh Village campsites which look swisher to me than your average eurocamp type place but I've not yet been to either!

If kids will tolerate smashing pool but no slides with a waterpark nearby, Monte Santo in Carvoeiro, Algarve had lovely SC accommodation but with all the normal hotel facilities onsite.

coffee my DH is exactly the same - traumatised by childhood caravan holidays in wales 😂. He keeps suggesting hotels but getting out voted. It’s not rained on any of our Eurocamping holidays yet tho, or else I think he might refuse to do any more.
Artesia that Centre Parcs looks really nice. Don’t think I’d risk camping that far north tho, so they probably do still need the indoor pool 🙂

Watching with interest we want the same as you OP. I looked for this last year.
Our Kids would love some of the AI water slides and other facilities now they are older. But getting up at the crack of dawn to reserve a sun bed and both the monotony of an AI buffet or the SC meal planning shopping cooking clearing and washing would drive me mad. Watching with interest.

www.tui.co.uk/destinations/europe/portugal/algarve/quarteira/hotels/aquashow-park-hotel.html?im_id=PPC&gclid=CIHR0eLCxtgCFUMXGwodaCYKSg&gclsrc=ds

Not self catering so you wouldn't have those facilities but does do b&b rather than the AI if you prefer eating out and not being stuck with a buffet?

www.firstchoice.co.uk/holiday/accommodation/overview/Calan-Bosch/Zafiro-Menorca-029202

Not sure how old your kids are but this one is self catering and has a pirate ship with smaller slides.

www.tui.co.uk/destinations/europe/spain/majorca/can-picafort/apartments/zafiro-mallorca.html?im_id=PPC&gclid=Cj0KCQiAp8fSBRCUARIsABPL6JYPtvEBVhqr2tROdOpnRN9LaDSNPAuy2xgjhoryIKugrwvd4G_utJUaAg9lEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Again, similar to the last but Majorca rather than Menorca. The last link was to First Choice's website so will ome up all inclusive but if you look at it with Tui instead it will offer you self catering.

www.tui.co.uk/destinations/europe/spain/majorca/cala-bona/hotels/protur-aparthotel-bonaire-self-catering.html

And one more with plenty of kids' facilities

Ooh, interesting finds pink, thank you!

Monte do Quinta in the Algarve is your friend

thank you all! There are some great ideas here.