Travelling with toddlers - AI resort or self catering villa?

[Kaz18]

Hello! I’m wondering what people have found best when travelling with toddlers. We have twins who will be three when we plan to travel. We can’t decide whether to go for an all inclusive resort or a self catering villa.

We did a villa in Spain late last year but it was very remote so no restaurants/shops near (think they were about a 20 min drive away). With a villa I love that we have a bit more freedom re the twins napping/sleeping and also playing without us feeling like we have to watch their every move in case they take off. E.g. they can play in the garden while we’re sat outside and they can’t take off through a resort - I feel like we would be constantly chasing them around in a resort? Also with a villa I like that at this age they can go to bed and we can still sit outside or wherever and relax without feeling like we have to be extra quiet because they’re in the same room as us. But when we go on holiday we really don’t like to have to cook which is why we’re also looking at AI resorts. My husband and I can also be a bit awkward when it comes to eating out in foreign countries (not knowing what the menu says/staff not understanding us etc) so we tended to go AI when we holidayed pre-kids.

Those of you with toddlers; have you found it easier to be in an AI resort or should we try a villa that is centrally located so we have restaurants etc in walking distance? My head is telling me that we’re better to wait to go to a resort until they’re a bit older and can stay up later so we’re not all having to go to bed at 7/8pm but we haven’t tried a resort with kids so don’t know what it’s like.

I haven't tried a villa holiday (or AI yet but going for the first time in Sept). We did consider a villa holiday as I like the freedom (and not having to put up with other people!!) but at 3, my DD will enjoy so much that the AI resort has to offer, constant entertainment, various pools, slides, pay areas etc. We just decided that it would be easier to keep her entertained there rather than in a villa. I think a villa is great when they are a bit older and less bothered by the entertainment and can occupy themselves a bit easier. We went to hotel complex when she was 18 months (just bed and breakfast) and she absolutely loved it. You can usually find hotels that have apartments rather than just a hotel room (this was a must for us) and she would nap in the bedroom and we would get a few hours reading out on the terrace.

Not either of your options, but have you thought of a campsite? I spent aaaaages earlier this year looking at villas thinking we wanted one for our toddler holiday this summer. I drew the conclusion that they mostly seemed to be too far away from restaurants, etc, same as your reservation about them.

So we started looking at campsites with chalets - ie so you're not staying in a tent - and was really pleasantly surprised by how lovely they are in Europe. We've booked into one right on a beach in France - can't tell you what it's like yet cos we haven't been but it looks amazing.

That doesn't help you with the restaurant issue but campsites have restaurants and cafes which tend to be pretty straightforward (and probably menus in English too).

Lots of people don't speak the lingo when they go on holiday, though, and just muddle through - is it really that bad? You'll miss out on lots if you feel like you always have to do AI

Have you looked at apartments? There’s usually a wide range on offer & some have pools. We usually go for an apartment in an interesting town near a beach - kind of a home away from home & more comfortable to spend down time in than a hotel room which always feel a bit enclosed. We have done AI three times (my daughter is now 9) & not cooking is great but as she’s a stupidly fussy eater she just ended up eating bread, chips & pudding all week. Even things she would eat at home she wouldn’t touch for reasons like ‘it looks funny’ or ‘ham has been on it’! Self catering just makes feeding her easier! Apartments are much cheaper than hotels & self catering saves loads (though we eat out every evening), i usually use booking.com or AirBnB.

Villa for me. You can basically toddler proof your environment so you and DH can relax. You can put them down for siestas and still relax in garden by your pool. And you can have a mix of relaxed family dinners some nights and eating out other nights.

100% villa. you need to choose one near all the things that you want though and this is why I do try and get in early if at all possible so you get the most choice.

Villa or apartment. It makes breakfast easy and you can have lovely evenings once the kids are in bed!
Go to Portugal or a really touristy area in Greece or Spain and all the menus will be in English anyway

I'm in the AI camp. I can't quite face being in a villa with my 3 year old as I don't want to cook and clean (ill moan that the knives aren't sharp enough etc) or have to wait 30 minutes with dd moaning for food to arrive in restaurants twice a day (buffets are quick).

We've done two AI since dd was born and will book for this Sept. Each time we have booked 1 bed apartments so once dd is asleep dp and I could sit in the other room/balcony and drink/watch films or even chat .

The other benefit to AI for me is that the hotels we have stayed at have had kids entertainment. Dd has really enjoyed it in the evenings (she still talks about last year's entertainment). It's not classy in the slightest but it has truly entertained her and we haven't had to bring many toys with us. I feel if we stay in a villa I'd need to drag many more toys for her to play with during the day and especially the evening. We tend to spend our days at the beach rather than the hotel but if we spend a morning at the pool there's so much going on that dd is entertained. Also she'll be old enough for the kids club this year (which is a big draw for me)

Each To Their Own. Personally I can't face being stuck in a hotel room. I'd much prefer a villa or an apartment so that the kids can have their own room and I can do my own thing. I'd also rather go to a restaurant to eat out than eat in a hotel every night and morning. Only done AI once. I feel like I'm missing out if I don't get to go and eat out in local places.

Self-catering doesn't need to be hard work if it's just the three of you. It's harder work for me when I go on holiday with the whole extended family then cooking and cleaning and shopping does become a real chore.

You can usually get some quite nice food that's easy to prepare in local supermarkets so pizza and salad maybe or a Spanish omelette ready made or just bread and cheese or picky bits. But then again I like cooking so it's just not a problem for me.