Moonfleet v Bedruthan v Knoll House v Sands

[BearintheBigBlueHouse]

OK, you?re all coming back from your hols now so someone must be able to report back to help us decide where to take the non-school-age DC next month. We?ve got a week off, but won?t be able to book anywhere until the end of the week before, so our choice will probably be limited anyway, but if we had a free choice between the above four, which should we go for? Or should we look elsewhere?

Our criteria are: I like comfort and cleanliness, the more stars the better, but would rather not have to dress up too much for dinner; DD loves the BEEEEEECH! and needs to be somewhere that will facilitate a lot of jumping over waves; DS is teething and is likely to wake DD up if they?re forced to sleep in the same room, so somewhere with two interconnecting rooms or a three (or more) room suite/villa would be ideal. Childcare for a few hours of parental R&R is essential.

The impression I have, from what I?ve heard here and elsewhere, and from the hotels? websites, is that (and please don?t shoot me if I unintentionally offend - I'm realise I'm being a bit of a cheeky monkey but your confirmations or corrections are very welcome) Moonfleet is for Bodenites, Bedruthan for Fat Faces, Knoll House for M&Sers and Sands for JJB Sportswearers. Like I say, I?m not being deliberately snobbish (FWIW I am dressed by all of the above to a greater or lesser degree) but it would be good to know what to expect....

A pound and a half of best West Country fudge for the most helpful replies.

hi marbeth

i think we have a family room... sine qua non for us is separate sleeping for ds, dd will probably be in with us (she's only 5 wks). ds is 3. we went to bedruthan at easter last year - it is the best hotel holiday we have had so far since ds was born. even though we have been other places with more adult glamour, it has been (so far) the best set up for kids we've encountered, therefore, the most relaxing for us! can't wait to see what langstone cliff is like. told dh you had given it a favourable review and he was very relieved! fingers crossed for the weather now! :)

Bedruthan looks fab, is it as amazing as the website suggests? I especially like the look of the private nanny!

Ooh and a webcam over the beach!

hi www, the setting, beach and views are, but the hotel - not quite! i really must email you!

I am interested int the need for holidays with child care.

we have bbeen onholidays with kids clubs but find that the kids actually prefer being with us and relax accordingly.

Do those of you who need this kind of holiday try holidays where you dont have child care too?

Since having children, we generally try for one expensive holiday with childcare, and one cheaper one without - generally self-catering or staying with family. I'm a FTM, and sometimes I just need a break from the children, so being able to have some grown-up time is priceless and makes the holiday so worth-while. The holidays with childcare are always so much more relaxing and refresshing. Possibly also because I don't have to do any chores either!

We haven't yet gone anywhere with children's 'clubs', because we always have a clingy toddler in tow who won't settle in, but when they are old enough we shall certainly try that.

I agree coddy; I really relish spending loads of time with the children without the constraints of having to get out of the door by a certain time and so on. I do like child-friendly hotels though. We use the facilities at Woolley Grange, for example, but seldom use childcare as such. We have done once or twice when the children have chosen to go there for an hour rather than look round shops with us, but that's all. I don't know if other hotels are the same, but certainly there you can use the playroom but stay with the children if you want to. Best of all worlds

My kids do not go to the kids clubs - I go on hol with them to spend time as a family as I work fulltime. If they want to go to kids clubs when they are older then this is fine. The good thing about these hotels is that they cater for families - lots of stuff for the kids to do (with the parents) and a chance for us parents to grab a quiet dinner if we want to. Most importantly they are tollerant of kids which is novel in England!

ah I see.

I must admit my happiest childhood memeories ar e playing wiht my M and d and siblings on holiday ( my parents dont remember the holiays as so happy and find it all very funny!)

I think you only have say 10 years of family holidays kids remember so its sad thats some are put in kids clubs allt he time

Oh I know- ds is 9 so we're living on borrowed time . Actually I'm sure we'll find things we all like even then, but it won't be quite the same.

Our daughter is an only child, and we like to find holiday destinations with children's clubs partly so that we are in a generally child-friendly place (as others have mentioned) but also so that she can spend a few hours with other children instead of "just" mom and dad. Usually, this leads to little friendships that continue onto the beach or in the pool or where-ever. I relish the time with our daughter, but I also delight in watching her grow in relationships with her peers.

Tartegnin - that's exactly how I feel about the kid's clubs. The childcare that we find the most useful at the moment is what meets their needs: early mealtimes and the opportunity for them to nap and to go to bed earlier than us. That's what I want from a holiday with childcare, not to farm the children out to spend all their time in clubs. Once they are old enough we will be able to make the best of both worlds - time together and time with their friends and peers. There's a world of a difference between holidaying with toddlers and holidaying with children!

I would thoroughly recommend Radfords which is just outside Dawlish, South Devon. Only accepts families, has "playgroup" for under 6's and kids club for 6+ plus child orientated family entertainment in the evenings. Dinner is between 6 and 7.30 from memory and your kids can eat with you or, if you prefer, they can have kids tea from 5 ish and be looked after while you eat. It is very informal but the food is wonderful. We went 3 times in about 5 or so years and as I write this I feel quite sad that we probably won't be going back again now.

has this turned into a thread about the rights and wrongs of kids clubs on family holidays or can i still quiz people on these hotels?!

Don't forget Center Parcs. Better value than many of the hotels mentioned. Baby sittting can be organised during the day and evening. You can choose which restaurant you visit, you've got the pool and plenty of chalet space. Gets my vote everytime. Just booked for Feb half term.