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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

'Luxury' holiday in Europe with 6 month old

30 replies

Sophie2 · 29/12/2007 19:45

My hubby and I are wanting to book our first holiday with our new baby for early summer. As we are so exhausted (!), we would like to book somewhere that has a creche on site. I have heard mixed reports abour Mark Warner and wondered if anyone can share their experience? or if anyone has any suggestions for other companies to book with?

OP posts:
Tutter · 29/12/2007 19:45

scott dunn?

chocolateshoes · 29/12/2007 19:57

omg Scott Dunn looks amazing....I need my premium bonds to come up!

Is there something suitable with ClubMed? My French in-laws use them alot and rave about them

beautifulgirls · 30/12/2007 17:21

We have been really pleased with Mark Warner in the past and have booked to go back again for our 3rd visit to San Agostino in Greece later this year with the kids. However we are not so pleased right this minute with them as we have just had a letter telling us we will only be getting 1/2 a day of creche available without paying more, and it is no longer full board. They have reduced the price of the holiday since we booked to "compensate" but the cost of the extra childcare alone is significantly more than the price they have reduced it by. We are waiting for a senior manager to get back to us about this . Depending upon their response and where we stand legally with it too, we are considering cancelling and looking elsewhere as it is not cheap in the first place without them adding extra expense in.

Elfsmummy · 30/12/2007 17:34

We went with sunsail last year and had a fantastic time. Its pretty similar to Mark Warner (and I have a feeling you might get a discount with Mumsnet???)

The reason we went with sunsail over Mark Warner is because their Kids club runs all day (you don't pick them up for lunch) Our DD slept over lunch time at the time and it was the one time of day that we definately wanted a baby sitter (IYSWIM)

Elfsmummy · 30/12/2007 17:35

BTW We went to the Greece one (due to its sort airport transfer) and I'm not sure you'd call it luxury but certainly very nice

JingleyJen · 30/12/2007 17:38

stay here it is part of a larger resort but the plebs aren't allowed onto your beach or your pool (totally separate) however it does mean that there is a good atmos in all the restaurants round the marina.

free babysitting on the beach under a huge umberella with qualified nannies if you want a swim or an uninterrupted chapter of your book.

ohcomeALYefaithful · 30/12/2007 17:38

I had a horrific MW experience, hosp admission for a 10 mth old on the way home. I've never been anywhere so dirty and rundown.

Scott D go to a fab place in Elounda, we went with a smaller co - Amanthus holidays - and paid around half the SD price. Also we got upgraded to a two bedroom cottage with pool, garden and butlers accom which would have been 16K!

I couldn't fault the care in the creche , a new purpose built place called 'the Ark' the head was an English nanny with her own child(my son has sn and we were happy to leave him there for 3 hrs at a time).

Have stayed at many 4 and 5 * child friendly fab hotels this was excellent.

JingleyJen · 30/12/2007 17:49

where was that ohcomeALYefaithful?

Rosa · 30/12/2007 17:51

beautiful girls... If Creche facilities were in the 1st brochure listed as being included then even if they have reduced the cost of the holiday then it should be included ( Esp if the cost of payment outweighs the original cost). Check the ABTa code of conduct for more legal talk.
Sorry to hijack and hope you find somewhere.
Is the Forte Village still any good ???

FluffyMummy123 · 30/12/2007 17:58

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FluffyMummy123 · 30/12/2007 17:58

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FluffyMummy123 · 30/12/2007 18:00

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FluffyMummy123 · 30/12/2007 18:02

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Lapsedrunner · 31/12/2007 06:38

www.kinderhotels.co.uk

seeker · 31/12/2007 07:02

But have in the back of your mind all the time that the creche/nanny/ kids clubs may be absolutely wonderful but your dc may put his or her tiny foot down and simply refuse to 'avail themselves of the facilities"! Better to have considered this in advance to avoid the CRUSHING disappointment of not being able to have proper swims/siestas/long lunches/go sailing with dp/read a whole book on a sunlounger/have romantic strolls on the beach when you had been looking forward to all these things for a year.

rahrahrahrahrah · 31/12/2007 09:41

These type of holidays are awful I think I would rather stay at home.

FriedGreenTomatoes · 31/12/2007 09:58

If you want a truly relaxing, magical time away from crowds then this place www.levendisestate.com/holiday/ is divine. They have a nanny you can use, fresh produce each day and masseurs on site.

chocolateshoes · 31/12/2007 10:45

FGT, that place looks wonderful.....I need a pay rise!! Am adding all these addresses to a folder on my favourites called 'if only...'

LizP · 31/12/2007 12:59

We did a wonderful holiday to Italy with Parents need Pampering. Dh and I did a cookery course but others just hung out/used the spa. Thought they looked after the littlest ones really well and the older two had fun as well.

ohcomeALYefaithful · 31/12/2007 14:32

Cod, we stayed at the Almrya this year for 2 weeks. Hotels was fab, area was ...erm a bit British for us, couldn't take a walk without being approached by timeshare twats touts.

I food was spectacular, staff, welcome and accomodation some of the best we have experienced - including the smooth private Dr!

BUT the Creche facilities were not that good, more like a monitored (max 3 staff)play room than a proper care facility. My dd was the only 7 yr old or near age (in July) so found it a bit boring, the timetable bore no resemblance to what went on. One day I took DD in for cookie making only to be told that they had done it at 9.30 not 11.30 as listed etc.

I'll have a google and post a link for Elounda.

StephenCordeliaCod · 31/12/2007 14:40

but hwy on earth woudl you put a 7 year odl in a creche?

ohcomeALYefaithful · 31/12/2007 14:44

Also the Almyra, had no Spa only in room treatments, which I don't enjoy as much.

Also despite many emails etc they put the wrong car seats in the transfer car. The baby go lightly service is fab though, with nappy wrappers, changing mats etc all waiting in room.

Porto Elounda

We went with Amathus holidays, good service BUT if you don't travel light you will probably need 2 cars from the airport as Taxis are Merc saloons, it was a struggle for pushchair and 3 large cases. You cannot get swim nappies anywhere there so take your own. The creche go swimming in their own shaded pool every day, although you can opt out of swimming. Also block booking the creche makes it chaper, buy 6 get one free?

The Spa was great here, really tranquill. The grounds full of beautiful flowers and butterflies etc.

We are going to Sani this year.

ohcomeALYefaithful · 31/12/2007 14:50

It was the kids club bit, not really the creche but it was all in adjoining rooms.

As my 2 are nearly 5 yrs apart and different sexes, also my 3 yr old has severe SN they were not able to play together. It was last summer so she was 6. We always use the kids clubs as she is very fair and needs to be indoors for parts of the day, also as a SAHM it is not much of a holiday for me to look after both of my children all day everyday whilst on holiday.

At other hotels I have been used to a higer level of children's club activities with treasure hunts, beach combing, dance and tennis lessons, football matches etc - much more fun than lying on a sun lounger or stuck in a suite.

StephenCordeliaCod · 31/12/2007 14:55

ah

andiemisletoe · 01/01/2008 11:24

we went here for oct half term and it was lovely we used the kids club for our 7 year old and the activities were fab the creache was very nice looking