Holiday of a lifetime

[sloanedanger]

Next year we’ll have a no strings payout of about £5k and extra annual leave, so want to take DC (ages 8 and 5 then) on a special holiday. Not too long haul ideally (maximum 8 hours) and needs to be a pool/beach, ideally all inclusive holiday. I was considering the Maldives, but I’m not sure how child friendly that is, also to go luxury, all inclusive would that be an obscene amount of money? Alternatively, Mauritius?

I would look at mark Warner Greece and Turkey- terrific with kids your age

Look at Beaches resorts - family friendly. We have had amazing holidays there. In Jamaica and Turks and Caicos. If you shop around - we looked at Virgin, Ba and Kenwood travel we got quite a lot of difference in price

We went to Mauritius this year (June) because it was significantly cheaper than similar quality accommodation in Europe. It's their 'off' season so we had some overcast days but it was always warm.

Loads to do too.

Just saw you'd consider the Balearics; look at the Zafiro Palace Hotels in Majorca, and as others have said I've heard good things about the Ikos resorts around Europe too.

Mexico is Fab! Plenty of all inclusive hotels, and some cool wildlife. We had these massive lizard things which I found fascinating and these big guineapig looking creatures (agouti). They have lots of tours/activities too. We stayed in one of the Riu hotels, via Tui so it was quite easy…. Sea is blue, beach is glorious, coconut trees all over, massive beds!

Florida - plenty to do, probably need more spending money though (we’re going in January, it’s adding up - car hire, tickets for universal, hotels etc. and then we’ll need to buy food etc.)

When I was a kid my parents took us to New York and I loved that. Not a beach holiday but it was like walking round a film set! An alternative with a beach could be LA… lovely beach, universal studios, Hollywood sign (there is a tour to visit it on horse back.. we walked), walk of fame etc….but there are a lot of homeless people and I found LA too ‘sprawling’ (they do have a subway). We stayed in the magic castle hotel which is great for kids (free sweets, drinks and laundry) BUT not a relaxing holiday!

We looked at the Maldives for this year and changed our minds…. the flight wasn’t direct and needed a little taxi boat/flight to the individual island, which seemed like a faff, and then a few people said it was boring. We scuba so I’m sure we would find stuff to do, but I can see how each island essentially been one hotel complex could be boring after a while (couldn’t wander off and find some shops to brows etc.).

Florida during the winter - the weather is much easier to deal with, there's so much to do and see, it's not just the parks.

Pine Cliffs in Portugal is super luxe-y if you go AI or even half board. Or Mark Warner.

Have you considered a cruise? TUI (marella) are all inclusive with childcare and fairly reasonable. Disney cruises are amazing but more £££. My kids loved them at that age (and now)

Florida is great, we're going in February, but in the summer it's too hot, too wet, and there won't be many manatees.

I'd also stick with Europe OP.

Avoid Caribbean in the summer it rains most days for a few hours a day.
I'd recommend Stella palace in Crete, on the beach, water park, huge pools and good choice of restaurants. 4hr flight.

We are just back from Maldives AI and it was mainly couples but a few kids there too. It was a 10 hour flight then another seaplane and boat so a long journey for kids. It was also pricey and would say for 4 might be more 10k than 5k.

Costa Rica might be worth a look as that has AI relatively cheaply for longhaul and wildlife, rainforest as well as pool beaches. We did 2 weeks AI for 6k a few years back though trips did add another 2k but that was 5 full day trips. We went in August which us their winter but was around 27C each day and just rain from 4pmish each day and sunny before and fun to see rain in rainforest and it very green.

Really never fancied a cruise! We are not really all inclusive/resort people in terms of too much organised fun, we love Center Parcs for kids’ activities and Eurocamp, so tend to prefer self catering usually, but that’s because the AI’s we’ve been on in the past have been your bog standard one hotel, buffet every night type. We really fancy a luxury type AI with choices of restaurants and things.

I think water slides are a must too as both my DC love swimming, Center Parcs etc and will be entertained for hours, together with water sports like snorkelling, paddle boarding.

Have a look at Ikos resorts. I haven't been but I know people who have and they are apparently truly amazing all inclusive with loads of stuff for families and kids (not all of it advertised on the website). I think I looked for the four of us to go and it was about 8k or something for a week all inclusive.

Cheap flights to Barbados Easter next year then you could blow the budget on the hotel?

Mexico will be cheaper but not a good time to go, Caribbean isn't good for our summer either nor Mauritius or Maldives. Decent all inclusive at the last two would probable be double the 5K

Caribbean is hurricane season in our summer so would avoid personally. Sri Lanka was coming up when we were looking very good value but don't know what it's like atm. Maldives was very resort based, beautiful beaches, snorkeling, spinning dolphins and tropical fish, kayaking and sea, seaplanes, pool, great for a week or 10 days but I preferred Costa Rica tbh due to wildlife.

I am thinking that, probably, Sri Lanka or Goa would fit your budget which wont go far because everything costs more now. The Maldives is trickier - it involves additional sea plane travel to get you to your island and is more geared towards adults in most cases. Costa Rica would also work if you are prepared to travel further, but only one side of it. Your budget wouldn't cover seeing both.

You could do a nature holiday in Florida but it would obviously not include Disney within your budget.

We did Mexico in the summer. Absolutely amazing but I'd go in a cooler month. August was way too hot for DD10 and me if I'm honest

Look at Thailand. No need for AI as much cheaper for eating out there etc

We've done Mauritius in August w kids - it's the 'winter' but still nice but not hot hot. And where we went not really the water slide type place

The best holidays we had with kids were Disney Cruises. They were amazing and gave us fantastic memories. The other great holiday we had was a hotel in Jamaica with a water park. Staff were so much fun - our kids had a ball!

Martinhal or Pine Cliffs in Portugal?

Or forte village Sardinia

I’ve been eyeing U.K. the IKOS Dassia resort in Corfu for ages. There’s no way I can afford it, but it looks wonderful and Corfu is my favourite place.

Im not sure whether it would suit kids the age of yours though. But worth a look.

Thanks all, really great suggestions, lots for me to look into.

DH and I did 2 weeks in maldives. Flights are 15 hours and that's IF you can get direct. We had a lovely typical 2 week stay for our homeymoon. It was £9400. This was 3 years ago.