Luxury resort with toddler childcare??

[Dreamhouseorstay]

I would love some recommendations on this! We are currently planning our family holiday. We’re looking at going in September, but would be happy with October if we were confident it would still be warm.

Very open on location - not opposed to a long flight/somewhere further afield if it means we get more for our money.

We did Mark Warner last year; and loved the childcare - especially the evening childcare/film nights so we could enjoy an adult dinner. However, the accommodation was quite basic, and neither of us are sporty, so it feels like we’re paying for facilities we don’t want to use.

We just want somewhere hot, where we can take our 2 year old swimming at the beach/pool, and have a couple of hours a day to read/destress while she enjoys some time at the kids club. No other facilities really required! I would ideally like childcare staff with uk qualifications/ratios etc.

The dream would be great childcare and a more luxury feel.

Our budget is £5k including flights for 10-14 nights, at least half board. We are happy to pay extra for childcare on top.

We are not looking for full days of childcare etc - some half days and a couple of evenings would be perfect as we want it to be a family holiday and spend time with her of course, but also have a real holiday and feel relaxed at the end of it!

Can anywhere recommend somewhere like this? I’ve spent hours and hours looking at different places and would love some opinions from people who have actually been to the places 😊 Am I expecting too much at this price? I’m not sure if it’s because we’re now a three, or Covid etc but everything seems so much more expensive than a couple of years ago!

Thank you in advance!

Have gone to various Iberostar hotels in Mallorca in September / October and they meet your budget criteria and have childcare for 2 year olds, but not every hotel. They might not be really luxurious though. Depends what you are looking for there exactly. Not been to Sani, but have been to Ikos and it does have much more in the way of "luxury".

You're not going to get 14 nights for 5k.... 10k maybe.

Have gone to various Iberostar hotels in Mallorca in September / October and they meet your budget criteria and have childcare for 2 year olds, but not every hotel. They might not be really luxurious though

We took our kids to one of the Iberostars in Majorca when they were little. Really nice to walk straight onto the beach. I can still sing the songs from the mini disco a decade later (worst still, my kids insisted we buy the Smiley CD).

Childcare was ok but not many English speakers (if that matters), awful sunbed bagging at 6am and food a bit underwhelming. But not bad for the money.

Ikos is in a different league. We went to the Spanish one last October half-term in a deluxe sea view suite for 2 adults and a teenager (charged as an adult) I think for around £3,500. The champagne, steak, lobster, endless restaurants, people bringing drinks all day and cleaning your sunglasses... it's going to be hard to go back to a normal holiday.

Try Rixos Bab Al Bahr in Ras Al Khaumah.

And book with Emirates holidays. Great deals with perks like private transfers

For those who book ikos regularly how far out do you book to get the 'best' price?

They seem to have the 5-15% early booking offers 9-12 months out, possibly 6.

But I think the prices fluctuate more than that in any case. Looking back at my emails, we booked the Andalusia one 11 months ahead.

You could get 2 weeks at Ikos Olivia in September for £6k plus flights.

Yes. It's over budget, but remember, you will have NO extras costs for food or daytime childcare. Ikos resorts are extraordinary - forget thoughts of crappy buffets and 'local spirits'. You would not regret it.

I think they have a 2 y/o so childcare would be chargeable as at 2 children have to use the creche.

I think we paid something like €35 per 3 hour session. We only used it in the morning for our 2 little ones and the 1 day it rained during a rainy afternoon.

It's not a huge amount of money but if stretching to pay for the holidays it can add up if there for 2 weeks.

They also offer mermaid swimming lessons which we did for our eldest.

On a different note - we went to Olivia for 12 nights but we actually felt it was too long. Our children's behaviour went downhill after about ten and it became harder work. We've booked our summer holiday this year for 10 nights as this would have been perfect last year.

Can I ask where you went/are going? I have the same dilemma … we have the same budget for 7 nights and are looking at Sani but I’m worried about the weather