First family holiday abroad need recommendations please.

[Thecat19342]

Hello,

We're hoping to take our children - who will be 4, 6 and 9 next year on their first holiday abroad. I'm finding the choice and variety a bit of a minefield so hoping someone on here might help. I've found a couple of places which ticked the boxes- but apparently according to TA they have music blasting by the pool. (My middle is autistic and finds loud music overwhelming)

We want somewhere AI ideally - my eldest really wants to experience a buffet and snacks all day, near a beach, with a playpark and pool with slides.
Grandparents will also be coming along. The flight ideally will be under 5 hours and were hoping to go in October to keep the price down (and not too hot).

Has anyone got any suggestions on where to go or hotels which are good for Families please? Thank you 😊

We're currently at Jupiter Hotel, Albufeira. Booked with Jet2. We're loving it so far. There's music around the pools, but it's not too loud (there's also a quiet pool), the buffet is excellent and there's a snack bar that's open all day to help yourselves. There's a shuttle to the beach every hour, and only a few minutes drive but you can walk it in around half an hour.
Our eldest is five and I think would live here if he could.

If you want weather to go into the pool during the day in October you need to look at Cyprus, Turkey or the Canary Islands. We went twice in October (Cyprus and Lanzarote) and found them not that much cheaper to be honest.

In both cases we had one day of full rain as well, so while it was normally pleasant, it's not guaranteed. Also, the pool is not heated and can be already cold. The sun was going down from around 4pm also.

You could look at Portugal or Costa de la Luz in Spain, the Atlantic coast is normally cooler than the Med in Summer. We went south of Cadiz end of August and it was under 30 degrees and a good breeze.

October is cooler so look at Cyprus, Sicily or better still the canaries for more heat. Southern Spain can be warm but less guaranteed, storms are possible in all of them.

Autism isn't a one size fits all, my dd would have been fine with the typical noise levels at pools, plus most have at least another quieter pool. The more difficult situation is accommodating 3 children as typically ai is rooms up to 4.

One idea that would work I think (budget allowing) is magic life in fuerterentura - when i went the the noise by the main pool wasn't loud all day (one day there was a pool party and there was music by the activity pool). Main Buffet plus 4 other options included in price (tapas, Italian, pan European (served), American). We plan to go back in November though won't book until last minute as prices are better (just us so don't need a family room). Main entertainment was the the bar and theatre not by the pool in the evening and there was a separate lobby bar with either no music or a lower key musician in the evening. No kids with me but the kids clubs looked well cared for, term time so mostly little ones. Fully ai even ice creams

My eldest is autistic too, I found a villa holiday was the best. Villa plus tend to have pool tables or table tennis in most villas and I always found the Algarve reasonable.

Holiday village Ibiza has two pools, the bigger one has entertainment / music, the smaller (nicer) one is quiet. The hotel has direct access to the water park.

Same on holiday village kos

We absolutely loved the Bahia Fantasia in Tenerife, 10 minute Transfer from the airport, shuttle bus into Las Americas if you fancy it. Kids play park, splash park and water park thing on site. Made to order snack bar at lunchtime by the pool but also buffet available. Smaller Adult only pool overlooking the Sea for a break if you can and the rooms were all a separate lounge come bedroom for the kids and another bedroom, with sliding doors to separate for the adults.

We've just spent half term at the Atlantica Aegean Blue in Rhodes. Our youngest is autistic (age 8). It was really lovely, beautiful location on the beach (although beach isn't pure sand, more gritty with rocks but clear blue water). There were lots of pools (shallow) and a quiet infinity pool next to the beach which he loved when he needed some time out. There is a great water park which never got too busy. Buffet was busy but we took headphones and he was OK. You get a spacious room which we really needed - I did spend quite a lot of time sitting on the lovely large balcony whilst he had quiet time in the room, but that was bliss!

@cocksstrideintheevening

Was there recently, pools aren't heated and noise at both pools, otherwise nice

@gogohmm early in the season for pools to be heated

Omg do not go here if you have an ASD sensory child. We was there 2 weeks ago in half term. It's literally hell for a sensory ASD child (if you have a child that has issues with noise)

I had to take fries from the dining room to take back to the room. That dining room is sensory hell it's so loud and very echo .... There is a lot of kids wearing headphones which is great - but it's very busy and very tight and staff / trollies of food going crazy. My boy refused to go in the dining room - fine when you are allowed to go and sit outside (but if it rains they close that area) there is a snack bar though ....

We have done lots of holiday villages resorts but there are not suitable for a sensory ASD child - they are just too loud as it's all about party. My fav one is the Rhodes one followed by the Cyprus one ....

The water in Ibiza was so cold too 2 weeks ago.

Cyprus in a heated pool villa suits a sensory ASD child best in my view .... then it's more relaxing .....

Yes this was good for an ASD child - we enjoyed it here. Wear beach shoes in the water as my boy cut his foot 😭 this is far nicer than any of the holiday village places ....

The only issue is where our room was the walk to the restaurant was too far according to my children 😂

But this is a nice hotel

Seaside Los Jameos ticks most of your boxes. It is in Lanzarote so decent weather in October.There is occasional loud music when acqua gym is on and I think the holiday club has a song at the start and the end of the day. Also avoid the childrens disco unless you are fond of noise.

I like this resort in Majorca- have been twice- the nice thing is it's next to a wetlands nature reserve and has cycle pathways all round the edge as well as a selection of pools plus indoor one. It's easy to get some peace- it's on its own but halfway between Puerto pollensa and alcudia- both of which have great beaches and well connected on bus and cheap taxi - food was great too . They do all AI if you want it. It's German dominated to some extent . It doesn't however have slides.

https://www.jet2holidays.com/beach/balearics/majorca/puerto-pollensa/portblue-club-pollentia-resort-and-spa?dsrl=1296397&dssrl=1206481&gbraid=0AAAAADmgmx9MjArtIg9C0jZFf-bK4ofeI&dsrl=1296397&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI2MOGpajFFwIVB-ztCh1ZlQI5EAAYAiAAEgI7xfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

In October you need to consider the Canaries, Turkey or Cyprus.
The Algarve is fabulous for summer though we found the pools and sea cold even in July.
Playa Blanca in Lanzarote is a good family resort with lots of family hotels.