First time going AI - I need ALL your advice!!!

[Mamabear04]

Thinking of booking an AI holiday next spring around late March-early April. Kids will be 4yo and 1.5yo. Never booked a holiday like this (although went on a couple when I was a kid with my parents/siblings). I'm looking for advice mainly what's the best thing to go for with such young kids and do you think its the right holiday for us? We have tried self catering the past few years and the kid/kids have always been a bit out of sorts with the holiday home and it's ended up more work/all the duties of being at home ie cooking/washing dishes etc and I think maybe AI would feel more relaxed? We've also never been abroad with the kids so thought the spring temperatures would make things a bit easier (high teens early 20s). We were thinking of the canary islands/turkey/Egypt. Any advice/tips?

Mainland Spain caters really well for families, not too expensive either. I know some people get a bit snooty about Spain, but we love it!

Best place we’ve been AI at a reasonable price and amazing for kids is in Majorca so would need to go in summer but it’s cala mandia, think it was the insotel hotel. Amazing water park and so many different pools to sit at. The AI food ended up being so good that my husband asked if we were going out for dinner on the last night as a treat and I actually chose not to! Hoping to go back there again

We've done both Mallorca and Turkey mid-late May and had temps of mid- high 20s. Admittedly the Spanish break we got very lucky but it's a great time for Turkey if you avoid Whit week.

AI is great with kids, you never need to say no which makes for a much less stressful holiday. I wouldn't go less than 4 star AI though and check reviews carefully.

Zafiro hotels are worth looking at in Spain, they have great pools.

I wouldn’t be taking children to Egypt or turkey? Why not try Spain for your first holiday, short flight, good standard of Hygiene and plenty of things to do in a safe area! I only book hotels with two bedrooms to make sleep easier, as long as I the temperature is hot enough for the beach and pool I’m sure your little ones will have a great time ☺️

Even in the Canaries March and April is unlikely to be warm enough for pool /sea unless you are quite hardy.
I go myself at that time because it suits me but one time I took DC it wasn't warm enough for them to be in the pool all day.

Other tips, book the best you can afford. Cheap AI can be very poor.
Try and get an apartment with two bedrooms so you can put them to bed and have your own space. Lots of hotels do this, especially in Canaries.
If you go in summer I would choose the shortes flight possible - Menorca is good for tinies.

The Canaries are fine at that time of year. We go every Christmas to Gran Canaria and it’s 23 to 27 degrees. A few months later it’s gorgeous as well.

Pick southern Gran Canaria and you’ll be fine.

We went to Tenerife beginning of April and while it was warm in the direct sun, it was still cool early morning/evening.
Also it's difficult to get a pool which is heated.

I would look for end of June. Maybe not southern Spain but Italian Lakes?

If your budget is big enough and you can face the flight, it's a great time to go to the Caribbean.

Definitely get an appartment with two rooms. You can normally book a cot with no problem.

I agree with Tui Blue ! Although all
inclusive they always have a focus on local food, and their hotels aren’t too “all singing all dancing” in the same way that the holiday villages are.

I think Egypt is supposed to be hot enough at that time of year - never been as we often go to Turkey a bit later in the year but are trying Egypt next year in March.

From my experience, the holiday villages are catered towards English tourists and there are quite a lot of “pints and chips by the pool all day, and I like an English breakfast on my holidays” type of holiday makers, and they can be a bit chaotic at busy times and have music that is too loud by the pools and a focus on being “entertained” which I find irritating when I want to be left in peace. Great for kids though; like a Butlins abroad I imagine (have have been to Butlins though!)

The TUI blue ones seem to have a mix of international guests, better food, less of the loud music and are just nicer in general and still have children’s actives.

A holiday village is really for babies and toddlers as far as I remember though, my DC were older when we moved to the Tui Blue ones so I can’t compare so much.

Tui Blue Palm Garden, in Turkey, is amazing. They rarely seem to do child free places though.

What time of year do you usually go to Turkey and what are the temperatures like? The hotels seem much nicer than the Spanish ones...

May at the earliest and last weeks of October at the latest 😊

Does this work? I took a gamble on flying from Manchester…

https://www.tui.co.uk/destinations/bookaccommodation?productCode=018454&tab=overview&noOfAdults=2&noOfChildren=2&childrenAge=2,4&duration=7&flexibleDays=3&airports%5B%5D=MAN&flexibility=true&noOfSeniors=0&when=01-07-2024&pkg=1124614883/3/547/7&tra_o=4353364261/4851807&tra_i=4353364324/4851808&units%5B%5D=000122:DESTINATION&packageId=018454ESMJ020917197920000001719878400000TOM217017204832000001720483200000TOM21711BA011124614883/3/547/7&index=8&multiSelect=true&brandType=T&bb=AI&room=&isVilla=false&searchType=search&durationCode=7115&rmpc=1|2|0|2|0|4,2&rmtp=1BA01&rmbb=AI&fc=n&greatDealDiscount=0&bb=AI&price=pp

There’s a protur one in Cala bona in your price range too, I’ve stayed at protur safari park which was brilliant. This isn’t perhaps quite as many facilities etc but looks good for small people.

Liberty Hotels Lykia in Turkey is amazing. I’ve been 6 time. Lots of facilities for small children. Highly recommend.

https://www.tui.co.uk/destinations/turkey/dalaman-area/olu-deniz/hotels/liberty-hotels-lykia.html?utm_medium=paidsearch&gbraid=0AAAAADw1NWG84d79_9Bu72fx1RUcapPmk&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI5fyvtP7SgQMVd4FQBh2SEwtWEAAYASAAEgIvpvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

I've been to Turkey several times and I still go every year. I first started going because one of the managers at work kept talking about her upcoming holiday and how all of her friends were talking about how Turkish AIs were fantastic and had cornered the market. And it's true: they just seem to have everything or have thought of everything.

Temperature-wise, if you can't stand it when things get very hot, then I recommend mid-May or in Sep-Oct. I've been in late-June and July and found myself hiding in the spa during the day. I'm

The hotels in Belek are the best. They are truly 'blow your mind' 5* star level luxury, but they're also incredibly expensive, especially since COVID and the Ukraine War. Turkey still accepts flights from Russia so the demand is high there for holidays, driving up the price. If you have a large budget then I recommend the top hotels: The Maxx Royal or The Regnum Carya. The 2nd tier down would be: The Cullinan, The Calista, The Rixos Premium Belek. The 3rd tier: The Voyage Belek, The Lara Barut, The Ela Excellence, Delphin Be Grand or Titanic Deluxe Belek. There will be arguments about how I've graded the hotels above, but it's just my opinion so do your own research. Bea*r in mind that all of these hotels are 5 star. Many families who frequent Turkey also rate the Ikos resorts in Greece so they're worth looking at as well.

Sorry about the odd bold/unfolded formatting. I initially wrote 5 star with an asterisk and IT went at all weird!

Some great suggestions here! Place-holding!

We went to Turkey in April, it was cold and rainy. Wouldn’t go again in April, kids were bored when we couldn’t use the pools and kids club was a bit hit and miss. beach was ok for playing in sand with a hoody but sea was far too cold. AI you really have to take the best you can afford so you get decent food. They all do cots.

Egypt I would avoid with small children, I know so many children/families who got food poisoning there.