Impossible or improbable holiday dream

[Okaaaay]

I think we’re looking for the impossible this summer but would love your thoughts wise mumsnetters.

We love;

Clean, modern accommodation (ideally luxury)
A great child-friendly pool(s)
Beautiful surroundings (hills, trees, pretty)
A beautiful beach that isn’t rammed
Somewhere relatively peaceful - amongst other people but not sardined
A 2/3 hour flight from the UK (4 hours max)
Good food
Ideally children’s activities
A small town / port within walking distance

We’re happy to self cater / use a hotel - preference would be to have an apartment with breakfast. We’re not bothered about nightlife / evening entertainment, all inclusive deals (wouldn’t rule out but not important). Looking to spend £5-6k in August. Is there anywhere you have visited that fits the bill or are we dreaming? Our children are 7 & 4.

No idea re price but Quinta do Lago or Vale de Lobo in the Algarve fits most of your wish list. Maybe also Vilamoura, more hotels and slightly cheaper.

Ibiza old town? I have a work colleague who goes every year and I would say has the same requirements as you. I haven't been, but it's on my list.

Bella Mare in Corfu ticks all your boxes (except the lovely harbour town Kassiopi is a longish walk away or a short taxi/drive) but the kids club is for age 5-10 I believe. Will your younger one be 5 by Aug… if not, perfect for next year.

https://www.simpsontravel.com/greece/corfu/bella-mare-hotel

Annecy. Just a different type of beach

Calling I’m about to book a couple of nights in Annecy in Aug, any advice on location? Will be in August with pre teen kids and I’m not sure whether it’s better to be in Annecy or elsewhere eg Talloires.

Have a look at Crete.

Better hotels are in Annecy if you are just going for a couple of nights. I suppose if depends what you are planning to do and if you have a car. We stayed in Doussard last time. Local hotel.

Thanks - super helpful suggestions. I’ve looked at Annecy so will take another look. We adore the Algarve but have been a few times in recent years and are trying to expand horizons a bit.

What is the budget meant to cover (rooms, presumably, but then... flights? board? drinks? excursions? car hire? spending money?) And how many nights?

https://www.ischiabluresort.com/en/ Gorgeous but not so hot on specific kids activities.

@samarrange sorry not very clear from me! Probably 10 nights and £5-6k is accommodation and flights - would add another £1k for food.

Port Des Torrents, Ibiza

1k for food it probably too little. That’s only £100 per day for 3 meals for 4 people.

I was in Annecy a few years back and was disappointed with the weather in September.

Sardinia is incredibly child friendly. A few options on this website.
https://www.agriturismo.it/en/farmhouse/sardinia/south_sardinia/Casamarmida-7600532/index.html0532/index.html

That budget is unfortunately not going to get you into the luxury category.

Basically what you are looking for is what about 40 million other European mid-budget families are looking for from their summer holiday, and they are all reading the same websites and brochures as you.

Lots of places tick some, even the majority, of your boxes (I can think of half a dozen in Majorca), but at that price, you are probably not going to find an idyllic quiet beach, next to a not-too-big yet modern hotel, which also has children's activities, in English, next to a small (presumably unspoiled) port village, anywhere in the Mediterranean. The economics of scale simply don't point the right way.

If you can compromise on the "not too many other people" bit then you will be fine, but exclusivity comes at a price, and that's likely to be around £1,000 per day.

Bella Mare hotel that I mentioned above is just under £5k for 2 adults 2 kids for a week in July, B&B and incl flights, with Simpson Travel. It’s definitely not luxury, but it is comfortable, modern and tasteful and it’s a small pretty hotel rather than a large concrete box and it has a kids club. Really rare find IME.

I sound like a rep for them, promise I’m not, just a lovely place! Couldn’t believe how uncrowded the beach was. There is a lovely restaurant for dinner just up the road (Cavo Barbaro) which has lots of families every evening, or go into Kassiopi.

Not sure they do a 10 night option. What we did was book without flights, booked our own flights and then added a few days in a rental place.

Thanks all - reallly useful food for thought. @minipie definitely going to check out Bella Mare - I think it might be a hotel we nearly booked last year. We have a spot in Portugal that delivers all the above on budget, but appreciate we visit in April not August when everything rockets. Thanks again! X