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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Non-resorty resorts

14 replies

New2024newname · 15/05/2024 22:15

DH and normally do very DYI holidays where we plan a trip around a destination with several stops, book accommodation (simple hotels or rentals) for each place and hire a car. We’d like to do something much simpler in early September this year (I’ll be six months pregnant). I was imagining a week in Europe in a nice hotel with its own beach, which isn’t too kids orientated (we’ve got that to look forward to…), in a town which has some interesting sites/nice places to eat. High quality food is probably the most important thing, but I don’t know if we’d get good value out of all inclusive (have never done it) because I won’t be drinking and DH drinks little. Are there places like this? It’s so unlike our normal holidays that I don’t know what I should be looking for- places I’ve found so far seem too resorty, in that there’s not much outside the hotel other than other hotels!

OP posts:
cherryassam · 15/05/2024 22:18

What sort of budget do you have?

It sounds like a smaller beachfront hotel in a nice small but buzzy town would work - I would say no to AI tbh as if you want really nice food, it’s usually hideously expensive and tends to be in the luxury resorts which are in enclaves with other luxury resorts

VanCleefArpels · 15/05/2024 22:19

Domes of Elounda in Crete, understated luxury, great food, beach. Fabulous

Allsizes8to14 · 15/05/2024 22:22

Can’t suggest specific hotels but we really rate Croatia for non ‘resorty’ holidays. Cavtat just outside Dubrovnik or Dubrovnik itself, split, zadar, pula, Porec, rovinj all have lovely old towns. Valamar are a nice Croatian chain 👍🏻

JAS1983 · 15/05/2024 22:25

I’d second Croatia for this type of break, love Dubrovnik and also loved Rovinj.

WashableVelvet · 15/05/2024 22:26

I’d go for what I think of as resort towns - places that have been holiday destinations for generations and have developed as such. Funchal in Madeira, for instance, or Taormina in Sicily.

cherryassam · 15/05/2024 22:32

Rovinj was (also) my first thought - the Maistra hotels are all gorgeous.

cherryassam · 15/05/2024 23:05

Other ideas:

Cavtat, Croatia - Hotel Croatia
Santa Maria di Castellabate, Italy - Grand Hotel Santa Maria
Puerto de Pollensa, Majorca - Hotel Illa D’Or
Cefalu, Sicily - Hotel Sea Palace or Hotel La Calette
Calvi, Corsica - Hotel La Caravelle
Cascais, Portugal - Hotel Albatroz
Port de Soller, Majorca - Hotel Esplendid

samarrange · 16/05/2024 00:34

cherryassam · 15/05/2024 23:05

Other ideas:

Cavtat, Croatia - Hotel Croatia
Santa Maria di Castellabate, Italy - Grand Hotel Santa Maria
Puerto de Pollensa, Majorca - Hotel Illa D’Or
Cefalu, Sicily - Hotel Sea Palace or Hotel La Calette
Calvi, Corsica - Hotel La Caravelle
Cascais, Portugal - Hotel Albatroz
Port de Soller, Majorca - Hotel Esplendid

If I checked into the Hotel Esplendid I would spend half the time on WhatsApp telling people that I was in a hotel with the world's coolest name!

cherryassam · 16/05/2024 00:35

@samarrange I missed off a letter it’s actually Hotel Esplendido which is even better imo!

New2024newname · 16/05/2024 06:40

Thanks everyone for the great ideas- yes @cherryassam smaller beachfront hotel in a buzzy town is exactly what I’m after!! Willing to spend up to £250 a night but cheaper would be better. I’ll look up all the places which have been recommended!

OP posts:
MissAmbrosia · 16/05/2024 09:56

Not a beach but I am always recommending this place: https://www.hlapalma.it/en/sky-bar/ It has a lakefront pool and a smaller one on the roof. Lots of places to eat within strolling distance.

Or here in Ischia:
https://www.ischiabluresort.com/en/

Sky Bar

Prendete l'ascensore e lasciatevi incantare dallo spettacolo che vi troverete di fronte quando si apriranno le porte al settimo piano.

https://www.hlapalma.it/en/sky-bar

cherryassam · 16/05/2024 11:07

With a budget of £250, I’d also look at:

Hotel Eden, Rovinj
FERGUS Style Soller Beach, Port de Soller
Alegria Mar Mediterrania, Santa Susanna, Costa Brava
Gran Hotel Reymar, Tossa de Mar, Costa Brava
Carema Beach Menorca, Cala en Bosc
Atlantica Amalthia Beach, Agia Marina, Crete
Ionian Emerald, Sami, Kefalonia

Allsizes8to14 · 16/05/2024 11:48

We’ve stayed at the hotel Croatia in cavtat! Would recommend. Also been to port de soller, hotel called pure salt. We had a sea view which was amazing. Forgot about that! Would fit the bill. Can get tram to soller or the old train to Palma which were both nice trips

minipie · 16/05/2024 18:11

Yes I agree a small but swish hotel in a nice resort town would be perfect. Definitely not AI, then you can go out to dinner at the local restaurants (which is much less easy with baby or toddler!) also you won’t be paying for alcohol you’re not drinking.

Try this list

Romantic Retreats

Our favourite places for a couples' escape

https://www.i-escape.com/romantic/boutique-hotels?regionKeys%5B%5D=3&facility%5B%5D=restaurants-nearby&facility%5B%5D=pool&recommendedFors%5B%5D=romantic&priceBracket%5B%5D=moderate&setting%5B%5D=coast&type%5B%5D=hotel

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