Villa holiday for extended family 2026

[Trotula]

I’m planning a family holiday for August next year and would love to hear from anyone who has done similar or knows of any travel companies etc. We will fly from regional airports and probably hire a car or mini bus, but not necessarily to accommodate everyone at the same time so also needs to be accessible for airport transfers.

The plan would be to have breakfast/light meal/snacks at the villa and one meal out each day. It’s unlikely we would go sightseeing unless it’s accessible by bus or train.

There will be 4/5 adults and 5/6 children, 3 will be aged 4-6 and 3 teenagers so tricky to find something to suit everyone!

It needs:

• swimming pool
• activities for teenagers like a pool table.
• 3 shower rooms/en suites
• local amenities like a shop/cafe within walking distance
• relatively accessible beach or lake, preferably within walking distance/bus *minimum of 6 bedrooms

As it’s August I was thinking west coast of France might be suitable and would consider any location if the villa is right, maybe Majorca or the Algarve, northern Spain.

Haven’t set a budget as it depends on a number of factors so open to everything.

Thankyou!

I look forward to the multiple threads that will almost inevitably drop out of this holiday!

I hope not! That’s why I’m keen to get everything right. I’m the only Mumsnet member and I’m funding quite a bit of this holiday for a big birthday and I’m not forcing anyone to come along. It will be the first one we have done like this and given the age of the eldest child might be the only one!
We shall see.

You could look for something on Ille D’Oleron or Re, I don’t show the latter but do the first. You need to move quick if you want to book something now. Atlantic coast though, great for surfing but bloody freezing.

a lot of the nice and bigger villas don’t fit your other requirements and I’d look for an AI hotel to keep the kids happy, better in terms of waking distances and budget to eat out once a day. Santa Elulia and es Cana in Ibiza are fab.

We just returned from Majorca and it was baking hot - this is early/mid July. I think August will be hotter and it’s getting warmer each summer. It’s worth looking at cooler locations to make the most of your holiday.

I think your constraint here is not wanting to travel anywhere by car once you are there. The big Villas we have had tend not to be walking distance to everything but a wonderful base.

The best area we had a multi generational experience was in Begur. Beautiful town, lovely beaches nearby and great day trips, but you need a car.

How about one like this?
https://www.villaplus.com/destinations/villas-in-spain/villas-in-canary-islands/lanzarote/puerto-del-carmen/villa-speranza

I don’t know that area at all but that is stupidly cheap for August!

Thanks everyone for your suggestions.
We’ve thought about AI and love the idea but it would be nice to be grouped together and I’m not sure if that’s possible so might be quite fragmented.
I agree the car issue does restrict it but also thinking flexibility of getting out and about is key. With the younger children up earlier and the teens later it could work with a morning trip to the beach with the younger ones and back for a little lunch, get together for the afternoon and dinner. The teens could
potentially go down to the town/beach later on.
Has anyone had an AI large family holiday that worked? Maybe individual villas in the same section?

We have tried to plan this several
times in previous years but it has been impossible to find the right mix!

That does look amazing I’m going to save that one as a possible!

Thank you for this suggestion! It looks a nice area.

We went on a big family group holiday in a villa from Simpson Travel https://www.simpsontravel.com/villas-hossegor?destination=24757&ordering=Please%20select
a few years ago. We stayed a few miles out from Hossegor so did have to drive a bit. If we had the money/chance to do it again I’d maybe try and find a villa in Hossegor or Cap Breton because they have loads of cycle paths so the teens could get around under their own steam!

Thank you for this it looks a lovely area will have a look at the areas you have suggested.

I’m the only Mumsnet member

that you are aware of

3x teens
3x under 7s

that’ll be interesting!

Have a look at Cala n Bosch in Menorca. There’s a really lovely, sandy beach, a waterpark and a marina with lots of nice restaurants around it. There’s plenty of supermarkets in the town and if anyone wanted to go to Cuitadella, which is the old capital, it’s easy to get to on the bus.

Yes it will! They are cousins and the older girls (12 and 14) are lovely with their younger cousins but there is no expectation that they will be “babysitting”. The aim of the holiday is a nice relaxing time together. That’s why I’m asking for advice here I’m open to any suggestions. I want everyone to be able to enjoy it.
It is what it is!

Yes it looks good.
It’s great to have so many recommendations to look through in the next few months.

So the 3 teens are 12-14?

They will be 12, 14 and 16. The girls will be 12 and 14 and the 16 year old is a boy so hence the need for a range of options. Everyone will need their own space and a place for us all to come together.

100% be somewhere walking distance from a marina or town or somewhere where these three can leave the villa on their own without relying on their parents driving them

We have stayed in Can Pastilla in Majorca twice as a large family requiring 6 bedrooms, it has a fab beach, it is family friendly with plenty of places to eat, safe and regular bus to Palma etc. The main benefit, however, is being 10 mins from the airport, bus is 5e and take 15 mins, Uber is about 20e, and because so many flights come in from all regional airports, you can, to an extent, time things so that everyone is at least arriving and departing at the same time zone-ish. The downside is getting that "dream villa" with 6-7 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, private pool in August that is close enough to what you need, at anything like a comfortable price. France is definitely cheaper, but not easier. It might be worth considering your overall wants and needs - i.e. could you hire a cheaper, slightly smaller private villa where you can congregate and have full family time, but also book a few rooms in the hotel 2 mins down the road. This can work really for 3 reasons a) if you book the villa for the longest duration, nobody has to put up with that "we've got a really late flight and nowhere to go" thing b) being in a big villa with everyone can get on your nerves - everyone is different, some people like to have their own quiet place to go, but still like to meet up and enjoy family time c) although there is an element of everyone having to "chip in" a proportion for the main villa, people at least can pay for what they are getting, and it therefore suits all budgets. Just a thought. Some of my 5 now have families, so the thought of us all being together is really lovely, but at the same time, it would do everyone's nut in if it was continuous, not to mention ridiculously and disproportionately expensive for some. Hope this helps xx

I’ve been thinking of doing this but how will you work out who owes what for meals out? It’s a nightmare calculating all that . I would like to find somewhere which is AI which is family friendly.

You must have some idea of budget op?

because the quality and location of villas varies hugely and can mean the difference between £150 a night through to £8000 a night

We stayed in The Beach House which is on this site. Amazing place. Hossegar is beautiful with a beach and a lake. And there was enough nearby without a car. Bikes are a good idea and can be hired locally. Although its only 5 beds, one was a quadruple room with 4 singles. Could some of the kids share that? Mine all stayed in it together one night and loved it.
The pool area is truly amazing, with big outdoor gas fired BBQ and loads of shade.
Thoroughly recommend it.

What’s the weather like In summer?