Proper luxury in Europe

[HeNeedsRehab]

I’ve got a big birthday coming up next year during the summer holidays.

I’m looking for an AI holiday in Europe with proper luxury, like come and take your drinks order round the pool luxury.

I’m going potty trying to find what I want so am asking the hive mind!

Criteria:
2 adults and 2 DC (late primary aged)
Swim up suite where I can lie on my lounger and can actually see them in the pool
7 nights
AI
In case it’s not clear, proper luxury 😂 like Caribbean style luxury
Could spend up to £10k for the right thing
Water slides etc if possible for the kids but not a deal breaker

Thank you!

No idea, and fair enough if you don't feel comfortable with that type of set up.

And no I'm not a travel agent, I'm retired now, but I'd go to a good travel agent, give them your criteria and budget and let them do the legwork. They will provide you with options and suggestions and it's so much easier than trying to figure out something like yours by yourself.

I use Trailfinders a lot, and find them fantastic. I just say that I'm interested in such and such and my budget is around X for Y days, private pick up from airport, driver from A to B etc. and they do it all. Most recent trip was to South Africa. The only thing I did myself was book online for a trip to Robben Island. All the other trips/transfers were sorted by them.

I know your trip is not the same type of holiday, but what have you got to lose by asking a travel agent? You might be pleasantly surprised, and if not, then go ahead and diy it.

@damsela thank you that’s actually really good advice. Agree we wildly under use decent travel agents and now you say it I actually know one through a colleague!

We stayed in the corfu imperial ( a grecotel hotel) in May last year and it was fantastic
we had a villa with half board which was incredible and full board is available too( own pool and pontoon to the sea ) but the hotel was amazing too.
awesome beach and pool with loads of watersports etc
food and service were incredible

Marbella in Corfu ticks most of your boxes. It’s not as high-end as Ikos but the food is good, lots of room types to choose from and has a waterpark!

One of the best holidays we had with dc was a crewed yacht in the BVIs. That was wonderful. Secluded coves, the owner cooked for us and her DH sailed the boat. We had kayaks and it was such fun. Sort of AI but better and I’d rather swim in the Caribbean than have a water slide.

I mean this sounds lovely but literally as far away from my actual question than you can get!

Cyprus. There are a number of luxurious family friendly hotels around Paphos - Aphrodite Hills, Alexander the Great and Elysium and also St Raphael's in Limassol (lots of Russians there though)

And the hotel owns a waterpark / theme park about 15 mins away with a free shuttle bus and free entrance for hotel guests.

Best of all worlds! Thanks, will check it out

Could you not do a cruise with a premium “ship within a ship”?
You essentially get a small ship feel - your own pools and restaurants and absolutely fabulous service. Plus you appreciate the luxury more because obviously the rest of the ship doesn’t have it.

We have done Ikos and Daios cove which def fit your bill but are spendy. Stella palace is a step below I would say, but lovely and I find it the kids are happy then I’m happy to compromise a bit. Grecotel Lux In Dassia is step below that again I would say (whilst all being 4/5 stat hotels) but is still lovely. Atlantica sensotori Rhodes is similar to that too, but we had private pool there and it was really affordable. We also liked The Palace in Cape Verde a few years ago, but it’s been beset with problems lately and I’m not sure I would go back now. I find the indulgent escapes part of Jet 2 or luxury filter on Tui handy to find things like this!

Flat no to a cruise, just not my thing but thank you

Yes they are just assuming it’s all mass produced buffet food, pre-made cocktails in plastic glasses etc.
There’s thinly disguised snobbery on here around AI, usually from people that have never been to one as they’re worried it will be full of brits abroad types.

OP we stayed at the Eden Roc in Rhodes last year. It has seven restaurants. One is fine dining and has a Michelin star.
Not sure if they have swim up rooms but the pool suites share a private pool which has its own cocktail bar. They do the most amazing cocktails and bring them to your lounger.
Its not Ikos level luxury but pretty good and you’ll probably get 10 days for 10k

This sounds fantastic, thanks!

Corales Royal Hideaway in Tenerife has a one Michelin star restaurant and a two Michelin star restaurant - it's very luxurious but not AI. Grand Hotel de cap Ferrat would be a lovely treat but again not AI.

I hope it’s changed vastly since I went about 15 years ago, it was horrendous, 2* at best.

I had a quick look and you can get a week at IKOS Kos (Aria) from £8k in August.

love holidays are a good search tool as you easily play around with dates and flights. Then once you find the cheapest combo go to BA website to book.

any IKOS is fab. Oceania is the oldest but still wonderful. Kissamoss in Crete opens this year. Aria, Dassia and odissia all 100%. I love them.

à la carte restaurants, pool service, they literally make you anything you want at any time. Kids clubs are free and good. Football camp available if you have a child who is in to that. Lots of pools to choose from and beaches are pretty good for Greece.

@holidaymayikos looks lovely but is there much to do during the day for kids ages 6/7? Apart from swimming?

Thank you for the recommendation.

I want to be away over my birthday so am limited dates wise but if it saves me ££ I’ll take it!

@HeNeedsRehab Only trying to find you ideas. Most people are willing to look at alternatives.

And as a matter of accuracy: there is no Michelin starred restaurant at the Eden Roc Rhodes. There is at the Antibes hotel with a similar name. Chefs don’t have a star that stays with them for life after working in a starred restaurant. It’s the restaurant that gets the star and can of course lose it. Judging by reviews, some rooms are not top drawer and are tired. Extra beds have been called camp beds. Depends what luxury means to people I think. The fact it sells via the low end holiday companies probably means it’s not one of the better hotels in the world!

Not a huge amount no! There is a kids club, which is lovely. lots of nice swimming pools and most of the hotels have a nice beach. There isn’t much evening entertainment. I’d say it’s lovely, but tame.

my kids also love Zafiro hotels. Not 5* but they are good for active kids who like pool activities (water polo, inflatables, organised water activites daily etc), busy pools only to find new friends, cheesy nightly entertainment and busy football etc.

I've seen a few recommendations for Stella Palace which is very nice but not quite the luxury you're after. It does have rooms that have their own shared pool so you can watch the kids from your terrace and those rooms have their own bar which is right next to the pool. I would recommend it as a "naice" holiday but not full on luxury. More affordable than ikos though, we have 3 DC so ikos for us always comes out around £20k for the dates we can do which is a step too far for me unfortunately.

AI holidays always being out the travel snobs. I love a good AI, you just have to research it well. I also love city/villa/sightseeing type of holidays but to me AI is the most relaxing.

I have been to a Barut/Akra hotel in Turkey and I don't think I would describe it as luxurious (though I mainly went for the convenience of AI with babies and toddlers, not out of personal preference) but they did have swim-up rooms and they did also come and take drinks orders at the pool and use premium spirits. Also the food was good. So maybe that counts?

Blimey, what’s with your snippy responses! No need really.
You haven’t been and I have (though you’re weirdly invested enough to take the time to pore over trip advisor reviews).