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

Original poster

Mark Warner / Powder Byrne - who are the other holiday operator's offering child care facilities

33 replies

GoldenFleece · 03/01/2009 19:41

Hi

I've looked at MW and PB but I wondered if there were other companies of a similar ilk that provide great holidays with child care facilities thrown in? Whilst I'm not looking for DD to go into creche all day, the odd morning might be nice. Ideally we are looking at Italy. Any suggestions / recommendations?

OP posts:
MarmadukeScarlet · 03/01/2009 19:55

Just to say that the MW hol we went on 8 yrs ago in Corsica was, by far, the filthiest most disgusting place I have ever been in my life (and have backpacked around southern India and parts of Africa).

4 yrs later at another resort we met a couple we had met on this MW hol (she a GP) both of our DC (aged 10mths and 9mths)were admitted to hospital our return to UK with serious illnesses. They had put off going abroad for 4 years due to the horrors of their first holiday with DC abroad.

I would go for PB.

I can rec some great places we have been to since, but not been to Italy.

Original poster
GoldenFleece · 03/01/2009 19:57

Crikey, thanks for the heads up. Recommendations greatly received even if not Italy. have you heard of anyone else similar to PB but maybe not as pricey?

OP posts:
LadyMuck · 03/01/2009 19:59

Not sure about Italy but Neilson/Sunsail do childcare too.

The MW Corsica site is only 3 star and was refurbished a few years ago. We've been to MW in Kos a few times and it is fine for what it is - enough to do, but wouldn't have chosen it other than for the childcare.

Would also recommend Mousses in Lefkas. Smaller but good kids club, fine for the odd mornings.

MarmadukeScarlet · 03/01/2009 20:02

Ahh, there's the rub...many of the places I've stayed have been very expensive as we have decided you get what you pay for.

Will return with some ideas later.

tbh, a few folk I know say the Newer MW pl;aces (some in Greece?) are ok.

The Corsica one was horrific, with the family kitchen (where bottles could be made and stored) was an old loo, pans removed with the fridge in a cubicle.

newgirl · 03/01/2009 22:54

crikey we went to corsica mw and it was fab! two years ago if that helps

we went to one in greece too and had an excellent large family room

we got a fairly last minute deal and we thought it a bargain - food good, tennis, great pools, on beach etc

weve travelled widely and think mw is good for easy break with young kids

sunsail also good - very similar

BoffinMum · 03/01/2009 23:06

Neilson are great. We have been away with them twice.

callmeovercautious · 03/01/2009 23:23

I wanted to do MW last year but read some bad reviews and saw photos of the resort (Kalamata) it looked like an army barracks.

We opted for this place. Self catering rather than FB/AI which was my preference but it actually worked out well.

The apartments are OK, ours was a 2 bed with a view of the pool and cliff top, away from the bar etc In fact if you look at the photo on the review ours was the one just behind the palm tree in the pool.

Some apartment need a little updating but the resort was lovely and the staff excellent. The kids club do sessions by the hour from 11am. DD was just 2 when we went and she had a lovely time in the pool, creche and at the beach. Portugal was great! The people are so friendly, everyone stopped to admire DD and chat with us. Just avoid all the major touristy bit further into town if you don't like that scene.

BoffinMum · 03/01/2009 23:25

Kinderhotels in the Alps have great childcare as well, and are cheaper that MW etc in peak season.

www.kinderhotels.de

MarmadukeScarlet · 03/01/2009 23:37

This was the best childcare/luxury holiday balance we have discovered yet Porto Elounda Deluxe

My DS has SN and was struggling to settle,at no extra charge the manager assigned DS the staff member he was most happy with. I was able to take short breaks from the (very demanding) job of looking after my DS and go to the SPa, read books etc for a few hours at a time - it was bliss. Also whilst we were there it was our wedding anniversary and the young woman DS had taken a shine to changed her day off so she could babysit in the evening. (They also contacted the restaurant - which was at Elounda Gulf Villas nearby - and told them it was our WA and we got extra special treatment, free desserts with messages on etc.

Other luxury hotels we have stayed at (eg The Almyra, Sao Rafael Suite Hotel) have been luxurious but the Childrens care has not lived up to the promise.

newgirl it wasn't just the state of the place (which was bad enough) the food was dreadful - spag bol for supper, cold spag bol for lunch the next day - but everyone was ill, they wouldn't call a Dr to DD who was 10 mths and so ill she was unable to lift her head - I didn't make too much fuss as I was just as ill and didn't have the energy/ability to do so - they just gave us sport drinks for her as we were going home the next day anyway .

The staff had 3 parties the week we were there keeping may holidy makers awake until the small hours, the last one ending in a fight (just below our balcony) between staff and disgruntled parents at 4am. Then there were not enough staff awake to make breakfast before we had to get on the buses to go to the airport...I could go on and on.

There is always the Forte Village, but it is serious money even by our faily decadent holiday standards!

MarmadukeScarlet · 03/01/2009 23:44

We did Kinder Hotels this year boffin -credit crunch and all that.

DS was nearly 4, the level of childcare available was not suitable for him. Fine for DD who is very independent. The baby room for under 3's was lovely and had high staff ratios.

The downsides were...well rain, rain and more rain. Horseflies. Only 1 staff member in the childrens club spoke English, so my 8 yr old DD struggled a bit (as this person wasn't always there) with understanding what she was supposed to be doing. Getting very little time off from DS, getting no time off from DS with my DH.

Upside were...nice spa, great indoor swimming pools, loads of stuff included for the DC (although it was a race/challenge to get signed up for it) including spa and sauna sessions for DD - she felt very grown up.

BoffinMum · 03/01/2009 23:46

Yeah, you have to like rain. And Germans. But at half the price of MW it's an option in times of financial trial.

MarmadukeScarlet · 03/01/2009 23:52

Yup, and Germans

stephla · 04/01/2009 00:05

If you are feeling rich, I can recommend Scott Dunn. We shared a villa with 4 other families we know,once in Umbria, once in Portugal. We had a chef in both places and a nanny in Portugal. It was fantastic. I wonder if I will ever be able to afford it again.

mckenzie · 04/01/2009 22:30

Am I correct in thinking that with PB you have to pay for the kids club the whole of your stay even though you might only want to have your children go to the glub for a few hours each day???

MarmadukeScarlet · 04/01/2009 22:44

No idea mckenzie, but PB went to the destination I linked to (Porto Elounda) and I looked up how much it was to go with them on our return, over twice what we paid with Amanthus. We paid for and booked what we wanted when we arrived.

mckenzie · 04/01/2009 22:48

thanks MarmadukeScarlet. I've just been off looking at that link that you gave. We're certainly going to add it to our list of possibles. Did you use the gym or scuba diving at all?

slackrunner · 04/01/2009 22:58

That's interesting marmaduke r.e. MW Corsica. We took dd there 3.5 years ago - she ended up very sick (v.v.high temp, vomiting, diarrhoea with blood - sorry if TMI) and was hospitalised upon our return. We didn't get to see a doc when we were out there, despite getting the 'on call' people out .

BoffinMum · 04/01/2009 23:26

Also Steigenberger hotel chain. Gstaad one very good.

MarmadukeScarlet · 04/01/2009 23:37

mckenzie My DH used the gym daily it had a lovely view of the sea, I played a little golf and tennis. The spa was excellent though .

The food was also good, a buffet or menu - no prebooking, just whatever took your fancy - plus made to order meals not on the menu for my fussy DD!

It was the most relaxing holiday we have had - it helped, though, that as the only family arriving that day not with PB (I think that was the reason) we got a fab upgrade to a private 2 bed villa with own pool and garden right on the seafront with a private berth for our nonexistent yacht and butlers quarters!

The grounds are really beautiful, but lots of steps.

Free dance classes for DC by the pool, fun disco twice a week for DC.

Slack I'm so sorry your DD was poorly. My DD had giardia and was ill for months (weighed less at 14 months than at 6!)as it is hard to track from stool samples as it live so high up the gut.

mckenzie · 05/01/2009 11:59

thanks for that MarmadukeScarlet. Have you even been to Lykia World by any chance? Our chidlren loved the children's club and activites there and I'm just trying to see how similar/different they will be at Elounda.
TIA

MarmadukeScarlet · 05/01/2009 12:03

Nope, not heard of Lykia world - pop a link on and I'll have a gander.

mckenzie · 05/01/2009 12:11

www.lykiaworld.com/Cultures/en-US/Default.aspx

sorry - still haven't learnt how to actually make it a link!

MarmadukeScarlet · 05/01/2009 12:53

www.lykiaworld.com/Cultures/en-US/Default.aspx

MarmadukeScarlet · 05/01/2009 13:12

Ok, my first thought about that is...WOW it is huge!! Over 800 rooms.

Having learnt my lesson with other children's clubs where 5yr old DD was sitting and colouring on her own every morning I sent her (only the first 3 until I realised how bad it was) being ignored by the 2 staff who were sitting chatting - she was one of only 4 DC in the resort, 1 of whom was DS! - as the staff made absolutely no effort to engage her (and then left her alone in the club, with all the doors open, whilst they returned another child to his parent ) in a 5 star resort too.

I now ask about the actual activity programme, level of qualification of staff, ratio of staff to DC and their level of English. I want her to have fun, I do not consider Children's clubs just so I can have some peace!

mckenzie · 05/01/2009 16:26

thansk again. But how do you actually make it a link? I did cut and paste.

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