Mark Warner Holidays?

[Skara]

We have been contemplating one of these holidays as we're desperate for a bit of a break this summer, however I don't want to farm the children (1 and 3) out every day all day as we do actually want to spend some time with them! I think we'd just fancy maybe a few hours to ourselves in the morning or afternoon. However I've heard from a couple of people that kids are rather frowned upon on these holidays - can anyone share their thoughts as we're getting desperate to book something somewhere! Any other ideas for nice 4 or 5 star places with childcare for children of their age? Help!

[miriamw]

They do do offers near the time BUT the numbers for the Baby club in particular are limited (as they have a 2 to 1 ratio), so you may get the holiday cheaper but lose out on the childcare. It is easier with older kids to wait until later as they always seem to fit them in somehow (but then the ratios are so tight). Also you may want to think about accommodation - usually family rooms etc are limited. We've already booked for late September as I had to have something to look forward to - #2 (due May) should be old enough for baby club by then, and we took ds1 when he was 5 months - the care was fantastic! We've been able to book a family style room which actually puts the children in a separate room (or more likely DH and ds1 in one, with me and baby int he other!) - at least we have the option. I didn't want all 4 of us in the same room which seems to happen too often!

[Skara]

yum yum - this isn't going down well with my diet, thinking of all that lovely food! Thanks Ems, it sounds ideal - all we have to do now is decide whether to book now or wait and see if they have any cheap offers closer to the time. Very exciting!

[Ems]

Skara we went to Paleros last year and had a great time with a 6 yr old and a 2 yr old. You know the t-time before what is happening in the kids club the following day, so can therefore plan, when you want to drop them in or take them out. It is really flexible and they do really fun things, in either hourly or 2 hourly intervals. Its really well planned.

Breakfast and lunch is taken with you, both buffet style, loads to choose from. Their supper is at about 5ish, and I was really impressed, yes there are chips if you look for them, but loads of other things, about 3 choices I think, again you help yourself, pasta, sauces, meats, fish, orange or water, and puddings such as milk jellies, mousses (I always enjoyed finishing off the chocolate one!!) and ice cream. Their food was so much better than I thought it would be.

Your dinner; when you walk in to restaurant you are asked if you would like to dine alone or with others, if you fancy sitting with others, it is with others who have just sat down, you wont be eating a starter when they are on the pudding, we met some really friendly people, but you're right, sometimes you just fancy some peace.

There is alot going on, but you can also veg and do nothing, its a really friendly, easy going holiday.

[Skara]

Thanks for the tips Sed. Forgot you have a separate bar bill too! I have to confess to no interest whatsoever in any of the activities on offer except lying by the sea reading lots of novels and an occasional stroll so the excuse to go and buy drinks sounds ideal. What sort of food is available for the children? Is it the same as the adult meals or the usual chips with everything?

[sed]

I don't know about the other resorts, but there were lots of children who came and went from kids clubcs at odd times. What worked best for us was putting them in the clubs in the morning (thats when they were in the best moods) taking them out just after lunch and giving them a rest in our room (nice and cool, drinks from the fridge for us). Then when they woke up a bit of family time followed by some more kids club until tea.
Only thing I'd mention - the bar bill can get huge which is why we often bought our own in the pretty village about 15 mins walk up the hill.

[Skara]

Hi KS, sorry for not being very clear! What I had heard was that it was rather expected of you to have your kids in childcare for the full time offered to you whereas we would only want them in for half a day or so, so we'd have a bit of a rest and then some time each day as a family too. You've made it sound perfect...off to continue drooling at the website now!

[Skara]

Thanks Sed, I'll have a closer look at the brochures now I know what I'm looking for re: tables. Interesting to hear you had a good time at Lemnos as that's the one I have been thinking of. I'll do some more research and see what I come up with Oh and neither dh or I are in any of those professions so I guess that's ok!

[sed]

Some of them now have small tables where you can eat just as a couple if you prefer. Check out the brochures, which say which is which.

We have done Mark Warner on Lemnos, which was perfect for all of us (decent rooms, own fridge and TV for the evening wind-down for the kids), small and secluded bay for windsurfing and water skiing. It also has a very short transfer time from the airport, which is hugely welcome.

We've also done Sunsail, by the way, and I'd say Mark Warner was better, as we are not really keen sailors, just interested amateurs, and the MW food and accommodation was better. Word of warning, however - Mark Warner absolutely jam-packed with bankers, lawyers and people in advertising. Fine unless you want to go on holiday to get away from them!

[Skara]

thanks Sykes, I'll look into that idea too. Tbh I am a bit out off the idea that with a MW holiday you have to sit at big tables for dinner (antisocial person that I am!). But maybe that's another unfounded rumour I've heard?

[sykes]

We've gone on a Powder Byrne holiday - v expensive, but good. Creche with English nannies and five star hotels. You use the creche as much/little as you want to. In retrospect, however, prefer having a holiday nanny. We've done this at the Forte Village, Sardinia and are doing this again in Sardinia in a villa - can use hotel facilities, walk into fishing village. The nanny is booked for afternoons and a few evenings. We'll be around when the nanny is there sometimes. Think a lot of holiday places - Simpply Spain, Scott Dunn, Magic of Italy offer the English nanny facility now. A friend of mine went on a Mark Warner and thought the childcare was good, but v resortish and everyone was English. Our Powder Byrne holiday there were only two/three couples who were British - (creche only for Powder Byrne people) everyone else Spanish/Italian/French etc.