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Holidays

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

Original poster

BEST holidays with young children?

47 replies

FreddoBaggyMac · 16/08/2009 13:03

Am already thinking about next summer's hols! I'd love to hear recommendations from everyone on great places to take young children. We have four DCs who'll all be six and under next summer and want to go somehere that will not cause us too much hassle and just be a great time for us and the kids.
We've done Centerparcs but want to branch out into the unknown...
Want to go somewhere for at least a week, budget is around £1000 if staying in the UK, obviously would have to be more if going to Europe.

Would love to hear lots of recommendations of places where we can have a great time with young children please!

OP posts:
Original poster
FreddoBaggyMac · 16/08/2009 19:06

Bump - has noone on mumsnet been on holiday with young children then??

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IdrisTheDragon · 16/08/2009 19:10

I only have 2 DC but our best holiday was last year in a keycamp holiday in the Vendee. DS was 4 and DD 2 and it was relaxing and fun for everyone

notyummy · 16/08/2009 19:13

We have done Thomson Al Fresco with dd (2) and are going back again with her now she is three. We went to Tuscany and it is lovely for kids - beaches/ice cream/lovely weather.

You can get a 3 bedroom mobile home and not do much cooking because the campsite we stayed had on had a fab restaurant that did lovely take away food.

Nappyzoneisabeetrootrunner · 16/08/2009 19:15

We went to jersey this year and it was truly lovely - we have a 2 and 6 yr old. We were v lucky with the weather too. Those saying about eurocamp places plz can you do links as i fancy one of those next yr.......

CheeryCherry · 16/08/2009 19:15

Similar places to Centreparcs but to use more as a base to sight-see a bit...
Ribby Hall (nr Blackpool area)
Pine Lodge Holidays (Derbyshire)
Custard Holidays (a few locations)
So basically pine lodge places with on site amenities but can do as you please...and not as busy as Centreparcs.
Now they are older, we just rent a cottage somewhere and please ourselves.
Hope that helps.

squilly · 16/08/2009 19:26

We went to Featherdown Farms at Easter and thought it would be lovely for a summer break. It's not cheap, but it's unique. Run by the same people as the Centreparcs folks and very ethical in it's execution.

The best thing about it though is the fact that it's so child friendly. Staying on a farm, in a big tent, with lots of kids in attendance, wide open spaces and an honesty shop...what's not to love

notyummy · 16/08/2009 19:27

This is where we went to and are heading back in a fortnight!. I think Keycamp do it as well.

www.thomsonalfresco.co.uk/lepianacce#

Two weeks is costing us £1000 for 3, inc flights and car hire, but not including food and sundries. I want to go the Italian lakes next!

Original poster
FreddoBaggyMac · 16/08/2009 21:14

Some brilliant ideas - will check them all out! thanks (and keep them coming!)

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Original poster
FreddoBaggyMac · 16/08/2009 21:16

Wow notyummy that thomson place looks fab and a greta price too... will def look further into that one.

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mindermummy · 17/08/2009 20:48

love this thread...keep them coming, getting some good ideas for myself too!!!

We stayed in sandy balls in the new forest, which had kids pool and you stay in a log cabin..it was a lovely place...wanted any similar to this if anyone knows of any????

xx

bruffin · 17/08/2009 20:54

Have you thought about Centerparcs in europe. Erperhide in Belgium is brilliant for your DC's age and is a lot cheaper than the uk ones.

DebiTheScot · 17/08/2009 21:03

We've just got back from Portugal and where we were was brilliant for young children (if you want a beach holiday). We were staying in a place called Foz do Alehro which is about an hour north of Lisbon. The beach there is brilliant for kids. A huge lagoon with loads of sand and lots of big, small, shallow and deep pools.
Not much else in that village though for kids, it's not really a resort. A few other good beaches nearby though and lots of other things to do that our 3 yr old was happy to do (day trip to Lisbon, visit to old walled town...)

Because it's on the Atlantic it didn't ever get muggy, was hot but fresh all day and not hot at night.

We flew BA which was the cheapest and teh flights cost about £400 for 2 adults, 1 3yr old and a baby.

Portofino · 17/08/2009 21:05

Noe I have a thing about the South of France, but ask dd (5) about her best ever holiday and she says here.

We went for Easter last year and had a luxury villa - cost about 500 euros. According to the website August next year will cost about 900 euros for a week for 6.

The accommodation was fab - much nicer than Centerparcs. Dishwasher, wm, t drier plus a sauna and sunbed! Flat screen tv, comfy beds - fantastic view. It snowed when we were there. And there were outdoor playgrounds and trampolines and mini golf. Dd was in heaven.

Indoor pool and huge indoor children's paradise with attached bar. The doors were pass secured so you could just let them run wild and know they were safe.

Down the hill five mins is a huge outdoor pool complex, and there are some lovely walks and nice towns to visit. And wine, did I mention the wine? There was also a mini train doing excursions to various places.

DD still talks about it all the time and wants to know when we can go back.

The same company also has loads of sites in Holland with various facilities. I can highly recommend them - and they are much cheaper than Centerparcs!

Portofino · 17/08/2009 21:09

PS can second Bruffin's opinion on Eperheide too.

movingnow · 17/08/2009 21:42

www.kinderhotels.co.uk
www.villapia.com

elvislives · 17/08/2009 21:50

We've been to Center Parcs in Holland

holland&_utmv=-&_utmk=43997605 Duinrell also in Holland- Eurocamp and keycamp go there.

and Gurnard Pines on the Isle of Wight

isittooearlyforgin · 17/08/2009 22:00

just got back from a cottage in charente in france with my dh and 2dc's - was a bit of a trek to get there but weather beautiful as so far south and lakes fabulous for young kids with manmade beaches.
Top tip one - well worth getting a property that comes as a pair or more as we made friends with the couple opposite and their four boys made friends with our two and took them off our hands for hours at a time. also meant we swapped babysitting one eve each so got to go out too.
Top tip two - swimming pool essential as we could spend a whole day there without going out. Although we spent more than you specified between the pool and the local lake beaches we spent hardly anything when we were there.

hotpotmama · 17/08/2009 22:05

Portofino, that place looks ideal for my DS's. We have just been to majorca but need something more active next year. Did you fly there or drive?

Portofino · 17/08/2009 22:22

We live in Brussels so we drove - about 2 hours for us. I think the nearest airport is Frankfurt???

The scenery was truly gorgeous. I want to go back in the summer, or wine harvest time...

hotpotmama · 17/08/2009 22:38

Is it in the mountains? Wondered if there's anywhere we can ride bikes as we all love doing that.

Thanks for replying to me!

Portofino · 17/08/2009 23:04

Not mountains exactly but high hills either side of the Moselle river valley. I think biking would be entirely possible >

notyummy · 18/08/2009 08:54

I have been here twice:

www.chateaurigaud.co.uk/family_house_party.html

Absolutely amazing in every way. But NOT a cheap option.

mindermummy · 18/08/2009 10:45

Any other good english ones?????

notyummy · 18/08/2009 10:50

www.theelmshotel.co.uk/

Lovely - but really only for a short break/long weekend.

Haven't been on holiday in the UK for more thn a long weekend, so am a bit rubbish with ideas.

Original poster
FreddoBaggyMac · 18/08/2009 19:17

Mindermummy - have heard of sandyballs before - that name sticks in your mind - will check it out.

Have actually been to Centerparcs Europe including Erperheide - we went there last year and agree it's completely fab. We really want to break away from the centerparcs addiction though!

Movingnow - have looked at Kinderhotels before, but aren't they very expensive?

I'd also like some more British ideas. I've thought about Bluestone in Wales www.bluestonewales.com/ as an option (but it's also very expensive) and have heard that Crieff hydro www.crieffhydro.com/ is absolutely brilliant - but also expensive!
I suppose the reality is that if you want the Centerparcs equivalent in the UK you have to pay Centerparcs prices or more!!

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