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Holidays

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

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Original poster

First hols with baby - need kids club!

33 replies

darlingbabs · 26/05/2010 21:11

we plan to take our first holiday in sept with our baby who will be 5.5 months old. We either want to rent a villa and get a nanny/help/babysitter from somewhere or go to a hotel that has a kids club that will take him at under 6 months. WE are clueless, does anyone have any ideas or experience of doing either of these things? thanks

OP posts:

Trafficcone · 26/05/2010 21:15

Your babys first holiday? Your first family holiday and you want him with a stranger? How sad.

hf128219 · 26/05/2010 21:16

Try babyfriendlyboltholes.co.uk

Also coastline.co.uk

thisisyesterday · 26/05/2010 21:18

agree with trafficcone! if you don't want the baby there then why not leave it with family at home who he knows?

traceybath · 26/05/2010 21:19

Scott Dunn do villas with nannys.

Have you had the baby yet? You may not want to leave it in a kids club when push comes to shove.

GoingPostal · 26/05/2010 21:19

think you are very unlikely to find a kids club that will take a baby that age - they usually run from 3 years+! you will be looking at random babysitters who will look after your baby at the kids club or in your room, or else you should look at getting a villa with nanny = £££ usually.

though given how much attention a baby needs in terms of feeding, how much use will a nanny actually be to you? add in sleep and there won't be very much for a nanny to do for just one baby!

squeaver · 26/05/2010 21:21

Do you have lots of money? If so, get a Scott Dunn villa, then you'll get a nanny and a cook!

squeaver · 26/05/2010 21:21

Sorry, didn't see TB's post.

traceybath · 26/05/2010 21:24

Great minds Squeaver .

Or could you go with grandparents who may doa little babysitting.

I'm guessing you just want a few hours off here and the

hf128219 · 26/05/2010 21:24

Forte Village in Sardinia?

Look at totstoo.com

traceybath · 26/05/2010 21:24

and there rather than someone else to care for your baby for the whole holiday.

MoreCrackThanHarlem · 26/05/2010 21:29

Why do you want to leave him in a kid's club?

I can understand parents of toddlers wanting a couple of hours off from chasing children and being on lifeguard duty, but a tiny baby will be content to have a kickabout on a towel in the shade.
At night you can put him in a buggy and have a nice relaxing meal whilst he sleeps.
They are so portable at that age, I can't understand why you would feel the need to leave him.

A 3/4 yo who runs round restaurants and jumps in the deep end of the pool without warning is hard work, but a 5 month old?

Sorry to be a judgey pants but I think he would be better off at home with a grandparent or similar.

StrikeUpTheBand · 26/05/2010 21:29

Have you looked at Kinderhotels? They look brilliant and include everything you might need for babies in your accomodation (including baby formula and foods if you should require them) and also have baby and childcare included in the price as far as I can remember.

By the way, your post comes across as a bit like you don't want to spend time with your baby all holiday, which may invite a few responses, but as traceybath says I am assuming that's not the case and that you just want occassional childcare so you can do some things as a couple maybe?

hf128219 · 26/05/2010 21:31

Well if both parents want to use a Spa or play tennis a nanny or such like is rather necessary.

MoreCrackThanHarlem · 26/05/2010 21:37

Ok, point taken

I suppose I am basing my response on my own experience.
We just accepted that there were things we wouldn't be able to do on holiday when we had a baby, like the spa or horseriding, things that became possible again once a couple of years had passed.

I accept that others feel differently.

MoreCrackThanHarlem · 26/05/2010 21:40

In which case, Le Meridian in limassol has excellent facilities for families.
I doubt the kid's club would take a 5 month old but babysitters are available, the staff are super child friendly, and the spa is fab.

gordonpym · 26/05/2010 21:48

This italian tour operator has several resort with baby clubs (!) in Sicily and Sardinia.
www.igrandiviaggi.it
www.igrandiviaggi.it/nursery.html

We went in Sicily and had a great time, it was good to be able to have a swim with DP or enjoy the dinner at the Grill Restaurant on the beach.
Be aware it is 80% italian guests,

StrikeUpTheBand · 26/05/2010 22:39

MCTH - It's not how I felt either but I can accept that different people have different experiences and it's not necessarily wrong.

Murtette · 26/05/2010 23:08

We just spent a week at Protur Aparthotel Bonaire in Majorca which we booked through Thomson. It was great. We opted to pay extra so that, as well as a cot, we had a highchair, steriliser and a "nappy pack" (nappies, wipes, nappy sacks, shampoo & bubble bath) waiting for us; there was a "babyzone" (ie a room with a bouncy chair, play mat, soft toys, books etc which you could go and use whenever you wanted) and a creche which was open 6 days a week for three 2 hour sessions and, on three days, for an evening session. We put DD in the creche for three lunch time sessions and two evening sessions. In the evenings, it was lovely to be able to go out to some smart restaurants (we don't have any family or close friends near where we live so haven't been able to go out much by ourselves since DD was born) and at lunch time, it was bliss to have a couple of hours chilling by the pool with a book and not worry about DD getting hot/burnt/bored etc. It meant I actually felt as thought I had a holiday myself! The girls in the creche were English with NNEB (or equivalent) qualifications and there was a 1:3 ratio and seemed to do loads of differnt things with DD.
There were a range of restaurants (all of which had children in them) & shops within about a 5 min walk of the hotel. We hired a car with car seat (from Vanrell which we picked up at the airport) and so we went out and explored bits of Majorca too.

Kiwinyc · 26/05/2010 23:26

Powder Byrne provide incredibly good childcare in hotel accommodation

Scott Dunn and Coastline Villas do similiar with Nanny's that come to you.

Mark Warner, Neilson and Sunsail do creche's, I think they start at 4 mths.

Ignore the sanctimummy's, you are allowed a break from your children, to have some time to yourself and to reconnect with your partner. It doesn't make you a bad parent. ;)

PatriciaHolm · 27/05/2010 21:56

We went to Sunsail Antigua when DD was about 5 months and they took babies from 4 months. She spent a few hours in the childcare in the morning most days, so I could swim/sail etc, and it kept here out of the heat for a bit as it was very hot. And I don't give a toss if anyone wants to get judgeypants on me

bacon · 27/05/2010 22:07

You just want the odd few hours dont you? I am one of these people not keen taking children out for evening meals. I always feel its unfair and with my strictish bedtime routines for all my sons.

Also like others have said if you want to do some activity or a nice excusion then whats the problem?

Lots of luxury hotels offer baby sitting services.

I went to tenerife (Anthelia) the better end of tenerife - short local flights which sold it to us. We used Lisa from Tenerife childcare services - British nanny. That worked well. Bare in mind its very expensive a nanny here babysitting in evening we can pay £6.50ph, tenerife E12-E15ph.

Scott Dunn etc - incrediably expensive and dont see the need for a full time nanny.

We didnt need the nanny in the day as we enjoyed the company of our 4 yr old and 7 month old.

Whats your budget?

MoreCrackThanHarlem · 28/05/2010 22:12

' I am one of these people not keen taking children out for evening meals. I always feel its unfair and with my strictish bedtime routines for all my sons.'

Do people really stick to bedtime routines on holiday?
I thought the whole point of going was to have a break from routine

Kiwinyc · 28/05/2010 23:21

we don't and the time difference usually works to advantage anyway meaning we can keep them up later than normal since its 1-2 hrs ahead in Europe and eat together.

it is nice to have a meal alone with your DP though, its impossible to really talk to each other with kids around.

jocesar · 29/05/2010 10:53

I'd massively recommend Neilson's if you and/or your partner want to do something active. They take babies in the creche from 3 months for 6 hours a day. You still get as much time as you want with the little one but can also have a 'holiday' yourself.

I've been with them twice and the whole holiday was excellent as I was so happy with the childcare.

It's not cheap but I think is good value for money and it's a pretty 'middle class' clientele.

Don't feel guilty about spending a few hours away from your baby like some people here are suggesting. Imo better to take them with you than leave at home with grandparents.

Nefret · 29/05/2010 18:11

"' I am one of these people not keen taking children out for evening meals. I always feel its unfair and with my strictish bedtime routines for all my sons.'

Do people really stick to bedtime routines on holiday?
I thought the whole point of going was to have a break from routine "

I certainly never stick to a routine on holiday, as you say it is all part of being on holiday to do something different.

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