Read about Mumsnetters favourite things to do while on a family break away with Luxury Family Hotels

[LucyBMumsnet]

This sponsored discussion is now closed. Thank you to all who took the time to post below.

We all need some rest and relaxation every now and again. A short stay away might just be the break that you and your family need to recover from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, and can provide the perfect opportunity for the whole family to do activities that you wouldn’t normally get the chance to. Whether you’d like to spend your time playing board games, hiring bicycles, exploring the local towns or enjoying the facilities at the Hotel Spa, Luxury Family Holidays would like to hear from you.

Here’s what Luxury Family Hotels have to say: “Here at Luxury Family Hotels we know how important family time is and so our aim is to create places for families to make life-long memories. Whether it’s a family swim or bike ride, adventures in the gardens or exploring many of the wonderful days out near any of our hotels, every family will find something to enjoy together.”

Where in the UK would you like to go on a break away? What would your typical day look like on your family holiday? Do you have a perfectly planned schedule of the activities you plan to do? Would you rather go on a coastal stroll or a walk through the open fields of the countryside? Are there any activities that you would like to do together as a family on a UK break away which are not currently offered by hotels you’ve stayed at in the past?

Everyone who shares their favourite activities on this thread will be entered into a prize draw where one lucky MNer will win a two-night bed & breakfast stay at the Luxury Family Hotel of their choice*.

Thanks and good luck with the prize draw!
MNHQ

Insight T&Cs apply

*The prize is valid for redemption until 11 December 2020 (excluding school holidays and bank holiday weekends). The prize is valid for two adults and up to three children and is subject to availability at the time of booking. It is non-transferable and cannot be exchanged for cash.

Where in the UK would you like to go on a break away?
I absolutely love the British seaside- the fish and chips, ice-creams, kite flying and there is always so much to entertain my 3 boys at the beach. We have had holidays along the welsh coast, Devon and Cornwall and Somerset so it would be lovely to try somewhere new.
What would your typical day look like on your family holiday?
We get up early for a quick breakfast, all get ready and then make the most of the local area by exploring the beaches. We usually like activities so things like a day out to a welsh gold mine, the caves at Cheddar Gorge, the beach at Llanngrannog for some body boarding.
Do you have a perfectly planned schedule of the activities you plan to do?
No we will play this by ear and plan according to the British Weather.
Would you rather go on a coastal stroll or a walk through the open fields of the countryside?
I would happily do either, my children would prefer the coastal walk so we can stop off and play at the beach.
Are there any activities that you would like to do together as a family on a UK break away which are not currently offered by hotels you’ve stayed at in the past?
We would love surfing lessons.

We've been to Cornwall and Norfolk in the past few years. We'd like to visit north Wales or north Scotland next. We like to have lots of things planned. Seeing the main sights in that area, making the most of our National Trust membership and entertaining the kids.

We like sleep, so like to make sure that the beds/bedrooms look ok. We enjoy the beach and also theme parks.

We love dog friendly, good vegetarian food, close to outdoor activities- beach, forest, cycling- indoor pool.
Activities for kids and luxury for adults, but informal. I would love to check in and have suggested activities for different age group kids- routes for family walks, cycle rides etc.

We love to go to Cornwall, we go motor boating on the river, hire bikes to ride the trails, learn to sail, sample delicious seafood or just mess about on the beach!

We love being out and about, walking, picnicking, birdwatching, and just exploring the countryside. But we also enjoy spending time together watching family films or playing board games, and it would be wonderful to have the facilities to do this at a hotel, with a choice of dvds and board games available.

We love to be by the sea. A beach, hunting for sea glass, arcades is bliss for all of us.

Thanks to Greta Thunberg (and the stress of flying with a little one), we’ve resolved that all our holidays will be in the UK from now on.

Last summer we took our then 16 month old to the seaside in Kent and it was absolutely magical for him. He loved everything - sea, sand, rock pools, stones, boats, ice cream, seaweed, freedom! When I think back to my childhood holidays the simple ones by the seaside were always the best, so hoping to go again this summer. Haven’t decided where yet though!

We like to go to somewhere scenic, preferably near some water, whether that is the coast or a lake. We generally try and choose somewhere that has good cycling routes as my husband likes to take his road bike.

Currently on a long weekend away navigating the hell that is teenagers with flaky wifi.
I am hiding under the duvet so I can't hear their despondent sighs.

What I would like to be doing, is sitting on a deck in a sunny spot with a nice breakfast, smiling fondly at my cheerful children as they wander happily in the garden...

We love to go somewhere we can enjoy a bit of sightseeing and at the same time have down time, we like to sample local food and produce and get to know the locals

Our favourite holidays have been a mixture of woodland stays with nearby beach walks (especially with the dogs). We love being surrounded by nature, whether it's forest, mountains, seaside or countryside.

We do like to have a go at activities outside (like Go Ape, cycling, pond dipping - anything really!) or crafts indoors. Or just to cosy up watching a film with popcorn after a day exploring. Oh and we love a castle or tower to climb!

We like to go somewhere where we can explore the local area, have had brilliant holidays in Scotland, North Yorks, Wales, The Cotswolds and Devon.
Our ideal hotel would have an indoor pool as we all love swimming. Eating together as a family is important too.

If we go for weekends away it's usually for a planned activity. So like a mountain bike trail, water park, an organised run etc. So that's the activity that frames the break. On top of that, while away it's nice to have extra treats such as afternoon cake in a cafe or staying up late. I also like exploring the area, so if there is a beach nearby we would try to go as we don't live near the sea.

It’s a mix of escapism, exploring adventures and thrashing each other at cards! It’s just such a luxury to have time out together and away from the usual routine. Having a range of kids from mid teen to reception age means making memories together is the most important thing of all.

A hotel with a pool is a must for the kids, and packing several swimming costumes as they’d be in it rather than anywhere else. A treat of room service is fun, more snacks and kid focused treats would be great - fruit salads etc. I’d live some more outdoor activities in the grounds with a bit if education. Star gazing, building bug hotels and bird boxes. We can be very busy just exploring our new lodgings.

Where in the UK would you like to go on a break away?
Anywhere coastal, Also in the South so that the weather is warmer.

What would your typical day look like on your family holiday?
Lazy breakfast then out and about exploring.

Do you have a perfectly planned schedule of the activities you plan to do?
I google ahead of time to get a rough idea of what is available (Also to get an idea of costs for budgeting purposes)

Would you rather go on a coastal stroll or a walk through the open fields of the countryside?
Coastal walks are a big draw for us.

Are there any activities that you would like to do together as a family on a UK break away which are not currently offered by hotels you’ve stayed at in the past?

I would like to see more organised day trips with transportation.
We travel by public transport, So some excursions would be welcome.

For a me a change used to be as good as a rest, but with a 12 month old not so much! I'm an anxious parent and stress about a lot after a difficult first year (PND). There's so much to think about with cooking, activities for her, trying to relax, travelling, naps etc. We don't have family nearby and with a 12 month old and work and commuting I'm pretty shattered. Self catering means the same as home but (usually) in a less well equipped kitchen, and no days where she is at childcare to get a small break from the cooking/cleaning/tidying routine!

Hotels are expensive if you don't want to sit in silence once your baby has gone to bed and I worry about not know what's in her food when we are out and about (too much salt etc).

Last year we went to a 'kinderhotel' in Austria which was really nice - fully equipped for babies with microwave steralisers and seperate little room within your own room to give you some space to relax in the evening, FREE all day childcare, spa and loads of activities for little kids. It was great. It was the first time I left her with anyone and I really trusted them. There was also a mobile phone listening service so if your baby makes a noise during dinner it called the phone and you could listen to if she's just doing a fart or actually crying.

We used the childcare for maybe 4 hours a day so we could sit by the pool and read and swim uninterrupted. There wasn't much else to do so a little dull but definitely what we needed.

We were really happy to find out about the Luxury Family Hotels, as we had looked at lots of holidays abroad with childcare but we can't afford it with the flights and I honestly cannot be bothered with the stress of it! We had already booked to go in May (before I saw this thread!) and I'm really looking forward to it. Austria/Germany do this concept really well and it seems hard to find in the UK which is a real shame, especially with the special family rooms where children and adults have their own space but without it costing an absolute fortune.

For me key things for travelling with a very little one are:
Access to healthy food (without salt/sugar)
Options to eat early with children (but still have nice food!)
At least some childcare to enjoy some alone time (and for them to have freedom to enjoy themselves - just being with mum and dad all day can be a bit boring, at least for our baby!)
Activities to do as a family too - like you'd get at children's centres here.
Little kitchenettes/kettles for washing baby things up and microwaving things
Buggy friendly walks with lots to see (we have a city buggy so renting those better 'off road' buggies is a great idea too) so she can see some countryside and we can go on more adventurous walks.

Oh and accessible without a car/collection services from train station with car seats - so so so helpful.

My Daughter who's seven and I have only been on a one night break, but made the most of it by visiting a zoo and having a lovely meal out!

We love the coast, especially Dorset or Isle of Wight or East and West Coast of Scotland. Love beaches, coastal walks, fishing and sight seeing boat trips. Ice creams, pub lunches, arcades.

We like to go somewhere beautiful and suitable for walking or cycling be it by the sea or in the country. We like to get a good feel for the local area so recommendations for the best places to visit and the best places to eat is always very much appreciated. DH and DS like to be active, DD and I prefer to do the cultural thing. DD particularly likes a mooch round a quirky antiques centre or a small town with independent shops. None of us like organised entertainment in groups particularly so evenings are spent eating and relaxing with a book or TV.
It sounds like an obvious thing to say but we would all be bitterly disappointed if we didn’t have comfortable beds and the option for a bath OR a shower!

Its just me and my DD and we went to the coast last Easter for a short stay.

We loved the peacefulness of being by the sea, the general vibe which is different to the city life we are used to.

My DD loves the simple things from hotels and BnB's which she isn't used to like someone else preparing her breakfast, or the buffet which lights her eyes up!

We love the one on one time too which we don't always get.

We try to go to places like the seaside fair ground or the acquarium. It's just lovely to be away from home

We would love to go down to the south coast, where we could spend time on the beach, maybe a bit of fossil hunting with ice cream and sea splashing thrown in too! When we go away, we don't plan too hard, we take each day as it comes especially bearing in mind how unpredictable the weather here can be! The most important thing is having family time together!

We're going to the U.S. on holiday this year.

Next year we may be the proud owners of a canine friend so UK holidays will definitely be on our radar.

There is so much to see in the UK and I love the idea of getting out and about in nature and getting the kids (and DH) off those bloody screens!