Family Hotel

[WhatWouldYouDo33]

I am looking for a family hotel for me and two young children for a couple of nights (DH working abroad). Ideally
-South England (not Cornwall - too far)
-decent breakfast buffet and restaurant
-playground
-indoor pool
-kids club
-maybe even animals

Not centre parcs etc, I am recovering from an illness and don’t want self catering or walking/cycling for miles to get to a pool or restaurant. Also not interested in city centre type places, don’t need a high street or sights nearby.
no bungalows or cottages, I am an anxious person and prefer to be in a Hotel building.

any suggestions please? Is Moonfleet Manor nice?

Thanks!

Saunton Sands or Thurlestone Hotel in Devon

https://www.langstone-hotel.co.uk/

We had a wonderful stay here. It was a few years ago, but I see it still seems to get good reviews.

Not quite south, as it's East Anglia, but the Ickworth Hotel just outside Bury St Edmunds is very family oriented. No animals but it is in the grounds of Ickworth House National Trust property so lots of sheep in the parklands. Quite pricey though.

@ProbablyOnlySellOne have you been? It’s the same brand as Moonfleet Manor.

they are all pricey tbh. I just had a 10 day holiday abroad cancelled because of illness and would like to take the kids for a nice weekend before school starts again.

I haven’t stayed there but have been to the restaurant which is lovely. The grounds are beautiful and Ickworth is great if you like walks. I hope you find somewhere. Sorry to hear about your holiday.

Have a look at the "luxary family hotels" chain. I haven't stayed there as my eldest is too old for the kids club (up to 8 years old).

All of the hotels in the Luxury Family Hotel chain are lovely @WhatWouldYouDo33. My personal favourite is Fowey Hall, but Moonfleet Manor and the Woolley Grange are also fabulous. We did like Ickworth too but the first time we went we were put in the annex which was half a mile away from the main hotel with no room service or mini bar/fridge which was pretty inconvenient. If you are staying in the main building (which we made sure of the second time we went!) it is also amazing

@Katrinawaves thanks this is helpful. I can’t stay in an annex as I can’t walk very long distances easily yet. I am tending towards Moonfleet Manor, the restaurant has bad reviews though. Have you eaten there?

I can’t drive around in the evenings finding restaurants, I need a Hotel to arrive and crash with fun for the kids.

The last time I stayed at Moonfleet Manor was about 10 years ago so the chef may have changed since then. My general experience is that the standards across all of the hotels are very high though including food.

If mobility is an issue however, one thing to point out is that Moonfleet Manor grounds are a bit prone to flooding or at least getting waterlogged which at this time of year might make it hard for you to walk from the hotel reception to the car park easily?

@Katrinawaves I can walk ok. I am recovering from a serious illness, I can’t walk far for long especially not pushing a pushchair or walk several times a day half a mile for meals and activities.
my DH is abroad for work and I thought a weekend away might be nice for me (no cooking, cleaning, tidying) and the kids will enjoy a kids Hotel. Our planned holiday abroad was cancelled because of my unexpected hospital stay and the kids were very upset. (Well the older one, the toddler is ok either way!)

If you were interested in Ickworth and end up in the annex, you can park outside the annex and drive backwards and forwards between it and the hotel. We used to do that in the evening because the half mile walk between the two was completely unlit and we didn’t fancy doing it by torchlight with young children.

Four Seasons Hampshire