Last updated on January 9, 2025
Is a family hotel the best option for travelling with kids? As always, you know I’m going to say, it depends. Family hotels come in many styles and it depends on the type of holiday you’re looking for, as well as your personal taste. Sometimes a family hotel will be the perfect option, but I certainly don’t think they should be the default option for everyone travelling with kids. In fact, we often actively avoid them. Here’s why…
The TL:DR is simply: They’re sometimes a bit “too much”, in every sense of that phrase.
Let’s break it down…
What is a family hotel?
First, let’s take a moment to define what I’m talking about when I say, ‘family hotel’.
There are the classic, often all-inclusive affairs you find in places like Spain, Turkey and Greece. You can expect kids’ clubs, kids’ entertainment, water slides and all sorts of kids’ activities. They vary in style and luxury, but the focus is squarely on families.
In France, Eurocamp is on this end of the spectrum. And places like Austria have Kinderhotels or family resorts, which also have all the bells and whistles.
These are the hotels I’m talking about when I say ‘family hotels’. They are aimed primarily at families and you’re unlikely to see any couples or travellers without kids as the vibe is so kid-focussed.
There are many other hotels that could potentially fall into the family hotel category as they have some family provisions – like a playground, maybe even a kids’ club – but they also have enough other facilities that couples would feel comfortable there too. We tend to lean towards this style of hotel, but even then some of the things that put us off classic family hotels still apply. So let’s get into that..
Things that put us off family hotels…
Here are the things that put us off fully focussed family hotels…
Kids clubs and childcare
Most family hotels have kids’ clubs that are included in the price of the holiday. We saw hotels in Austria that offer up to 70 hours of childcare per week. And this is a huge perk for families who want to spend their days doing activities or relaxing without the kids.
However, while we appreciate an hour or so of childcare on holiday (for example, we loved having childcare during our surf lessons at Ujusansa), our boys aren’t keen on kids’ clubs, and one of the main reasons we like to travel together is for the shared experiences. We don’t need hours of childcare. So that perk is often lost on us.
That said, if the kids agreed, I’d certainly be up for trying some sort of kids’ club on holiday for an hour or two here and there. I think a bit of alone time is important so I’m not completely anti-kids clubs – I just wouldn’t want them in there the whole time. And when booking a family hotel, it’s something to think about because that perk might be pushing up the price.
Too many activities
We also tend to prefer to steer away from hotels with tons of kids’ activities and facilities. Sometimes, the more activities on offer, the less relaxing the holiday is. Our boys get a bit frantic, wanting to try everything all at once, and we end up rushing around or standing around in playrooms and negotiating time spent in the arcade. It won’t be the same for all kids, but sometimes too many options brings out the worst in our kids.
Life is busy enough at home, so we quite like for our holidays to be spacious, with plenty of time to unwind and let imaginations run wild. The kids don’t need too much to be entertained.
Plus we also like to get outside the hotel and explore the local area, so a lot of our vacation activities are done outside the hotel. Many family hotels are designed with the idea that you might never leave the hotel, so their programme is really packed.
So while we love hotels that have some kid-friendly provisions, like a pool and perhaps a playground, we don’t need all the bells and whistles.
Play areas in undesirable locations
Another thing to consider is the location of the play areas. The worst is when the playroom is tucked away in a windowless room, so it’s the last place you want to be hanging out.
My favourite situation is a hotel where there’s somewhere for the kids to play right next to a spot where it’s enjoyable for the adults to hang out too. For example, in Trentino, we stayed at a gorgeous agriturismo, Maso Corradini, where the kids could jump around on the trampoline while we enjoyed an aperitivo on the terrace with an incredible view. It was similar in Koh Lanta where some of the beach bars had playgrounds on the sand.
Eating separately
Some hotels have separate dining rooms or dining times for kids so the adults can enjoy their meals in peace. We took advantage of that sort of service when the kids were babies/toddlers and we could eat a bit later once they were asleep.
Hotels like Watergate Bay and the Luxury Family Hotels group in the UK offer this along with baby listening services, so you can keep an eye on your kids sleeping while you eat. It’s a really lovely service that provides a bit of alone time for the parents.
However, now our kids are older, they go to bed a bit too late for us to eat once they’re asleep, so an earlier dining time isn’t necessary. And for us, family meals are part of the holiday experience, so we wouldn’t really want them in a separate dining room. That said, I can imagine enjoying that occasionally. It just wouldn’t be an everyday thing.
Too many kids!
While I love having my own kids, I’m not a huge fan of being around hundreds of kids en masse. So one of the most off-putting things for me about a full family hotel is the chaos of so many kids. I prefer places that have a mixed atmosphere, where families and couples both feel comfortable.
I also appreciate hotels where there’s an adults-only pool. The reason for this is two-fold. Firstly, if I get some alone time, that’s where I’m headed. And secondly, it means I feel less concerned about how much noise my kids are making at the family pool as I know the solo adults have the option to go elsewhere.
Rooms
A final point is that you don’t need to stay in a family hotel to have a family friendly-room. We’ve stayed in plenty of hotels around the world that aren’t entirely family-focussed, but still go above and beyond to make kids welcome. I particularly loved our recent stay at the Intercontinental in San Antonio where they put a tipi and toys in the room.
Are there any family hotels we like?
Despite this post on why we don’t always choose full family hotels, there are definitely situations where we do. And especially if they’re in the uber-stylish category of family hotel. For example, Watergate Bay in Cornwall is gorgeous and I definitely wouldn’t say no to staying in one of Austria’s nature family resorts (the only barrier there is price).
Likewise, I’m also more likely to choose a family hotel if it has a small, boutique feel. Caserio del Mirador in Spain is a dream. And we adored Ujusansa family surf camp (so much so we’re going back!).
And sometimes a family hotel perfectly suits the vacation. For example, we loved the themed Art of Animation resort at Disney World and Cabana Bay at Universal Orlando.
But overall, I’m in the camp of preferring family-friendly accommodation over family-only hotels. I prefer stylish glamping like Huttopia to Eurocamp, and Chateau les Carrasses and Hotel Wagnerhof are great examples of exquisite hotels that cater to families alongside adults. Places like that are my favourite.
What’s your favourite type of family accommodation?
I’d love to hear your thoughts. What do you look for in family hotels and accommodation?
I also have a guide on where to stay when travelling with a baby, which covers more thoughts on things like Airbnb and Home Exchange.