First time booking a family package holiday somewhere sunny -recommendation needed

[TC Devon]

Hello
Sadly Florida is out of budget for a few years but this year we would still like to go somewhere sunny but not too far away but suitable for young children. There are four of us, including two children 7 and 5.
Not sure where to go. I’d like to stay in a child friendly hotel, good pool, AI food, good family entertainment. Decent beds- I hate sleeping on sofa beds!
I don’t want to end up somewhere chavvy where there’s people getting drunk around the pool all day and you have to get up at 4am to get a sun bed!
Can only go in school holidays so either Easter or summer.
Am I looking for the impossible? Is this going to still cost a fortune?
Thanks tc

[YorkshireT]

I'd recommend the Be Live Family Costa Los Gigantes in Tenerife. Perfect with kids, mine love it, it's a good all rounder.

I go to 2 all inclusive (4/5 star family ones) a year, and this we consistently go back to as it ticks all the boxes. 8th trip this year. See here -





It's sold as First Choice Holiday Village here, but it's with some other agents under its proper name and we in fact always book directly with the hotel on the Be Live website as it's cheaper.

All rooms are suites, so you have your own room with TV- perfect when putting the kids down to sleep in the other room.

If you book direct you even get a really good dolphin/ whale watching trip for free.

We tend to pay about £1500 for the hotel for a week, plus flights and car. Hardly spend anything else.

If you do that book a flight with Jet 2/ Ryanair etc and pick a car up from Autoreisen at the airport- £90 a week all incl or get a taxi, but taxi will cost as much and you can't then go on trips out as easily to Siam Park etc.

Great family hotel with good kids club, but watch the video. Many guests go back year after year.

No chavs here that I've seen. My kids always say 'When are we going back to Luabay?' (Luabay was the original hotel chain before it was bought out by Be Live about 5 years ago).

Kids always make friends here. My son now 12 plays football all day.

Even a high ropes course.

Nice town down the hill. Supermarkets such as Lidl nearby.

We like exercise and there's decent places to run, but they also do classes, spinning and the like. Good gym.

Food decent for one of these types of hotels.

I always say it's a solid '8' on everything. We stay in at least 1 more every year (maybe done about 20 in total last 14 years) and no others seem to tick every single box for us with as high a score as an 8.

[DisneyDaffodil]

To avoid chavvy look for better quality hotels, which could still be in your budget and avoid the main resorts. When our daughter was younger, we visited many AI resorts and it was difficult to book very nice AIs with lots of attractions for children whilst avoiding the loud, (drunk) overbearing family groups.

Bahia Principe in Tenerife was lovely, but it is set a little out of everywhere. Likewise Voyage Belek in Turkey is a very good AI hotel. Also Hotel Roquetes de Mar in Costa Almeria Spain.

[YorkshireT]

Originally Posted by DisneyDaffodil

To avoid chavvy look for better quality hotels, which could still be in your budget and avoid the main resorts. When our daughter was younger, we visited many AI resorts and it was difficult to book very nice AIs with lots of attractions for children whilst avoiding the loud, (drunk) overbearing family groups.

Bahia Principe in Tenerife was lovely, but it is set a little out of everywhere. Likewise Voyage Belek in Turkey is a very good AI hotel. Also Hotel Roquetes de Mar in Costa Almeria Spain.

See more...

I went to Bahia, you are right, it's a bit remote. Also animacion was not great when we went. Good food there.

[YorkshireT]

Other ones I'd recommend:

Iberostar Lanzarote Park, Playa Blanca.
Iberostar Gaviatos Park, Fuerteventura.
(Both above more pricey but both excellent, the one in Fuerteventura is maybe one of the best I've stayed in, heavy German clientele if that doesn't bother you, didn't me but less English kids for our kids).

Lindos Princess in Rhodes.

Princess Andriana in Rhodes- that one is particularly impressive with elevated 25m infinity pools next to the rooms.

[TC Devon]

Thank you, lots to look at tonight.
Do you need a car for all of these places? Not sure I’d get my husband to drive (he won’t in Florida either) and I can’t drive.
Thanks

[mskitty]

Try Pefkos in Rhodes. We stayed at the Matina aparthotel and loved it. There's an on-site supermarket so we stocked up on ice creams, drinks and snacks for the apartment there. We never had trouble getting sunbeds and we went in August. The kids club was excellent and kids entertainment was good too. The other entertainment was a bit hit and miss but it didn't bother us as the kids were happy.

Pefkos itself is a lovely small resort with lots to do and loads of amazing restaurants but didn't feel overly busy either.

A lot of the bars and restaurants around the town have little play areas for the kids with swings, slides and toys which I thought was a lovely touch.

No car needed although we did get one for a day to explore the island and the roads were quiet and we found our way around no probs. There is a local bus to take you to nearby Lindos.

[novocastrian]

i can also vouch for Be Live Family Costa Los Gigantes

been 3 times October 1/2 term and its exactly as described above & its not, i hate to say this as sounds snobby, full of charvers (chavs if your from down south)... dont think ive ever seen anyone trousered or acting up

you wouldnt need a car uness you want to get out & about.. local buses are fine and you can get trips to siam park/mall etc from the hotel or jump in a cab

[DisneyDaffodil]

Of the 3 I recommended only Bahia Principe needs a car. Although we didn’t use a car, just had a relaxing resort week there. There was a free bus to the local resort nearby but we didn’t use it, plus taxis parked nearby and a public bus so possible to get out without a car.

Voyage Belek is a beach resort with everything in resort. But Belek itself can be walked to, or there is a bus service but Belek isn’t that interesting.

Roquetes de Mar can be walked to along the seafront, which has shops and bars along it plus there is a bus service.

If you want nice resorts with more to do as well as AI, then both Ca’n Picafort and Puerto Pollensa in Majorca have some good hotels, as does La Pineda or Cap Salou in Costa Dorada. Ibiza and Minorca has very nice resorts and hotels too, just avoid the bigger resorts like San Antonio as they tend to attract the chavvier tourist (not all hotels there obviously, just a general observation)

[cornishfrogboy]

I am very mindful of the age of your children.

I think that you can never go too far wrong with the Canaries. I have been to all but Lanzerote and find Teneriefe the favourite, due to its size and the number of things that you can do. Mount Teide is fascinating and then you have the Loro parque. There is a great Water Park at Adeje.
Like others, if you want to avoid Chavs, (and who doesn't), Then avoid Playa Americas and Los Christianos (although worth a look for an hour or two). Los Gigantes would be my choice, just like other posters, as it is a convenient point to visit other things and is generally nicer. Easter is fine. August can be very hot for your young children. Remember also that Teneriefe sand is Volcanic black. Whilst it is not an issue for me. It may be off putting for children.

My first choice would however be outside the box and not exactly what you have said you are seeking.. Greek Cyprus. (although having lived there for 2 years, I am a little bit biased). There is a place called Pissouri, which is a village not far from Paphos airport. You can easily rent a villa either there or at nearby Aphrodite Hills. We like using Holidaylettings.co.uk. There are also Hotels. This is far more cultural than the Canaries and you will not see a chav from the day you arrive until the day you leave unless you want to search for them. Within 25 miles you have.. ( and you will need to Google)
Birthplace of Aphrodite (unspoilt beach).
Beach between Pissouri and Bloodhound Rock.
Ancient Kourion (awesome archeology).
Kolossi Castle (Knight Templar castle)
Akrotiri Orange Groves
Akrotiri Salt Flats (with seasonal Flamingoes).
Limassol (big city).
Paphos.

When you travel further..
Troodos mountains.
Mount Olympus (views and the strangest ski lodge ever).
Nicosia. A divided city with a UN controlled buffer zone.
Ayia Napa and Nissi Beach (where there may be Wild chavs).
Akamus peninsula and Turtle egg laying (and hatching). This is seasonal.

The Greek influenced food is absolutely amazing in Pissouri Village (as well as elsewhere).

Hope it helps.. and if you are keen, then PM me.