As a travel writer, one becomes accustomed to the trappings of luxury travel all too quickly. A bellboy to take your things to your room, a chauffeur to take you from A to B, a butler to unpack your belongings and a waiter to top up your glass. But when you become a parent, particularly of very young children, you suddenly realise that you have become the bellboy, the chauffeur, the butler and the waiter combined, and that your small charges are far more demanding than you ever were (and they definitely don’t tip).
And while flying business class and eating from Michelin-starred menus may be off the cards for some time – at least while your mini plus-ones are in tow – there are still a plethora of ways to guarantee a relaxing, cosseting holiday with children.
Prior to having children, I favoured smaller, boutique hotels – ones with interesting interiors, sprawling art collections, honesty bars, rooftop bars and zero concierge. Places that were slightly off the beaten track, away from the well-stomped tourist trail. To stay in such a place now would be far less appealing – after all, without the safety net of a 24-hour reception desk for when (if) my daughter needed a doctor (she’s never even scraped her knee), or a supermarket in walking distance for her beloved malk (milk) how could I possibly sleep at night?
Nowadays, the green flags that I look for in hotel accommodation are the complete antithesis of what I preferred before parenthood. First things first, step-free access is king. Long gone are the days when an apartment at the top of a winding staircase perched on a clifftop in Cinque Terre would appeal (though in hindsight, my calves didn’t sign up to that in the first place). Instead, I think about whether I'm going to struggle getting my child from the room to the restaurant, or if there’s a nice stretch of flat ground to amble around for her afternoon nap.
Ground floor villa suites in hotels are an amazing option if they are available to you – you can lie down with your little one inside for their nap, then sneak onto a day bed to catch up with some sunbathing. Bonus points too if there’s a plunge pool – you don’t need to leave the suite at all then!
Many hotels will also offer a ‘pack light’ option – providing you with not just a cot and a high chair, but also bottle warmers, sterilisers, bibs, toiletries, robes, towels and slippers, not to mention sweet additions like teddy bears, welcome treats and activity books. During a recent trip to the Four Seasons in Marrakech, housekeeping even provided me with a litre of full-fat cow's milk in the fridge every day for my very hungry milk monster.
Another green flag? Multiple restaurants. It’s great to have a few options for mealtimes, so that you don’t get bored if you’re not venturing into the town (fair enough with unpredictable toddlers), and also, so you don’t have to show your face night-in, night-out somewhere that your three-year-old had a level 10 meltdown on day one.
I am also a big fan of room service as an occasional treat – it’s far less stressful to have a meal in your room at the end of a particularly fraught day, whether that’s one that’s involved a lot of travelling or just a mega stroppy one – so it’s worth checking if your hotel does this. Balconies are also lovely for an after bedtime sun-downer.
And a note on buffets: while they are great for fussy appetites, they do also involve a degree of tag-teaming: as a single parent I’ve sometimes struggled to get a plate of food for myself and my daughter without it involving multiple trips carrying her and a plate of food. (This is where super-friendly waiters come in useful, to entertain or help carry something).
Most bigger resorts now offer a family-friendly pool as well as an adults-only pool: for me, it’s not about necessarily wanting to be amongst other children, it’s just that I want the grown-ups to be able to escape me and my toddler if they want to. I particularly love splash pools for the littlest ones – perch nearby to watch them and you don’t need to worry about doing a Baywatch and diving in if they start drowning.
It’s important to note too that all-inclusive hotels should not be sniffed at. In 2025, there are myriad options that effortlessly balance parent-pleasing and family-friendly facilities. The best in class is undoubtedly the Ikos resorts, located in Halkidiki, Crete, Corfu, Kos, Marbella and Mallorca. With a philosophy of “unconditional luxury”, it’s more than just a great dinner buffet and free ice creams: here you’ll find Michelin-starred fare, champagne on tap and even complimentary Tesla hire cars.
Another great option is The Peligoni Club in Zakynthos, which is a genius hybrid of villa and resort. While accommodation is in stylish, independent villas, there’s a central Clubhouse with restaurants, bars, wellness and leisure activities, including kids clubs, which means you don’t get that same anxiety of staying in a remote villa.
Some final words of advice: hotels that are a short drive from the airport > those that are over an hour’s hike away. Always ask about airport transfers, and if an age-appropriate car seat can be provided. If you can stay somewhere close to the town and the beach, that’s infinitely better than needing to rent a car and car seat. Proximity to a supermarket and pharmacy are also things that I always consider – you don’t want to be too far from essentials like emergency nappies, Calpol and milk (for babies) or crisps (for toddlers).
At the end of the day, despite the oft-shared sentiment that holidays with children aren’t relaxing, the goal should always be to at least try to get your shoulders down a little. You can give yourself the best chance of this possible with a little thought and forward-planning about where you stay – after all, not all hotels are created equal when it comes to families. And if you remember nothing else, remember this: assessing the room for breakables and moving out of reach should always be the first thing you do.
