Everyone loves a holiday, most of us spend a year looking forward to that week in the sun but as all parents know, holidays with kids in tow is a whole different ball game. Gone (temporarily) are the days where you can relax, read a book or two, lay in in the mornings (ahh remember lay ins!?) before a peaceful breakfast overlooking the beautiful vista. Whiling away the evenings wandering old city walls and sampling the local delicacies, a glass of cold, crisp white wine in hand. Quaint, candle lit restaurants are a thing of the past. Family Holidays involve a certain level of stress it has to be said and that’s without factoring in keeping kids entertained on a plane. With some considerations before you place your booking though, the stress can be minimised, slightly at least, these are the 5 things we have learned to look for before booking a family hotel.
1.Beach and Pool.
Don’t assume that just because you don’t get bored on holiday supping Margaritas by the pool all day that your kids won’t either (obvs don’t try giving them Margaritas). As I don’t want the added stress of battling bordem then I consider the positioning of the hotel before booking. For young kids I look for a hotel that has both a swimming pool with a shallow bit for splashing and is also on (or a short walk to) the beach. A sandy beach with shallow water and a bucket and spade can keep your little tykes entertained for a good couple of hours. They might just play independently for long enough to let you enjoy half a Margarita at least. If the beach is further, you can obviously still go and they will still have great fun but having it near just makes it more accessible when a change of scene is demanded.
A hotel close to the beach is best for free entertainment. 
As well as a pool to splash about in.
2. Close to Things
It’s worth finding out if there are restaurants within a short stroll. I totally loved being all inclusive with little ones on our recent holiday. Not only is there soooo much choice that there is bound to be SOMETHING they will eat (ice cream for dinner anyone?), but there is no waiting for food to arrive and the stress of keeping small children on a seat without complaint while waiting for their dinner to appear is completely negated with a buffet. There is something available at all times, so when Scarlett decided the floor was hungry for her lunch and then had a melt down an hour later because we were apparently starving her, the issue was easily resolved. If you prefer not to go all inclusive or you want to go out for dinner without being back in your room for 7:30pm then staying somewhere that’s walking distance to restaurants is ideal. Feed your kids, put them in their jammies, walk them to sleep in their pushchairs, have a lovely dinner while they snooze, or if they are older have them eat dinner with you and use the pushchair as a crash pad when they (hopefully) get tired and take a leisurely stroll back. The last thing you want to do is get them out and onto a bus or into a taxi, fully waking them up, unless you fancy a mini party in your room at 11pm. It’s also good to look for hotels with things to do near by, especially with older children. Water parks, aquariums, theme parks. Bonus points if there is a play area on site.
3. Check Out what Rooms they Have Available
If you have young kids who need to go to bed way before you would be ready, consider booking an apartment, suite or adjoining rooms. We recently booked a suite and gave the kids the master bedroom while we pushed the two sofa beds together and slept in the lounge. Why? Because it meant that we had access to the terrace when they needed a nap and somewhere to have evening drinks together while the kids where snoozing, without running the risk of disturbing their precious sleep and our precious down time.
4. Take a Look at what Family Activities are on Offer
The mere mention of an Animation Team was enough to me me balk pre kids but post kids an Animation Team can be a blessing. Frequently found in all inclusive resorts they usually lead lots of activities, water polo, table tennis tournaments, beach games etc. which is great for older kids. For younger kids, they normally offer some sort of early evening entertainment such as mini discos and shows that they can participate in. Depending on your kid, it could be your opportunity to consume a whole Margarita, maybe even two if you’re quick and watch them have fun. Kids clubs can also be great for providing entertainment. Whilst not a family activity as such, kids seem to love them. The recent resort we stayed at had a creche which provided a huge room of toys in an air-conned space for ages 1-4. Lockie and Scarlett went for 4 hours on one of the mornings. It meant we could enjoy the spa, the dreamy adults only area and have a quick lunch together with uninterrupted conversation. It was like a four hour holiday within our holiday. There was a separate kids club for ages 4+ also which you will more commonly find.
5. Facilities on Site
It’s a good idea to find out if the hotel can provide a cot/highchair if you need one and if they have a bath. Obvs if they don’t they will have a shower, I just find it easier to bath kids. A fridge can be really handy in hotel rooms too. We used the mini bar to store snacks, milk etc. just make sure its not a mini bar that charges by the weight – you know the ones I mean? If you take a can of coke out for 10 seconds it goes on your bill, even if you put it back untouched. If you do stay a little out from any restaurants/shops a shop on site is really handy for nappies, wipes or if you have misplaced the sun cream. Laundry facilities can be a god send. Lockie is still not 100% potty trained (he tries to hold wee’s in so long that he ends up doing little dribbles in his pants) and Scarlett is literally the messiest person I have ever known. She is also a magnet for dirt. Had our most recent holiday been any longer than a week, we would of had to wash their clothes and we pretty much packed their whole summer wardrobe.
Having said all of that, it is just a ‘wish list.’ If your accommodation is short some of the above, that’s not to say you won’t have a great time. All that really matters is getting to spend time as a family with little other distractions. These things are really just added bonuses.