Much needed holiday with 1 year old

Radiotower

We're looking at booking a weeks holiday at end of august. Just myself, wife and 1 year old. Want a sun holiday on a resort that has a creche or kids club. Alot of places seem to only cater for kids from 4 years.

The best we've come across is Holiday Village in Turkey but want to look at other similar to compare. Anyone have any recomendations.

wmpdd3

I dont think I'd trust a creche in Turkey even though they would be run by the travel company. Have you looked at campsites in France or Italy, they seem very baby focused. Atleast in August you get good weather.

bulmersgal

I wouldn't trust a creche on a holiday resort, I couldn't enjoy myself. Sure at that age you'll have great fun in the pool. We were in trabolgan few weeks ago and Elisha loved looking at all the older kids and the shows (barney, bob the builder etc) in the evening. Going to Gran Canaria in few weeks and she won't be leaving my sight, will look to see is there any of those shows on for her in the evening.

I have heard great things about the campsite in France and thinking about it for next year

crazy cat lady

We're just back from the Holiday Village in Portugal. The resort itself was fantastic. 8 pools, lots of slides and activites going on from morning to night. Only a 2.5 hour flight too and there is no time difference.

The kids clubs looked fantastic for older kids. The Creche was open from 5-6 every evening to bring your child along to play with the toys and you stay there with them. By the middle of the 2nd week we had gotten to know the girls who run the creche enough to feel confident in leaving Megan for an hour. She hated it so after 15 minutes we ended up taking her out again. They didn't charge us for the session as she didn't settle. The creche was very secure. The doors only open from the inside. You have to sign your child in and out and they give you a mobile phone so they can ring you if there is any problems and you can ring them to check on your child. The ratio is 1 creche worker to 3 children.

Now, I've made the holiday sound all lovely, but don't be fooled. Yes the resort was great but Megan was far too young to apreciate it (17 months) and to be honest, she was a cranky little madam as she was just too hot! It was hard entertaining her for the duration of the flight, and we thought 2.5 hours was a relatively short flight!

We spent alot of time in the apartment as she hated the pool and it was just too hot for her to be out anyway. I did most of my sunbathing on the balcony! We were all inclusinve but I think next time I would go self catering as she didn't eat great as she wasn't eating the foods I would usually feed her and she was far too distracted in the restaurant. She also developed terrible heat rash and was very itchy with it. If you go anywhere hot, bring antihistimine just in case.

Yes we had a nice time, but do I feel relaxed and refreshed? Ha! NO! Would I take a child so young somewhere so hot again? NO WAY!

In future we'll be going to Butlins with little people

Hope I haven't put you off going on holidays, but its just a different ball game going on a sun holiday with a 1yr old. i wish someone had told me before we booked our holiday. That said, all children are so different, you could have a totally different experience.

Hope this helps

Moonbeam

Last year we brought the then 15 month old to Lanzarotte , we all had a great time,the year before I brought her to a mobile home in France and it was fantastic.
They love kids in France,the campsite had everything that we needed and it was pretty relaxing.

Radiotower

Thanks for all the advice. We might look into the france camping thing so. Any recomendations on a travel agent to use?

LegacyUser

We took our 1 year old to Turkey (bitez) last summer, we had a great time, it wasn't too hot (she didn't get sunburned at all, actually nether did i and i am fair skinned) we stayed in the shade on the beach (they had massive umbrella type things that covered a king size bed size seat and the table/play area/sand in front of it.) and they brought all the food/drinks to us.


the only thing is we had no 'alone' time, so you can have the sun holiday, but you are still in parent mode 24/7.

the Turkish were FANTASTIC with babies, we found it strange at first and it is hard to explain but they love children and are great with them, everywhere is so child friendly much more then i found in france or spain or any of these places.

i myself was sceptical going over, fear of the unknown i suppose but once i got to know them i didn't want to leave, and i would have let one or two mind my child, i'd trust them more then some irish babysitters i have met.

caprilicious

I agree with crazy cat lady, I brought my little girl to Portugal when she was 7 months old & swore I would never bring a child that young away again!
The flight was too long for her, but didn't help as she picked up an ear infection on the way over so was miserable over there.

Maybe as your child is that bit older they may be a bit easier to occupy for thr flight, but I don't think personally I'd want to do the long flight to Turkey (I think its 5/6 hours?)

The idea of France sounds really good, wouldn't mind that myself. Its Costa del Wexford this year for hols for us