Family sun recommendations

Alpha Centauri

hi all

Our first sun holiday with two children (6 and 7 yrs) and need some recommendations. Trawling through so many destinations is baffling me.

Ideally looking for:
short flight times e.g Portugal/Spain/Balearics
self catering apartments
Kids-club/entertainment in the evenings
Childrens pool
edit: destination close to the airport e.g less than 1 hour to get to the hotel

I'm currently looking at "click and go", if you could recommend any better sites too I'd really appreciate any help.

Dont want to make a balls of the first Sun holiday we ever go on so turning to you guys for help

thanks

naughtysmurf

Your kids aren't that young so don't rule out the Canaries, not much difference actual travel time between two and a half hours to the destinations you mentioned plus an hour transfer to hotel & 3hrs40 to Lanzarote & 15 minutes to transfer

Puerto del Carmen & Matagorda are nice spots in Lanzarote or fly into Malaga, options north & south of airport, like Nerja, Torremolines, etc, for a family beach holiday, it's hard to beat Lanzarote imo

With four traveling, you will get more bang for your buck booking everything yourself rather than using a travel agent

Have recommended Costa Sal in Matagorda on here in the past

PVF

Hi I'm looking for an inexpensive deal for flight and accommodation in Malta for myself my wife and daughter aged 5 in July next summer.Any recommendations.?

Eponymous

+1 on Lanzarote. Sub-4hour flight time, very easy transition through airport and quick transfers to Matagorda, PdC and Costa Teguise.

Like Naughtysmurf, I'm a big fan of Costa Sal for family holidays. It's 10 mins from the airport by taxi (and about €10 fare, although I hire a car when I visit so not sure of taxi fares lately), two pool areas, each with kids pools, activities and kids club during the day, entertainment in the evenings and movies for the kids. English speaking channels on the TV in each room. Great food/drink in the restaurant and plenty of choice within 5 minutes walk along the seafront in both directions. Add to that 5 minutes in a taxi gets you into the main resort of PdC. Very kid friendly.

Lanzarote is such a family friendly destination plus there's so much to see and do there with volcanoes, natural attractions, culture and you can hire a car (cheaply) for 2 or 3 days and cover all the highlights of the island at your leisure for less than the cost of a one day excursion for the family!

You'll save a fair chunk of money booking directly too. For next year (booked already!) a tour operator package in a 1 bed apartment would be looking for €1,000 more than I'm paying for a 2 bed bungalow in the same property.

If you're looking to save a bit, don't be afraid to contact properties directly and ASK for a discount. You'd be surprised and the worst they could do is say no.

Kdylass

I'd recommend Costa Del Sol - 2.5 hr flight. We've stayed in Fuengirola which is only about half an hour from Malaga airport - you can get train from Airport.. We stayed in Fuengirola Beach Apartments which are on the outskirts of Fuengirola but near enough to stroll into the middle of the resort. Apartments have great Kids club during the day and evening also...

nhunter100

Alpha Centauri wrote:

Our first sun holiday with two children (6 and 7 yrs) and need some recommendations. Trawling through so many destinations is baffling me.

Lake Garda Italy, try some of the campsites near Laize. Beautiful location and the campsites offer great facilities for kids including kids clubs. Also there is 3 theme parks within a 10 drive of the town I mentioned. Quite easy to book everything yourself from flights to accommodation.

Alpha Centauri

Thanks for the recommendations guys.

unfortunately Canaries are too long flight time

Fratton Fred

First Choice/Falcon do what they call Holiday Villages. These are really family friendly and have great pools, kids clubs and evening entertainment.

Best to book to go before the UK schools break up, but they are usually easy options.

veetwin

Cambrills Park near Salou. Fly to Reus or Barcelona. Your kids would love it. It is pricey though.

carltonleon

Another one here for Lanzarote. I know that you are saying that the flights are too long but I have travelled there with 2 kids aged 5 and 8 with no issues whatsoever. The kids had their Nintendo DS's and a couple of colouring books and comics and they were absolutely fine on the flight.
As a few others have said Costa Sal in Matagorda is excellent and very family friendly but I prefer Playa Blanca which has a beach front of about 5km which is completely pedestrianized so totally safe for the kids. The selection of restaurants (all kid friendly) is second to none. We are going back there this year again. Probably the best Hotel is the Princess Yaiza although it is very expensive peak season.
If Lanzarote is too long a flight then I would also highly recommend Albufiera in Portugal. 2 hour flight, handy airport transfer and then the square in the old town is lovely and also pedestrianized with a good selection of restaurants

finbarrk

We went to Salou a few times when the kids were small. Falcon holidays had a few good spots with kids clubs there at the time. Reus is close, as somebody said here already. Although I wouldn't go to one of those places any more. I prefer to rent our own apartment wherever we go.