It takes a village to lift a toddler, or so the saying goes. And more and more, that village consists of a gaggle of friends with kids of an analogous age.
Perhaps you met via NCT, or a child group. Maybe you have been fortunate sufficient to have infants concurrently your life-long buddies. Nonetheless you met, I assure in some unspecified time in the future you’ll have uttered the phrases: “Wouldn’t or not it’s enjoyable to go away collectively?!”
Let’s be sincere, going away with small children could be a problem. Generally, getting out the door appears inconceivable. So the thought of packing your baggage, getting in a automotive or a airplane and going away with none of your property comforts can appear… overwhelming at greatest.
However onerous work can reap excessive rewards. And taking your loved ones away with mates is for certain to create lasting reminiscences – and be loads of enjoyable.
Listed below are a number of the greatest breaks to take.
Airbnb
Arguably the most well-liked selection for a gaggle holiday is Airbnb. With a whole bunch of 1000’s of leases within the UK alone, you’re not quick on selection. Information from the platform suggests 81 per cent of UK Airbnbs are family-friendly, with over half of listings providing facilities resembling gardens, excessive chairs, parking, and washing machines.
Maybe the largest plus of an Airbnb is that you may choose the accommodation that most accurately fits your group. If you’re travelling with quite a few infants, for instance, you’ll be able to select a spot that has acceptable gear resembling cots, excessive chairs or bottle sterilisers. Price can also be an enormous plus for an Airbnb, in that by choosing a less expensive itemizing and cooking your individual meals, you’ll be able to hold expenditure low. Additionally it is good to have residing house for the adults to calm down in as soon as the kids are asleep.
For our Airbnb journey, we picked a contemporary house in Camber Sands, East Sussex, that has three bedrooms and ample house for 3 adults and three toddlers (aged between two and practically 4). It had a play space with a sandpit and a swing for the youngsters, and a sizzling tub for the adults. They provided sleeper cots, plastic cutlery and toys for the seashore, that means we didn’t have to carry fairly as a lot stuff.
The main draw back of an Airbnb is that you simply don’t have the luxuries of being in a lodge i.e. meals service and somebody to wash up. And until you’re staying in a city and subsequently have entry to dependable childcare, you’re on child obligation all through. We had a beautiful weekend away in our Airbnb – however was it restful and stress-free for the adults? Not likely.
Execs:
Worth variable.
Good arrange for households.
Big number of places.
Nice to be in a single house collectively.
Cons:
No childcare.
Cooking /cleansing nonetheless must be finished.
Tip:
Verify for lodging with well-equipped kitchens. It helps when you find yourself feeding a lot of small folks to have objects like plastic cutlery and cups – or an air-fryer for emergency fish fingers.
The best way to do it:
To guide or browse lodging choices, go to airbnb.co.uk
Learn extra: Best cosy cottages on Airbnb
Middle Parcs
Whenever you google “household pleasant holidays” Middle Parcs is a prime hit. It’s a staycation basic and a few two million households go to the six Middle Parcs websites within the UK and Eire yearly.
We rented two, three-bed Forest Lodges for six adults and 6 kids (aged between six months and three years previous) for an extended weekend at Middle Parcs Woburn Forest, Bedfordshire. Every lodge included a well-stocked kitchen, eating/residing house, outside terrace and three good-sized bedrooms. When reserving, you’ll be able to ask to rent neighbouring lodges, that means that teams can keep close to to at least one one other, however have their very own house. As our lodges have been subsequent door, after bedtime we sat outdoors and caught up over a glass of wine – or three – whereas keeping track of the baby monitors.
One other bonus is the massive quantity of issues to do for kids (and adults!) of all ages. Swimming, outside play areas, bike rent, zip lining, bowling, mini golf, a lake and a seashore, an arcade… The record is sort of exhaustive. For instance, on our go to the youngsters had a mini Land Rover driving expertise, whereas half the mother and father went to the spa, and the opposite zip-lined. Everybody was comfortable.
At Woburn Forest, actions resembling exploring 400 acres of woodlands, swimming on the Subtropical Paradise with its water rides, slides and splash swimming pools, and the lake-side seashore are freed from cost. Nonetheless, loads of actions are further extras, so the price of per week away might quickly spiral.
Execs:
A lot to do, come rain or shine.
You may guide lodges subsequent to at least one one other.
Versatile lodging choices (there are 800 Lodges at Woburn Forest alone).
Cons:
Worth, particularly in summer season holidays.
Plenty of added extras and actions.
Tip:
You may arrive from 10am, regardless that check-in is at 4pm, on the primary day of your vacation. Similar on the day of check-out; whereas it’s essential go away your lodge by 10am, you’ll be able to keep for the day. This can be a beautiful contact – and offers you further time to benefit from your journey.
The best way to do it:
Costs begin from £399 in 2026 for a three-bedroom Woodland Lodge at Middle Parcs Woburn Forest. centerparcs.co.uk
Learn extra: This Scandi Center Parcs brought calm into our family holiday
Household-friendly lodge
It will be tempting to right away low cost staying at a hotel with younger kids – too formal, too many judging eyes. That might be till you expertise a really family-friendly lodge. I’m not speaking a couple of lodge that can put a sleeper mattress in your room, I imply a lodge with services resembling a children’ membership, kids’s play areas, swimming periods, devoted lunch/dinner sittings. One that gives issues like Tonie containers, plastic cutlery and video games/toys/colouring in public areas as normal.
We stayed at Fowey Corridor, in Cornwall, a part of the Luxurious Household Resort Group (LFH), checking-in to a two bed room household room with two adults and two kids aged one and three. The room was large – and the youngsters had their very own bunk beds/sleeper cot in a separate adjoining room. This meant there was no sneaking round whereas the youngsters have been sleeping at night time, and no hanging out within the rest room if you happen to needed to have a dialog after hours.
All LFH hotels provide two hours of free childcare on daily basis. In addition to nice services resembling an enormous playground with zip wire, nature path and a cinema room, a game-changer for us was the in-built child monitor system. This meant that when the youngest member of the group had their lunchtime nap, the adults might benefit from the grounds with the older youngster. It additionally meant that, after bedtime, we might escape for a correct grownup supper. On the finish of our keep, I felt genuinely rested. And the youngsters had a complete blast. A win win.
Sadly, usually such services don’t come low cost, particularly at school holidays. However most family-friendly accommodations do reductions and specials – so it’s value procuring round.
Execs:
Childcare/monitor system so adults can have a while off.
Resort services/companies – however with kids in thoughts (resembling particular eating occasions).
Plenty of issues to do for kids.
Cons:
Worth.
No choice to prepare dinner your individual meals (not nice for choosy eaters).
Tip:
Search for a lodge with an in-built monitor system, particularly when travelling in a gaggle of households. Which means you don’t must go to mattress when your kids do.
The best way to do it:
Charges at Fowey Corridor begin from £180 per night time (together with two hours complimentary childcare & breakfast). luxuryfamilyhotels.co.uk
Learn extra: Best hotels in Cornwall, reviewed
Disneyland Paris
There’s one thing a couple of journey to Disneyland Paris that appears like a modern-day parenting pilgrimage. Even when your youngster isn’t obsessive about Mickey, Elsa and the remainder of the gang – it’s a bucket record journey for lots of households. Myself and two mates determined to tick it off, together with our three, four-year-old kids. Protected to say, Disneyland is definitely worth the hype and our journey was magical.
We determined to do two full days within the park, staying at an Airbnb close by for 3 nights.
For teams, Airbnbs are sometimes simpler – and we adults needed to have the ability to decompress and meet up with a glass of wine within the night as soon as the youngsters have been asleep. It was additionally, fairly frankly, good to have a little bit of house from the Disney magic. Our lodging was a couple of 20-minute stroll from the principle entrance of the park. This supplied a time within the morning to get within the Disney mindset, and on the way in which house to shake off a number of the pleasure earlier than bedtime. It additionally meant packing lunches and snacks was a doddle – which is required as meals within the park is sporadic, costly, and never nice.
On day one, we explored Disneyland Park, full with the well-known pink Sleeping Magnificence citadel at its centre. There, you may as well expertise Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan and Snow White, plus maybe probably the most well-known journey of all It’s A Small World. There’s additionally Frontierland, full with one other basic journey, Massive Thunder Mountain plus Adventureland and Discoveryland. We kicked off the day with the character parade – a good way to get into the spirit of Disney (and tick off seeing all the principle characters in a single fell swoop). It was a spotlight of the entire vacation.
Day two was all about Disney Journey World and the newly opened World of Frozen. We visited shortly after it opened and the realm was very busy. Count on lengthy queues (2 hour plus) for all points of interest. The principle journey of the realm, Frozen Ever After, was unbelievable. However be warned, there’s a drop in the direction of the tip that some kids discovered very scary. Elsewhere, our four-year-olds liked the Vehicles and Magic Carpet rides – however it’s truthful to say Disneyland Park is the place our kids needed to spend their time.
Read more: Is it possible to do Disneyland Paris on the cheap? Here’s how I cut costs.
We had a superb, sensible time. But when you will go as a gaggle, choose your attendees correctly. Be sure to all have comparable targets and wish to get the identical issues out of your expertise. You additionally wish to method it in the identical approach – be that wing-it-and-see-how-it-goes or navy operation. I’d additionally say 4 years previous is the youngest age I might take (aside from a child). By its nature, there’s loads of ready and most four-year-olds will be bribed… much less so tearaway twos or threes. They may also, hopefully, bear in mind extra of it for years to come back.
Execs:
Even for the utmost cynic, it’s fairly magical. And the youngsters adored each second.
A lot to do – and a fantastic selection. You could possibly return time and time once more and never do all of it.
Cons:
Price. Not simply the tickets, however spending cash as effectively.
The meals is fairly horrible all through.
Tip:
The Disneyland app is a godsend for what’s taking place and the place – neglect to obtain it at your peril. Additionally, put money into a queue bounce ticket. You don’t want it for the entire of your journey, and the fee would quickly add up if you happen to did, however having it for in the future means you are able to do all of your must-do rides and points of interest a misplaced quicker – particularly within the extremely in style areas resembling World of Frozen.
The best way to do it
Disneyland Paris is presently working a February Half Time period deal, beginning at £138 per particular person per night time for a household of two adults, two kids for 4 nights and 5 days (or £2,202.52 complete).
Costs could differ relying on the time of reserving. Legitimate for arrivals from 14 to 17 February. Worth is for a Woody’s Roundup Normal Room at Disney Resort Cheyenne and features a 5-day Disneyland Paris ticket per particular person. Worth contains native taxes per night time per grownup 18 and above.
Day ticket costs differ, however presently a single day ticket for each parks, together with limitless entry to each Disneyland Park and Disney Journey World, on 3 November 2026 is £84. Worth is for Grownup (12+ years previous) tickets. Worth legitimate as of seven September 2026 and topic to vary, availability and phrases and circumstances.
To guide and for extra info, go to disneylandparis.com
Residence lodge
The condo lodge stays considerably of a uncommon phenomenon within the UK – although they’re fortunately rising in reputation. An condo lodge gives the perfect of each worlds – a home-from-home arrange with residing house and a kitchen inside a lodge setting (that means if you happen to don’t wish to prepare dinner or clear up, another person will).
We stayed at SeaSpace in Newquay, renting one two-bed condo and one studio condo between 4 adults and three kids (aged between one and three). It had a wonderful pool, a video games room/playroom, padel courts, and an enormous outside play space. Not that the youngsters care, however it is vitally Instagrammable too – assume brightly-coloured partitions, large pot crops and pop artwork in every single place. The breakfast on the informal day-time SeaSpace cafe was fabulous – assume feed-worthy chorizo hash, full english and pancakes. Then from lunchtime, you will get a choice of smaller and bigger plates at TALLO, the laid again on-site restaurant.
There wasn’t actually a draw back right here – it was a fantastic mixture of home-from-home plus the power to run downstairs for breakfast or dinner (or a bottle of wine in entrance of the TV as soon as the youngsters went to mattress). Mixed with cheap rooms, it was an actual hit.
Execs:
Extra like a house from house than a lodge.
Capacity to prepare dinner for your self – or not if you happen to don’t wish to.
Cheaper than many family-friendly accommodations.
Cons:
No childcare.
Tip:
Verify the place the closest store is to choose up fundamentals so you’ll be able to benefit from your kitchen.
The best way to do it:
SeaSpace studios begin from £115 in off-season for a studio (sleeps two). sea.space
Spa lodge
No, your eyes will not be deceiving you – there are spa hotels the place you’ll be able to take your kids. Clearly, not into the spa the place everyone seems to be stress-free (until they’re allowed throughout particular, child-friendly swimming occasions). However there are accommodations that provide a fun-filled keep for kids, whereas catering to adults who wish to swap off and calm down.
The important thing right here is the youngsters’ membership. So if you happen to assume your youngster would wrestle with it otherwise you aren’t comfy with the idea, this might effectively be a non-starter. Nonetheless, if you happen to go in a big sufficient group, the adults might benefit from the spa on rotation, whereas the others take care of the youngsters. The place there’s a will, there’s a approach…
We checked right into a household suite at Calcot Manor & Spa, Tetbury, Cotswolds, for one night time with two adults and two kids aged 18 months and three-and-a-half years. At this merely great lodge, they provide an extremely beneficiant 4 hours of childcare per day at their Ofsted-registered Playbarn. That’s loads of time within the spa.
In case you aren’t counting on the youngsters’ membership, there’s a wealth of issues for kids to do right here. There’s a seasonal outside pool that kids can use all day plus two, hour-long slots within the spa swimming pool you’ll be able to guide, a nature path, garden video games, outside play space and dirt kitchen. They are going to be very comfortable.
The draw back right here is value. A spa lodge isn’t going to be the cheap-and-cheerful possibility, and that’s the case at Calcot Manor & Spa.
Execs:
Gratifying vacation for each adults and youngsters.
Adults get some ‘me time.’
Cons:
Price.
Not superb for households who don’t wish to use children’ membership provision.
Tip:
Discover a spa lodge that has youngster occasions within the pool – that approach your little ones can benefit from the spa expertise as effectively (particularly if additionally they present youngster robes and slippers).
The best way to do it:
Rooms at Calcot & Spa begin from £344, which embrace use of the spa. Therapies are additional. calcot.co
Learn extra: The best hotels the Cotswolds