US Edition
The 50 best family hotels in the UK
Whether you’re after a short break or a full week away, these brilliant family-friendly stays will delight the whole brood
Britain has some of the most creative and elegant family-friendly hotels in the world. You can book a luxurious night inside a tiger enclosure at Port Lympne, the beautiful animal conservation centre in Kent. While the children marvel at the big cats curling up on the other side of a giant window, you can sip a cocktail by the fire. If you favour qualified human carers over exotic creatures to look after your little ones while you have a break, Woolley Grange and its four sister properties in the Luxury Family Hotels group include a complimentary two hours of childcare with any booking, plus clever baby monitors so younger guests can sleep peacefully in their room while parents dine downstairs.
Cajole teens into embracing family time with social media-worthy knockouts like the treehouses at Chewton Glen, the lakeside sports at Another Place, or the excellent horse-riding at Lucknam Park. This is a list of great hotels that cater particularly well to youngsters and adults alike – we have not included stays like those at Legoland or other theme parks, for example, as although they may be great fun for children, they have less to offer the whole family. Below you’ll find our pick of the very best family hotels in the UK.
How we review
Every hotel in this curated list has been visited by one of our expert reviewers, who are usually hosted on a complimentary basis. They stay for a minimum of one night, test at least one meal and trial other experiences (in this case, for instance, the family facilities) that the hotel might have to offer.
At a glance: the best family hotels in the UK
- The best luxury family hotel in the UK – Lime Wood, New Forest
- The best spa hotel for families in the UK – Calcot & Spa, Cotswolds
- The best boutique family hotel in the UK – Augill Castle, Cumbria
- The best hotel kids' club in the UK - Beaverbrook
- The best budget-friendly hotel in the UK – The Ickworth
- The best back-to-nature hotel for families in the UK - Bedruthan Hotel & Spa
The best family-friendly hotels in England
The south of England, including the south-east and south-west
This 19th-century manor house surveys the Surrey Hills and sits in almost 400 acres of gardens and woodland. Opulence from a bygone era oozes from every room, but it’s also a haven for children: bicycles, walking maps and iPads with Netflix are available. Britain’s premier children’s entertainers, Sharky & George, run the children's club at weekends and bank holidays, there are family-friendly screenings at the cinema each day and the swimming pools have dedicated hours for younger guests. Families are spoilt for choice across the suites and cottages here, and along with child-friendly menus at The Garden House and The Pizzeria, children can tuck into mini bento boxes in the The Dining Room. There are even chopstick stabilisers on hand, meaning the kids will be pros by the time they leave.
Read expert review
From
£
529
per night
Rates provided by
Mr & Mrs Smith
A bells and whistles hotel positioned amid acres of glorious grounds just 20 minutes by train from London Euston. It's a full-on countryside resort, meaning that along with interconnecting bedrooms and an Ofsted-registered kids' club and nursery, there's a whole array of child-friendly activities on offer, plus babysitting services and a spoiling spa with a menu of Bamford treatments. Despite the hum of the nearby motorway, it's an excellent place to get outside – entire afternoons can be spent exploring the cycling and walking trails that run through the surrounding parkland.
Read expert review
From
£
545
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
The Aspinall Foundation’s impressive 600-acre Port Lympne Reserve is home to over hundreds of rare and endangered animals. Along with safari rides and junior ranger days during which guests can spend time observing and feeding lions, leopards and rhinos, activities include guided tours of the gardens, and staff are as welcoming as they are knowledgeable. There's an array of accommodation options to pick between, from glamping pods to the top-of-the-range Lion Lodge - many are geared towards families and offer guests the opportunity to sleep amongst the animals. Wildlife enthusiasts of any age will be in their element here, and all of the profits from this luxurious stay go right back into funding conservation-based research.
Read expert review
From
£
323
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
Lime Wood, set in 145 square miles of ancient heath and woodland where ponies, donkeys, pigs, cattle and deer still freely roam, is a decidedly glamorous place: the spa is fantastic, the food top-notch, and attention to detail excellent. Children will enjoy vintage ride-ons, a wooden swing by the lake and croquet in the garden – plus dedicated pool times. Some of the forest lodges have bunk beds for families, and extra beds can be put in other rooms. Parents can book a babysitter while they take full advantage of the holistic Voya and Bamford therapies on offer.
Read expert review
From
£
395
per night
Rates provided by
Mr & Mrs Smith
This former coaching inn – set in the quaint Berkshire village of Cookham – has character in spades, with low-beamed ceilings, roaring open fires and plenty of cosy nooks to hole up in. Comfort and style rule; the feel is that of staying at a friend’s house, and while the food is tasty, you can draw directly on the tables here – so it’s a great place for children. Expect excellent walking from the back door, and the ruins of Odiham Castle less than a mile away.
Read expert review
From
£
116
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
• Discover more of the best family-friendly hotels in England
Overlooking a spectacular 19th-century parterre and surrounded by acres of ancient woodland running down to the Thames, Cliveden’s setting couldn’t be more perfect. There's oodles of space in which to let off steam (including a play trail and the Storybook Play Den for little ones), so boisterous children won't raise eyebrows, and there are special swimming hours for both of the pools. Children stay for free in their parents' rooms during school holidays, there are games, toys and DVDs to borrow, and they are welcome in the restaurant from 6-8pm (or all evening in the Astor Grill), with a special menu offered.
Read expert review
From
£
635
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
• The best hotels in Berkshire
Positioned on the edge of the New Forest, yet close enough to walk to the beach, this five-star country escape makes for a spoiling weekend escape for active families. Enjoy indoor and outdoor pools, a tennis centre, a nine-hole golf course, archery, buggy riding and even duck herding. There are imaginatively thought-through children’s menus in both restaurants, and the Kids’ Club is a truly lovely natural area for the children; all sweet-smelling timber, no primary-coloured soft play equipment in sight. Most rooms and suites are family-friendly, though for the ultimate jaw drop from the kids, book a (now iconic) treehouse stay.
Read expert review
From
£
730
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
At Four Seasons’ only British country hotel, it’s hard to believe that you are only an hour from London. There is a superb kids’ club, two wooden climbing frames, plus children’s meals and family swim times. Little ones have acres of rolling countryside to frolic around in here, the hotel's “own a pony” experience will delight animal lovers, and they can even try their hand at fishing down at the orchard pond. Some of the sumptuous bedrooms are interconnecting, children are given mini bathrobes upon check-in, and sofa beds, cots, bottle sterilisers and nappies are available on request.
Read expert review
From
£
772
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
• The best hotels in London
For a charmingly old-fashioned stay in an Elizabethan house in the heart of the South Downs, Ockenden offers high-calibre food, a beautiful indoor pool (with dedicated swimming times for children), and the wonder of the rambling landscape around you. Some rooms and suites interconnect and some can take cots and sofa beds, though to enjoy the contemporary spa, parents will need babysitters – or to take turns.
Read expert review
From
£
232
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
• The best hotels in Surrey
This Twenties mock-mediaeval mansion set in gorgeous grounds is surrounded by cottage annexes, a chapel and barn-style spa. The effect is akin to an ancient Sussex hamlet – and there are special children’s pool times, football, quoits, croquet and giant Jenga, plus numerous board games for indoors. The sea is a 10-minute stroll away through a patch of woodland, and the hotel can organise picnics for the beach and separate children’s dining times. It's pet-friendly too.
Read expert review
From
£
370
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
Here you have a modern family hotel sure to please the whole brood. Positioned on magnificent Mawgan Porth, it's a long-time favourite for a holiday in Cornwall, offering various swimming pools, an extensive arts and crafts programme, a cinema room and a pool table. Everything you could need for little ones, from buggies to bottle warmers, is available, meaning you can pack light, and there's a babysitting service, though this is best booked in advance. There are also plenty of spaces just for grown-ups – take the stellar adults-only restaurant, for example.
Read expert review
From
£
194
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
• The best hotels in Newquay
Watergate Bay is the pre-eminent Cornish hotel for a contemporary family seaside holiday. It's set on a spectacular surfing beach, and has an easy-going atmosphere, cool, breezy décor and fun places to eat nearby. Plus its very own, very popular, Beach Hut restaurant has a 50 per cent plant-based menu. Guests can also spoil themselves in the Swim Club spa, while children will be entertained with watersports, organised games and crafts.
Read expert review
From
£
280
per night
Tresanton has many imitators, but no other hotel achieves quite this successful a mix of seaside setting and sophisticated food. Located at the far end of St Mawes – voted the prettiest village in Cornwall – it's a timeless, cosseting stay with its own eight-metre yacht for guests to charter in the summer months. On arrival, children are given fishing nets to use on the tidal beach just below (there are rock pools just right for paddling in and a floating swimming platform), two-bedroom family suites are available (one of which has a small kitchen for those looking to self-cater) and there's a children’s playroom with its own lawn. Baby listening and sitting services are available, too.
Read expert review
From
£
355
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
From the sand-coloured façade to the idyllic view out across the Fowey Estuary, everything about this seaside mansion is grand yet unimposing. Top-notch facilities include 90 minutes per day at the crèche for little ones, a night-time baby listening service so that parents can dine alone (something that's becoming harder and harder to find), and an indoor pool. There’s plenty for older children, too, including a zipwire and a trampoline, as well as watersports and the run of the beautiful grounds.
Read expert review
From
£
315
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
This New England-style seafront inn near Torquay in South Devon is a delight. There's a state-of-the-art spa, excellent pub-style food, a cosy bar with a log burner, a variety of rooms, beachfront huts and suites, and professional staff. It's on an incredibly steep hill (the kind you have to really brace yourself to walk up), but its location is woven into its soul. Dolphins often come to play and kids will love ringing the dedicated ship's bell when they spot them.
Read expert review
From
£
325
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
The original Soho House-does-country retreat, with indulgent bedrooms and hearty food. Young members of the pack can be left in the crèche for up to four hours a day; there's a playroom and family films are screened in the cinema on Saturday mornings. But children can only use the swimming pools at certain times, and are not allowed in the library or the billiards room.
Read expert review
From
£
360
per night
• The best hotels in Somerset
This stately pile in Dartmoor National Park caters to every whim, from rugged outdoor pursuits to fine dining. But despite its smart décor, Bovey Castle is the least precious luxury hotel imaginable: muddy dogs and children are very welcome. During the school holidays activities including rock climbing, apple pressing, canoeing and golf, and there's a great crèche, too.
Read expert review
From
£
239
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
• The best hotels in Dartmoor
Set atop the cliffs of Lyme Regis, the Alexandra Hotel epitomises the traditional seaside retreat with its quaint lawn, its refined (but fresh) interiors and hypnotic views across Lyme Bay. It's family-run and it really shows; nearly all of the 25 rooms can accommodate children, plus there are two apartments that can host families of four or six. Little ones can burn off energy in a play area sectioned off from the main garden and fossil hunting along the coast is a firm favourite when it comes to activities. There's a dedicated children’s menu and cots, highchairs, baby listening devices and babysitting services can be requested.
Read expert review
From
£
194
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
• The best hotels in Dorset
Like its sister members in the Luxury Family Hotels range, Woolley Grange is ideal for young children: a 90 minute stint at the on-site crèche is included in the price of a room and the clever monitor service means parents can dine while children sleep upstairs. Kids will love the indoor pool and the gardens feature a giant tree swing, a newt-filled pond and a fairy garden. Special activities laid on during the school holidays include scavenger hunts, archery, cooking with the chef, football matches and film screenings.
Read expert review
From
£
195
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
Soho House does a suitably high-end holiday camp, in the charming Cotswolds. There’s so much to do here you could stay a week and not get remotely close to boredom. Accommodations come in a variety of configurations, from timber-clad cabins with bunk rooms, right up to the Farm Cottage, which sleeps eight. The Teeny Barn kids’ club offers a calendar of activities, immersive indoor and outdoor play and an animal petting area, and horse riding can be arranged, too. Children are welcome in restaurants until 9pm and there are dedicated family swimming times at the indoor-outdoor pool.
Read expert review
From
£
295
per night
Raymond Blanc’s passion for food translates well with children: this is the ultimate place to introduce young people to fine dining. Wander the glorious kitchen gardens to see what’s in season, and pop into the hotel’s busy kitchen after lunch for a bonus ice cream; everything here is precise and proper, but children are very warmly welcomed. Along with two dinner menus tailored to younger guests, there's a teddy bear-themed afternoon tea available, and in-room movie nights – complete with cuddly toys and a popcorn maker – can be arranged on request.
Read expert review
From
£
1,015
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
This stunningly set hotel has on-site stables (you can bring your own horse or borrow one), 500 acres to get lost in and a beautiful spa with a pool that has children’s hours. There's also bicycles, board games and a spectacular play cottage filled with toys and activities (though children must be accompanied by an adult). The fine brasserie has a children’s menu, and the Michelin-starred restaurant is a treat and welcomes little ones over the age of five.
Read expert review
From
£
774
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
Calcot is a shining example of how luxury and family-friendliness need not be mutually exclusive. Consisting of a stone manor house and farm buildings, a gorgeous spa, an Ofsted-registered crèche, indoor and outdoor play spaces and two restaurants with special children’s menu. You’ll also find a listening service so parents can dine after the children’s bedtime. A whole heap of extras can be provided, too, from bouncers to bed guards, and sturdy child-proof cutlery.
Read expert review
From
£
364
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
An Italianate country house with contemporary-cool interior styling. Cowley Manor has dreamy and extensive grounds – ideal for family picnics – chic interiors, and a wacky bar where children can eat cheeseburger sliders or pizza. The icing on the cake is the exceptional spa, with its two swimming pools – one of them being an outdoor one that's blissfully (and thankfully) heated year-round. Alpaca’s Room in the stable block is beautifully devised for families, and elsewhere, children are welcome to stay with their parents in the larger rooms.
Read expert review
From
£
516
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
Cosy-chic and with a host of activities on its doorstep; The Fish ticks lots of boxes for families. Restaurant Hook manages to achieve that difficult balance of being both grown-up and child-friendly. The 'tiddler's menu' isn't just pizza and burgers –the mini cod fillet with greens and new potatoes is, for example, a great addition, and there's soft serve ice cream (drizzled with strawberry sauce) for dessert. Babysitting can easily be arranged should parents want to eat alone though. The treehouses, with their bunk beds, are ideal for families of four, suites have sofa beds, and some rooms of the rooms in the coach house interconnect.
Read expert review
From
£
450
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
Dormy House is a haven of wellbeing, with stylish décor, impeccable old-school service and terrific food. Its state-of-the-art spa has won armloads of awards. The Shed offers a dedicated menu for younger guests, there are designated family times in the spa pool and older children can enjoy a host of activities on the Farncombe Estate, including clay pigeon shooting and off-road buggy riding. The four Courtyard Suites are best for families and an extra child's bed can be put up in many rooms for £40 per night. For more space, consider the Hillside Hangouts (the self-catering options on the estate) which have been designed with larger families in mind.
Read expert review
From
£
399
per night
Rates provided by
Mr & Mrs Smith
• The best hotels in Bath
The north of England, including the north-east and north-west
A well-placed riverside coaching inn turned family-friendly hotel with exuberantly coloured rooms and a relaxed atmosphere. For children, there's an adventure playground, a nature trail and an indoor playroom with a pastel-coloured pool table as well as games and toys. Packed lunches, secure bike storage and clothes-drying facilities are provided, and little ones also benefit from tailored menus and night-time milk and cookies. Meanwhile, the outdoor Finnish sauna set-up offers an extra level of luxe for parents.
Read expert review
From
£
208
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
This stylishly informal country house hotel – in plum position on Ullswater – is the sort of place where children are celebrated instead of merely tolerated. Staff are fantastic with them and make them feel included at every turn. There are also plenty of helpful details (think pantries with fridges and milk-warming equipment) dotted about. Watersports are a real focus here – from open-water swimming to stand-up paddleboarding and kayaking – meaning it's a terrific bet for older children and teenagers, too, and adults can head to the spa for salt scrubs, wraps and hot stone massages.
Read expert review
From
£
210
per night
Rockcliffe Hall is a five-star golf and spa resort on the County Durham-North Yorkshire border. Children are very welcome here – along with generous family times at the swimming pool, there's an adventure playground, bikes to borrow and a nature trail that changes with the seasons. There are a number of interconnecting rooms available, and youngsters will arrive to mini robes and slippers as well as child-friendly amenities by Dream & Bubble.
Read expert review
From
£
425
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
Technically in Cumbria, but also six miles from the Yorkshire Dales National Park, Augill Castle makes for a seriously fun stay. Expect towers and turrets, acres of lawns, board games and big-screen movie nights for the whole family. The huge bedrooms are decorated with bold patterned wallpaper and cascading curtains in rich fabrics – two of them interconnect and a handful of them have two bedrooms (sleeping up to two adults and three children). Outside there's 20 acres of grounds to explore – look out for the treehouse.
Read expert review
From
£
192
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
A grand, castellated, English stately home standing in 200 acres of lake-filled grounds, offering large bedrooms, superb cooking, a lovely spa and a nine-hole golf course. Come here for the charming service – not mod-cons – and be sure to check out the woodland school, the cinema and the cookery classes. There are also various play areas and plenty of cycling and walking trails to explore. Some rooms have been designed specifically with families in mind and extra beds can be added for £50. The Terrace has a children’s menu, and those aged over eight can eat at Samuel’s – the restaurant in the main house’s elaborate dining room.
Read expert review
From
£
671
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
Gilpin Hotel is a stylish gateway to the Lakes with a well-deserved reputation for being beautifully run. This is true relaxation, albeit in a convivial atmosphere. There's an excellent choice of rooms, ranging from garden suites to those with their own mini spa, and dining here is a delight. Children aged seven and older are welcomed and the Beatrix Potter trail nearby is a winner (it's a good five hour trek if you're walking there, though, so maybe plot a shorter route with kids in tow).
Read expert review
From
£
374
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
This child-friendly country house hotel – with views to Bassenthwaite Lake, Skiddaw and the Lakeland fells – offers fine dining, an impressive swimming pool and an award-winning spa that parents will adore. There's a choice of bedrooms – from family rooms with bunk beds, to interconnecting rooms – activities include archery, alpaca walking and clay pigeon shooting, and next door there's a wildlife park to which guests have discounted entry.
Read expert review
From
£
249
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
Originally converted from what had been a blacksmith’s shop, a village shop and a barn, The Pheasant now makes a spacious, countrified hotel with 16 rooms set around a courtyard of fruit trees. There's a small but very welcome heated indoor swimming pool, a great restaurant, and its village location the edge of the North Yorkshire Moors National Park is superb. Check out the two dog-friendly cottages, which are ideal for nature-loving families.
Read expert review
From
£
120
per night
Milsoms Hotel is a relaxed and informal place to stay and eat in the heart of Constable Country. A laid-back vibe and excellent service ensure this contemporary country house hotel really stands out, and children of all ages are welcome. There's a heated outdoor pool with dedicated swimming times for younger guests, the gardens are a joy to get lost in, and the kids' menu features classics such as Suffolk pork sausages with mash and gravy. Additional beds can be added to larger rooms for children.
Read expert review
From
£
159
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
The Ickworth is an impressive Italianate palace surrounded by rolling Suffolk countryside. Refreshingly, every inch of the place has been configured to make a luxurious retreat in the company of kids less of an oxymoron. Period decor is lightened by modern pieces (and softened by clambering kids), chests of well-loved toys line the stately corridors and rooms come with fluffy gowns in children's sizes. The swimming pool is full of floats, there are boxes brimming with tennis rackets and croquet mallets to borrow, and older children can play Xbox in the sleek Club Blu room. Of the many family-focused details here, two things stand out: the two-hours of free childcare each day in the crèche, and an in-room listening service, allowing you to leave children sleeping upstairs, while you creep down for dinner or book into the dinky spa.
Read expert review
From
£
160
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
A brick and clapboard mill house dating from 1775. This peaceful spot was recently sold to new owners and is an excellent base for exploring Bury St Edmunds, Newmarket, Ely and Cambridge. Children of all ages are welcome – cots and highchairs are provided and there's a relaxed atmosphere at Eat at The Mill, the award-winning restaurant.
Read expert review
From
£
176
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
This early 19th-century windmill turned cosy guesthouse is in a scenic coastal location, making it a fabulous base for outdoorsy families and keen birdwatchers. The renovated Old Cart Shed is perfect for those with youngsters in tow – inside there's an oak four-poster bed, a snug mezzanine level perfect for small children to sleep on airbeds, a bijou kitchenette and a wood burner. Children will love exploring the grassy walled gardens and there’s direct access to the pebble and shingle beach of Cley, a 15-minute walk away along a raised sea wall.
Read expert review
From
£
230
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
• The best hotels in Cumbria
• The best hotels in Suffolk
• The best hotels in Norfolk
• The best hotels in England
This is a superb example of a luxurious and decidedly well-run country house hotel – one that has had the same owner for decades, and where the level of comfort, food, welcome and location are all in perfect harmony. It overlooks Rutland Water, one of the Midlands’ most beautiful and evocative landscapes, and a centre for sporting activities from sailing to cycling. The pool will delight children, and the on-site Michelin-starred restaurant offers the whole family a treat after a day outdoors.
Read expert review
From
£
370
per night
The best family-friendly hotels in Scotland
An icon updated in a deft recreation of jazz-age glamour, with an added measure of fun for parents and children. With quietly classy bedrooms, masses of country pursuits, plus Michelin-starred food and arguably the best spa in Scotland, there’s a little bit of (expensive) heaven for everyone. There are indoor and outdoor pools to splash in, a fully supervised crèche and a beautifully designed hangout and recreation space for older children and teens, complete with a plush cinema room. Youngsters can head out on bug hunting and ecology expeditions with dedicated Little Glen adventure guides, rooms are kitted out with mini dressing gowns and slippers, and babysitting is available for parents keen for a few hours of downtime.
Read expert review
From
£
575
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
This baronial mansion on Loch Lomond’s bonny banks is a truly world-class resort hotel for families that feels utterly Scottish. It's one gigantic playground, and if the children can be dragged out of the pool complex, lead an excursion to the marina for beachcombing and tootling on pleasure boats, or sit back in the movie theatre with house popcorn. Interconnecting family rooms come with bunk beds, hooded robes and toiletries for the wee ones, while restaurants have kids' menus and colouring sets to help keep them entertained at the table.
Read expert review
From
£
384
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
A fine example of 19th-century Scottish Baronial grandeur, set in extensive gardens and woodlands. It's more of a country house than a fortress, and offers fine dining and sporting pursuits. The grounds couldn't be more ideal for children letting off steam, there are rain jackets and wellies to borrow by the front door and there's an all-weather tennis court and a croquet lawn. Another must-try activity is the Hebridean sea safari, offering an up-close tour of the island with a luxury glamping experience included. There are connecting rooms for families, plus a babysitting service, and early evening dinner sittings are available for under-fives.
Read expert review
From
£
525
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
Lying at the foot of Ben Nevis, girdled by a ring of highland peaks (particularly lovely when coiffed with snow), this is a place of quiet beauty, with no indication that the bustling tourist town of Fort William is only a mile or two up the road. Junior gourmands are welcome in the dining room and there are plenty of tailored outdoor activities as well as a PlayStation (with stacks of games to pick from) should it rain.
Read expert review
From
£
895
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
This is where James Bond would stay in Scotland: a 19th-century mansion in Scottish baronial style on a private island accessible by a bridge, set amid glorious West Highland scenery. It's got an award-winning spa and myriad activities spread across 350 acres of grounds. Children can stay in all rooms here except the spa suites and the hilltop reserves, and the main restaurant – now excitingly headed up by Michel Roux Jnr – welcomes little ones who are comfortable in a formal setting.
Read expert review
From
£
430
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
The best family-friendly hotels in Wales
Often named the most beautiful hotel in Wales, Penally Abbey is set by some of the loveliest Welsh beaches, in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. The 12-bedroom Gothic house, with a ruined chapel in its rambling gardens, is very much a family-run, family-welcoming affair. This is a place for exploring castles, caves and secret coves – a track leads down to the great sand-and-shingle sweep of South Beach, while at its other end you'll find the bucket-and-spade splashiness of Tenby. Surf haven Barafundle Bay is nearby, too, and Caldey Island (little-inhabited, except by monks) is a boat ride away.
Read expert review
From
£
230
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
Spread across 650 acres of castle grounds on the fringes of Cardiff, Vale Resort is a terrific getaway, with one of Wales’ top-ranking spas, two championship golf courses and plenty of glorious country walking routes right on the doorstep. The health club here has a crèche aimed at children aged three months to five years, the kids' club offers a whole host of fun activities to entertain older children, and there are a number of interconnecting family rooms.
Read expert review
From
£
114
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
A Georgian manor on the shores of an estuary. Slebech Park is an enticing hideaway with great views, stylishly understated rooms and a brilliant breakfast offering plenty of home-grown produce. It’s a unique retreat offering scenic woodland walks the whole family will enjoy and a millennia of history to explore. Children will enjoy cycling through the seemingly endless grounds (bikes are free to borrow), exploring the vegetable plots and looking out for shell ducks, pheasants and egrets. There are two interconnecting family bedrooms and Z beds are available for little ones upon request.
Read expert review
From
£
157
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
The best family-friendly hotels in Northern Ireland
A haven of relaxed, friendly luxury in the lovely Fermanagh lakelands, Lough Erne Resort makes for an ideal family escape. Expect the thickest of carpets, Regency-inspired fabrics and mahogany furniture but with plenty of five-star punch. There's an enchanted woodland Trail for children, as well as movie evenings, designated pool times, a putting green, golf camps and family activities such as paddleboarding, waterbikes and archery during the summer.
Read expert review
From
£
229
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
• The best hotels in Fermanagh
A short walk from the centre of Belfast, next to Great Victoria Street Railway Station, this grand city stay has recently emerged from a £15 million refurbishment. Subtle elegance pervades throughout – interiors feel both spacious and cosy – and the staff are one of the highlights: always friendly, chatty and efficient without being overbearing. Youngsters of all ages are very much welcome – family rooms sleep four, cots are available on request and there's a dedicated childrens' menu at the Causerie featuring a good line-up of hearty classics.
Read expert review
From
£
239
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
Frequently asked questions
What makes a hotel 'family-friendly'?
We categorise hotels that welcome and accommodate families and cater to children of all ages 'family-friendly'. Many have facilities that are geared towards entertaining young children, for example: an on-site crèche or a kids' club, child-friendly swimming pools (or family swim times).
Many have outdoor playgrounds or games and activities put on during school holidays, and they often have kids' menus in restaurants and offer babysitting services. All should provide you with a travel cot (nearly always complimentary) for very young babies. But we have also included hotels that offer excellent activities or locations to suit older children. Most of these hotels also accommodate the family dog.
What are family rooms in hotels?
A room advertised as a 'family room' usually means a double/queen/king-sized bed for two adults with space to fit two children's beds (normally bunk beds, camp beds or a sofa bed to share). It can, however, sometimes mean that it has two proper double beds in the room to travel as a group of four. You can also request interconnecting rooms as lots of hotels offer this, meaning that you can put the children to bed in a separate space, with the safety of knowing you are right next to them – through an internal door linking the two rooms, though this is often a significantly more expensive option.
Contributions by Gavin Bell, Suzy Bennett, Sophie Butler, Jade Conroy, Rachel Cranshaw, Fiona Duncan, Martin Dunford, Hattie Garlick, Geoff Hill, Harriet Jones, Emma Love, Kathryn Liston, Linda Macdonald, Robin Mckelvie, Harriet O'Brien, Helen Pickles, Benjamin Parker, Natalie Paris, Debbie Ward, Penny Walker, Rosalyn Wikeley, Tina Wash, Kerry Walker
-
One of New York’s most celebrated design studios has worked magic on a historic building on the e... Read expert review -
A heavenly 18th-century house hidden on Calton Hill with a courtyard garden to the front, a prett... Read expert reviewRates provided byBooking.com -
This Elizabethan manor house near Plymouth in west Devon offers pampering-a-plenty, with a multi-... Read expert review
