Wellness breaks can be just as beneficial and restorative for children as they are for grown-ups. Taking time to focus on the whole family’s health and wellbeing whilst on holiday is a great way to recharge and reconnect with your kids. With school, sports and the general pace of day-to-day life, its important to remember that children need the chance to relax and switch off too.
Whether ‘wellness’ means a relaxing spa break with treatments for parents and little ones, yoga classes on the beach, learning a new water sport together, or maybe something that expands their horizons like conservation workshops and creative experiences – here are some of the best five-star hotels and resorts in the world that focus on wellbeing for the whole family.
The Six Senses Hotels
The Six Senses group put a great deal of importance on the wellness experience of their youngest guests by stating that ‘wellbeing is not just for grown ups’. And with a plethora of wonderful classes and workshops for children, the tagline lives up to its expectations. The Grow With Six Senses programme incorporates the six dimensions of wellness (social, environmental, physical, spiritual, emotional and intellectual) with the aim of reconnecting kids with nature through play. While exact schedules may vary from resort to resort, the ethos is the same and kids will find everything from yoga, organic gardening and cooking workshops to tailor-made mini spa treatments and simple meditation and mindfulness- some of which families can enjoy together. Of course these luxury properties in the likes of Ibiza, Switzerland, the Seychelles, India and Thailand, all have an equally fantastic wellbeing offerings for parents who can book in for a non-invasive wellness screening that measures key biomarkers or a skin analyses using customised Skin Instant Lab software that provides a full skin diagnosis and accurate results, allowing for a completely personalised treatment. All hotels have state-of the-art spas, gyms, yoga studios and beautiful swimming pools welcoming the whole family. So if you want to take your family wellness break seriously, then Six Senses are the properties to book.
D Maris Bay, Turkey
London-based wellness brand Bodyism will be back at the five-star D Maris Bay this summer for another residency running their excellent fitness classes for guests. Expect to find the same pilates, yoga and strength sessions that are taught at the ever-popular Notting Hill Club, just with guaranteed sunshine thrown in. Situated in its own private bay on the Datça Peninsula overlooking the Aegean Sea, this luxe hotel is the perfect place for some family-focused downtime. While grown-ups can experience all that the Bodyism experts have to offer, kids can enjoy the resort’s partnership with Gymy Kids Club, which offers a range of exciting sports and wellness activities such as gymnastics, herbal workshops and sailing on a complimentary basis. Add in a stunning infinity pool and a ton of water sports, plus La Guerite beach club (famous for its outposts in Cannes and St Barths) and you have the dream spot for a relaxing, yet active family holiday.
Borgo Egnazia, Italy
Borgo Egnazia is one of Europe’s most loved luxury resorts for a family break. Their top-notch facilities and excellent childcare make it a go-to for parents looking for a five-star fly-and-flop in the Italian sun, safe in the knowledge that their children will have the best time too. But this Puglian gem has also become a wellness mecca for all ages since launching their ‘Happiness Programme’ a few years back at the award-winning Vair Spa. Aiming to involve the whole family, the Family Happiness Break is a mix of tailor-made experiences and treatments for the kids to adults. From pottery classes to candle making workshops, the ethos is very much about wellbeing coming from togetherness. Parents and children (over 8 years old) can also enjoy a spa treatment at the spa, if they book Cor a Cor (Heart to heart), a 50-minute pampering massage and beauty ritual involving warm floral scents and a massage using natural oils. Along with the programme there are plenty of other wellness activities to take part in as a family including tennis, paddle, yoga and water sports, while parents can also make use of the gym and restorative mindfulness classes. Stay in a stunning family suite and dine at one of the top-class restaurants or enjoy a more relaxed vibe at the beach club. Borgo Eganzia aims to ensure their guests leave feeling truly rejuvenated and with all of this on offer, you are guaranteed this and more.
Neilson Holidays
While for some enjoying ‘wellness’ as a family means spa treatments and yoga classes, for others it is all about getting active together. For the experts in activity holidays, speak to Neilson, who have, for over 20 years, been mastering the art of keeping both parents and kids happy with a packed schedule of activities to try on land and sea. From tennis and padel, to water skiing and sailing, you can enjoy learning new skills and sports as a family in group lessons with excellent instructors. Try a guided trek in the hills or enjoy the adrenalin rush of mountain biking, or dinghy sailing courses and kayaking. Or if you’re a grown up who is already proficient in the sports on offer simply choose your craft and take your kids on an adventure. With wonderful beach front properties in Greece, Croatia and Sardinia, Neilson has thought of all the details that are important to families; interconnecting rooms and excellent kids menus come as standard. There is always a super kids’ club for very little ones right through to teens and special children’s classes in every imaginable activity for when mum and dad want to relax. Regardless of the whole family being entertained, these resorts are superb places to hang out as family.
Four Seasons Hotels
Parents who believe encouraging wellness in children is as much about caring for their mental state as it is their physical health, will definitely find Four Seasons resorts appealing. Many of their global properties offer experiences that allow children (and their parents) to open their minds and senses to the local world around them. While often you’ll find the likes of yoga classes and kids’ spa treatments, the Four Seasons broadens young horizons with really special activities such as eco excursions and a monkey safari through the mangroves at the Four Seasons Resort Langkawi. Or the opportunity to learn to catch their first wave in Costa Rica where the SurfX surf school will help get children from the age of five to ride on their board. Learn about conservation and the turtle population on the beach at the Four Seasons Nevis, or combine skiing with a wonderful spa treatment and a first-class kids club in Megève. Closer to home, the Hampshire property has a range of activities such as family horse-riding sessions and nature walks, added to amazing family rooms. A warm welcome for families comes as standard at all of the brand’s hotels, but the wellness experiences are individual to each and definitely worth considering when choosing which one to book.
Brown's Hotel, London
If a day of pampering and relaxation for the whole family sounds like a dream outing with the kids then check out Brown’s Hotel in London. Their luxurious spa has a wonderful treatment menu for grown-ups and also a fantastic selection for kids. Choose from the likes of a Funky Fingers manicure, a Twinkle Toes pedicure, the Softening Facial for 30 minutess or the Soothing Massage. The best must surely be the Mummy and Me Time session where you can both choose a number of treatments to have side by side for up to three hours. Treatments are recommended for children aged between four to 16 years old, written consent is required for all treatments and an accompanying adult must be present throughout. Mums-to-be are also catered for with a wonderful choice of pregnancy treatments. With plenty more to offer families, check into this stylish Rocco Forte hotel for a spoiling overnight stay in a family suite where little ones will love the milk and cookies at bedtime and the huge choice of movies and games at this wonderfully child-friendly hotel.
Le Bristol, Paris
Combine the fun of a weekend city break in Paris with some relaxing time out at one of the French capital’s most beautiful hotels. Le Bristol is a five-star close to the Garden De Tuileries and neighbhours major attractions from the Louvre to the Eiffel Tower, making it the ideal base for sightseeing. But once you’ve ticked that box, head back to the hotel’s fabulous spa to unwind in style. The Bristol X Bonpoint Spa is a collaboration with the famous French children’s brand and offers treatments for children using their sensitive products ideal for your little one’s delicate skin, all carried out by their experienced therapists. Choose a facial or a scalp massage for both you and your child to enjoy side-by-side. Grown ups will also love the stunning La Prairie Spa and enclosed rooftop pool with spectacular views over the city. Spacious rooms and the kid’s club make Le Bristol ideal for a lovely mix of culture, adventure and wellness for a city break for all ages.
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