Family holidays have never been more exciting with these state-of-the-art kids clubs at some of the world’s best hotels.
How do you enjoy wellness retreats, wine farms, or incredible coastal resorts with kids in tow? The answer is found at these incredible kids clubs. For creative families, Marbella Club in Spain has an extensive programme of arts and crafts, while Bush Creek Ranch offers horse and llama trails for the adventurous, and Daios Cove in Crete has a world-leading spa for well-needed rest and relaxation. One thing is certain, you’ll leave with incredible family memories from each hotel, itching to return. Here are Citizen Enfants’ favourite hotels with the best kids clubs.
Six Senses Resorts
Six Senses Resorts’ prestigious portfolio of 26 wellness-focussed stays means relaxing retreats have never looked chicer, and with the brand’s state-of-the-art kids clubs, the same applies for travelling families too. Connecting with nature and having fun are two of the most important values at each resort, in order to encourage creativity, curiosity, and wellbeing. This is prevalent around each resort from family suites and villas to kids menus, but especially at the kids clubs. Each kids clubs offer many incredible adventures, including cooking classes, movie afternoons, cycling, tennis, picnics, art classes, and the list goes on. There are also activities specific to the hotel’s region and culture too. For example, at Six Senses Qing Cheng Mountain children over six years old can participate in the local panda volunteer programme. Or at Zighy Bay older children and teens can join adventure hikes, wadi swimming, canyoning, archery and raft building in the remote, rugged landscape. A huge plus at each Six Senses Resort are the enchanting settings, with each looking like it’s straight out of your children’s favourite Disney movie.
Marbella Club, Spain
For one of the most extensive kids clubs in Europe, head to Spain for the Marbella Club, where the hotel’s carefree approach to slow-living applies to and suits children too. Housed in the heart of the hotel’s estate, surrounded by palm trees and beautiful terracotta-tiled villas, the infamous kids club opens little guests up to a whole new world of adventures and activities. Here, children will find a programme of sports, gardening, wildlife, science, and play areas designed to engage and inspire in all different kinds of ways. In fact, this kid-friendly programme is exciting enough to make even the adults envious. There is a focus on creativity here with art classes including pottery wheels for traditional ceramic-making, and a very cool perfumery where kids can replicate what the Marbella Club smells like to them using herbs from the nearby gardens. The kids club is suitable for children aged between 4 to 14 years old and is open every day of the year making your trip simple no matter the season you decide to visit. If you’re planning to celebrate a birthday during the stay, then the team at the kids club is on hand with picnics, bird shows, and circus-themed parties to make this celebration an unforgettable one.
Boschendal, South Africa
Boschendal is a luxurious working-farm estate in South Africa’s Cape Town where food locality is embraced to produce award-winning drink and dining. And while adults can enjoy these delightful wines with the hotel’s Cellar Door wine tasting served with seasonal platters, there is plenty for children to keep children occupied. Just like the hotel has a strong focus on the outstanding natural world surrounding the resort, so does the kids club with its extensive Outdoor Experience programme. Here, kids aged 4-12 years can learn how to forage, harvest, make fires, participate in forest aerobics and meditation, drum and dance, and gain awareness of animal welfare. The activity list is endless and sets children up with confidence in the outdoors for life. The programme has an option for a full-day of entertainment as well as three two-hour sessions across the morning, mid-day and then afternoon if you’d prefer to keep your family plans flexible. Only 10 slots are available per session, meaning your children will have the focussed attention from staff to ensure their interests and needs are met. However, this does mean you’ll need to book your slot to avoid disappointment. There is also a wonderful tree house and kids play area for young adventurers and expert-led birthday party celebrations too. For families with younger children, Boschendal has recently relaunched their toddlers’ programme meaning little ones aged 3-4 can dip their toes into this magical outdoors adventure too. Make sure to book this experience at least 24 hours in advance so the dedicated team can plan the most outstanding experience for your kids.
Hôtel Barrière Le Majestic Cannes, France
Overlooking the clear, azure Mediterranean sea, in Cannes, the heart of the French Riviera, Le Majestic truly lives up to its name: it’s a place where children and adults both feel get the movie-start feeling and treatment. For kids, this all begins at the kids club Le Studio by Petit VIP where the friendly team introduces ten different forms of art to children, from sculpture to gastronomy to photography. Teaching methods as well as content are adapted to suit your family’s needs and interest. Very sweetly, Le Majestic has its own cat with its own book titled “Have You Seen Lulu?” where children can read about the adventures of the little hotel feline. Little ones will also have the chance to learn a range of foreign languages too, allowing them to leave Cannes with a little piece of the culture. There is also a themed programme available at weekends, as well as a Sunday brunch offer where families can enjoy a Fouquet’s Brunch and access to the Studio by Petit Vip from 12pm to 4pm to try out the environment. At the hotel property you’ll also find the Diane Projection Room, a luxurious mini movie theatre, where you can catch a family flick (from the Concierge service’s DVD library) whilst relaxing in velvet armchairs.
Brush Creek Ranch, Wyoming
Horseback riding, fishing in the creeks, exposed wooden-beams for interiors and animal skin-rugs, Bush Creek Ranch does it all the ‘Wyoming’ way. The same applies to the kids’ club Li’l Wranglers: here, it’s all about the outdoors. The programme prioritises a very hands-on approach and introduces little ones to all the exciting practices that happen around a ranch, from learning about horses, lassoing a hay-bale “bull” to ecology. Horseback riding classes are a popular activity on the list, and adults are welcome to come and watch and take pictures of their children enjoying their cowboy or cowgirl adventure. There are also lots of other animals on the ranch including baby goats and llamas – in fact, for a one-of-a-kind afternoon your kids can participate in a hiking and fishing excursions with the llamas tagging along. Li’l Wranglers is for four to nine year olds and runs year-round, adapting summer activities like hiking to sledding during snowy, winter months. No matter the season, scavenger hunts, ranger rides, and plenty of animals are included, so make sure to pack comfortable clothing so you can get a little muddy!
Rixos The Palm Hotel & Suites, Dubai, UAE
All-inclusive resorts are always a good option for travelling as a family, but especially the luxurious Rixos The Palm Hotel, located on at the iconic Palm Jumeirah Dubai. Here, the fully supervised Rixy Kids Club awaits to keep young ones happy while parents can enjoy trips to the close-by iconic mall or enjoy the rest of the facilities in the hotel. The kids club caters for children aged four to twelve, ensuring their needs are met depending on each developmental stage, and of course the different interests of children too. The programme of activities for each age group feels limitless to make every child feel well looked after, and just like the hotel and city themselves, it’s all done on an impressively-large scale. The sport-fanatics will be pleased to find carnival games, three playgrounds (two outdoors and one indoor) and a dedicated kid’s slide pool, all great for energy burning. There are lots of creative options too, including art workshops for kids. All-in-all, Rixy Kids Club is like a city exclusively for kids – lots to do and no adults allowed.
The Royal at Atlantis, Paradise Island, Bahamas
Bahamian warmth extends to children’s hospitality at The Atlantis on the remote, and beautiful, Paradise Island. The kids area is split into three; kids ages one to six; pre-teens ages seven to twelve; teens ages thirteen to seventeen to cater for all little and not-so-little ones. Each club is hosted by enthusiastic Adventure Guide staff on hand to encourage children’s curiosity and enjoyment while visiting the magical country in the Caribbean. Meanwhile, the dedicated Kids Concierge can plan bespoke itineraries and offer unique amenities for children at the resort. For example, children ages six to ten can learn how to interact and take care of over 50,000 marine animals from fish to turtles to dolphins during the Atlantis’ Junior Ultimate Trainer for a Day Programme. Outside of the kids club, in-room babysitting is also available meaning a romantic date night at one of the restaurants by three-Michelin star-rated chefs is only a short phone call to reception away.
Borgo Egnazia, Puglia
Puglia, the southern district making the heel of Italy, has so much to offer – the best restaurants, towns, long stretches of stunning coast, and rolling countrysides filled with olive groves and vineyards, and it’s here you’ll find the magnificent Borgo Egnazia. The kids club is called Trullalleri named after the animated children’s series Trulli Tales, where The Trullalleri community join magic and cooking classes at a mythological school, seeking to bring a world of craft and excitement off-screen and into the hotel’s beautiful estate. Centred around Trulloland, children will find their own magical kingdom here through cooking with locally-sourced ingredients and lots of fantasy-world arts and crafts. Borgo Egnazia also offers a nursery service for babies from seven months old with a playroom and relaxation area, as well as a babysitting service on request.
Daios Cove Luxury Hotel & Villas, Crete
Daios Cove in Crete is a private enclave where the view over the Mediterranean Sea and arching seaside cliffs speaks for itself. Here, the kids and crèche club brings a little bit of Greek charm to the young guests with a variety of games and activities at the hotel as well as on the child-friendly private beach. Crèche Club for babies four months old to four years old comes at an extra charge while the Children’s Club (four to twelve) is complimentary, and babysitting is available on request too. Elsewhere, the resort’s 2500 square metre spa, Kēpos by Goco is a pioneering hub of wellbeing combining holistic teaching with innovative technology. Where better to unwind while the kids are kept occupied by the wonderful kids club team.
Hacienda AltaGracia, Costa Rica
Costa Rica’s 50 casita resort houses a coffee farm, equine stables, organic chef’s gardens, and a wellness centre, all framed by wild, exciting jungles. Accessible only via private plane, you’re guaranteed to unwind here, whether sat around the firepit or on one of the expansive wrap-around terraces listening to birdsong from the surrounding jungle. The kids club for guests aged five to twelves years old is complimentary and runs every day through the summer. The Junior Adventurers’ Club teaches children Costa Rican traditions and introduces them to the country’s vast natural world. Daily activities include visiting the hotel’s onsite butterfly garden, visits to Trapiche Nery (the family farm), taking care of the resort’s horses at the Horse Spa, hiking one of the forest trails to visit the resort’s frog pond, or embracing the wellbeing practices at the core of the resort with a kid-friendly workout class. There is also a great play area Jugando, featuring hand crafted rope courses for avid climbers.
Coconut Bay Beach Resort & Spa, St Lucia
The romance and the vibrancy of the Caribbean isn’t just reserved for romantic trips and groups of friends, there are plenty of family friendly stays here, namely Coconut Bay, St Lucia. This all-inclusive resort is right on the beach and is surrounded by green jungle and mountains, meaning you have the best variety of everything the Caribbean has to offer. Set on 85 acres, the hotel is split into two: the adult-only Harmony Wing and the Splash Wing for families. At the latter, you’ll find St Lucia’s largest water park, seven bars and eight restaurants and the CocoLand Kidz Club. From zip wiring to more water features than you can imagine, you’ll leave with plenty of outdoor memories from your stay.
Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel & Spa, Switzerland
Encompassed by the dramatic vistas of the alps in Switzerland, this hotel promotes tranquility – even with kids in tow. While peaceful morning spent in the 1940s boudoir- inspired Spa Nescens or exploring the scenic Bernese Oberland sounds like bliss to parents with young kids, there’s plenty to do for energetic little ones too. This is all found at the play house, Bienehuus (Bee House) where kids can roam free as well as all around the hotel itself. Kick scooters, rope parks, boat outings all keep families active and outdoors. There are plenty of relaxed, family-friendly dining options too including Ristorante e Pizzeria Sapori and La Terrasse Brasserie for breakfast featuring a special buffet just for children.
Parklane Resort & Spa, Limassol, Cyprus
Stretching across 10 hectares of coastal land, Parklane Resort & Spa, Limasol in Cyprus offers a beautiful, seaside escape for families. The newly opened kids club, Explorers Kids Club, is just as exciting for little adventurers with its seaside explorer theme including a three-storey pirate castle and pirate ship in the outdoor water park. As one of Europe’s biggest kids clubs at 3,000 square metres, there’s plenty for kids up to eleven years old to enjoy from water slides to a buffet area and a football academy run by international football stars, each perfect for burning off energy. You’ll also find dedicated sleep rooms and secluded garden spaces for soft play and educational toys too for quieter days. The kids club is split between age groups to ensure the children get the most out of each activity – whether immersive or educational. Although the kids club is open daily, at the hotel you’ll also find three swimming pools for lots of splashing and swimming practice. Opt for one of the 18 private villas if you’d like a private pool just for your family.
Verdura Resort, Sicily
Known for its exceptional kids’ programme, Verdura Resort welcomes children of all ages, with activities tailored for all different age groups from babies to teenagers. The kids’ club, Verdùland, is an interactive space open during the high season that offers everything from cooking, science, arts and crafts, culture, sports and more. There’s a playground, outdoor pool, indoor play area and 24-hour babysitting available on request to interactive entertainment in their rooms. Adrenaline-filled watersports, horse riding through the vineyards, cooking lessons and beach games are just a few of the experiences available on-site, but family activities outside of the resort can be arranged too, including pottery making and a visit to a playful toy museum. Activities are endless at Verdura Resort and won’t leave you at a loss for how to keep kids entertained for even a second of a week-long holiday.
The Nautilus, Maldives
Families are looked after at every turn as soon as you touch down via seaplane at The Nautilus in the Maldives. From three hotel restaurants each with kids’ menus and no dress codes or closing times for relaxed dining, to a private House Master who will personalise your family excursions and arrange activities for children, this five-star hotel is designed for, and around, the whole family. The kids’ club, Young Wonderers, caters to any age, any interest or skill-level of the kids, with little ones catered for with the utmost attention to detail. Designed to encourage relentless curiosity for the unique surroundings and culture of the Maldives, young guests will find themselves painting coconuts, partaking in island treasure hunts, and cooking up a storm. There are also Dhivehi classes teaching budding linguists the local language and Boduberu classes: one of the most popular – and very lively – forms of traditional Maldivian music. As a touching final flourish to the stay, families receive a video montage from the hotel capturing your children’s favourite moments across your time spent on The Nautilus island. This packed-programme all takes place while parents can partake in Maldivian cooking class or relax in your remote-feeling, peaceful room with a drink from the personalised mini bar.
Lead Image: The Royal At Atlantis, Paradise Island, Bahamas
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