Le Castel

Kids

This is the perfect house for children - there's lots of space inside and out, and the relaxed atmosphere means you won't constantly be worrying whether the kids have stained the carpets. In the summer they set up a 5.5m splash pool and a marquee full of toys and games especially for children in the garden.

It's good for children of all ages; particularly ideal for those aged 2-12 because of the kids club. For 2012, they will be focusing on children aged 0-8, when all-inclusive family holidays will run June 30-September 15.

• Best for: Children (4-12 years)
• Family friendly accommodation: All rooms can hold an extra bed or cot. We'd recommend the 4 suites (2 bedrooms with an interconnecting door), where there is one room for the parents and one for the children plus a shared bathroom and basic kitchenette. The Roi and Dauphin Suites have glamorous claw-footed bathtubs - wasted on infants, but they'll probably like them more than the shower. The Comte Suite is on the ground floor, near the dining room.
• Babysitting: Childcare is offered as part of all inclusive family holidays during the school holidays - up to 4 hours a day with an English-speaking childminder.
• Baby listening: You can borrow their baby monitors which work everywhere in the property, allowing you to eat a lavish 5-course meal and hear what they're doing upstairs.
• Baby equipment:
  • High chair
  • Plastic crockery and cutlery
  • Cots
  • Baby bedding
  • Bed guards
  • Night light
  • Baby bath
  • Potty
  • Toilet steps

• Creche/Kid's Club: The kids club all inclusive package (as under 'babysitting') is aimed at 2-12s.
• Children's meals: Food is on offer all day and kids' meals are served at 5pm (parents dine at 8pm). Children over 14 can join the main dining table if they wish. Parents with babies can use the microwave to heat up meals and sterilise bottles.
• Kids Activities on site:
  • Swimming pool (unheated; summer only)
  • Swings and a woodland den
  • Burmese cats
  • Table football
  • Children's DVDS and TV channels
  • Board games, storybooks and toys for children
• Kids Activities nearby:
  • Mont St Michel is magical for children
  • The D-Day beaches also make a good family trip
  • Caen's Parc Festyland is a decent mini theme park
  • Jon has designed a regional treasure hunt through churches and abbeys