By Nadine Mellor, Kids Collection Editor
It’s a no-brainer: Easter is the best time to take the family on a trip! You get a two-week break from school, lower prices and fewer crowds than in the summer, plus there are public holidays to throw into the mix – which means less time out of your precious annual leave allowance.
Here are 10 Europe-wide suggestions of gorgeous family hotels and hideaways which, at the time of writing, still have some space 11-18 April…
1 Almyra, Paphos, Cyprus
Fresh from a multi-million Euro renovation across its lodgings, lobby and restaurants, Almyra is a sleek coastal design hotel that guarantees family fun. Pools come in all sizes for all ages, the food and spa are award-winning, and the kids’ clubs offer superlative child-care.
Kid-friendly details: It’s only 20 minutes from the airport, there’s a useful ‘Baby Golightly’ service, and the large heated kids’ pool is surrounded by sprawling day beds.
2 The Lakes by Yoo, Gloucestershire, UK
These lush lakefront chalets with impressive designer interiors are in a blissful 850-acre estate. The Lakes by Yoo also has an on-site spa with a large heated pool and great treatments, locally stocked breakfast hampers can be delivered, and there are 15km of trails to explore on foot or by bike.
Kid-friendly details: An imaginative holiday kids’ club for ages 4+ – think archery, bushcraft, drumming and trampolining; there’s also a zip-wire!
3 Borgo Egnazia, Puglia, Italy
Perennially popular in the (sometimes sweltering) summer months, availability at Borgo Egnazia‘s classy resort is better over the Easter break. Try the all-ages kids’ clubs (complimentary for those over 3), the huge kids’ pool, the vast array of treatments in the flawless spa, or take the shuttle to the beach clubs.
Kid-friendly details: Baby and toddler gear to borrow, tennis courts and tuition, a fun playground and a teens’ multimedia games room.
4 You and the Sea, Lisbon Coast, Portugal
Kid-friendly details: there’s a heated indoor pool which opens onto the garden, a playground and games room, plus bikes to borrow
5 Le Mas des Oules, Provence, France
Le Mas des Oules is a welcoming country hideaway of chic, good value self-catering houses and apartments created from a former farm and winery. Each has a well-equipped kitchen and a terrace for alfresco dining. The lavender-filled and jasmine-scented gardens are wonderful in spring!
Kid-friendly details: There’s a boules pitch, a large lawn for dashing about, table tennis and a sandpit (note the pool is only open May-early October).
6 Villa Stari Mlin, Herceg Novi, Montenegro
The owners of Villa Star Mlin, a former 16th-century olive mill turned five-bedroom villa, were enchanted by its magnificent views over the dramatic mountains and calm waters of Kotor Bay – best seen from the terraced garden and loungers around the infinity pool.
Kid-friendly details: There’s a host of watersports (from kayaking to paddleboarding) available in the bay below, two rooms can be set up as twins, a wood-burning stove keeps you cosy in the evenings and there are beaches to discover.
7 Hotel Husafell, West Iceland
In the unspoilt west of this unique country is Hotel Husafell, a contemporary building of glass and stone, whose picture windows give you celestial wonders and spectacular scenery. There are nearby ice caves, waterfalls and glaciers to explore, excellent food in the restaurant and bright, modern rooms.
Kid-friendly details: The geothermal pools are open year-round and come with a waterslide – flotation gear is provided on request.
8 Finca Cortesin, Costa del Sol, Spain
An indulgent top-drawer hotel – perfect for older kids and teens – Finca Cortesin is known for its state-of-the-art spa, gardens, soaring views to the Sierras and the North African coast, plus a renowned golf course. Immaculate suites and villas host families beautifully.
Kid-friendly details: Over 5s can swim in the outdoor pool, kids are also allowed in the heated spa pool for four hours a day, there’s a beach club with an additional pool (the shuttle bus operates Wednesday-Sunday over Easter), plus tennis courts and a golf academy.
9 Palacina Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Palacina Berlin‘s elegant, spacious apartments are in a renovated 19th-century building in the attractive Schöneberg district. They come with full kitchens (including dishwashers and washer-dryers), in one-, two- and three-bed sizes, plus they’re close to shops, restaurants, cafes and public transport.
Kid-friendly details: All bedrooms can be twins, there are playgrounds nearby, Gleisdreieck Park has a skate park and table-tennis tables; many local restaurants welcome families.
10 Eleonas, Crete, Greece
For a slice of authentic Greece look no further than Eleonas: an unpretentious, great-value agriturismo nestled in the foothills of Crete’s highest mountain. You get a cluster of stone cottages centred around a taverna serving local home cooking – pleasingly this is a working farm. Families are made to feel very much at home.
Kid-friendly details: A freeform heated kids’ pool, two soft playgrounds, a football pitch, playroom and table tennis, plus farm animals to meet.