By Nadine Mellor, Kids Collection Editor

We’ve been struck by the really delightful family properties we discovered this year: kid-friendly gems in under-the-radar destinations, family lodgings with great design and excellent activities, rental properties delivering on substance as well as style. Here are some of the very best.

Make more family travel your New Year’s Resolution in 2023!


☆☆☆ = outstanding for families
☆☆     = great for families
☆         = good for families

 

Fowey Hall, Cornwall, UK

i-escape blog / Best New Family Hideaways of 2022 / Fowey Hall

Fowey Hall is a recently refurbished coastal hotel perching above the attractive town of Fowey, with stunning sea views and an excellent spa; the top-notch restaurant serves proper Cornish fare and daily high teas.

☆☆☆ You get 90 minutes of free childcare per night’s stay in the Ofsted-registered Kids Club (open to all ages up to 8). There’s a heated indoor pool, a library of over 700 books, a games room with pool table, arcade games and table football, a vintage cinema, and 5 acres of grounds to roam around in.

 

2 Areias do Seixo Villas, Lisbon Coast, Portugal

i-escape blog / Best New Family Hideaways of 2022 / Areias do Seixo Villas

On a surfing beach about 45 minutes north of Lisbon, Areias do Seixo is an eco-retreat of luxurious architect-designed 3-4-bed pool villas with uninterrupted ocean views. Each comes with a BBQ deck with fire pit, a full kitchen, solar panels and geothermal heating and cooling systems.

☆☆ All the spacious villas come with private pools; there are bikes to borrow, kids surf and yoga classes, trampolining and treasure hunts; and you can request picnic baskets to take to the beach.

 

3 Marataba Safari Lodge, Marakele National Park, South Africa

i-escape blog / Best New Family Hideaways of 2022 / Marataba Safari Lodge

Marataba Safari Lodge is just one of two within a private malaria-free reserve, 3.5 hours north of Johannesburg, where the Big Five roam across grassy plains backed by craggy red mountains. You get this spectacular wilderness almost to yourselves on your twice-daily game drives.

☆☆☆ Family tents have bunk beds; there’s a good-sized swimming pool; the Mack & Madi Kids Club offers campouts, rock painting and movie nights under the stars; there’s an eco-garden play centre for arts and crafts, and a jungle gym on site.

 

4 Menorca Luxury Farmhouse, Menorca, Spain

i-escape blog / Best New Family Hideaways of 2022 / Binicalsitx

Tucked away in the centre of this laid-back island is Menorca Luxury Farmhouse, a restored rural idyll that sleeps up to 12 across six bedrooms and an optional 2-bed annexe – great for grandparents or teens. It comes with a covered courtyard terrace, barbecue, smart kitchen and glorious countryside views.

☆☆ There’s a lovely gated saltwater swimming pool with water toys, plus table tennis, a tennis court, badminton and board games, as well as 160 acres of sprawling gardens to explore.

 

5 Senda Monteverde, Monteverde, Costa Rica

i-escape blog / Best New Family Hideaways of 2022 / Senda Monteverde

Senda is an eco-lodge on the outskirts of popular Monteverde, in Costa Rica’s famous bio-diverse cloud forest. Family bungalows are scattered through the lush gardens, there’s a restaurant serving very tasty food, and a wealth of activities are on offer.

☆☆ The flowering gardens are full of wildlife, everything from coatis to hummingbirds; there are many kid-friendly dishes on the menu; they supply marshmallows for sunset around the fire pit; the activities here are endless: zip-lining, expert guides along nature trails for both day and night safaris, horse riding, sustainability tours, cooking classes, movie nights…

 

6 Wye Valley Hideaways, Herefordshire, UK

i-escape blog / Best New Family Hideaways of 2022 / Wye Valley Hideaways

Wye Valley Hideaways is a trio of chic two-bedroom wooden lodges found in idyllic Welsh meadows and woodland. They are set apart from one another to ensure privacy, and each has long views and a big private deck with a hot tub and fire pit. The second bedroom is a twin; the bathroom has a freestanding tub.

☆☆ Thoughtful touches for families include under-the-stair dens complete with craft materials, books and games, swings dotted through the trees, a useful boot room in every lodge, binoculars and marshmallows.

 

The Seminyak Hideaways, Bali, Indonesia

i-escape blog / Best New Family Hideaways of 2022 / The Seminyak Hideaways

The Seminyak Hideaways is a collection of five uniquely styled pool houses, each with three bedrooms, set up as a micro-village in Bali’s fashionable and bustling Seminyak, just 30 minutes from the airport. There’s an amazing little team of friendly staff who take care of your breakfast, shopping and housekeeping.

☆ Every house has a private pool set in safe, lush, palm-shaded tropical gardens; it’s 10 minutes’ walk from the beach; two houses can interconnect for a larger family party.

 

8 Castello di Fighine, Tuscany, Italy

i-escape blog / Best New Family Hideaways of 2022 / Castello di Fighine

Castello di Fighine is an ancient hilltop hamlet reimagined as a cluster of self-catering houses and apartments set in manicured flowering gardens, surrounding a historic castle. There’s also a Michelin-starred restaurant for adult indulgence.

☆ Two of the largest houses have a private pool apiece which can be heated on request; the other three all have their own gardens or a terrace. There are other restaurants and shops for supplies nearby.

 

9 Dahab Paradise, Red Sea, Egypt

i-escape blog / Best New Family Hideaways of 2022 / Dahab Paradise

Dahab Paradise is a great-value hotel and sociable restaurant, just steps away from the sea, with views across the Gulf of Aqaba to the mountains of Saudi Arabia. The rooms all have terraces or balconies, and the service is excellent.

☆ Families stay in triple and adjoining rooms; there’s a circular pool and weekly barbecue nights; the diving in Dahab is world-class; and boat trips, 4WD desert safaris and snorkelling are also popular.

 

10 The Haycombe Hideaway, Bath, UK

i-escape blog / Best New Family Hideaways of 2022 / The Haycombe Hideaway

A fun and eclectic country house rental on the outskirts of Bath, the Haycombe Hideaway is an unusual (and very well-equipped) setup that caters to every size of family party: a lovely four-bedroom cottage (for 2-8) with an additional one-bed annexe (together that’s up to 10) can be booked with the neighbouring house (for up to 18).

☆☆ Perfect for 1, 2 or even 3 families staying together; plenty of outdoor space; TVs with Netflix; puzzles; board games and a games room (if taking the whole shebang); sun trap terrace with a hot tub with view. Explore Bath (Romans and shopping) and go for country walks.

 

11 Can Mascort Eco-Hotel, Catalonia, Spain

i-escape blog / Best New Family Hideaways of 2022 / Can Mascort Eco-Hotel

The Costa Brava is a firm family favourite for its fabulous beaches and foodie hotspots. Can Mascort, a brand new eco-hotel in the heart of the old town of Catalan gem Palafrugell, has a rooftop terrace and superb breakfasts.

☆ Kids under 7 stay for free; there are dedicated family rooms; the basement caldarium is big enough to splash about in and is chlorine-free. Take a lunch hamper to one of the three terrific beaches within a few minutes’ drive.

 

12 The Ispica Hideaway, Sicily, Italy

i-escape blog / Best New Family Hideaways of 2022 / The Ispica Hideaway

In the World Heritage-rich corner of SE Sicily, close to the Baroque splendour of Modica, is the rambling and stylishly renovated Ispica Hideaway. This 3-bedroom stone cottage has an open-plan kitchen and shaded terraces; thick walls keep you cool in summer.

☆ There’s a sleek pool and a landscaped semi-arid garden; the second bedroom can be twinned and the third bedroom works well for grandparents – you can sleep up to 8 with extra beds; beaches are 30 minutes away.


It’s been a challenge to select just 12 of the best in this year’s round-up, so for more amazing family hideaways, browse our full award-winning Kids Collection 

Kids Collection