Moonfleet Manor

Rooms

The Classic rooms in the villa were the ones for me. They're light, bright and Scandi/New England in style, with blonde wood, sun-trap decks and plenty of storage. The bathrooms are chic, too, with Bramley products complemented by robes and slippers.

If you need two bedrooms, no problem, there are super-spacious Two-Bedroom Suites formed of one double and one twin room - perfect for families. Or, for yet more space try the Coach House rooms, located in a separate building, which can sleep up to 6 and are more like apartments in size.

In the main house, we loved the first-floor Deluxe and Superior rooms, each with high ceilings and playful art, plus z-beds and big TVs for the kids. The Cosy rooms, over the restaurant, are the next in line for a makeover. Second-floor rooms, whilst spacious, can be hot in summer, so do request a fan. There's a lift to transport all your gear, and plenty of wardrobe space in all rooms.

Features include:

• Bathrobes
• Central heating
• Fan
• Hairdryer
• Phone
• Satellite TV
• Toiletries
• WiFi

Eating

Dinner at Moonfleet was exceedingly good. Catering to kids can sometimes mean that dishes are basic and lacking in imagination, but not at this hotel. They've stripped back the menu to do classics with care and serious flavour: fish and chips you'll need a forklift to manoeuvre; a burger with all the trimmings that defeated my burger fanatic. I opted for the specials and my slow-roasted lamb and aubergine starter was divine. The youngest was enchanted by the pizza tipi in the garden (summer only), serving wood-fired pizzas for lunch and dinner. Wherever you dine, the long views over Chesil Beach are heavenly.

Breakfast is included and there is a hearty spread of pastries, cereals, fruit and muffins to set you up. On top of that, you can order hot dishes (Eggs Benedict etc) from the a la carte menu.

Themed cream teas have elevated a traditional English treat to a super-fun family experience that is not to be missed. My kids adored the Newt Juice served as part of the Roald Dahl-inspired Matilda Tea.

Features include:

• Bar
• Breakfast
• Children's meals
• Coffee / tea making
• Coffee maker
• Minibar/fridge
• Restaurant

Activities

• The Verandah houses all things fun for kids: arcade games, a climbing wall, a science room, a skittle alley, crazy golf and a football pitch. Fancy crabbing? Grab a kit and get a bucket and spade to go
  
• On the other side of the main house there is a creche, which has plenty to keep kids from 3 months to 8 years happy, and you can enjoy 90 mins of free childcare every day - just remember to pre-book (morning or afternoon sessions offered)
  
• While the kids are occupied, book yourself into the spa for a Bramley and ishga treatment or massage
  
• A pool house with three depths of swimming pools complete the fun indoors
  
• Outside there are lawn games, plenty of space to explore and the coastal path to walk, not to mention the highly recommended fossil walks with Andrew
  
• Beyond the hotel, the Jurassic Coast has plenty of options: the Sea Life Centre in Weymouth, pretty Lyme Regis, and beaches galore

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Fossil hunting
• Golf
• Hiking
• Swimming
• Tennis
• Well being

Kids

This is a fantastic family-friendly hotel. There is so much for kids to do, both indoors and out, and they'll easily make friends. The restaurant has flexible mealtimes, there's a range of accommodation to suit your group size (cots and extra beds are complimentary), free childcare is offered at the creche, and the Verandah houses a vast array of games and activities for youngsters. Once my kids saw this space, I lost them for the evening...

Best for:

Babies (0-1 years), Toddlers (1-4 years), Children (4-12 years)

Family friendly accommodation:

All rooms have z-beds, so if you're bringing one or two kids, you'll find space in even the smallest of rooms. Or you can opt for a Deluxe Two-Bedroom Suite, which sleeps 4-6 so is a great option for larger families. Go for the Coach House suite (with three bedrooms) and you can bring granny and grandad, too.

Distances:

• Airport: 90 minutes
• Hospital: 15 minutes
• Supermarket: 10 minutes

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

Moonfleet Manor overlooks the Fleet Lagoon behind Chesil Beach on the Jurassic Coast. Weymouth is 9km away.

By Air
Bournemouth is the closest airport (72km), or you could fly into Exeter (85km), Southampton (106km) or Bristol (112km).

By Car
If you're coming from the airport, take a taxi or hire a car. Moonfleet Manor is a 90-minute drive from Bournemouth and Exeter; 2 hours from Bristol; 3-4 hours from London; The hotel has a private car park, and there are EV charging points available.

By Train:
The nearest train station is Weymouth, approximately 9km away. Services from London take 2.5 hours from Waterloo and go via Southampton and Bournemouth. Taxis are available at the station if needed to take you to the hotel.

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.