Good-quality family time is crucial but holidaying with young children in tow can be trying, whether you’re flying abroad or staying in the UK it doesn’t mean you have to compromise on luxury.
There are numerous five-star hotels and resorts across the country that cater wonderfully to families with children of all ages, offering excellent summer and half term activities and entertainment programmes, as well as providing essentials like highchairs, bottles, and bed guards.
We have compiled a handy guide below of some of the stand-out luxury hotels with kids’ clubs in the UK that deliver the very best services, facilities, and amenities for the younger guests, to make their family getaway as fun as possible - and to make your lives that little bit easier, too.
Woolley Grange, Wiltshire
Located in Bradford-on-Avon near the beautiful city of Bath, the family-orientated Woolley Grange hotel rests within 14 blissfully leafy acres, offering a wealth of activities for adults and kids of all ages. With a grand history, Woolley Grange has been here since the late 16th century and followed generations of different families who have made it the special place it is today.
Woolley Bears’ Den is home of the hotel’s excellent on-site kids’ club for little ones aged 12 weeks up to eight years old. This Ofsted-registered haven offers families up to 90 minutes of free childcare for each day of their stay and features loads of fun stuff like dressing up clothes, playhouses, a train set plus plenty of books and toys. Themed activities indoors and outdoors are also organised to keep the kids entertained while you enjoy unwinding elsewhere in the hotel in the spa, the restaurant or even your room for a well-earned nap!
When the kids aren’t playing in the pool or at the kids’ club they can explore and enjoy the vast gardens, discover the cute rabbits, collect eggs from the ducks and chickens, build dens in the woods, bounce on the trampoline, and play sports such as football and croquet.
Cool features for the kids:
- Woolley Bears’ Den open daily from 10am – 5pm across four supervised sessions throughout the day
- The Hen House is a cool place for older children to chill out and features a pool table, air hockey and table football
- Full summer programme of activities including crafts, painting, sand play, cooking club, glitter tattoos, marshmallow toasting, woodland walks, scavenger hunts and loads more
Calcot & Spa, Cotswolds
Set amid 220 acres of picturesque countryside in the Cotswolds, Calcot & Spa focuses on providing a fun-filled family experience. It’s technically not a kids’ club but the hotel does offer The Playbarn, a fantastic purpose-built crèche – highly rated by Ofsted – that caters to the youngest members of your party. A beautiful space featuring toys, games, and arts and crafts, The Playbarn is a perfect retreat for little ones to play and explore while the grown-ups do the grown-up things like relaxing and chaos-free dining.
The Mez is a hangout for older children (over eights) and provides them with games consoles such as PlayStation, Wii, Xbox, computers as well as a 12-seat cinema for movies – a very cool place to keep them occupied for a few hours.
Cool features for the kids:
- The Playbarn and The Mez are bookable for up to four hours a day and are open between 9am – 1:00pm and from 1:30pm – 5:30pm every day including weekends (book ahead if possible)
- Outdoor pursuits include a playground, lawn games such as boules and croquet, a mini football field, toy car racing track, pirate play ship, and outdoor play kitchen for the youngsters to get messy and creative
- Complimentary bicycle hire for adults and children including helmets, baby seats and trailers
Thurlestone Hotel, Devon
This wonderful, family-owned hotel has been going strong for more than 120 years and offers a classically British luxury seaside retreat on the South Devon Coast. One of the top family resorts in the county, Thurlestone Hotel provides excellent rooms and suites – many with sea views – and marvellous facilities and amenities on-site, as well as great beaches and local attractions nearby.
For days hanging out around the property there are two all-weather tennis courts, a nine-hole golf course, heated outdoor and indoor swimming pools and garden games such as croquet.
If it gets a little brisk outside then there are plenty of activities on offer for kids indoors in the playroom, with DVDs, games, table tennis and table football and if the little ones fancy some pampering in the spa like the grown-ups, they can enjoy mini manicures and facials!
Cool features for the kids:
- During the summer holidays Big T’s Surf Club will keep the children entertained for hours with something new and exciting every day such as magicians, movies, and arts and crafts
- Every child booked into a room or suite receives a cool Big T’s Surf Club bathrobe and Welcome Bag
- Excellent children’s menu in the Trevilder Restaurant
Chewton Glen Hotel and Spa, Hampshire
One of the leading luxury hotels in the UK and frequented by the likes of Gwyneth Paltrow and Kate Moss, Chewton Glen Hotel and Spa is a five-star retreat set within 130 acres of beautiful Hampshire countryside, nestled between the fringes of the New Forest and just moments from the ocean on the south coast.
The Beehive is the hotel’s treehouse-style kids’ club, which runs every weekend and during the school holidays in morning and afternoon sessions for fun activities such as treasure hunts, sports and games, and arts and crafts. Its bi-folding doors lead out onto an amazing 360° balcony overlooking the grounds and the kids will feel like they are in a magical fantasy land – the perfect place to play and make friends while they are away.
Cool features for the kids:
- Juniors and teens have their own programme of classes in the excellent Cookery School
- Book a wonderful Activity Hamper for kids aged 3+, which includes a range of creative and fun things to do like eye spy games, kites, and an Alphabet Adventure Album
- Horse-lovers will adore the Pony Pamper activity package three days a week where they can groom and tend to Prince the Pony (he’s real but his unicorn horn isn’t)
The Grove, Hertfordshire
A popular five-star hotel with the wealthy and famous, The Grove rests amid 300 lush acres of sprawling countryside, offering the ultimate luxury getaway for adults and kids alike. And if it’s good enough for the Beckhams, Tom Cruise and Kylie Minogue then it’s good enough for us!
Anouska’s Kids’ Club is a fantastic, Ofsted-registered club for children aged from two to nine, which is run by a local provider within a self-contained lodge in the beautiful Walled Garden. For up to three hours per day, kids can run around and play in the private garden and play area, do some colouring, listen to stories and play with an abundance of toys and games, plus there’s a fully equipped kitchen so staff can prepare tasty snacks and drinks.
A full schedule is available to entertain and educate the kids, featuring excellent activities including things like rock painting, pizza making and gardening.
Cool features for the kids:
- Anouska’s Kids’ Club UK features loads of fun toys and games such as a Nintendo Switch, LEGO, and Playmobil toys
- It is open in two separate sessions during the school holidays and every Saturday throughout the year: morning from 10am – 1pm and afternoon from 2pm – 5pm. (Sundays during the holidays are mornings only)
- Older kids and teens can partake in loads of on-site activities like archery, golf, clay pigeon shooting, tennis lessons, Segway adventures, bike rides and forest school camps, plus loads more
Feel like you need more inspiration for your next getaway with the whole gang? See our list of the best luxury family hotels in the UK. For more information on where and when to book your next child-friendly getaway, see our luxury UK family holidays and let us help you plan a trip to keep everyone in your party entertained!
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