1/10 Fairmont Mayakoba – Cancun, Mexico ★★★★★
Fairmont Mayakoba is a large resort, part beach-, part lagoon-side setting, with shops, bars and restaurants on hand plus a golf course, spa and cooking school. Travel around the site is on foot, bike, electric golf carts or covered boat. Connecting rooms are available for families, and complimentary welcome kits are given to children on arrival. There’s a complimentary kids club for four to 12-year-olds and a baby room for younger guests. This 401 roomed resort has a spa with treetop treatment areas, beach sitting alongside one of the world’s largest reefs, award-winning restaurants and waymarked nature trails to make the most of the stunning setting. The kids club caters for children aged five to 11. Activities focus on Mayan culture and the natural world. Babysitting is available for younger guests. Foodies will love the lagoon-side Mexican restaurant here. Kids under five eat free from the children’s menu with meals erring on the healthy side.
2/10 LUX* Belle Mare – Mauritius ★★★★★
LUX* Belle Mare is situated on the lesser-known east coast of Mauritius. The 174 suites at LUX* Belle Mare have been designed by Kelly Hoppen, so expect lots of soothing whites and taupes and an understated beachy vibe. Talcum powder beaches, a step away from the resort, compliment the style. A huge central swimming pool dominates the resort. A nearby shallow lagoon pool will suit younger guests. As well as taking advantage of the pool and beach, guests can sign up to a wellbeing safari, undersea walk or a bespoke health and wellbeing treatment. No expense has been spared on dining options either, with a range of Michelin-starred means plus rum shack, cocktail bar and beer academy. The Kids Club (three to 11) is high-end too, with qualified staff, fabulous facilities including an outdoor cookery school and reading corner, and a top range of activities from spa treatments to beach cinema viewings. Teens will appreciate the DJ zone, iMac stations and island adventure trips.
3/10 Beach Rotana Hotel & Towers – Abu Dhabi ★★★★★
Award-winning Beach Rotana Hotel & Towers is a huge five-star resort with its own private beach in Abu Dhabi. Its central location in the city gives easy access to Abu Dhabi Mall and all its restaurants. Yas Island with its fun theme parks is also very close by. Luxury accommodation comes with city or waterside views, living areas and whirlpool baths. Dining is also high-end with 12 restaurants to choose from including an over-water seafood option. There are plenty of laid-back cafes and bars too. The resort will look after children in its kids’ club. Youngsters also get to play in the playground, family pool and soft play area, and the hotel beach club is home to an array of water sports and games for all the family to enjoy. Sports fans will also appreciate the three all-weather floodlit courts and high-tech gym with personal training sessions and classes.
4/10 King Evelthon Beach Hotel – Cyprus ★★★★★
King Evelthon Beach Hotel sits enviably on the beachfront of Chlorakas Bay amid spacious landscaped gardens. Family suites have views of the Mediterranean Sea. Facilities at King Evelthon Beach Hotel include an indoor and outdoor swimming pool, spa, gym and snooker room plus daytime and evening entertainment. The resort has three à la carte restaurants; Greek, Italian and Mexican plus a buffet restaurant. Head to one of the three outdoor bars to quench your thirst. King Evelthon Beach Hotel is well set up for families with its own water park and kids splash pool with slides for some high octane water fun. King Evelthon also has good outdoor facilities for kids including a playground, mini soccer pitch, tennis and volleyball courts.
5/10 Liki Tiki Resort by Diamond Resorts – Orlando ★★★★
Liki Tiki Resort is a fun-filled resort moments away from three of Orlando’s biggest theme parks; Walt Disney World, SeaWorld and Universal. Polynesian in style, Liki Tiki has 64 acres of tropical grounds to enjoy plus two large heated pools, hot tubs, gym and basketball and tennis courts but the main draw here is the huge Lagoon Water Adventure Park, with five screamtastic waterslides, wave pools and even an erupting water volcano. Kids will also love the two children’s pools, computer rooms, paddle boats, mini-golf course, playground and lakefront beach area. Accommodation is self-catering and rooms are equipped with a living room, dining area, kitchen and washer and dryer. On site there is a range of supermarkets and restaurants and bars to give families a choice of dining options.
6/10 Be Live Family Palmeiras Village – Algarve ★★★★
Be Live Family Palmeiras Village perches next to one of the Algarve’s best beaches; Vila Senhora da Rocha in the village of Poche. This all-inclusive hotel is ideal for families wanting some affordable comfort. Family rooms are spacious and modern and two buffet restaurants plus an Asian, Brazilian and seafood restaurant provide a great range of choice of dining options. There are bars and a nightclub for evening entertainment. During the day, the hotel puts on a wide programme of activities for all the family. Sports fans will like the gym, adult and kids pools, bike rental, water sports, basketball and tennis courts. A golf course is a few kilometres away for swing practice too. A mini club for four to eight-year-olds runs daily and there’s a maxi club for nine to 12-year-olds.
7/10 Occidental Lanzarote Mar – Lanzarote ★★★★
Recently renovated Occidental Lanzarote Mar is just 500m from peaceful Playa del Ancla Beach. A shuttle bus takes guests to larger Las Cucharas in Costa Teguise free of charge. The resort has 442 modern and bright rooms, a vast 10-lane heated Olympic swimming pool, two kids’ pools with slides, splash park, indoor and outdoor playground, cycling centre, two restaurants, six bars and some unique novelty sports including human table football and a blow-up climbing wall. Occidental runs three kids clubs for three to six years, seven to 11 and 11 to 15 with a varied daily programme of innovative activities to please kids of all ages. While kids are playing, head to the impressive gym with cardiovascular and strength training zones, functional training box and cycling simulator, or outdoors to make the most of the surroundings. Costa Teguise has a network of trails and cycle paths and the sea is calm enough for open water swimming.
8/10 Centara Grand Beach Resort Phuket – Thailand ★★★★★
The Centara Grand Beach Resort Phuket boasts a stunning location overlooking a secluded part of Karon and is the ideal choice for families looking for an exciting holiday. The on-site water park has four pools (including one adult-only pool), a lazy river, Jacuzzi and water slides. The beach offers even more water-based fun include sailing, kayaking, snorkelling and windsurfing. Younger children will enjoy a range of activities at Camp Safari, whilst older children can chill out in the E-Zone as parents relax at the award-winning Spa Cenvaree. Three restaurants and four bars serve up cold drinks and culinary delights from Italy to Asia.
9/10 Marina Suites – Gran Canaria ★★★★
Oceanfront Marina Suites Puerto Rico has both suites and apartments to suit different families’ needs, decorated in light and airy nautical colours. Some have views over the Atlantic Ocean. On site there is a stunning infinity pool to soak up the sun’s rays in and an outdoor hot tub, plus a kids’ pool for little ones to splash about in. Families should take advantage of the multiple excursions on offer including catamaran tours and whale watching. Guests can also go scuba diving, hiking and try out a range of water sports. The kids club will keep youngsters entertained so parents can enjoy a restful few hours in the resort’s spa.
10/10 Hovima La Pinta Beachfront Family Hotel – Tenerife ★★★★
Hovima La Pinta Beachfront has direct access to Puerto Colon Beach and water sports centre, and is just 3km away from high-energy Siam Park Adventure Water Park for a family day out. The hotel has 36 suites, 187 apartments and six studios to choose from. Some have ocean views. Guests can make the most of the idyllic seafront location with a range of water sports and excursions including sailing, paragliding, whale watching and water skiing. On-site there are two pools. One is dedicated to children. Kids also have run of a playground and games room. Hovima La Pinta also has a mini club so parents can spend a worry-free afternoon by the free form pool or at the poolside bar. Babysitting is also available upon request.