Family beach holidays

12 best five-star hotels for families

Last updated 6th May 2021
Looking to indulge in a little luxury? Then our handpicked collection of the finest five-star hotels for families is for you. They all offer something different, but whichever you choose you’ll enjoy the highest standards of accommodation and service, not to mention exceptional family facilities

1/12 MarBella Corfu Hotel – Corfu ★★★★★

MarBella Corfu is set in an idyllic location on a wooden hillside overlooking the sparkling Ionian Sea and mainland coast of Greece. It’s a top getaway for a luxury family holiday with a range of family rooms overlooking the sea or garden. Outdoors there’s a children’s pool and baby pool (as well as adults’ pools) plus a playground. MarBella Corfu is well set up for children, with bespoke babysitting services, the Crèche Kids Club run by Worldwide Kids and a range of fun activities for all the family on the resort. The Crèche Kids Club has different games and activities geared for different ages from four months up to 18. MarBella Corfu has also recently set up the Kids Dance Academy, where children can learn different dance techniques such as jazz and modern. Also new to MarBella Corfu is the Baby Aqua Class, which uses massage, floatation and stretching exercises in a heated pool to help build baby’s confidence and enjoyment of the water.

Book your family holiday today to MarBella Corfu Hotel here

2/12 Aguas De Ibiza Lifestyle & Spa – Ibiza ★★★★★

Aguas de Ibiza is a five-star eco-hotel with buckets of style based in the quiet town of Santa Eulalia, in southeastern Ibiza. This boutique hotel has 112 feng-shui inspired rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows, separate living area, terrace and spa access. Some rooms have views over the sea to Formentera Island. The excellent spa has hot and cold experiences and Clarins treatments. There are no specific children’s pools, but kids are allowed to use the two large pools in the garden. In the kids’ fun corner children of all ages can enjoy cartoons, storytelling, crafts, dressing up and games. Aguas de Ibiza can provide cots, baby equipment and babysitting and kids under ten stay for free.

Book your family holiday today to Aguas De Ibiza Lifestyle & Spa here

3/12 Mitsis Blue Domes – Kos ★★★★★

Mitsis Norida Beach Hotel is a 24-hour all-inclusive resort with an enviable location next to the sea. Guests who stay here will benefit from use of sister resort Mitsis Ramira Beach Hotel’s facilities. Accommodation has been recently renovated, so rooms are of a high-quality standard. Many have views of the sea and the volcanic island of Nissiros. The main dining restaurant is open-air and faces the sea. The resort also boasts a tavern, pizza oven on the beach, seafood restaurant and Asian restaurant as well as several snack bars and pool bars. Cots, cribs and highchairs can be provided for young children and babysitting can be organised on request. Kids also receive a welcome gift on arrival. There’s plenty for youngsters to do here from basketball to canoeing, table tennis to windsurfing. As well as the seven swimming pools, including one with waterslides and one baby pool, there’s a club for kids with lots of organised activities, a playground, open-air cinema and mini disco.

Book your family holiday today to Mitsis Blue Domes here

4/12 Parklane, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa – Cyprus ★★★★★

This incredible resort near Limassol in Cyprus which opened in spring 2019 sits in large, landscaped gardens peppered with palm, citrus and olive trees. Parklane has three outdoor pools including an oversized lagoon-style seawater pool and freshwater pool. Inside there’s a heated pool next to luxurious Kalloni Spa, which provides many specialised treatments to soothe weary parents. Parklane caters for children very well, with a kids club, pool, buffet restaurant, mini football pitch and daily programme of activities all located conveniently at Park Kidz. Five restaurants, two bars and a 300m-long sandy beach complete the Parklane package.

Book your family holiday today to Parklane here

5/12 Iberostar Selection Playa de Muro Village – Mallorca ★★★★★

Iberostar Selection Playa de Muro Village, on the award-winning beach Playa de Muro in Mallorca, is well set up for families. New family rooms are spacious and bright with a large terrace area and are ideally placed next to the children’s pool or beachside. The Star Camp caters for four to seven-year-olds, with Aquafun play area, adventure park and activity programme. Kids will also love the mini disco, children’s menus and three pools specially designed for them. There are cycle and tennis facilities for families too, plus a luxury spa just for adults complete with sauna, Turkish bath, solarium, whirlpool bath.

Book your family holiday today to Iberostar Selection Playa de Muro Village here

6/12 Kresten Palace Hotel – Rhodes ★★★★★

Kresten Royal Villas perches on top of Kallithea hillside, overlooking the Aegean Sea and a sand and pebble beach, and only 6km away from Rhodes Old Town. Rooms are modern and clean and some have a private pool. The resort houses three restaurants and three bars, one sea water pool, two freshwater pools, an indoor pool and a children’s pool. Sports fanatics will love the tennis courts, football pitch, basketball court, gym and bike rental. Kresten Royal Villas also has a lovely spa with steam bath, sauna and face and body treatments. Kids benefit from a kids club, playground and evening disco.

Book your family holiday today to Kresten Palace Hotel here

7/12 Fantasia Bahia Principe – Tenerife ★★★★★

Fantasia Bahia Principe Tenerife is a fantasy-themed hotel, with a centrepiece castle to wow little eyes. A pebbly beach in relaxed Golf del Sur is a short 10 minute stroll away. Rooms are contemporary with Scandi-style furniture. Some are swim-up. The resort packs in a spa and gym with whirlpool, theatre and club, two large pools for adults and two children’s pools plus a small splash park with showers and slides. The kids clubs also offer plenty of entertainment for kids including costume days, expeditions, cooking classes, ping pong, foosball, table tennis and DJ mixing decks. Families can expect a good range of dining options at Fantasia, with a buffet restaurant, pool restaurant, kids’ buffet, baby station, grill, three à la carte, Japanese and six bars.

Book your family holiday today to Fantasia Bahia Principe here

8/12 Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya – Mexico ★★★★★

Head to the Hard Rock Riviera Maya for some high octane family fun. This all-inclusive Caribbean resort has a private, protected beach, world-class shopping, 18-hole golf course and LES MILLS choreographed exercise-to-music fitness classes. Family rooms have a private balcony plus hydro spa tubs, flat-screen satellite TVs, and free Wi-Fi. Outdoors there’s a zero-entry kids’ pool and family pool. Kids won’t want to leave the Hard Rock Roxity Kids Club. There is a splashtastic pool party, guitar hero competitions, arts and crafts classes, mini Olympics, kids yoga and a PJ percussion party. New for 2019 is the Kidz Bop Experience where kids from six to 12 can check into their own pop star arena, and become the star they dreamed of.

Book your family holiday today to Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya here

9/12 Blue Palace, A Luxury Collection Resort & Spa – Crete ★★★★★

The whitewashed resort of Blue Palace offers breathtaking views of the fortress island of Spinolonga and the sparkling blue sea beyond. It’s a large resort but doesn’t feel like it. Family rooms are clean and bright and generous in size. Many of the rooms have private pools and gardens. Rooms are well set up for new parents, with baby equipment, high chairs and monitors. Apart from the sublime setting, families can take advantage of the spa with sea views, outdoor restaurants, infinity pool and sunrise yoga. Children aged three to 12 can join the kids club with UK standard care. There are also two children’s pools by the beach, a playground and private pebbly beach. Teens will love the variety of watersports on offer.

Book your family holiday today to Blue Palace here

10/12 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.

Book your family holiday today to Beach Rotana Hotel & Towers here

11/12 Mitsis Laguna Resort and Spa – Crete ★★★★★

Mitsis Laguna Exclusive Resort & Spa has 183 bungalows and 79 rooms, many family-sized. Upgrade for a bungalow surrounded by the Laguna Lake. Rooms are calming and bright with whitewashed walls and distressed furniture. Guests have their pick of seven restaurants including Mexican, Asian and Sushi. There’s also a delicious creperie and gelateria for desserts, popcorn and ice cream cart for snacks plus drinks at champagne and pool bar. Little ones can burn off energy in the playground, playroom, children’s pool with slides or on the beach of Anissaras, just metres away from the hotel. A kids’ animation team will look after youngsters in morning or afternoon sessions and there’s a disco every night too which is supervised. Adults aren’t forgotten either. There are four outdoor pools at Mitsis Laguna, including a whirlpool and complex of three pools with waterfalls and plenty of activities to try like canoeing, art lessons and water polo.

Book your family holiday today to Mitsis Laguna Resort and Spa here

12/12 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.

Book your family holiday today to King Evelthon Beach Hotel here