Random question I know, but am really looking for different ideas. Any suggestions from experience on where is nice for a family holiday with 3 kids, 6,7, and 13? Nice villa, pool, nice restaurants, bit of stuff to do? would love to hear of people's trips to give me ideas. Anyone care to share? Open to suggestions, italy, france, menorca, mallorca, portugal, dont care really so long as it ticks a few of the boxes.
Where would you go for a villa holiday?
- Thread starter bonza1
- Start date
Would you consider a camping holiday to France with keycamp or Eurocamp. You could book accommodation with them and book flights and car hire independently. It's the best holiday ever when they are small and there is lots to do for all ages. We did the campsite holidays for many years when mine were small up to about sixteen and they still talk about those brilliant hols.
See thats just it! We have done the camping holidays for years now, and I really want a change. I cant do another mobile home tbh. I love the facilities etc it provides but I am heartily sick of mobile homes. We had a huge one this year, with a deck and a fab garden, and I still felt we were cramped. I would love somewhere with the campsite set up, but with houses or villas with a bit more privacy and space, but I just cant find it!!
watch out for price differences with these websites from the uk/ european / irish versions. We are the most expensive for some reason.
See this thread
http://www.askaboutmoney.com/showthread.php?t=87188
portugal and lanzarote are our favourites. was on checking falcon for lanzarote for sept and they do villa holidays in both places, been to both (apts only) and great for kids of all ages, beaches, waterparks, nice restaurants etc, the villas dont look much dearer than apartments either..
For larger groups villas in Lanzarote can make more sense than apartments, especially if you can get the cheaper Aer Lingus flights.
Check out Owners Direct and Rentals.com, lots of priate villas to rent in France, Spain, Italy , Algarve. Must say i love Lanzarote myself but dont think it's as child friendly as say the algarve where there are great places to bring the kids. remember if you rent a private villa you could feel isolated with regard to meeting people, but perhaps this wouldn't bother you. I fully understand what you mean about being cramped in the MH but they were great hols overall.
We have 3 kids as well, had a really nice holiday in Cariviero Portugal this year - villa with own pool few hundred yards from the village. The kids loved the pool & the food was excellent in the village, went to Slide & Splash & Waterworld (Better) & also to Portimao for outings. PM me if you want a link to the villa.
We went to Nerja in Spain in February of this year. It was our first apartment holiday after years and years of campsites and I was a bit amazed to find that the kids loved it. They loved the luxury and space of a decent apartment after all the mobile homes. We went to the beach and the playground a lot and visited the donkey sanctuary and the Nerja caves. Nerja is a lovely town, just perfect for wandering around - we absolutely loved it.
We found a fantastic 3 bedroomed apartment on holidaylettings.co.uk, booked our flights to Malaga directly and hired a car. Because it was the low season the whole thing cost very little and it was one of the best family holidays we have had. If you go outside low season there are loads of child friendly activities in the other resorts on the Costa del Sol, but they weren't open in February.
Having said all of that, I missed the familiarity of the annual campsite holiday so were are off to stay in a french mobile home next week
, but I would definitely recommend Nerja.
We found a fantastic 3 bedroomed apartment on holidaylettings.co.uk, booked our flights to Malaga directly and hired a car. Because it was the low season the whole thing cost very little and it was one of the best family holidays we have had. If you go outside low season there are loads of child friendly activities in the other resorts on the Costa del Sol, but they weren't open in February.
Having said all of that, I missed the familiarity of the annual campsite holiday so were are off to stay in a french mobile home next week
, but I would definitely recommend Nerja.Girlf, Mr. Girasole does all the driving when we are abroad and is well experienced at this stage but he says it's a straightforward drive to and from Malaga airport. Took about an hour I think. We had a sat-nav with us though which is worth its weight in gold.
Hi Girasole, Seems like great minds think alike. I was married in Nerja a few years ago. fab place. Married in the Sanctuary in Mijas , reception in The Balcon de Europa hotel. Havent been back since tho, and was considering a villa in the area to show the rugrats. Tossing between that and Portugal, was looking at Lanzarote too, fab villas to be had there but the diffrence in flight prices is a bit of a deal breaker. Thanks for all the ideas guys!!
Hi bonza1, I can imagine that Nerja would be a fantastic place to get married in. I believe it's become quite a popular spot for irish weddings in recent years. I have heard some very good things about Lagos in Portugal too as a resort with a similar feel to Nerja. I have no personal experience of the place though, but it is supposed to be lovely.
I have been to both Nerja and Lagos in the past 12 months. I thought that Nerja was pretty awful with no real flow to it and pretty dirty. Lagos was really lovely. Great fish restaurants and great prices.
I rented an apartment in both locations through Holiday-Rentals. We used public transport to get to both locations.
The problem with both locations is that the flights to both Malaga and Faro come in on the expensive side.
I would consider Benodet in France, fly to Brest and then rent a car or get train to Quimper and then bus to Benodet.
Also consider Ille de Re. Get flights to La Rochelle and then rent a car or get local bus to Ille de Re. We were in both places earlier this year but staying in hotels this time. You can pick up flights for next to nothing.
See I have a number of reviews and postings on the above here.
I rented an apartment in both locations through Holiday-Rentals. We used public transport to get to both locations.
The problem with both locations is that the flights to both Malaga and Faro come in on the expensive side.
I would consider Benodet in France, fly to Brest and then rent a car or get train to Quimper and then bus to Benodet.
Also consider Ille de Re. Get flights to La Rochelle and then rent a car or get local bus to Ille de Re. We were in both places earlier this year but staying in hotels this time. You can pick up flights for next to nothing.
See I have a number of reviews and postings on the above here.
Boxthefox, it's interesting that you had such a different experience of Nerja. We didn't find it dirty apart from the amount of dog mess on the pavements. To be fair, I think in Ireland we would have a similar problem with dog mess on the pavements too if we didn't have so much rain to wash it away.
We were based in the old part of Nerja, between the Balcon and Burriana beach. We thought that area of the town was very traditionally Spanish in appearance and very attractive. I don't think we would have enjoyed it as much if we had been staying on the newer side of the town which did look a bit soulless in comparison.
We were based in the old part of Nerja, between the Balcon and Burriana beach. We thought that area of the town was very traditionally Spanish in appearance and very attractive. I don't think we would have enjoyed it as much if we had been staying on the newer side of the town which did look a bit soulless in comparison.
Ah, We were married in Nerja more than 10 years ago. WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAy before it 'became popular' with Irish people to be wed there. When we told people we were to be married there, they asked 'where?' and most had never heard of it. And as for Mijas, please, may as well have been Mongolia. Which is what we loved about it, it was a little different., back in the day! Well, in answer to my own question, we are probably set on a villa in Portugal, for ease of access, short flight, and a spot of nice weather. Bos the Fox. thanks for suggestions, but have been to ile de Re, and while it is a fantastic spot, I dont fancy it again. And with regards to Portugal, based on friends advise, we will probably fly to Lisbon and drive down. We always hire a car anyway, so we may as well make use of it. DH has driven all over Europe, so no big deal there thankfully. And flights this year were significantly cheaper to Lisbon than Faro, so hopefully will be next year. Thanks Guys.!
C
cath frogbus
Guest
We used to rent out our villa near Perpignan and noticed that with families, the kids could get bored easily - even with the pool. Thats the one advantage camp sites have. But, we found a great compromise in this place: http://www.giverola.es/index.php?id=885&L=2v