I’ve made it a bit of a mission over the last six years to explore plenty of hotels in my home country. I know that planning a family holiday in the UK doesn’t mean sacrificing style in order to please the kids. I’ve been lucky enough to experience some of the best luxury family-friendly hotels that offer both five star service and child-friendly amenities.
In this round up I’ve included countryside retreats, breaks with a beach in reach plus places not too far from the city. What I look for in UK luxury family breaks are spacious rooms, brilliant kids clubs, excellent food and an experience designed with both parents and children in mind. I hope you like them too!
Estelle Manor – Located in Oxford, Estelle Manor is one of the most beautiful luxury hotels in the UK. There are lots of options for spacious family-friendly accommodation, we loved our Walled Garden room and it was easy to arrange an extra cot. There are four restaurants available ranging from relaxed family-friendly brasserie style dining to The Billiards which is an adults only Chinese restaurant.
The grounds appeal both to adults and child with acres of garden and woodland, outdoor adventure trails (we loved driving the Little Landies) and the stunning outdoor pool which has become an Instagram sensation. There are set swim times for kids giving parents best of both worlds and other guests child-free peace in the pool.
There’s a structured programme at the kids club and lots of supervised activities and The Den for older kids. Eynesham Baths, the hotel’s spa, is the adult’s play ground and is completely child free.
Babington House – Babington House in Somerset is another firm favourite with us. We love the rustic, cosy luxury that is also casual and family friendly. We had an amazing room with bunk beds and separate children’s bathroom but there are other cottages or lodges that are spacious for children. The Teeny House creche offers a two hour complimentary session for kids. There are dedicated children’s swimming hours and the main restaurant allows children until 7pm.
Four Seasons Hampshire – The ideal country hotel for families, with a combination of country house-chic and family-friendly design. There’s lots of options for family suites but the best value for money is actually two interconnecting rooms.
The Kids for All Seasons is a fab kids club combining a den and playground with structured activties and outdoor pursuits. Our kids love the pony riding. Something that really makes The Four Seasons Hampshire stand out is the swimming pool, Sharky’s Reef the kids fun pool which is open all day for kids. There’s a separate more sedate pool for adults. Delicious, seasonal food is served at the hotel’s restaurant The Wild Carrot.
Chewton Glen – We’ve stayed at Chewton Glen many times, before having kids and after and honestly this country estate in the New Forest is a real crowd pleaser. It’s just minutes from the beach too. There are spacious family sized rooms and even treehouses which have become iconic places to stay. Kids stay free during the school holidays and the Beehive Kids club caters to children over four.
Beaverbrook – Located across 470 acres of countryside in the Surrey Hills, Beaverbrook provides a bucolic playground for even the most dedicated city kids. The structure of the hotel is very family-friendly with interconnecting rooms, bunkbeds and cots.
There’s an indoor / outdoor pool, playground and cinema with family-friendly screenings. The Kid’s Club for age 5 – 12 takes place every weekend and during the school holidays and is run by Sharky and George with exciting activities such as den-building and bug hunting. Beaverbrook also offers family packages and fun extras such as welcome amenities and special kids bedding.
The Grove – This Watford hotel is extremely family-friendly and has long been a favourite of ours. There are lots of room options including the brand new luxury cottages which look perfect for families. Anoushka’s kids club is OFSTED registered and has indoor and outdoor play spaces and a private garden. There’s a few options for swimming with an indoor and outdoor pool and a ‘beach’ area in the walled garden. I’m no big buffet fan but the one at The Glasshouse at The Grove really is something else and it’s a real crowd pleaser!
Coworth Park – Located in Ascot, Coworth Park is the most beautiful country house hotel surrounded by woodland and meadows. Kids will love kids club, pony riding, swimming pool and activities such as segway and archery whereas adults will enjoy the seasonal British produce at Michelin -starred Woven by Adam Smith and the glorious spa.
The Tawny – This deconstructed hotel in the Peak District has the most beautiful landscape and woodland. There are several options for family rooms rooms such as Treehouse and Lookout cabins. We recommend a Boathouse with an amazing view of the lake and a gorgeous bath tub on the terrace.
The 70 acre grounds are beautiful to explore and there are garden games and a folly trail along the way. We loved the outdoor heated pool and the thoughtful added touches such as children’s adventure packs, welcome soft toys and children’s menus.
Cliveden – Cliveden is the epitome of English elegance and the whole family will love the famous pool that has dedicated swim times. There is a choice of beautiful accommodation, with the spring cottage being the ultimate option for families. There’s lots to explore from Cliveden Maze to the Story Play Den. Families can dine together in one of the hotel’s two restaurants.
The Montagu Arms – This New Forest gem is super cosy and beautiful all year round. We love the courtyard rooms which are beautifully spacious for families. Kids stay free and the hotel offers special in-room treats and a welcome hamper of activities. Monty’s is the hotel’s inn and it’s perfect for all the family. We came when Noah was a baby and he well and truly spoilt!
The Pig Hotels – I absolutely love the Pig Hotel brand and I’ve stayed at four of the hotels. If you’re not acquainted with the brand they are cosy ‘Restaurant with Rooms’ small boutique hotels each with a different character. I particularly like their self-contained accommodation which is great for families as there are stand alone huts, cottages and houses.
These hotels are very intimate and there’s not many activities on site so are either best with toddler or bring a car to explore the area.
Read my review of The Pig on the Beach
Read my review of the Pig nr Bath
Read my review of the Pig at Bridge Place
The Fish – Located on the Farncombe estate, The Fish describes itself as ‘a collection of quirky hotel houses and huts nestled in a hillside’. There’s lots of unique choices of accommodation at The Fish, we loved the Treehouse which has a separate children’s room and a gorgeous outdoor terrace with twin baths where the autumn leaves can fall. Bottle of champagne in the bath while the baby sleeps, anyone? This small hotel has a lovely little adventure playground, perfect for Oscar. We also loved Hook, the hotel’s seafood restaurant.
The Wild Rabbit – We loved the Wild Rabbit! It’s different to the other hotels as it’s more like an Inn with a few rooms but attached to 32 cottages in the local area. The traditional cottage epitomises Cotswolds charm, we loved hiring Dove, Robin and Lark, three separate cottages which can be rented as one interconnecting space with a shared garden. Who doesn’t love a cosy pub? While there’s not much to do at the hotel itself there’s lots in the local area. The Wild Rabbit is run by Carol Bamford and closely linked to Daylesford.
Soho Farmhouse – Part of the Soho House Group this Cotswolds hotel takes rustic charm to the next level. The open fire, plush sofas and cottage core cosy interiors are perfect for snuggling up together whilst the fresh air and changing leaves can be enjoyed exploring the grounds and woodland, horse riding or from an outdoor pool or hot tub. The pool has dedicated child swim times but a new children’s pool is opening soon.
The rooms are extremely spacious but the bunk rooms must be booked for a child-friendly stay. These are super cute and include toys and child-friendly bathrooms.
We love taking Oscar and Noah here! The hotel offers delicious farm to table dining experiences and local seasonal ingredients will be on the table at the hotel’s restaurants. Note the restaurants have set times for children.
The boys love the Teeny Barn where there’s toys, games and arts and crafts and a large outdoor playground.
Gleneagles – After visiting Glenagles near Auchterarder, Scotland I had a new standard for UK luxury family friendly hotels! We loved our interconnecting rooms and all the amenities that we were welcomed with such as adventure guides, mini robes and mini slippers. There is so so much to do there with more than 50 family activities, we absolutely loved riding the Little Landies through the woodlands.
There’s a Little Glen creche offering creative play as well as a structured schedule of outdoor activities. For older kids, the Den is an unsupervised hangout with video games, boards games and arts and crafts. Parents can go and enjoy the spa knowing younger children are in safe hands.
There are lots of restaurant options from premium Michelin star restaurants for grown up to more casual dining that kids will love. There’s even an ice cream parlour and pic ‘n mix station. The kids were in heaven!
Port Lympne – Port Lympne really is something special, offering immersive wildlife encounters with luxury lodges such as Lion Lodge and Tiger Lodge which are really up close and personal with the animals. We really enjoyed our stay in the Treehouse which also came with a golf buggy to explore the rest of the resort which is located in an actual safari park. Other special animal experiences such as safari drives, keeper experiences and animal feeding are also available.
Despite this Port Lympne doesn’t have a ‘gimmicky’ feel to it. Rooms are luxurious and the food served in the hotel’s multiple restaurants is still excellent and appealing to parents.
Limewood – Another New Forest gem that will appeal to gourmet loving parents and nature loving kids. This hotel is home to Forest cottages and lodges that would accommodate families and the Herb House spa features a lap pool with children’s swimming sessions.
The Nici- A Bournemouth hotel with Miami-vibes. We loved our stay at the Nici! The bright colourful art deco design appeals to young eyes but adults will love it two! We had a large apartment style room that was perfect for us but my sister also loved her room with a hot tub. The coastal location is ideal too as it’s just steps away from the pier.
The outdoor pool is available all day for kids and there’s a Kids Club cabana right next door with games arts and crafts as well as an inside den and cinema. We loved the restaurants South Beach and Old Harry Rocks and the kids did too!
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