Martinhal

 "What's the attraction?"

Children are no longer "merely tolerated" by hotels, instead hotels have identified that "parents don't want to compromise on style and prefer not to be corralled in the furthest corner of the dining room." The Independent puts together a list of some of the best family orientated luxury hotels with kids clubs, "family friendly rooms, children's meal times, baby listening services, babysitting and, for older children, plenty of facilities and chances to find new friends."

Beach Babes

Surrounded by shallow sea on the outskirts of a nature reserve, The Sani Beach Club is aimed at families. Services include "the Ofsted-registered Melissa's creche and complimentary kids' clubs as well as beach buddies who will take care of children on the beach while you go for a dip." 

Ciao bambini!

Chia Laguna Resort is set "on the stunning Dunedi Campana Beach on Sardinia's south-western coast." It is a great choice for families. With "children's clubs from May to September; there are tennis courts, sports, playgrounds and a "Bimbi" restaurant for children." 

Easter Bunnies

Martinhal Beach Resort & Hotel "has been a popular choice since it opened in 2010." This Easter the Martinhal is putting on an egg hunt and "dozens of activities." Between 1-15 April, we are "offering a price of £999 per adult for seven night's accommodation in a two-bedroom self-catering garden house with lunch or dinner each day and up to two children staying free with one meal per day. Some activities also included. Flights extra."

Hotel Villas

A great family option is resorts that offer villas or apartments. In Crete, the Daios Cove has "introduced new two- and three- bedroom family vilals near Agios Nikolaos. 

Borgo Egnazia "is a swanky resort hotel...built to resemble a traditional Puglian village that offers rooms and townhouses."

Aphrodite Hills resort "has a large choice of apartments and villas.

Who said that?

"The most effective kind of education is that a child should play amongst lovely things" – Plato.

"The pursuit of truth and beauty is a sphere of activity in which we are permitted toremain children all our lives" – Albert Einstein

"The best way to make children good is to make them happy" – Oscar Wilde

Jane Anderson and her family visit Portugal staying at the “groundbreaking new resort” the Martinhal. She is surprised to realise that, while her son and daughter aree “pinging with delight on the orange and blue trampoline just below the alfresco deck” where she is sipping on Portuguese white wine, that this has been “one of the least stressful holidays” they had ever been on as a family. Set “on a bluff above sand dunes” in a deserted part of the Algarve, the Martinhal concentrates on “high-end tailor-made family fun.” It is close to the fishing port of Sagres and there is “no tat or vulgarity”. The beaches “are still wild and backed by impressive cliffs.” It is possible to “take an adventure boat out from Sagres port up the coast to view Cape St. Vincent from the sea, kids squealing with delight and hanging on for dear life.”

Martinhal “truly puts families first but manages to please parents as well as kids.” The villas are spacious with the option of self-catering and with three restaurants you are spoilt for choice. The Village Square has a high-class deli selling “everything from local wine to designed flip-flops by Gisele Bundchun.” The kids were happy with “a fabulous helicopter themed playground” and an excellent kids club where they played “Junior Trivial Pursuit and a spot of table football” and made heart shaped cookies “all in a couple of hours. With a tennis and sports club, there are plenty of activities for teenagers as well.

“You can be as lazy or as active as you like here. Requst a horse riding trip, a guided bike tour, gold, deep sea fishing, a surf lesson or a dolphin watching tour” and its done. Anderson spent time in the Finisterra Spa. She “padded to this haven of calm for a signature two-hour Africa Gil Eanes treatment involving an organic mint and brown sugar exfoliation, seaweed coral facial and dreamy massage.” Parent and child treatments are available during the day and Andersons daughter enjoyed her pampering session. As for her son, he enjoyed the “half indoor-half outdoor pool where armed with well-fitting blue goggles, he progressed from non-swimmer to underwater swimmer.”

Easter is a great time to visit Martinhal and the hotel has special offers. Enjoy the security of booking with respected and innovative family tour operator Western & Oriental. Also includes an Easter egg hunt for the whole family. Children stay free and receive one complimentary child meal per day.