Family holidays: Seven of the best family-friendly hotels for midterm
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Fota ticks all the boxes but in particular, the one for families with an appetite for adventure; it’s geared to get you outdoors. The onsite Adventure Club will have your little ones channelling Bear Grylls with bushcraft, archery and obstacle courses. Parents can steal some alone time at the golf course, swimming pool and the spa and spacious rooms and self-catering lodges offer plenty of accommodation options for extended families. But the big trump card is the Fota Wildlife park next door where animals roam safari-style.
Book a Wild Experience tour with a personal guide to get really up-close-and-personal and learn all about giraffes, rhinos, kangaroos and tigers. It’s a casual version of the capital’s zoo but extremely well-run and fascinating and fun for all the family.
- Details: €334 based on two adults and two children sharing during the midterm. fotaisland.ie; fotawildlife.ie
There’s little chance of hearing, “Mum, I’m bored” at this well-oiled family-friendly resort on the beautiful Kerry coast. Children are welcomed warmly here, without sacrificing on the luxury element. The vast grounds are made good use of with fairy and treasure trails and the complimentary eco-discovery tours with knowledgeable guide Vincent. Learn about the marine ecosystems and wildlife around the estate or take a night walk and see the magic of the Dark Sky Reserve. There’s archery, tennis, golf, sea kayaking, boat trips, a playground and a chance to meet resident owls and falcons with an expert. Or simply enjoy the views of Kenmare Bay from the indoor heated swimming pool.
Thoughtful add-ons like welcome packs, special treats and plenty of pool toys are nice touches and older kids can decamp at ‘The Hideout’ where table tennis, air hockey, pool and giant games will keep them busy. Although all-year-round (and free) the Murder Mystery tour makes for a great Halloween activity for all the family that will keep you exploring.
- Details: From €289 B&B for a family room (2 adults, 2 kids); from €500 for a self-catering lodge (sleeps 4); parknasillaresort.com
Families craving wide open watery space and high-octane activities will get exactly that at this lakeside family favourite on the shores of Lough Ree. Adults and kids can get their adrenaline pumping together on Ireland’s largest inflatable water park, Baysports. The hotel has a long-as-your-elbow list of activities for little ones from their new and improved adventure club with ‘cooler toys and games, a cookery school, arts and crafts, bookworm corner and sensory zone’ as well as a 20-metre swimming pool and award-winning spa for when mum and dad need to zone out.
Their latest offering, Yew Point, is 145-acres of unspoilt meadows and woodlands that hosts fairy trails, looped walks and scavenger hunts. If that isn’t enough onsite activities there’s go-karting, virtual reality and laser tag at Elevate and the 13th-century Castle in Athlone to explore.
- Details: B&B from €130 for 2 adults sharing, kids prices additional and family rates dependent on room type; hodsonbayhotel.com
This family-run four-star’s casual and convivial atmosphere belies its organised formula where kids come top of the list. Drop your pre-schoolers and tiny tots to the creche while 4-12-year-olds can hit the action-packed Fungi Kids Club which is open daily right into the evening. Guests arriving at midterm will get the full Halloween programme which includes creepy craft creations, mask making as well as magic and puppet shows, live DJ, zuma and drumming classes and spooky science experiments with Meetmaker.ie. Teens can get cosy at the playstation room while mum and dad enjoy the benefits of the spa or head out on Dingle Bay for some kayaking.
On rainy days you can hunker down in the movie room or splash about in the pool (complete with bubble section for kids). The buzzing town of Dingle is just a beach stroll away where you can make a day of it at the Dingle Lighthouse or the Occeanworld Aquarium and, while Fungi might still be MIA, you can still capture the beauty of the coast with a boat tour.
- Details: €125pp per night. Children under three stay free. €35 per child (4-12); dingleskellig.com
A stellar reputation and a glut of awards has made this hotel a failsafe option for families looking to get a bang for their buck when it comes to a holiday that delivers for everyone. The spacious hotel, owned by a local family, has its very own Amber Park, created with kids in mind with a petting zoo, football, go-karting, mini-golf, indoor playzone, a ride-on train alongside a playground and indoor pool. Or you could simply stay put in the hotel itself which offers a pool and spa, 80-seater cinema and excellent kids club at the weekend and during school holidays.
Come after 5pm and your kids can enjoy a pizza party while you nip to the restaurant for an adult-only meal and some uninterrupted chat. Out of the 48 suites, 36 are family dens sleeping up to six with separate sleeping zones giving everyone some privacy. This Halloween hop on the train to Transylvania which travels through the onsite village where kids can enjoy a trick-or-treat party and meet some spooky characters.
- Details: From €175 for a family room (2 adults, 2 kids); ambersprings.ie
The wilds of Leenane in Galway feel utterly remote and the ideal launchpad for high octane outdoor fun. Bring your adventuring spirit and some all-weather gear and get outside with the kids for some kayaking on the lake, zip lining through the forest, tunnelling, biking, hiking, abseiling, indoor climbing, crab fishing and even making your way through a bog obstacle course.
The award-winning spa, kids club and good choice of restaurants with top-notch menus, and a choice of two-bedroom suites and family rooms, the latter with bunk beds, makes it an all-rounder. Families staying for midterm can head into the forest for the Camp Fire of Fear where they’ll toast marshmallows while being regaled with spooky stories.
- Details: Two nights with one dinner and one activity from €185 per night; delphiadventureresort.com
Straight off the bat, you’ve got the Western Greenway – Ireland’s first walking and cycling trail – on your doorstep and beautiful Clew Bay as your view, both of which make good starting points for an action-packed break away for the entire brood. Two-bedroom apartments that accommodate up to two adults and four children make it a popular spot for larger families and those that want to spread out. A causeway links the hotel to a superb blue flag beach but you don’t have to leave the grounds to get a swim in.
Spend the day enjoying the pool, jacuzzi, sauna, plunge pool and seaweed baths while the kids avail of the supervised play room and activities including pool games, film nights, seashore safari, fairy trails, indoor teddy trail and smores before bedtime which run throughout the school holidays.
- Details: B&B from €420 for two nights for family room, €500 for two nights in apartment suites; mulrannyparkhotel.ie