12 baby friendly honeymoon ideas

Travelling on honeymoon with a baby needn’t be daunting. With a little preparation and a few helpful extras, it can be stress-free, and a wonderfully memorable holiday. There’s nothing quite like seeing your little ones’ face light up as you dip their toes in the swimming pool. Or when you take them for their first paddle in the sea.

Some couples may be put off taking an infant abroad, and prefer to have a staycation – this is absolutely fine too. There are some lovely places nearer to home to consider with everything from castles, to luxury spa hotels or private lodges with hot tubs and saunas.

However, taking a baby on honeymoon abroad is probably the easiest time to do it! They generally sleep 16 hours a day and only really need fed and changed, leaving plenty of time for the newlyweds to have some quality time together.

Practicalities

One of the main things to consider will be the amount of extra luggage you will need to take with you. A baby itself may be a tiny bundle, but clothes, nappies, prams, car seats and the plethora of other gadgets takes up a lot of room.

Many family friendly resorts will allow you to hire equipment in resort which can cut down on luggage, but there will be things you don’t want to leave behind. You don’t normally get any luggage allowance for an infant, unless you are paying for an extra seat.

There are many fabulous resorts which cater for children and families, but it is important to check what, if anything they offer for infants. A lot of places with children’s facilities do not accept babies or infants, and only start to accept children from 3 or 4 onwards. Some even stipulate that the child must be toilet trained.

Most child friendly resorts and hotels will include a basic form of childcare. Others you will have to pay for separately, usually by the hour and babysitting services are often available too. This allows the newly-weds to have a nice quiet and romantic meal together while baby is put to bed.

The following are my hand-picked suggestions for a luxury honeymoon with a baby in tow – idyllic beach locations, luxury resort or boutique hotels. Think romantic dinners and time for each other as well as your new arrival. My suggestions offer the perfect combination of baby-friendly facilities as well as the opportunity for some time alone for pampering and romance.

These are all handpicked gems, where you can completely relax and unwind, knowing your baby or child is truly welcomed and not just tolerated. After all, this is one of the most significant, and often the best holiday of your life!

Pine Cliffs Hotel, Algarve

The Pine Cliffs Hotel, a Luxury Collection Resort is perched in an enviable cliff-top position amongst lush green pines, and overlooking the sparkling Atlantic Ocean below. 6 time winner of Best Family Resort in Europe, it is a superb choice for families with plenty of child friendly facilities and activities available within its enclosed cloisters.

Enjoy a taste of Moorish architecture combined with luxury and opulence displayed in its elegant, contemporary rooms and suites.

Select from an impressive range of amenities including the 9 hole Pine Cliffs Golf Course and tennis academy, in addition to a range of eateries from fine dining to family friendly buffet restaurants and poolside bars. First class service and modern facilities create a delightful holiday atmosphere. Children are well catered for in their own holiday village with clubs for ages 6 months to 12 years available. Relax and unwind at the Serenity Spa before taking a cool dip in one of the six outdoor swimming pools. The Golden Flag Praia de Falesia Beach is accessible via a lift and then steps leading down to its fine, golden sands. Pine Cliffs Resort has been awarded ‘Europe’s Best Ocean View Resort’ at the 2018 World Luxury Hotel Awards.

• The Porto Pirata Children’s Club and Crèche is open daily for kids aged 6 months to 8 years
  • Features a pirate ship and 7,000m2 children’s village, with activities by age range
• A stunning cliff top sanctuary with panoramic ocean views
• Direct access to a sun-drenched beach below
• Prestigious golf course and tennis academy
• Daily sports and activities available at the Kids Club
• A selection of elegant and luxurious suites and studios

Domes Of Elounda, Crete

All luxurious boutique hotel offering secluded suites and villas with amazing views over Mirabello Bay and on to the famous Island of Spinalonga, a fortress and former Leper colony made famous by the book ‘Small Island’.

It is a romantic retreat, built into the hillside, and blends harmoniously with the landscape, with an impressive Spa with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Enjoy a choice of restaurants on-site and the beach front bar – a perfect place to relax in the evening under the stars – or venture to one of the nearby typically Greek harbour villages.

Each of the 80 suites is huge and superbly decorated in earth colours with a blend of hand-picked local art, designer furniture and delicately-carved wooden furnishings. For more space, there are family suites which have a master bedroom and a second bedroom for children, a bathroom with separate access from each bedroom and a balcony or terrace with a heated Jacuzzi hot tub.

There is an excellent crèche which takes babies from 4 months, a ‘Blue Flag’ Sandy beach and the hotel can provide all the extras needed when travelling with a baby leaving you to relax.

• Spectacular hillside location and magical sea views
• Fine dining and warm hospitality
• Perfect for the whole family
• This extraordinary resort will leave a lasting impression
• Crèche designed to OFSTED standards with strict carer-to-child ratios
• Freshwater heated plunge pool just for babies and toddlers
• Extras like baby monitors and pushchairs can be arranged

Verdura Resort, Sicily

The Rocco Forte’s Verdura Resort is a stylish Golf and Spa Resort set on the South coast of Sicily. A truly individual Rocco Forte property on a vast estate with first class facilities for parents and their children to enjoy a luxury family holiday.

It is very family-friendly, with interconnecting rooms and suites for families and offers dedicated children’s lunches and suppers. It also has a purpose built kids club offering numerous activities for kids of all ages. From the Juventus soccer school, golf academy and the specially designed children & teen spa programme. The space of this estate means that it never feels crowded even in peak summer.

For young children (0-3 years old)

•    Hedgehog Teddy Turndown Service
•    24/7 babysitting
•    Free of charge baby meals
•    On request: Baby crockery,  bibs, bottle warmers, high chairs and sterilisers
•    Baby cots and baby bed linen
•    On request: motion mobiles, night lamps and play mats
•    Baby bathroom set up:- baby bath products, hooded towels and even rubber ducks!
•    On request: Anti-slip bath mats, baby bathtubs, temperature testers, nappies, nappy changing mats, nappy cream and wipes

Hotel Almyra, Cyprus

With breath-taking views over the picturesque fishing harbour and scenic coastline of Paphos beyond, this hotel is within walking distance of Paphos Town. Hotel Almyra is the ideal place for families and couples wanting to simply relax and unwind. You will find elegant and modern décor throughout, with bright airy spaces and large floor length windows offering views over the Mediterranean. Your every need is taken care of, with excellent service in the bars and restaurants, spa, salon, and on the seafront.

Guests can try a wide range of activities, including the Omakase Menu, with specially selected dishes chosen for you by the chef, as well as yoga, tennis, water sports, and lots more. Each of the rooms is tastefully decorated with sea or garden views, family rooms, suites, and more available.

This is a perfect hotel for a family holiday, with outstanding and unique facilities catering for children of all ages. The Baby-Go-Lightly is an innovative concept providing a range of services for babies, whilst the Explorers Kids Club will ensure a memorable experience for younger guests.

• Shaded splash pool next to the main pool
• Huge range of baby products and equipment available to pre-order
• Crèche with OFSTED-qualified staff and complimentary nappies, wipes and baby food
• Four Kids’ Clubs to choose from, each offering age appropriate games, activities and entertainment
• A full service spa, with a sauna, steam room, swimming pool, gym and salon, perfect for relaxing (over 16 years only)
• Chic and modern interiors greet you in the bars, restaurants and each of the room and suites
• Plenty of adults only entertainment, including bars, yoga classes and an adults only swimming pool

The Porto Sani or Sani Beach Club, Halkidiki

Sani Club is set on a hillside surrounded by pine forests and olive groves, overlooking the turquoise Aegean Sea, with views stretching to Mount Olympus.

This hotel, which is part of the award winning Sani Resort, set in a 1,000-acre nature reserve on the Kassandra peninsula. Designed as a small village set around Sani Marina, the resort boasts extensive facilities that include lagoon pools and 25 buffet and à la carte restaurants serving world cuisine. Private, pristine beaches lie just steps away from Sani Club’s rooms.

Guests can enjoy all the resort’s entertainment and sports, including gyms and tennis courts, a Chelsea FC football academy and water sports centre with a PADI dive school. The Ofsted-accredited kids’ clubs cater for children up to the age of 17, and there is also a special Teen Zone. Adults can experience the beautiful spa with Anne Semonin treatments.

The hotel has won a ‘Travellers Choice Award’ and Vogue describes it as Greece’s Monaco.

It also offers a crèche (for babies and toddlers aged between 4 months and 3 years) and a mini kids club (for kids aged 4-11 years) run to UK Ofsted standards. The hotel also offers ‘Babe Watch’, a facility where a professional child minder plays with your child on the beach while you swim or sunbathe. There are also professional child-minder’s available to book in resort, to look after baby while mum and dad go for a romantic meal in the evenings.

• Sani Club is perfect for families, with kids’ clubs and beachfront rooms
• The hotel overlooks the sea, Sani Marina and private white sand beaches
• Enjoy the resort’s impressive sports facilities, including a Chelsea football academy
• Relax by the lagoon-style pools, dine at 25 restaurants and indulge at the spa
• 30 minutes’ complimentary babysitting on the beach
• Crèche run to OFSTED standards with a staff to child ratio of 1:3 for babies
• Highchairs and baby menus in most restaurants around the Sani Resort

Gran Hotel Roca Nivaria, Tenerife

The Roca Nivaría Gran Hotel provides luxury, not just exclusive to adults and has chosen to make thoughtful additions to include the whole family. These include special dining areas, and bespoke activities and kids’ clubs. And while the little ones are being looked after, you can unwind in the luxurious spa suite, hopping from sauna to steam room to pool and back.

The hotel décor makes a tasteful nod to colonial styling, with understated furnishings and en suite bathrooms with twin sinks and separate showers and bathtubs. Almost every one of the rooms offers breath taking views of the Atlantic Ocean, where you can watch the sun disappear below the horizon from the privacy of your own balcony.

The grounds of the hotel are lush with tropical palm trees that sway gently in the breeze and offer shade to poolside sunbathers. Outdoor living is made the most of in all respects. There are sweeping, open air restaurant terraces. An incredible multi-facility sports centre where you can play tennis and beach volleyball, and practise your putting before heading to one of the nearby golf courses. For the golfers, you will even benefit from guest discounts. And after a hard day’s work, you can retire to the luxurious spa to unwind and soothe aching muscles as you watch the sun go down.

The Baby Club here takes children from 10 months, with play sessions, plenty of toys, and cots for nap time. There are also a couple of dedicated kids’ pools for taking little ones for a splash.

It is also possible to add on an all-inclusive option, helping you budget.

• A luxury hotel with a focus on catering to the whole family, not just adults
• Situated atop the rugged and rocky coastline, with stunning views across the Atlantic
• Extensive sports facilities, including tennis courts, and partnerships with local golf courses
• Four restaurants to choose from, offering international buffet cuisine as well as more intimate à la carte restaurants

If you are happy to travel further afield, then these are my top picks:

Carlisle Bay, Antigua

Remember the hotel you would have chosen before having kids? Carlisle Bay is THAT hotel!

As a member of ‘The Leading Hotels of the World’, it is a luxurious boutique hotel set on a perfect sandy beach –  with just 82 suites it is big enough but able to retain an intimate atmosphere. The crèche and children’s club, combined with the room types, make this a unique option for a family holiday in the Caribbean.

Spacious and luxurious suites all boast stunning ocean views, and there is crisp white bed linen, with a large day bed on the balcony or terrace and fresh water and fruit delivered daily.

All suites have individually controlled air-conditioning and ceiling fans, minibar, overnight laundry service, 1 hour pressing service, dry cleaning service, hairdryers, safe and 24 hour room service.

The Beach Suites for families offer additional living space, a second bedroom and are located directly onto the gently shelving sandy beach.

The crèche (from 6 months) and children’s club is a purpose-built facility set in the hotel’s tropical gardens –  a fully equipped, air-conditioned centre with large shaded terrace, jungle gym, sandpit, paddling pool and four mini tennis courts.

This hotel restricts the number of rooms families can book and is often booked up many months in advance, especially during peak times and school holidays, so it would be wise to get in early if this is a consideration.

Highlights:

• Children’s clubs from 6 months
• Spa
• Beautiful sandy beach
• Non-motorised water sports: sailing, kayaking in the Mangrove, snorkelling, windsurfing, paddle boarding
• Motorised water sports: take place in a neighbouring to preserve the peace at Carlisle Bay and include water-skiing. wake-boarding and tubing (extra charge)
• Sailing – Stay and sail packages available
• Choice of restaurants
• Tennis, 9 courts, 4 are floodlit, coaching available
• Yoga, Pilates, Gym
• Small hotel

Heritage Awali or Le Telfair, Mauritius

These 2 resorts are set within the Bel Ombre Domain in the south of the Island, only about a 40 minute drive from the airport.

Awali is an all-inclusive resort (so great for budgeting) and has a truly African theme, with rooms set in blocks around tropical gardens, many with sea views. There are a choice of bars and restaurants along with several beautiful pool areas. Including an adult only one for that much needed relaxation! The resort boasts a fabulous children’s centre, with outdoor covered pool, playpark, indoor play and rest areas. They cater for babies here too, with its own crèche and nannies.

It is important to pre-book this option, as there are very limited spaces available for under 2s. The resort has several areas of beach, with clear shallow water, perfect for bathing with a little one. There is also the C Beach Club, which is shared with neighbouring Le Telfair – a different resort altogether.

Recently refurbished, this resort has a very colonial vibe with large swimming pool leading down towards the beach, a piano bar, cigar bar, various dining choices and great activity centre for children and teenagers. Both resorts have their own Spa, access to the nearby golf course, as well as including all water sports.

• Complimentary childcare service for babies up to 35 months
• Dedicated baby nurses fully trained in first aid
• Sandy beach and calm, shallow lagoon are ideal for babies

Beachcomber’s Dinarobin, Mauritius

Or one of my personal favourites – Beachcomber’s Dinarobin in Mauritius. It offers it all for a honeymoon: a calm and exclusive 5-star all-suite hotel with the most incredible backdrop. A wonderful Spa, a calm Oasis, Butik sunset beachbar, the Mahogany Bar where there is live music on most evenings, and great dining optoins. It shares facilities with sister hotel Paradis, next door (also 5 star). Paradis offers a bit more of a buzz with a friendly tennis centre, golf course, sports centre and additional restaurants and bars.

With the stunning and dramatic back drop of Le Morne mountain and 5km of stunning beaches fringing the crystal clear Indian Ocean it truly feels like paradise and the service here is impeccable.

Children are more than welcome and there is a children’s club from 3 years, or you can pay a very reasonable hourly rate for a nanny/babysitter to care for your little one so you can relax and enjoy some time as a couple too.

Beachcomber’s Victoria Resort and Spa, Mauritius

Beachcomber’s Victoria Resort and Spa on the west coast has won awards for being the best family resort in Africa. It is a 4*+ resort set on a long stretch of beautiful beach with fabulous children’s facilities. It does not offer any specific clubs or care for under 3’s, however toddlers are also catered for. A baby care room located off the reception area allows parents travelling with babies to access all the basic items to take care of their children during their holidays. For your convenience and comfort: a bottle warmer, a sterilizer, a changing table, a refrigerator filled with yoghurts, fruits and biscuits and homemade “purees” is available. Babysitting services are available to organise locally. The Resort, also offers extremely spacious rooms for families, and an option to upgrade to all inclusive to help with budgeting.

Mauritius is an ideal honeymoon destination, even with a baby in tow!

Beaches Resorts,

Beaches Resorts, the sister company to Sandals, offers the same all inclusive concept, but for families.  Beaches Luxury Included^® holidays have more of everything for everyone! From every land and water sport under the sun, to anytime gourmet dining at up to 21 speciality restaurants. Activities and amenities for all ages, and luxurious family-friendly suites, you will find more ways to enjoy your time together.

Infant programme

From the smallest new-born to those up to 24 months, your baby is in the very best hands at Beaches. Luxurious, climate-controlled nurseries-filled with cribs, strollers, high chairs, rocking chairs and everything your little one could ever need await to cradle them in the very lap of luxury. Our Certified Nannies love nothing better than to coddle, care for and bring smiles of delight to their little faces.

Operating Hours: 9am to 9pm (may vary by resort) Some camps open an hour earlier to accommodate parents going on the early scuba-diving trip.

With 2 resorts in Jamaica and one in Turks and Caicos, they come with

• Unlimited gourmet dining at 21 restaurants
• Breakfast, lunch, dinner and anytime snacks
• Unlimited premium spirits
• 15 bars, including swim-up bars
• Stocked bars in every room
• Unlimited Robert Mondovi Twin Oaks^®wines
• Kids Camps with INA certified nannies (from birth)
• Pirates Island Waterpark
• Caribbean Adventure with Sesame Street^®
• PADI-Certified scuba diving (all equipment included)
• Snorkelling (and all equipment)
• Hobie Cats, paddle boards, kayaks
• Professional instruction for water sports
• Green fees at Sandals Golf Club
• Unlimited Land Sports
• Liquid – nightly teen club
• Xbox Play Lounge
• Day and night tennis
• Firtness centre with state-of-the-art equipment
• Day and night entertainment including live shows
• The Caribbean’s first Certified Autism Centres

I hope this provides some valuable information and some suggestions to help you plan your honeymoon with your new baby – there are many more great places too, but I can’t cover them all I’m afraid.

Kim Robertson is Director at Your Way (Travel) Ltd. Your Way (Travel) Ltd. specialises in long haul, tailor-made, cruise and luxury travel to the USA, Caribbean, Indian Ocean and Far East.

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