Our guide to baby-friendly holidays

A baby’s first holiday does not need to mean packing the entire nursery. Choose well and you can travel lighter, settle in faster and spend more time enjoying the tiny sunhat moments.

But what does “baby-friendly” actually mean? Here’s what to look for before you book, plus 10 of our favourite baby-friendly hotels where tiny travellers are treated like VIPs.

What makes a holiday baby-friendly?

Every family travels differently, so there is no one-size-fits-all version of baby-friendly. For some, it means a short hop to a home-from-home spot in the sunshine. For others, it’s a luxury resort where trusted childcare gives you the option of a little grown-up time. You might want a villa with shade, space and everything close at hand, an all-inclusive stay that takes the faff out of feeding time or just somewhere your family feels genuinely welcome. Our travel experts will listen to what matters most to you and help find a stay with the right facilities and feel.

Before you book, it’s worth thinking about:

• Flight time and transfer time

• Whether baby equipment can be requested in advance

• Room layout, especially if your baby naps in the day or sleeps early

• Shaded areas around the pool and beach

• Flexible dining times

• Access to baby food, milk, nappies or other essentials

• Crèche age limits and babysitting options

• Pushchair-friendly paths, lifts and resort layouts

Our top 10 baby-friendly hotels

From a five-star Cyprus retreat with a dedicated baby food menu to a Caribbean resort with Sesame Street® story time, these are 10 of our favourite baby-friendly stays.

Best for play space on a grand scale: Princesa Yaiza Suite Hotel Resort, Lanzarote

Set beside a soft sandy beach, Princesa Yaiza Suite Hotel Resort pairs five-star comfort with serious family know-how. Capitan Park is the 10,000m² hub, with age-tailored spaces from babyhood to teens, including a Baby Club for four months to three years and Soft Play for under-eights. Book the Royal Kids Suite and you’ll get two bedrooms, a themed children’s room and an impressive baby kit, from a stroller and playpen to night lights and a baby bath.

Flight time: 4–5 hours
Transfer time: 30 mins

Best for full-throttle family fun: Beaches Turks & Caicos

Beaches Turks & Caicos is a one-of-a-kind all-inclusive with a big, bright personality and children at the heart of the experience. There are Sesame Street® characters to meet, a choo choo train to ride, pools to splash in and a beach made for sandy little feet. Parents are spoilt too, with gourmet all-inclusive dining and plenty included. The baby bonus is the Infant Programme for newborns to two-year-olds, where certified nannies care for little guests in climate-controlled nurseries with play, stories, music and nap time.

Flight time: 10–11 hours
Transfer time: 15–20 mins

Best for castaway playtime: Niyama Private Islands Maldives

Niyama Private Islands proves the Maldives is not just for honeymooners. Spread across two islands, Chill and Play, it has all the castaway beauty you’d hope for, plus roomy villas and one of the biggest kids’ clubs in the Maldives. Explorers Kids Club is split into age-appropriate groups, including Globetrotters for one to three-year-olds. Days can include everything from splash park fun and mini MasterChef classes to island exploring, while villas can be pre-stocked with baby essentials such as bottle warmers and potties.

Flight time: 10–11 hours to Malé
Transfer time: 45 mins by seaplane

Best for a baby-friendly village feel: Martinhal Sagres Beach Family Resort, Algarve

Martinhal Sagres Beach Family Resort brings a sunny village feel to Portugal’s Algarve, with baby-friendly extras built into the stay. The complimentary baby concierge service can arrange kit such as potties, bottle warmers, thermometers, cots and safety gates, while the Blue Room has a dedicated baby area with sensory and nesting games. Look out for Rafi and Rosita, the resort’s fox mascots, and use the Village Square shop for wipes, baby food and other easy-to-forget essentials.

Flight time: 2–3 hours
Transfer time: 1 hour 15 mins

Best for a home-away-from-home: Chia Laguna Hotel Village, Sardinia

Set among colourful Mediterranean gardens, Chia Laguna Hotel Village is the resort’s village-style family stay. Selected family rooms feel like little houses, with upstairs space for children, handy when baby’s bedtime comes before yours. Days can drift between five pools, including a paddling pool, and a sandy beach with a gently shelving seabed. Baby kit can be arranged in advance, while siblings have plenty to keep them busy, from treasure hunts and supervised beach games to sandcastle building and Little Sardinian Chef sessions.

Flight time: 2–3 hours
Transfer time: 1 hour

Best for five-star family freedom: Ikos Andalusia, Spain

Ikos Andalusia gives all-inclusive a five-star glow-up on Spain’s Costa del Sol. Its Infinite Lifestyle concept wraps à la carte dining, 24-hour room service, beach and pool service, activities and Dine Out at selected local restaurants into the stay. Babies can join Heroes Crèche from six months to three years, where qualified staff lead age-appropriate play. Fresh baby food is available on request, with baby sets, pram rental and buggy-friendly access, while babysitting can be arranged at an extra cost for dinner à deux.

Flight time: 2–3 hours
Transfer time: 50 mins

Best for baby swims & little foodies: Porto Sani, Greece

Few resorts rival Sani for family-friendly extras, and Porto Sani puts them right on your doorstep. Set within Sani Resort, close to the marina, beaches and restaurants, it has an extended Kids Club and Crèche, plus kids and baby well-being menus by Donna Hay. At the family buffet, a dedicated children’s area serves her exclusive recipes, from colourful classics to fresh, balanced dishes. Add baby swimming sessions, private nannies, babysitting and kit on request, and you have serious backup for baby’s first beach holiday.

Flight time: 3–4 hours
Transfer time: 50 mins

Best for your own villa bubble: Daios Cove, Crete

At Daios Cove, you get a private villa bubble above a sheltered bay, with sea views, terrace time and a heated pool just for you. The two-bedroom family villas have space for two adults and three children, with safety fencing for the pool and stairs adding peace of mind. Step out of your villa and the wider resort is close by, from elegant restaurants and a sandy beach with shallow water to the Crèche Club for babies from four months.

Flight time: 4 hours

Transfer time: 1 hour

Best for Piton views & parent pampering: Sugar Beach, A Viceroy Resort, Saint Lucia

At Sugar Beach, the magic is in the setting: Pitons above you, rainforest around you and white sand made for shaded cuddles between sea dips. This is low-key luxury rather than full-on family circus, with thoughtful service, a warm welcome for little ones and a personal butler to help with unpacking, beach drinks and those small requests that crop up. Arrange babysitting and slip off to the Rainforest Spa for a bamboo massage, or enjoy a date night on the deck at Bonte, with live music and island cooking fresh from the grill.

Flight time: 8–9 hours
Transfer time: 45 mins

Best for baby menus with flair: Almyra, Cyprus

Cyprus is famously welcoming to families, and sea-facing Almyra makes a stylish base for a baby-friendly stay. Here, you can take your baby for a paddle, enjoy afternoon strolls along the coastal path into Paphos and choose from baby-friendly dishes, including puréed and mashed options, in the hotel restaurants. Make use of Baby Go Lightly too, an online service where you can pre-order baby essentials before you arrive.

Flight time: 4–5 hours
Transfer time: 15 mins

Planning your first family holiday with Kuoni

Travelling with a baby comes with more questions than your average beach break. Our travel experts can check the essentials before you book, from baby equipment and room layout to transfer times, dining options and childcare, so you know exactly what to expect when you arrive.

The information is correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication.