Grand Palladium Palace Ibiza Resort | Courtesy of Palladium Hotel Group
Long known as a mecca for holiday makers, the Balearic Islands are attracting more visitors than ever with world-class beaches, buzzy resorts, and almost guaranteed sunshine. And with families making up a big chunk of these, there’s no shortage of hotels geared up to keep the kids happy – while also providing the parents with some all-important child-free time. Here’s a run-down of the top family-friendly hotels in the Balearics.
Hotels rarely come more family-friendly than Menorca‘s Royal Son Bou Family Club. As well as being just minutes from the super child-friendly (and longest on the island) Son Bou beach, this four-star property boasts a raft of kid-focused facilities including a heated splash pool, children’s buffets, and no less than six mini-clubs for every age from zero to 17 years. Apartments are also adapted to the needs of families with children, with self-catering facilities and separate bedrooms for the little ones. An optional all-inclusive plan also keeps things simpler – with free ice-cream for all!
Grand Palladium Palace Ibiza Resort & Spa, Sant Jordi de ses Salines
Resort, Spa Hotel
Grand Palladium Palace Ibiza Resort | Courtesy of Palladium Hotel Group
This upscale resort hotel really pulls out all the stops when it comes to keeping younger guests of all ages entertained. It starts with a baby club nursery with multilingual nannies where parents can drop off their tots. A mini-club then offers activities and workshops that include games, competitions, and educational activities, and there’s even something for the teenagers with the likes of cinema, DJ classes, and game consoles. There are also four pools (including kids’ fun pools), three themed restaurants, and extensive sports facilities for all ages, plus the bonus of Playa d’en Bossa beach just a few minutes’ walk away.
For the full-on resort complex experience with added bonus of all-inclusive plan as standard, families with kids need look no further than Club Mac. At around a thousand rooms, it’s one of the largest hotels on the island, and with a total of eight pools and an extensive animation program kids are never short of somewhere to splash or something to do. Be warned, however, with all those youngsters it can get boisterous. There’s also the extra perk of free entry to the neighbouring waterpark.
Bucking the trend for the typical value-oriented family hotel, the Zafiro Palace Alcudia is as upscale as kid-friendly hotels come on the island of Mallorca. The complex is big without being brash, and the all-inclusive plan the quality you’d expect in a five-star property. Accommodation is all spacious family-friendly suites, while facilities include six pools, four themed restaurants, and a deluxe spa for parents to luxuriate when the little ones are having a riot at one of three kids’ clubs.
Kids Club at the Sheraton Mallorca Arabella Golf Hotel courtesy of Starwood Hotels
While it may come as a surprise to include a golf hotel on a family-friendly list, the Sheraton Mallorca Arabella Golf Hotel certainly deserves to be. As well as being set in three acres of lush gardens with beautiful views of the surrounding hills, the grounds include a separate family pool, a shaded splash pool for toddlers, and a free kids’ club for children aged between four and 10. It even organises fun family Sunday events, featuring barbecues and bouncy castles.
Hotel Riu La Mola courtesy of Riu Hotels & Resorts
At over 300 guest rooms, the Hotel Riu La Mola is one of just a few big chain hotels on the island of Formentera – and making it one of the more kid-friendly. This whitewashed complex tiers down a pine-covered hillside overlooking the picturesque eastern end of Migjorn Beach. It features everything you’d expect from a resort-style property, with three swimming pools (one just for nippers) and an outstanding kids’ club, plus spa facilities for the parents to get pampered in peace when the little ones have been taken off their hands.
While known more for its party-oriented rock ‘n’ roll vibe, the Hard Rock Hotel Ibiza is another surprisingly kid-friendly option, offering something for younger visitors across the board. The hotel offers a unique Hard Rock Roxity Kids Club where even little people can indulge their inner rock star with music-themed activities, together with soft play areas, video games, cinema, and a supervised nursery. And there’s obviously plenty for the grown-ups, too, from the Rock Spa to Michelin-starred dining that, well, would just be wasted on the kids.
