Ten child friendly hotels

Selecting a child friendly hotel is made a little easier with this article, with ten child friendly hotels, from 22nd October 2006 in The Times Online...

Ten child friendly hotels in Britain
Adam Raphael picks his top stops for tiny tots from Worcestershire to Wales and Scotland to the Isle of Wight

In France and Italy, even in Michelin-starred restaurants, there are kids milling around, but British hotels are notoriously un-child- friendly — or at least they were. Enterprising hoteliers are now challenging that anti-tot culture.

Here are 10 hotels where parents can relax, knowing the youngsters will be welcome. They all offer genuine friendliness and great family facilities. The downside tends to be cost: grounds, staff and pools don’t come cheap.

1 THE EVESHAM HOTEL, Worcestershire A well-run hotel with a splendidly quirky host, John Jenkinson. Its Alice in Wonderland suite is not to be missed. Plus, slides, trampoline, indoor swimming pool, games room, croquet and a junior à la carte menu. 01386 765566, www.eveshamhotel.com; 40 rooms, doubles from £124, B&B

2 FRITTON HOUSE, Norfolk Converted by the Hon Hugh Crossley from an old inn on his family’s estate, it has rowing boats and pedalos on the lake, plus a model farm, giant board games and slides in its 250 acres of grounds. 01493 484008, www.frittonhouse.co.uk; 9 rooms, doubles from £110, B&B

3 SEAVIEW HOTEL, Isle of Wight A seaside hotel on an island with hundreds of rock pools to explore, and near to a sports club with swimming pool, gym and tennis. Young children have high tea at 5pm. Fresh orange juice, porridge and kippers are on offer at breakfast. 01983 612711, www.seaviewhotel.co.uk; 17 rooms, doubles from £105, B&B

4 CALCOT MANOR, Gloucestershire A conversion of a 14th- century farmhouse, it has a crèche, baby-listening and a play area, plus tennis, heated indoor and outdoor pools, bicycles and croquet. Suites have bunks or sofa beds for the young. 01666 890391, www.calcotmanor.co.uk; 33 rooms, doubles from £195, B&B

5 THE PRIORY INN, Gloucestershire Highchairs, toys, cots, changing facilities and special menus help families feel at home in this market-town hotel on the River Avon. 01666 502251, www.theprioryinn.co.uk; 14 rooms, doubles from £99, B&B

6 MOONFLEET MANOR, Dorset Owned by Luxury Family Hotels, this is now part of the Von Essen group. A sprawling Georgian manor house, it prides itself on facilities for children of all ages: swimming pool, computer games, tennis, table tennis and a nursery. 01305 786948, www.moonfleetmanorhotel.co.uk; 36 rooms, doubles from £170, B&B

7 FOWEY HALL, Cornwall Also part of the Von Essen group, this hotel has bedrooms named after characters from The Wind in the Willows. There is a games room, a beach a short walk away, a crèche for children under seven, and baby monitors and baby-sitters on offer. Parents may pack as many offspring as they can tolerate into their bedroom at no extra cost. 01726 833866, www.foweyhallhotel.co.uk; 36 rooms, doubles from £170, half-board

8 GLENFINNAN HOUSE, Scotland A handsome Victorian house on Loch Shiel, near the spot where Bonnie Prince Charlie raised his standard. Playground, fishing, children’s menu. Children under 12 get free accommodation. 01397 722235, www.glenfinnanhouse.com; 13 rooms, doubles from £70, B&B

9 PORTH TOCYN HOTEL, Wales A traditional family hotel above Cardigan Bay, run by the Fletcher-Brewer family for more than half a century. The food is good, and there’s a games room and outdoor swimming pool, with fishing and watersports on offer nearby. 01758 713303, www.porth-tocyn-hotel.co.uk; 17 bedrooms, doubles from £87, B&B

10 DRUIDSTONE HOTEL, Wales A 19th-century house above a glorious beach near Broad Haven in Pembrokeshire: safe bathing, 22-acre grounds. The hotel’s own fisherman catches sea bass and mackerel for breakfast. 01437 781221, www.druidstone.co.uk; 11 rooms, doubles from £86, B&B



If you have visited any of these establishments recently please feel free to leave your up to date comments about them.

Also, if anyone knows of child friend hotels on Brownsea Island, near Poole, do let me know as we are thinking of taking the children to see the Red Squirrels (or Squiggles as my daughter used to call them) on a National Trust walk this October.