Best Family Hotels in the UK

Preparing for a holiday with kids can easily start to feel like a military operation, what with the packing and the toy choices, and making sure the hotel you’d like to stay in has a room they can configure to suit your family’s dynamics… then finding it doesn’t and having to start searching again…But don’t let the problems loom so large they put you off. It doesn’t have to be difficult! In our list of the best family hotels in the UK we’ve found a really great selection of hotels that are sure to have the perfect room for your family, and to welcome you with open arms and lots of family-friendly extras. Some of them have special rooms, some have play rooms or just room to play, all have kid’s menus, some kids clubs, and some offer even more bespoke child-centric activities. But rest assured, all of our recommendations for the best family hotels in the UK are special enough for your family and your special family holiday.

For a Family Escape

Chewton Glen is a New Forest classic: a beautifully run country house hotel and spa, but with some newly-built luxury tree-house rooms, with panoramic views, and serious family appeal. Even if you’re not staying in one of the tree-houses you’re still welcome in The Beehive, the hotel’s kids club, and on the tennis courts and croquet lawn, in the pool and on the golf course maybe...There’s also 130 acres of grounds to explore, a spa, a cookery school and an excellent restaurant.
Moonfleet Manor started out as a stately home, and is still very grand, but when it was converted into a hotel, with 36 rooms and suites in a mix of traditional and contemporary style, family friendliness was at the forefront of the owner’s mind. Not only are the rooms well designed for families, there’s a friendly restaurant, a great kids club, and lots of family activities on offer – including an indoor pool, bowling, and a trampoline in the play area. There’s a spa for the adults and a relaxed, but special-feeling bar. The grounds are beautiful and there are miles of wonderful walking trails – and it's not far from the beach!

For a Family Beach Break

The Braye Beach Hotel, on Alderney in the Channel Islands, is an elegant, modern, 27 room beach hotel right on the island’s best sandy beach. Car-free Alderney is known for being an escape, and it’s certainly a peaceful spot to get back to nature, but there’s plenty for families to do beyond visiting the beach: the hotel is well equipped with ‘rainy day entertainments’ — as well as a huge terrace, a lounge and games room it also has a cinema. Plus it’s really comfortable, with a choice of eating in the fine dining restaurant or in the pub.
Torquay’s Cary Arms is a gorgeous old white and blue seafront pub with a collection of 21 boutique-style rooms, suites and huts, and an incredible position on the side of a cliff overlooking Babbacombe Bay. The ten rooms and suites in the main building are simple but chic, then there are three self-catering fishermen’s cottages and eight fun beach huts and beach suites right on the beach (these are fantastic for families — stay here and you can open your door directly onto the sundeck and then the beach), and all with a fresh, New England-y sort of feel. The gastro-pub style food is fantastic too, and there’s a spa.
Close to Rock in Cornwall, the St Moritz was an Art Deco seaside institution in the 1930s, and has recently been restored to its charming heyday glory — though it’s been brought up to date too, and there’s now a decidedly family-friendly feel, with 38 villas and 13 self-catering apartments, almost all of which would suit a family. The St Moritz also has both an indoor and outdoor pool, a family-friendly brasserie, access to tennis, surfing and sailing classes or facilities plus easy access to the beach and ocean views.
The St Enodoc Hotel is a fantastic modern luxury take on the classic bucket and spade hotel: it’s just up from the beach, with a fantastic view of the Camel Estuary, and has 20 large, light and, probably most important for families, comfortable rooms, plus a big garden with a well contained outdoor pool and a relaxed restaurant with an outdoor terrace. Families are best accommodated in the family suites, and the hotel also features a games room, a special children’s tea, a great kid’s menu and beach-y facilities. It’s also super friendly, which makes a big difference!

For a Countryside Getaway

The Langdale Hotel & Spa is a wonderful forest escape in Cumbria’s Langdale Valley, only 15 minutes drive from Ambleside and Coniston in the Lake District. Accommodation is scattered around the estate with the 50 rooms, suites and cottages arranged in traditional-looking slate buildings. The spa, with its pools, spas and saunas, is just for the grown-ups, but there’s a family pool too, plus tennis courts and a playground, and they have facilities on nearby Windemere if you want to try kayaking or paddleboarding. The gastropub style restaurant is very family-friendly too.
The Grove in Narberth, close to the Pembrokeshire National Park, is a converted grand Welsh farmhouse with 14 comfortable rooms and an impressively delicious restaurant. All of the rooms have views, some towards the gardens or surrounding fields, some towards the Preseli Mountains. And while the rooms are lovely, families might prefer their self-catering cottages with their homely touches. There's a selection of outdoor games for all ages, plus for younger ones a magical fairy trail through the grounds.

For Something A Bit Different

What do you think your kids would say if you told them you were taking them to stay in a castle? If you think that would impress them then Augill Castle is a good one to know about. Equidistant between the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales, the location is perfect for families who like a bit of a ramble, and there’s plenty to do around the castle if you need a break — it’s all a bit Famous Five, with an eclectic collection of antiques and curios, four-poster beds and roll-top baths, dressing up boxes, plenty of toys and a playground. There’s also a cooking school for children.
We don’t just have the one castle hotel on our list, though, we also love the Star Castle Hotel on the Isles of Scilly, which is arguably more of a 16th century fort arranged in the shape of a star, turned 38 room family-friendly, family-run hotel. This is the kind of hotel people want to return to over and over again, and your kids will be no exception. The hotel has two restaurants, a pool and a bar — in the dungeon — but it’s also within a short walk of a sailing club, boat hire facilities, tennis courts, horse riding stables and snorkelling sites. And there are plenty of fantastic walking trails across the island.
If you’re looking for somewhere really unusual to take your family it’s difficult to top the Bodmin Jail Hotel for quirky accommodation. You wouldn’t think a prison would be an ideal building to convert into a hotel, but the result at Bodmin is stylish and surprisingly comfortable, though the windows are still very small, and the corridors between the 70 rooms and suites may be a bit unchanged for many people’s liking… There’s a record of a prisoner in each room, along with the indulgent bathroom and luxurious linens, and there’s a smart restaurant, a champagne bar, a friendly tavern, and a gym.

For Family-Friendly Luxury

The Gleneagles Hotel is a beautiful old grand dame resort hotel in a stunning Perthshire setting, surrounded by championship golf courses. You might have heard of it, but what you might not have known is how perfect it would be for a family holiday: offering the opportunity to try falconry, take a riding lesson or clay pigeon shooting, or play tennis or go fishing, swimming or cycling, or use the pitch and putt course. There’s also a range of places to eat and a spa, so there’s a lot of five star luxury to offer parents too.

For Great Activities

Saunton Sands Hotel overlooks a sandy stretch of the North Devon coastline, a large, white hotel harking back to the best in family seaside holiday traditions. Its 95 rooms, suites and family apartments, are comfortably and simply decorated, and there are great on-site facilities for families, including a supervised playroom, indoor and outdoor pools, complimentary yoga classes, tennis courts, and a spa. And you’re moments from surfing lessons, pony rides, a golf course and sailing facilities.
The Swinton Park Hotel is a castle/stately home conversion, so we recommend it for families looking for something a bit special. But the facilities on site are so varied that it’s a great pick for active families too, or those who want to try something a bit different. It is set amid 250 acres of parkland, on which they’re able to offer pony trekking, falconry displays, archery, fishing, cooking classes, both indoor and outdoor pools, a games room, bike hire, croquet on the lawns, a gym and an impressive spa. In addition to 32 spacious rooms and suites decorated with antiques and original art, and an excellent restaurant.

For Relaxing as a Family

The Polurrian on the Lizard is a traditional, family-friendly hotel incredibly positioned overlooking the ocean, above a sandy stretch of beach. There are just 39 rooms and suites, all light, bright and airy, indoors and outdoors pools – and indoor and outdoor play areas too – plus an Ofsted-registered creche, a gym and spa, 12 acres of clifftop gardens, a cinema room and a choice of fine or family dining.
Fowey Hall is a small and stylish manor-turned-country-house-hotel overlooking the Fowey River estuary on Cornwall’s sunny, sandy, south coast. They’ve really gone the extra mile for families here, with a creche, nannies and kids club facilities too. There’s a spa for the grown ups, and an indoor pool. And you’re just five minutes from the beach and ten minutes from the Eden Project.

Family-Friendly City Break Hotels

Edinburgh’s The George, is a grand city hotel in the best grand city hotel traditions, the perfect place for afternoon tea, fancy details and impeccable service. And that impeccable service is employed with extra care for families. They have a clever range of interconnecting rooms and suites, welcome gifts for children, and child-friendly menus in the superb restaurant. The location is unbeatable too, a short walk from many of Edinburgh’s top attractions.

For Great Value

The Barnett Hill Hotel is a carefully converted mansion outside Guildford, with 50-odd guest rooms and suites decorated with bold colours and contemporary luxury. This is a hotel to come to to treat yourself, specialising in champagne afternoon tea, fine dining and proximity to the beautiful Surrey Hills and a collection of theme parks that will really treat your kids.
The Auchrannie House Hotel is part of a beautifully sprawling estate on the Isle of Arran. The hotel has 84 rooms, suites and private cabins and cottages, dressed in contemporary fashion, with a preference for tartan that works well in this idyllic spot. The gardens aren’t just providing a relaxing view, they’re also a setting for archery classes and tennis courts. Indoors there’s a pool, a cosy lounge and bar, a games room, and friendly restaurant.
Soar Mill Cove Hotel is another really affordable family-friendly hotel in a fantastic seaside spot, this time a couple of miles from Salcombe. Owned and run by the same family for 30+ years this is another spot families come back to year after year. There are 20 large rooms and suites, some with private patios and sea views, and there are another two self-catering cottages which share a private outdoor hot tub. In addition to the beach and the cliffs and the ocean, there’s an indoor swimming pool, play area and tennis court to keep your kids occupied, and there’s miles of spectacular, safe walking. Not forgetting the restaurant with a daily changing Prix Fixé menu.

Still not sure which to book?

Refine your search by location and check out our lists of 13 of the best family hotels in London.
Or you could peruse the 14 best family hotels in the Lake District, the 8 best family hotels in York, or our recommendations for the best family hotels in Devon.
Alternatively, you could contact one of our friendly Gurus for personalised advice.

20 of the Best Family Hotels in the UK

St Enodoc Hotel

Rock (Cornwall)

A boutique coastal hotel with views of the Camel Estuary. Smart rooms are beautifully styled with bright colours, oil paintings, and simple modern furniture. The popular restaurant serves healthy contemporary dishes. Vibrant and cosy, with top marks for the stunning location and warmth of service.

Families - Family suites, games room, special kiddies menus and a wealth of fun beachside activities make this an ideal family getaway
Tennis - The Point in Polzeath offers free gym access to guests, as well as tennis courts and lessons at a small additional charge
Surfing - The hotel will organise a private surf lessons with George Stoy, a perfect introduction to Cornwall's most popular sport!
Great walks - Set along some of the most spendid coastline in Cornwall, there are endless paths and trails to navigate

from AU$332 for 1 room, 1 night including taxes & fees

Augill Castle

Cumbria (Cumbria)

Standing between the Lake District and the Dales rests this eccentric castle welcoming all the family into the countryside and the Eden Valley. Four poster beds and antique furnishings make up the comfortable rooms. Restaurant is open on weekends. Great hideaway and local exploring to be done.

Families - With fantastic facilities for kids, from cooking classes, to playgrounds, dressing up boxes and plenty of toys.
Country Escape - Spectacular walking, wonderful views and whiskey in the drawing room old school weekend in the country vibes.
Great walks - With national parks all around, this is the perfect spot to get on your walking boots.
Cooking classes - The hotel has a wonderful cookery school for children.

from AU$312 for 1 room, 1 night including taxes & fees

20 of the Best Family Hotels in the UK

For a Family Escape

For a Family Beach Break

For a Countryside Getaway

For Something A Bit Different

For Family-Friendly Luxury

For Great Activities

For Relaxing as a Family

Family-Friendly City Break Hotels

For Great Value

Still not sure which to book?

20 of the Best Family Hotels in the UK

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