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As an anxious person, but also someone who enjoys travel, I felt I needed to do quite a bit of research into the perfect toddler holidays abroad before I committed to booking my daughter’s first trip overseas. In my research, I came to the conclusion that, as a Brit or indeed European, the best place to holiday with a toddler is Menorca. This beautiful Balearic Island is a short flight from London and much more laid back than its neighbours.
So that’s the destination sorted. But what about accommodation? Read on to find out about my first-hand experience of why a villa is the best choice for a toddler friendly holiday.
Why a villa is the best choice for toddler holidays abroad
Freedom for parents during nap time
Any parent knows that navigating nap times becomes a huge part of your day. And being on holiday is no exception. Unless you’re lucky enough to have a toddler who will nap on the go in their pushchair then you’re likely to still require some sort of sleep routine.
The beauty of staying in a villa is the space you get. Unlike being confined to a hotel room while little one sleeps, you can put your baby down for a nap in their bedroom and then head outside to savour some relaxation time by the pool. We still packed our baby monitor so we could keep an eye on our daughter while she slept, but being in close proximity meant we could relax a little poolside rather than stuck inside.
Private pool, private pool, private pool
Chances are your little one won’t be too accustomed to swimming pools just yet. Having a private pool is the perfect opportunity to enjoy some time in the water without other people getting in the way. You don’t really want other people’s kids dive bombing into the pool whilst you are having a cute little splash session with your baby do you?
Another benefit to a private pool is bagging a shady spot for your tot. It’s important to keep their young delicate skin out of the sun so at least there’s no competition for parasols or sun loungers when you have the pool area all to yourselves.
Tip: consider a villa with a heated pool. We visited Menorca in May so it wasn’t scorching hot. A heated pool is much more comfortable for little ones (and wimps like me). We stayed at Villa Beatrice in Binibeca which was one of few that met our needs.
A villa kitchen makes a home from home
Like many toddlers, my daughter can be quite particular about what she chooses to eat. And I am a paranoid mother when it comes to the salt content of her food. So rather than relying on children’s menus all week (which let’s be honest, pretty much consist of chicken nuggets, fries and tomato pasta) we decided to buy some foods she likes and cook up a few things in advance of going to a restaurant. This worked really well for us and her as it meant that we knew she would eat what was on her plate. Plus we hadn’t just wasted 8 euro on something she would just throw on the floor. Being able to cook at the villa also saved us some money as we had a few meals there ourselves rather than dining in restaurants every night.
An all inclusive hotel can be beneficial for a holiday with a toddler as you can always find something to please the fussiest of eaters. However, during the evenings it was nice to have a well stocked fridge of beers in the villa so we could enjoy a drink or two after our daughter had gone to bed.
You’ll appreciate the extra space in a villa
It’s no secret that toddlers and babies require A LOT of stuff. Having extra room in your holiday accommodation means you aren’t tripping over toys and other belongings that you might otherwise in a hotel room. Additionally, referring back to my point about nap times means that when your toddler is sleeping then you aren’t creeping around the room so as not to wake them.
In our villa, once we had put our daughter to bed, we were able to chill out in the villa lounge with drinks and snacks without worrying about waking her up.
There’s room for the grandparents
If you choose a villa with enough bedrooms, then there’s space to bring the grandparents too! We invited my parents on the holiday with us as we thought they would enjoy some time with their only grandchild. The bonus of that for us meant that there were two extra pairs of eyes on our daughter, because toddlers = chaos.
Another bonus to sharing your villa with other family members is that it makes the overall cost of the villa cheaper too. This is because you pay per villa rather than per person, so you can split the cost.
Bringing the grandparents means that there are babysitters on hand. And yes me and hubby did take a relaxed stroll to the shops whilst my parents were babysitting and then “accidentally” find ourselves in a rooftop bar for a cheeky cocktail!
And that concludes my first experience of toddler holidays abroad! Spain is an excellent destination for families looking for some sunshine so stay tuned for more Spain content coming soon.
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