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As a new parent, I spent countless hours googling Baby and Toddler Friendly Holidays. I wanted somewhere not too far from home but with all the amenities that could cater to my one year old, with minimum stress for us parents.
Enter: A Menorca villa holiday.
Here are my top reasons why villas are ideal for baby and toddler friendly holidays in Menorca.
Why is Menorca the best destination for a baby and toddler friendly holiday?
A short flight time from London
Menorca is approximately a 2 hour flight from London. Obviously this post is no good to you if you live in New Zealand, but if you’re in Europe then read on.
I didn’t know what to expect from my 15 month old on her first flight, so it was important that we tested the waters with a short as possible journey. As it happened, she was mostly pretty good but didn’t really enjoy being strapped down. It made me glad we chose the Balearics over somewhere like the Canary Islands or Greece.
The quietest Balearic Island
Menorca is no place for a stag do – thank goodness! Unlike its island neighbours, Menorca does not cater to the party crowd. The laidback vibe suited us perfectly. Nobody wants Steve and his rowdy stags waking up their sleeping baby!
A small island with beautiful beaches
We chose to stay in Binibeca which is just a short 15-20 minute transfer from Mahon airport. After the flight we just wanted to be at our accommodation as soon as possible. The other reason we chose to stay in Binibeca was the resort amenities. We were just a 10 minute stroll to the beach, shops and restaurants. A little further than this was Binibeca Vell, an area of interest on many tours of the island.
Of course, Menorca is packed full of beautiful beaches, so wherever you choose to stay is likely to be an excellent choice.
Our villa was Villa Beatrice, which can be booked here.
Exploring Menorca is easy by car
We aren’t a fly and flop kind of family, even with a toddler in tow. So we chose to hire a car for two days of our week long break. We opted for a car as we thought it would be an easier way to transport our young daughter around without having to navigate public transport with pushchair and all the baby stuff we end up carrying along with us.
It takes less than an hour to travel from one side of the island to the other, so getting around is relatively easy.
Why are villas ideal for baby and toddler holidays in Menorca?
Freedom for parents during nap time
In a villa, you can put your baby down for a nap in their bedroom and then head outside to savour some relaxation time by the pool. In a hotel, you can’t do such a thing. 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 being confined to a hotel room.
Private pool, private pool, private pool
Chances are your little one won’t be too accustomed to swimming pools just yet. 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 baby. 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.
A villa kitchen makes a home from home
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 and 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. It also meant we had a well stocked fridge of beers, plus tea to drink of an evening when our daughter was in bed.
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, plus it made the overall cost of the villa cheaper too.
And yes we did indulge in a cheeky cocktail while my parents were babysitting!
There you have it – villa holidays are the ultimate baby and toddler friendly holidays in Menorca. Have you been?
If you liked this post then you might enjoy some of my other family travel posts.