Family holiday ideas
☀️Winter sun family holidays
Where to find warm sea, short transfers and a real kids club when it is grey at home. Every hotel scored for families.
From late October the Canary Islands and the southern Costa keep the sun going while northern Europe shuts down. These are the family hotels that make a winter escape work with kids: warm shallow pools, indoor options for a cool evening, and clubs that run out of season. Booked early, they are the best-value sun of the year.
Our picks
in Costa del Sol
Kempinski Hotel Bahía
Spacious, genuinely luxurious rooms and family suites with fine linens and marble bathrooms. Baby equipment and bottle sterilisation come on request, so travelling with little ones is properly catered for.
in Tenerife
GF Victoria
Every room is a suite, most with a separate lounge and a sofa bed, so a family of four never has to share one open space. Junior suites suit couples with a baby, and the larger suites give teens their own corner.
in Tenerife
Royal Hideaway Corales Suites
The reason to book: 114 designer apartments from one to three bedrooms, each with a full kitchen and sea views, some with a private hot tub or plunge pool. Genuinely the smart choice for families who want space plus a five-star address.
in Tenerife
Iberostar Selection Anthelia
Comfortable, classic rooms with balconies, and family rooms that sleep four without feeling cramped. Ask for a garden or pool view rather than the road side.
in Costa del Sol
Higuerón Hotel Málaga, Curio Collection by Hilton
Polished, contemporary rooms with quality beds and generous family options that comfortably take two adults and two children. Higher floors get the sea views that define the place.
in Costa del Sol
Sunset Beach Club
Every apartment has a proper kitchenette, a balcony and a sofa bed for two, so a family of four spreads out easily. One and two bedroom options mean bigger groups get a real separate bedroom.
in Costa del Sol
Sol Príncipe by Meliá
Standard family rooms take two adults and two children, with a sofa bed and a small balcony. They are practical rather than plush, so ask for a renovated room and one facing the gardens if you want quiet at nap time.
in Costa del Sol
Sol Marbella Estepona Atalaya Park by Meliá
Comfortable rooms with a private balcony looking over the gardens, pools or the mountains. Family rooms take four; they are simple and functional rather than stylish, but the gardens are the real draw.
in Tenerife
H10 Costa Adeje Palace
Solid family rooms, some with connecting doors, that comfortably fit two adults and two children. Interiors are neat and functional rather than designer.
in Costa del Sol
Holiday World Resort Affiliated by Meliá
Apartment-style rooms for up to four, with a separate bedroom, a small kitchen and a sofa bed in the living area. Handy for spreading out, though decor is functional and varies across the three hotels in the complex.
in Costa del Sol
La Cala Resort
Boutique-hotel rooms and suites that are calm, spacious and better finished than most resort rooms on the coast. Family rooms take four, though there are no kitchenettes, so it is a hotel stay rather than self-catering.
in Tenerife
Gran Oasis Resort
Apartment-style rooms with kitchenettes and a separate sleeping area, roomy enough for a family and handy for keeping snacks and breakfast in. Decor is simple and practical.
Winter sun family holidays
| Hotel | Score | Kids club | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kempinski Hotel Bahía | 90 | ✅ Free kids club | 340€ |
| GF Victoria | 88 | ✅ Free kids club | 320€ |
| Royal Hideaway Corales Suites | 88 | ✅ Free kids club | 380€ |
| Iberostar Selection Anthelia | 86 | ✅ Free kids club | 240€ |
| Higuerón Hotel Málaga, Curio Collection by Hilton | 84 | — | 245€ |
| Sunset Beach Club | 83 | ✅ Free kids club | 95€ |
| Sol Príncipe by Meliá | 82 | ✅ Free kids club | 125€ |
| Sol Marbella Estepona Atalaya Park by Meliá | 81 | ✅ Free kids club | 120€ |
| H10 Costa Adeje Palace | 80 | ✅ Free kids club | 190€ |
| Holiday World Resort Affiliated by Meliá | 79 | ✅ Free kids club | 90€ |
| La Cala Resort | 79 | — | 160€ |
| Gran Oasis Resort | 76 | ✅ Free kids club | 130€ |
Parents also ask
Where is warmest in Europe in winter?
Tenerife and the Canary Islands stay mild all winter (20 to 24C by day), warmer than the Spanish mainland. The Costa del Sol is a step cooler but still sunny.
Is the sea warm enough to swim?
In the Canaries the sea is swimmable most of the winter for hardy kids, but a heated hotel pool is the safer bet. We flag heated pools on each hotel.
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