Top 10: the best family hotels in the world

Monday newsletters always feature top 10 travel lists to inspire.

Today (October 9, 2017): Top 10 world’s most luxurious family hotels.

Family holidays are all about enjoying the journey more than the destination. Cliché travel quote or not, it’s still true. However, it does take some little forward thinking and advance planning to make a family holiday one of the best memories of your life. To help you, I have selected the 10 best and most luxurious family hotels in destinations around the world, including the Maldives, Thailand, Canada and Hawaii.

There is more information below the slideshow. Do you agree or have a favorite that didn’t make my list? Leave it in the comments or take my poll below.

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10. THE DATAI LANGKAWI, MALAYSIA

Nestled in the heart of an ancient rainforest above a gorgeous bay, the Datai Langkawi is a captivating destination resort that blends smoothly with its natural surroundings. Situated on the beautiful Malaysian island of Langkawi, each room, suite and villa enjoys the embrace of the lush rainforest and some offer stunning views from private verandas of the breathtaking Andaman Sea. The resort’s surrounding jungle plays host to a wealth of wildlife, such as dusky leaf monkeys, tokay geckos or Sunda flying lemurs. In this serene natural haven, you can reconnect with nature, rekindle your spirit and reignite your soul. The hotel is currently undergoing an extensive refurbishment and will reopen in 2018.

Families will love the complimentary morning and evening nature walks in the 10-million year old rainforest, as well as the separate children’s pool on the beach.

• Hotel website: The Datai Langkawi
• Other accolades: The Datai Langkawi also features in my top 10 list of the world’s most luxurious rainforest lodges.
• Tip: enjoy complimentary VIP amenities (upgrade, daily breakfast, one Balinese Massage for two, early check-in and late check-out) when you book your stay with Virtuoso.
• Review: read here my review of the Datai Langkawi.

9. FOUR SEASONS RESORT MAUI AT WAILEA, HAWAII, USA

The Four Seasons Maui at Wailea is located on 15 ocean front acres, overlooking a beautiful crescent-shaped gold sand beach in Wailea, an exclusive resort area on Maui’s sunnier side of the island. The hotel, which epitomises a classical Hawaiian palace resort, has 376 spacious rooms and suites located in an 8 story mid-rise, U-shaped building fronting the ocean. Room features include a private lanai or terrace, luxurious marble bathroom, and refrigerated mini- bar customized to guests preference. What sets the Four Seasons Maui at Wailea apart from other hotels on the islands is the wide array of complimentary services, activities and facilities that are included for all guests which most other Hawaii hotels charge for.

Families can expect thoughtful amenities and fun-filled activities to keep everyone happy during a family vacation to Maui. Kids ages five and under enjoy free meals when they are accompanied by a paying adult, and the hotel also offers a complimentary Kids For All Seasons program.

• Hotel website: Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea
• Other accolades: Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea also features in my top 10 list of the best resorts in Hawaii.
• Tip: get free VIP amenities when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast, early check-in, late check-out, and $100 USD food & beverage credit).
• Review: read my review of the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea here.

8. MANDARIN ORIENTAL BODRUM, TURKEY

With an idyllic location in Bodrum’s secluded Paradise Bay, two private beaches, a range of fabulous gourmet restaurants, a world-class spa and a choice of stylish rooms, suites and villas, this unique and ultraluxe resort will seduce even the most discerning traveler and invite you to lie back, relax and savor the moment. The first beach resort of the Mandarin Oriental hotel group is so phenomenal that it makes the nicest 5 star resorts look like a cheap motel. If you are in need of a luxurious beach break around the Mediterranean basin, then stop looking as this is as exclusive a getaway as you can imagine!

The resort is ideal for families, with a host of attractions and facilities for children, such as a designated children’s pool, special menus, babysitting services, and in-room amenities (Ipads, Xboxes, board games, beach toys).

• Hotel website: Mandarin Oriental Bodrum
• Other accolades: Mandarin Oriental Bodrum features in my lists of the hottest luxury hotel openings of 2014, the top 10 best luxury hotels in Turkey, the top 10 best resorts in Bodrum, and my top 10 most memorable travel experiences of 2015.
• Review: read here my review of the Mandarin Oriental Bodrum hotel.

7. BANYAN TREE MAYAKOBA, MEXICO

A harmonious blend of nature and luxury, the ultra-luxurious Banyan Tree Mayakoba, on Mexico’s famous Riviera Maya coast, takes the Caribbean lifestyle to new heights. Located within the gated resort development of Mayakoba near Playa Del Carmen, the resort offers a unique sense of tranquil and private space immersed in untouched nature, complemented by touches of the Banyan Tree brand’s signature Asian hospitality and warmth. The resort offers 121 pool villas, ranging from secluded garden villas to beachfront villas. Inspired by the interior courtyards of houses in the Far East, each villa is discreetly built to blend with the landscape, integrating interiors to their surroundings.

With all pool villa accommodations and a huge array of family amenities, Banyan Tree Mayakoba guarantees a wonderful familiy holiday on the Yucatan Peninsula. Families may want to stay in one of the roomier three-bedroom, three-story townhouses, fitting up to six people.

• Hotel website: Banyan Tree Mayakoba
• Other accolades: Banyan Tree Mayakoba also features in my top 10 lists of the world’s best health spas, the best Banyan Tree hotels in the world, and the world’s most amazing hotel lobbies.
• Tip: enjoy complimentary VIP amenities (room upgrade, daily breakfast, $100 USD resort credit, preferential green fees at the El Camaleon golf course, 10% discount at our Banyan Tree SPA, early check in, and late check out) when you book your stay with Virtuoso.
• Review: read here my review of Banyan Tree Mayakoba.

6. QASR AL SARAB DESERT RESORT BY ANANTARA, UAE

Located in the legendary Rub’Al Khali, the largest uninterrupted sand desert in the world, Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara embraces the epic adventures of this evocative Arabian desert landscape by providing a luxury oasis for discerning travellers. Here, you can recline by the plunge pool outside your own villa, or stretch out on a sumptuous day bed surrounded by rich Middle Eastern fabrics and artefacts. Every room, villa and suite features spectacular desert views, blending the rich interiors with the landscape.

Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara is the perfect spot to share quality time as a family, enjoying action packed adventures such as riding camels across endless dunes in ancient Bedouin style, or setting out on a 4×4 safari expedition to learn about the indigenous plants and wildlife that inhabit the world’s largest desert.

• Hotel website: Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara
• Other accolades: Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara also features in my top 10 list of the world’s most luxurious desert retreats.
• Tip: enjoy complimentary VIP amenities (room upgrade, daily breakfast, $100 USD resort credit, early check in, and late check out) when you book your stay with Virtuoso.

5. CLAYOQUOT WILDERNESS RESORT, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA

Clayoquot Wilderness Resort, open from May to September, is an exotic paradox of indulgent luxury and remote, untamed wilderness within Canada’s Pacific Rim National Park. This unique 21st-century-safari-style enclave of great white canvas suite tents, dining, lounge, and spa tents, offers exquisite cuisine and breathtaking adventures, giving visitors a rare taste of how the fortunate spent their summers ‘roughing it’ some 100 years ago. Twenty suite tents showcase antique furnishings, opulent rugs, down duvets, remote-controlled propane powered woodstoves and luxurious amenities.

The resort is the best place for a Canadian wilderness adventure for the whole family, with spectacular wildlife viewing (bears and whales), superb walking, and a host of unforgettable family adventure experiences.

• Hotel website: Clayoquot Wilderness Resort
• Other accolades: Clayoquot Wilderness Resort also features in my top 10 lists of the best luxury hotels in Canada, the world’s most luxurious glamping sites, and the world’s best wilderness lodges.

4. ATLANTIS THE PALM DUBAI, UAE

Located on the kingdom’s man-made, palm tree-shaped island, palatial Atlantis The Palm is one of Dubai’s most impressive resorts, part blockbuster luxury hotel (more than 1,500 rooms and suites!), part aquatic wonderland. The resort has some of the most elegant hotel rooms in Dubai, designed to immerse guests in absolute comfort and unparalleled luxury. The hotel’s signature underwater suites have breathtaking underwater views, including the “ancient” ruins of the mythical lost city of Atlantis and its 65,000 marine inhabitants.

Families will love the hotel’s Aquaventure Waterpark, where they can discover an underwater world at The Lost Chambers Aquarium or meet the incredible marine mammals at Dolphin Bay and Sea Lion Point.

• Hotel website: Atlantis The Palm Dubai
• Other accolades: Atlantis The Palm Dubai also features in my top 10 list of the best underwater hotels in the world.

3. FOUR SEASONS RESORT SEYCHELLES, SEYCHELLES

Set in the heart of a lost Eden, Four Seasons Resort Seychelles offers guests an unrivalled luxury hotel experience in a natural jungle setting. The resort’s villas – each with plunge pool and perched on a jungled hillside, will challenge your notion of paradise. The powder-sand beach is just a short stroll away, scented en-route by cinnamon trees and frangipani. As well as indulging in water sports, there’s a lovely swimming pool to relax by with poolside dining and refreshments readily available. The spa is a treat for all, located at the top of the hill, overlooking spectacular Petite Anse, with both adults and children welcome.

Children will be in safe hands at the ’Kids for All Seasons’ club open all day for children aged 4 to 12 years old, whilst grown-ups can simply relax at the hilltop spa, indulge in some watersports, explore the jungle or take a boat trip to the largest population of giant tortoises outside the Galapagos.

• Hotel website: Four Seasons Seychelles
• Other accolades: Four Seasons Seychelles also features in my top 10 list of the world’s best hotel rooms with private plunge pools, the best Four Seasons hotels & resorts in the world, and the best luxury hotels in the Seychelles.
• Tip: enjoy complimentary VIP amenities (room upgrade, daily breakfast, $100 USD resort credit, early check in, and late check out) when you book your stay with Virtuoso.
• Review: read here my review of the Four Seasons Resort Seychelles.

2. SONEVA KIRI, THAILAND

Remote yet accessible by a 90 minute flight from Bangkok on the resort’s private plane, phenomenal Soneva Kiri sits on Thailand’s 4th largest but least populated island, Koh Kood, in the Gulf of Siam. One of the most exclusive resorts in the world, Soneva Kiri offers an unrivalled combination of luxury, environmentally friendly design and unforgettable, authentic Thai experiences. The 36 resort villas (including 11 private residences) are amongst the largest in the world. Located on the idyllic beach or sunny slopes in the rainforest, all have stunning infinity pools, impossibly chic furnishings, personal electric buggies, and impeccable service courtesy of private butlers.

Family highlights at Soneva Kiri include the open air cinema Paradiso, the chocolate & ice cream parlour, the children’s club and the spectacular Treetop dining pod.

• Hotel website: Soneva Kiri
• Other accolades: Soneva Kiri also features in my top 10 lists of the world’s most amazing beach resorts, the world’s most outrageous hotel experiences,  the best private plunge pools in the world, the world’s most beautiful hotel beaches, the world’s best luxury hotels, the world’s most remote hotels, the most insanely beautiful hotels in Thailand, the most astonishing beach retreats in Asia, and luxury hotels with private airports.
• Tip: contact me to get a complimentary room upgrade at the time of booking when you decide to spend your holiday at Soneva Kiri.
• Review: read here my review of Soneva Kiri.

1. SONEVA FUSHI, MALDIVES

Soneva Fushi Resort, the Maldives’ original desert island hideaway and sister resort of Soneva Kiri, is located in the stunnnig Baa Atoll island archipelago, a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve. Massive, Robinson Crusoe-style, multi-bedroom luxury villas and private residences are hidden among dense tropical foliage with views of the ridiculously clear lagoon. In keeping with the castaway theme, many are built to resemble tree houses. All villas open to their own private stretch of sugar white sands, and most boast their own private seawater swimming pools. Intuitive service is provided by Mr./Ms. Friday butlers who know what you want before you want it.

The stunning and massive children’s club – called the ‘Den’ – is a family’s favorite. The Den is like an amusement water-park, eco-pod and theatre of dreams all rolled into one.

• Hotel website: Soneva Fushi
• Other accolades: Soneva Fushi also features in my top 10 lists of the most astonishing beach retreats in Asia, the best resorts in the Maldives for snorkeling, and the best luxury resorts in the Maldives.
• Tip: contact me to get a complimentary room upgrade at the time of booking when you decide to spend your holiday at Soneva Fushi.
• Review: read here my review of Soneva Fushi.

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