The best family friendly hotels in the UK for babies and toddlers

We’ve spent hours reading the hundreds of reviews you’ve shared with us, to produce a visited & verified shortlist of the best family friendly hotels in the UK for babies and toddlers. We hope you find this really useful, and if you do, that you consider booking via our complimentary Tiny Travel Agency service or the affiliate links in the article (meaning we make a small commission, and can keep providing you with this kind of content!)

A bite sized guide to: The best family friendly hotels in the UK for babies and toddlers

Best for free crèche care – Fowey Hall, Cornwall

Best for mummy ‘me’ time – Middleton Lodge, Yorkshire

Best for group getaways – Bruern Cottages, Cotswolds

Best for the whole kit & caboodle – Calcot Manor & Spa, Cotswolds

Best for fresh air fun – The Farm at Avebury, Wiltshire

Best for (not to spenny) separate sleep spaces – Penally Abbey, Wales

Best for making memories – Hawarden Estate, Wales

Best for a budget break – Flear Farm Cottages, Devon

Best for next-level homestay luxury – Gitcombe Estate, Devon

Best for  location, location, location – Watergate Bay, Cornwall 

Best for onsite activities –  Bosinver Farm, Cornwall 

Best for strollable soft play – The Grove, Hertfordshire 

Best for adult indulgences – The Headland Hotel, Cornwall 

Best for little & large luxuries – Gleneagles, Scotland 

Best for culture vultures – The Ampersand, London 

Best for boredom busting – The Four Seasons, Hampshire 

Best stylish seaside staycation – CABÜ by the Sea, Kent 

Best chic city crashpad – The University Arms, Cambridge

Best for outdoor activities (we’re talking bikes, SUPs, archery, tennis…) – Cotswold Sleeps at Lower Mill Estate, Cotswolds

Best screen-free stay – Dell of Abernethy, Scotland 

Best Centre Parcs alternative – Moonfleet Manor, Dorset 

Best coastal aparthotel – SeaSpace, Cornwall 

If there’s one thing we recommend all parents do upon welcoming their tiny bundles of joy into the world, it’s take some you time! Whilst we can always find an excuse for a holiday, a postnatal pampering getaway is a near essential in our books. There will definitely come a stage when you need to factor in your tiny traveller’s needs and requirements (especially when they start to vocalise them), but for now, make the most of them being small, sleepy, and super portable! Most hotels are incredibly welcoming of babes in arms, even if they don’t openly advertise it, so don’t cross those boujee boutiques off your bucket list just yet

0-6 months – The parental pampering stage

It can be difficult to find hotels with creche facilities for babes in arms (many start at 2years +), but Fowey Hall welcomes babies as young as 12 weeks into their Ofsted-registered Den, even offering 90 minutes of free childcare a day. There’s no need to worry about fitting the whole contents of your nursery into the back of the car if you’re heading to Calcot Manor & Spa. Family rooms come kitted out with EVERYTHING you could possibly need – from monitors and changing mats to bottle warmers and sterilisers. Appreciating that the tiniest of travellers may wish to slumber close to mum, Next-to-me cribs can also be set up waiting for you

Knowing that no one needs a spa break quite like a post-partum parent, holistic hideout Middleton Lodge has a spoiling treatment menu specially tailored to new mums, where relaxing Ren massages are designed to soothe both muscles and mind

Looking for a group getaway with your new NCT friends? Or wanting to spend some bonding time with the extended family – without having them descend on mass to your front door? You’ll find a cluster of 12 home-from-homes at Bruern Cottages. Sleeping 2-14, it’s the perfect base to staycay together, without being on top of one another. Plus, the trusted local babysitters can be called in, if you fancy an adults only night out

At this age Airbnbs or self catering stays can be the easiest option because of the access to a kitchen for weaning. If your Tiny Traveller is in their own room at home, it can be helpful to look for places with separate sleeping spaces. There’s nothing worse than being a prisoner to your baby’s naps on holiday. This doesn’t need to be a suite with a second bedroom, you can make a nursery out of a walk-in wardrobe or even a super large bathroom

6-12M – The snacking and snoozing stage

The perfect retreat for rest and relaxation in the countryside, The Farm at Avebury is a breath of fresh air both figuratively and literally. It’s self-catering but with a restaurant quality twist; farm produce can be delivered straight to your stable door, including bacon and sausages for your morning breakfast or succulent steak for your dinner. Designed by parents themselves every thought has gone into how families will use the space. Alongside cots and highchairs, nappy bins and baby baths are provided, plus there’s a beautiful communal courtyard outside of the rooms, within baby monitor reach, ideal for post-bedtime drinks

If a hotel is more jam, but you’d still like that all important separate sleep space (without having to spend hundreds on an extra room), Penally Abbey is the boutique bolthole to bed down in.  The affordable rooms are seriously spacious, and most of the bathrooms vast enough to make a makeshift nursery out of. The gorgeous interiors, beach front location and delicious dining is just the icing on the cake

Whilst they might not remember holidays at this age, you definitely will. Hawarden Estate in Wales not only nails elevated experiences and magazine-worthy interiors but their village-like set up makes parenting away from home infinitely easier. On your doorstep you’ll find, a gorgeous Georgian country house to call your own, wood-fired hot tub, sauna, divine deli, bakery, gastropub and wealth of creative workshops on offer

You’ve now reached the turning point when holidays need to start incorporating your tiny travellers needs more – especially when they start talking and verbalising what they want! A lot of Kids Clubs in hotels start from the age of two, so look for places with easy to reach activities – local play parks, farms, space to roam – or even better, are homestays with plenty to do on-site, including indoor rainy day options (it is Britain after all)

12-24m – The tearaway toddler stage

There’s no denying that children aren’t cheap, which is why finding non-bank-breaking breaks is such a win.  You’ll find facilities to rival a large hotel at Devon’s Flear Farm Cottages, without the accompanying price tag. Kids of all ages will love the giant Indoor Playbarn, complete with a wendy house, trampoline, table tennis and oodles and oodles of toys, whilst adults will have to be dragged away from the in-house spa treatments. All this from just £71 per night…well it would be rude not to 

If you’re looking for somewhere to celebrate a special occasion en famille, you’ll be hard pressed to find anywhere more magical than Gitcombe Estate. A self catering stay with a luxury different, guests are treated to freedom, flexibility and facilities at this dreamland in Devon.  Not usually found outside of hotels, the sparkling outdoor swimming pool here is nothing short of magic in the sunshine. Families can work up a sweat on the tennis court, scurry on over to the seaside or simply allow the storybook-scenery to give their serotonin a much needed boost. If the skies do decide to open, fret not, the indoor pool and small soft play will keep boredom at bay. Bending over backwards to cater to your every whim, the ‘genie in a bottle’ attitude of the concierge team here is outstanding 

Watergate Bay is the aesthetically pleasing epitome of a stylish family friendly hotel; where your every parental need is met, without any garish colours or overbearing entertainment in sight. Baby monitors are handed to parents upon check in, which stretch to anywhere in the hotel, giving parents the freedom to enjoy spa treatments during naps and adults only dinners during bedtime. The complimentary kids club (for babes 6 months – 12 years) is as chic as it gets – think Scandi wooden toys that wouldn’t look out of place in a design magazine. Endless entertainment inside aside, the real crowning glory of Watergate Bay is its location – perfectly positioned on a two mile long stretch of golden sand (more than enough room for toddlers with energy to burn). The infinity pool makes the most of these soul stirring sea views, and offers family swim times

OK, hear us out. Cornwall may not be on everyone’s doorstep, but once you arrive at Bosviner Farm there’s no reason to leave. A National Treasure (if you ask us), children can roam free in the wildflower meadows, feeding furry friends, bouncing off the walls in the indoor soft-play and making a splash (year-round) in the heated indoor pool. Talking of soft play – combine high-end comforts with a toddler’s paradise at contemporary country house hotel The Grove. Alongside an indoor ball pit, slides and climbing frames, tiny travellers are treated to mini Land Rovers to drive and a Kids Club to rival London’s top nurseries

The Headland Hotel weaves quintessential seaside fun into a gorgeous grown up getaway. While not a family-focused hotel, parents’ needs are clearly prioritised. Busy books are handed to children at check in, kids menus come complete with colouring in, babysitters are available and ocean family suites are decked out with a seriously boujee bunk beds 

The terrible twos aside, parents can rejoice that tiny travellers are now welcomed into a lot more kids clubs – hello some adult only alone time. Gone are the days of zoned out or overstimulated children watching a singing mascot, hotels have really upped their game recently with nursery-level offerings designed to educate and inspire. As your tiny travellers get older it becomes a little easier to travel further with them. Attention spans are growing and mini minds can be entertained for longer with books and toys. Now’s the time to put longer road or train trips back on your bucket list

24m + – The me, me, me stage

If a parent-friendly holiday means childcare to you, look no further than Gleneagles. Scotland’s ‘mini kingdom’ or ‘glorious playground’ as it is affectionately known provides the perfect combination of top notch family facilities and adult indulgences – a brilliant Kids Club for ages 2+, a wealth of restaurants to choose from and a slick spa, plus it is one of the greatest names in the world of golf. A little closer to home, mini minds will marvel at the themed afternoon teas on offer at The Ampersand.  Jaw dropping Jurassic themed treats aside, London’s top attractions are on your doorstep, with The V&A, Science and Natural History Museums a short stroll away 

As much as it pains us to admit it, toddlers do have a passion for plastic fantastic entertainment. The Four Seasons Hotel Hampshire offers sprogs an all-singing all-dancing water wonderland, in the form of Sharkie’s Reef, yet the family frolics don’t dampen the adult aesthetics or grownup getaway vibes. The interiors are both beautiful, and welcoming, and the tot-friendly touches are seamlessly woven into the super luxe experience – the Kid’s Club is much applauded, there’s complimentary food for under 5s, free swim nappies by the pool, and faultlessly friendly staff won’t bat an eye at a tiny traveller meltdown

The poster child for boutique beach breaks, CABÜ by the Sea brings a stylish spin to traditional seaside staycations. Boredom is kept at bay by the outdoor swimming pools (open May – October), table tennis, bikes to borrow and acres of coastal campus to explore. There’s a convivial community atmosphere, no better felt that at the The Sitooterie – a generous spot for groups to gather to make use of the barbeque, pizza oven and s’more-beckoning griddle tables

City breaks with toddlers look a little different to our pre-parent past. But one boutique bolthole weaving together the decor and delicious dishes we’re accustomed to, with thoughtful touches for tots is Cambridge’s University Arms. Museum-mooches, river punts and the downright beautiful Botanic Garden are all on your doorstep. Back at base, there’s A* family bedrooms (with interconnecting options), modern British foodie fare at Parker’s Tavern and special family offers delivering on our kind of mathematics!

If we were designing our ideal family staycation, it would look a lot like Cotswold Sleeps at Lower Mill Estate. Spacious homes, brilliant facilities and enough to keep tiny travellers happily occupied, with those all-important adult indulgences sprinkled throughout too (so it feels like an actual break for the grown ups). Children are spoiled for choice with heated pools, playgrounds, soft play, seasonal activities and lake-based adventures (with all sorts of boards and little boats) from the Activity Hub. For the grown ups, there’s a spa with gym, sauna and treatments, the option to book babysitters, and plenty of homes with private hot tubs (some of which look right out over the lakes). Practical touches like fully equipped kitchens, laundry facilities, an on site shop and easy dining options (a pub in walking distance – the dream) mean you can concentrate on enjoying time with each other & the kids

At the Dell of Abernethy the focus is on nature and nurture. Nestled within the wilderness of the Cairngorms National Park, this stylish Scottish bothy bolthole offers a homegrown family holiday, inviting guests of all ages to rest & rejuvenate. Children are treated to the real forest school experience, with a natural playground hidden amongst the trees, plus wild swimming, ziplining and poohsticks all on the agenda. Lovers of design, fresh air adventures and food will find themselves at home here 

Sitting pretty on Dorset’s Jurassic Coast, Moonfleet is a newly renovated Manor house. Purpose built for smalls & their supervisors, it’s equally appealing to both. The kids facilities here are honestly second to none. Starting with the supervised sessions – which start from 3 months and are complimentary for 2 hours each day of your stay. This is standard across all the Luxury Family Hotels, but the ‘Verandah’ activity hub is unique to Moonfleet – home to a generous under 5s soft play and roleplay area; trampolines; climbing wall; indoor football pitch; free to use arcade games & ride simulators; pool, air hockey and snooker tables; a skittles alley and dinosaur themed mini golf 

If you’re someone who likes to have their cake and eat it too, Cornwall’s new kid on the block, SeaSpace, is the no-compromise crash pad you’ll want to get acquainted with. Cleverly marrying the flex and freedom of a self-catering set up with facility perks, easy-on-the-eye apartments sleep from 3-7 (including the dog), while weather-whatever entertainment comes in the form of a heated indoor pool, outdoor adventure playground, padel courts and jam-packed games room. Not to mention the steps-from-the-sea location on one of Britain’s loveliest sandy stretches

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Themes: The Family Friendly UK Edit, Hotel Hotlists 

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