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From Times Online

May 30, 2007

Ask our expert: spas with children

Miranda Allard advises Julie Roe on where to spa with children aged 8 and 12

Calcot Manor. Gloucs

Miranda Allard is the Times Online spa expert

Miranda Allard

I am looking for a spa break for lone parents at somewhere able to provide activities for children (mine are 8 and 12) Julie Roe

Times Online spa expert, Miranda Allard responds: It is not easy to find good spas that also cater for children. And there is the added problem that often 12-year-olds are pretty independent and not keen to be herded off with others. For this reason many organised children’s activities stop at 12 if not younger.

There are choices, though, but they depend on just how long you want the children taken off your hands. As far as lone parents are concerned some wish to throw themselves into busy resorts where they feel less conspicuous or may actually set out to meet others in the same situation. But if you are looking for a real spa break I suspect you will want peace and quiet while relaxing between treatments with a good book. Either way the following suggestions offer great spa break experiences with choices from full-time childcare to dipping in and out of the system when required.

The first option is the family-friendly Porto Elounda and Six Senses Spa in Crete. This fabulous 5-star hotel has a great spa and the Ark which is a first-class facility for children up to 10 years old. I would book through Powder Byrne who arrange holidays to this destination and run their own all-day Scallywags club for 3 to 8-year-olds, The Zone, for 9 to 12 year olds, and Ultimate, for 13+, offer all kinds of water and land based activities and outings. Extra lunch money is sometimes required when they are taken off site to restaurants but it is worth the change of scene and experience. Being a UK tour operator you are also assured your youngsters are with other Brits.

However the spa break can be bettered if there is compromise and the children feel they also have some quality time with you. For a really healthy holiday the Grand Spa Resort A-Rosa Kitzbuhel in Austria offers fabulous facilities in a stunning mountain setting. The spa itself offers all you would expect of a 5-star facility. Not only are the children allowed to use the swimming pool but the daily spa activity programme offers fitness classes for children including boxing and yoga. They have an excellent Rosinis children’s club which is free to hotel guests from the age of 3, and there's a cool youth room with everything from pool and table tennis tables to pin ball and computer games. The clubs also lay on adventure excursions exploring streams and gorges but do not expect these every day. This is the sort of place where you would want to spend some time with your children either cycling, walking or horse riding down local trails or taking the cable car to the top of the famous Hahnenkamm world cup run opposite the hotel to have lunch or a drink while enjoying the spectacular view. This is the less expensive option and makes a change to the busy Mediterranean beach holiday.

Suggestions from Times Online Good Spa Guide: Closer to home, in the UK, you could try the Bedruthan Steps Hotel in North Cornwall, Calcot Manor in Gloucestershire or Ickworth House Hotel in Suffolk. These are all well-run family-friendly spa hotels but tend to attract your classic nuclear famliy. Alternatively, Butlins and CenterParcs offer good-value spa-and-kids club combinations.

Miranda Allard runs SpaContacts.com which features a limited selection of spas invited by her to join

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