Our tips for booking your all-inclusive family holiday
You can feel it, you need a holiday. But to make sure you recharge your batteries, you're looking for an all-inclusive family holiday. It's probably the best decision you could make.
Going on an all-inclusive family holiday has at least two advantages. Of course the first advantage is that when you're there you'll be far away from your everyday life. Say goodbye to the hectic pace of school days, with meals to prepare for the whole family, cleaning and tidying up. But the second advantage lies in the activities. As parents, we sometimes know that even when everything is well organised and prepared and we could be taking a break, we're waiting for a little voice to tell us to go and play with the children, not leave them in front of the screens. So when you go on an all-inclusive family holiday in France, there will be entertainment for the children. Baby clubs, children's clubs and teenage clubs. So you can relax with peace of mind and take full advantage of the many services on offer for grown-ups! Before presenting these different services, we're going to help you choose your accommodation for your all-inclusive holiday!
What type of accommodation should you book for an all-inclusive family holiday?
There are two main types of accommodation for an all-inclusive holiday. Holiday villages or holiday clubs on the one hand and hotel clubs on the other. There may not seem to be much difference between the two. In reality, it's quite significant.
In terms of children's entertainment, activities or specific services for adults such as the spa for example, there is no difference between these two types of accommodation. The "volume" of services, so to speak, varies according to the level of standing of the accommodation.
In terms of accommodation, the difference is major! In a hotel club you will stay in a hotel room. Basically, and to put it simply, your accommodation consists of a room or connecting rooms and a bathroom. There is no kitchen and no lounge. In a holiday village or holiday club, you stay in a flat or gîte. This gives you more space with a living room, bedroom and sometimes even a kitchen.
You need to think carefully before booking. Staying in a hotel club, for example, can be a bit complex when you have two children, including a baby...
Where can you find all-inclusive family holidays in France?
All-inclusive holidays are fairly widespread in France. Packages with kids' clubs and catering are increasingly popular with families. However, to simplify things, you'll find most all-inclusive holidays by the sea and in the mountains. These are often higher standard accommodation close to the beach or slopes.
All-inclusive holidays are rarer in the countryside. There is an economic logic behind this. Running an all-inclusive accommodation requires a lot of staff, so you need a minimum number of visitors to ensure profitability. At Familytrip we've selected a few all-inclusive destinations in the countryside!
What are the main features of all-inclusive family holidays?
The two main services expected and sought after by families wishing to take an all-inclusive family holiday are Dining and Kids Clubs! We've capitalised them because they're so important to families.
When it comes to catering, the most popular option is full board with breakfast, lunch and dinner. Some accommodation also offers half-board. However, the difference in price between these two options is often quite small. Once again, this is in line with the economic logic of this type of accommodation. Once you've booked, it's in the hotel's best interests to 'mark up' on as many services as possible! Think about it! Even if you're thinking of going on half-board, ask our advisers for the full-board rate, you'll be surprised.
As far as clubs are concerned, from the age of 3, there are some in all accommodation of this type. Between the ages of 3 and 17 you'll find a multitude of clubs adapted to the age of your children. When booking, remember to check whether the clubs are open every day and whether they are open all day. Note that all-inclusive holidays are generally booked from Saturday to Saturday, so the clubs are closed on Saturdays. Whether or not days are continuous often depends on the standard of the accommodation. Basically, the higher the price, the longer the children's club is open!
When it comes more specifically to the baby club or baby club, this is a little rarer. This is because the legal rules for providing childcare for children under the age of 3 are stricter. To put it simply once again, you need people with more qualifications, and therefore more expensive... so the price of an all-inclusive family holiday with baby is often more expensive.
You now have some great marbles to use when booking your all-inclusive family holiday. Familytrip offers you a wide range of holiday villages and hotel clubs, so make the most of it!
