How To Plan Baby’s First Holiday And Where To Go?

0-6 Months

When a baby is this age, you can essentially take them anywhere as they will hopefully sleep in their baby carrier whilst on the move. Even if they are on a bottle by then, you just need mineral water and a kettle and you’re sorted! Hotels work well because everything is onsite and you can easily run back to the room if there is a baby meltdown or nappy situation. Babies and sunshine don’t really mix, so we recommend rooms with plunge pools or pool villas. These work well because one parent can be inside with the baby while the other is within chatting distance lying by the pool!

Where to Stay: Abaca – Cebu, Philippines

A beautiful boutique property with only six suites and three villas, it’s Abaca’s design, service and dining that set it apart. Staff are wonderful with kids, and poolside cabanas keep babies shaded while parents lounge in the water. Abaca also have rooms available for a discounted price if you wish to bring your own nanny.

Where to Stay: Sala Samui – Koh Samui, Thailand

Just 15-minutes from the airport, most of Sala Samui’s 69 spacious suites and villas come with a private pool, and it’s very reasonably priced. Garden pool villas have a large shaded terrace which is perfect for the playmat, and it’s also a great spot for a glass of wine after the little one has gone to bed for the evening. An outdoor bathroom also means you don’t need to creep past the cot when nature calls!

Where to Stay: Dar Al Masyaf, Madinat Jumeirah – Dubai, UAE

Dar Al Masyaf is one of three hotels within Madinat Jumeirah, with its own very distinct personality. Comprised of 283 rooms and 29 summer houses, we recommend the latter as they are big and built around a courtyard – eight summer houses per courtyard. The hotel provides complimentary drinks and snacks in the courtyards between 6-8pm, so it’s a great spot for parents to sit out and enjoy a few drinks without needing to hire babysitter. Like most Dubai hotels, it also has an exceptional Kid’s Club should you also be travelling with an older child in tow.

6-12 Months

Private villas are a fantastic option for slightly older babies. You can put the baby down to nap inside the air con, and parents can sit outside in the sunshine and enjoy the peace and quiet. Also, at this age they’re learning to eat food so you can either take a suitcase full of Ella’s packets, or you have a villa chef who you can teach on the first day and then sit back and let him puree fresh fish and locally grown veg for your baby – very spoiling, yet you feel very earth mother-ey giving them all that fresh produce! Bali and Koh Samui are particularly convenient as there are excellent baby rental services that supply necessities such as bouncers, walkers, sterilisers, push chairs, cots and car seats – all items you don’t want to be lugging from home!

Where to Stay: Villa Lulito – Bali, Indonesia

Located right in Seminyak, Villa Lulito is one of the most conveniently placed villas on the island. Villa staff are incredible, let by the ever-smiling Gusti who will source anything from swimming nappies to an organic sweet potato and happily whizz up a puree, while the gardener teaches older kids how to water plants and make offerings to the Balinese gods! It’s amazing for older kids too with a bunk bed room and lots of fun games in the living area.

Where to Stay: Ban Sairee Villa – Koh Samui, Thailand

Incredible for babies and children alike, Ban Sairee is one of our favourite villas in Asia. Two identical side-by-side houses can sleep up to 16 guests in six bedrooms – four families would be our recommendation. Cots are provided free of charge, and there are interconnecting twin rooms for older kids. The villa is located on a quiet stretch of calm beach, with a big grassy area for babies learning to walk, as well as a shallow area in the pool and plenty of pool toys. Older children will also love the trampoline and Kid’s Barn – a separate sleeping area built on stilts, filled with games and bunkbeds.

Where to Stay: The Beach Hut – Galle, Sri Lanka

Located just 10 minutes from Galle Fort, the size of this private villa is very rare and perfect for small families – one master bedroom and one connecting twin room. The open plan living area on the ground floor and the modern kitchen both overlook the private pool and beautiful gardens that stretch all the way down to the beach. Staff set this property apart with a lovely live-in steward who is on hand to whip up delicious local curries for parents, and basic favourites for the little one.