The Times’ Top Picks: 10 of the best all-inclusive holidays for families this Easter (2024)

All-inclusive breaks are an excellent choice for families wanting an easy getaway this Easter. You can relax knowing all your main expenses are covered, including flights, accommodation, food and activities. Resorts are skilled in keeping your kids entertained, too, whether you’ve a toddler in need of a supervised kids’ club or teenagers wanting to try out a new sport. With Easter falling late this year, you’ve a very good chance of catching some rays, both in Europe and further afield. Focus on the Mediterranean if you’d like to keep flight time to a minimum, or use half-term to travel further afield — Central America and the Indian Ocean are within reach on a week’s break.

Main photo: the Ravenala Attitude, Mauritius

1. Cyprus

If you don’t want to spend too much of your holiday on a plane and still want some sunshine, Cyprus is a great bet for spring. Tui BLUE Atlantica Mare Village, on the island’s west coast, opened in 2020 and feels thoroughly fresh and modern, with a smart white colour scheme in the light-filled rooms. In addition to the three main pools here, there are dedicated pools for babies and toddlers, and swimming lessons. A final plus for families are the separate activity clubs aimed at babies, younger kids and teenagers, and the child-friendly menus served in the three restaurants.

Details Seven nights from £757pp
Atol-protected Y
Free cancellation N

2. Mexico

The warm waters of the Caribbean await at the Grand Palladium, a beachfront property on the Riviera Maya on Mexico’s tropical Yucatan Peninsula. There are six pools to idle by, and plenty to occupy your time away from the sun bed, from snorkelling and windsurfing to mini golf and archery. Guests can also use the facilities of the hotel’s two sister properties, accessed by free shuttle bus. There’s a good balance of activities to keep all age groups happy off site, too, with water parks and Mayan ruins within easy reach.

Details Seven nights from £2,431pp
Atol-protected N
Free cancellation N

3. Morocco

Want to experience the frenetic energy of Marrakesh but have somewhere more low-key to escape to? In the middle of an immense palm grove but just 15 minutes on a free shuttle from the Medina, the Iberostar Club Palmeraie Marrakesh will hit the spot. On site, there are plenty of lounging spots by the three pools and in the lovely grounds, once you’ve sampled all the activities on offer (perhaps you’d like to have a go on the trapeze?). The food variety is decent too, from the hot dogs at the poolside food truck to the traditional Moroccan at the Jawhara Restaurant.

Details Seven nights from £740pp
Atol-protected Y
Free cancellation N

4. Barbados

There’s plenty to keep a family busy at Crystal Cove by Elegant Hotels, on the west coast of Barbados. Once you’ve had a go at the complimentary watersports, there’s a fine sandy beach to relax on and tiered lagoon pools to dip in and out of. Parents and kids alike will get a kick out of the swim-up cave bar. This is also a good base for further adventures, too, and staff can arrange all manner of excursions, from tours of nearby Unesco-listed capital Bridgetown to trips out on a glass-bottomed boat to see turtles.

Details Seven nights from £3,627pp
Atol-protected N
Free cancellation N

5. Tenerife

With temperatures hitting the 20s, Tenerife hits the sweet spot for an Easter break — warm enough for sunbathing, swimming and alfresco dining, cool enough to get as active as you wish. The Bahia Principe Fantasia is a great choice for families whose children still believe in a bit of magic, with a Disney-style castle overlooking the pools, fancy-dress workshops and various fantastical shows, as well as a water park, kids’ club and a whole host of activities such as cooking lessons. The resort’s style is otherwise unexpectedly grown-up and contemporary across its five restaurants, rooms and suites.

Details Seven nights from £954pp
Atol-protected N
Free cancellation N

6. Mauritius

A direct flight from London Gatwick to Mauritius makes the prospect of Easter on a tropical island in the Indian Ocean a reality. The wonderful Ravenala Attitude waits at the other end, a collection of low-slung buildings in palm-dotted gardens between the sea and the River Lemon. Food is a highlight here, with ten restaurants covering every cuisine from Japanese to Italian, and every style from high-end formality to street-food shack. You’ll have earnt your dinner, with paddle-boarding, cycling, diving, kayaking and boat trips on offer, and there are activities such as pyjama parties and kite-making for youger ones.

Details Seven nights from £3,040pp
Atol-protected N
Free cancellation N

7. United Arab Emirates

With guaranteed good weather — but temperatures not yet so high that it’s too hot to go outside — April is a fine time to visit the UAE. An hour’s drive north of Ras Al Khaimah international airport, the Hilton Resort & Spa Marjan Island is wrapped round the curve of a private sandy beach, and has large contemporary rooms, with good sharing options for families. Children are kept entertained with multiple pools, a kids’ club, watersports and a massive playground, and there’s an aqua park 15 minutes away. Parents will enjoy having a sundowner at the lovely rooftop bar each evening, and sampling the vast range of cuisines in its 13 restaurants.

Details Seven nights from £1,597
Atol-protected N
Free cancellation N

8. Turkey

Overlooking the Aegean on Turkey’s Dalmatian coast, the modern Orka Lotus Beach Hotel offers the best of both worlds — it feels secluded yet is within walking distance of two holiday resorts, Marmaris and İçmeler. It’s well worth upgrading to a sea-facing room here to enjoy the views across a bay fringed with palm trees; you’ll otherwise enjoy them from the beach and pools. Children will enjoy the splash park and water slides; adults will like the spa. There’s also the chance to join a guided walk, take a cooking class or learn to scuba-dive at an extra cost.

Details Seven nights from £607pp
Atol-protected Y
Free cancellation N

9. Costa Rica

The four-star Occidental Tamarindo lies a couple of miles south of the surf town of Playa Tamarindo on the west coast of Costa Rica, and overlooks the wide arc of the Pacific. It’s a good place to bring older kids keen to learn to surf somewhere other than the frigid waters of the UK. The resort’s concierge can help arrange lessons and plan excursions away from the site — perhaps heading along the coast to discover other beaches or spending time watching leatherback turtles lay eggs at the Marino Las Baulas National Park just north. Make sure you also leave time to lie on the beach or by the pool.

Details Seven nights from £1,720 pp
Atol-protected Y
Free cancellation N

10. Crete

Variety is the spice of life at the Creta Maris Beach Resort, a half-hour’s drive from the city of Heraklion. You’ve a huge choice of rooms, from doubles to villas, and enough bars and restaurants to keep meal times varied over a week’s stay. There are also ten pools, with three specially for children. The hotel also offers a range of fun local activities — if you’ve ever fancied trying your hand at sheep-shearing or olive-harvesting, now’s your chance. More traditional resort entertainment comes in the form of kids’ clubs, evening shows, a water park and sports such as mini golf and football.

Details Seven nights from £1,027
Atol-protected N
Free cancellation In some circ*mstances

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Inspired to go on an Easter getaway but yet to book your trip? Here are the best packages from TUI Holidays and with Expedia.And if you’re still unsure of where you want to go or what type of holiday to book, get in touch here and one of the Designer Travel experts will be in contact to help you arrange your perfect tailor-made break.

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