Where to travel alone with 3yr old on holiday Post Reply

[sw11ite]

Hello dear community

I am a newly single SW11 mum and dipping my toe into the idea of going on holiday alone this year with my rambunctious toddler son.  He would very much like a beach.  I would like anywhere that is easy to get to (so UK or couple hours on a plane) and set up for families and is nice (last part subjective I know) and feels like a break!  

I've been looking today at https://www.martinhal.com/sagres/ AND would really welcome all ideas home or away.

I've also been thinking about farm stays if a UK break? 

thank you so much for your ideas and support x 

[belleAmi31]

Morning,

I'm also a single Mum to a 3 year old in SW18. I have a few friends that have been to Martinel in Portugal and loved it! 
Myself and a few other Single Mum's have got together and organised a holiday to Croatia. If your interested and would like to more details please PM, happy to chat.

Emma

[SWMummy2014]

I’m also a single Mummy. I took my daughter (then 3) to Tenerife staying at the Ritz Carlton Abama last year and it was wonderful. Great kids club (she went for one hour while I was with her as she’s not a fan of being left), we spent hours by the pool - free food and drinks for 3 and under all day - and went to the nearby zoo and on a dolphin and whale sightseeing boat trip.

I’m also taking her to St Lucia in May - check out Coconut Bay.

Both were deals on BA. We went to Martinhal with her Dad a couple of years ago. It’s lovely, but not as great as Tenerife.

[Rebeccac]

https://www.kinderhotelzellamsee.at

Lovely

[Rebeccac]

Looks like a ski resort but in the summer it’s really nice ... nice weather and the views over the lake are amazing..... went there when my kids were 2.5 and 5 ....great for kids club /families

[RND]

I did this and it was genuinely the best thing I ever did! Fresh out of a break up I booked a trip to Nerja (near Malaga) with my then 3yo. I booked an airbnb by the beach and a hire car and we swam, napped & ate together for 10 days!
Deffo do it

[Ramaboo]

I am a single mother and just took my three year old to Lisbon last week (for 5 nights) - it was great!

it's an easy flight, things are relatively cheap and there are Ubers available all the time (useful as it's hilly and the kid got tired) Ubers also all seemed to carry booster seats in the trunk!

Aquarium is awesome and I hear the Science Museum is good too. It's quite a good city for young kids as there aren't many 'Sites' in particular, so you don't need to be that organised. 

Cascais beaches are easy and relatively calm and only about 20 mins on the train.

I have heard good things about the Martinhal hotels but they were too expensive for us - especially considering how reasonable our nice airbnb was (lots of fairly cheap accommodation in Lisbon) 

It was one of the easiest holidays I have had (though I did meet friends out there, so I wasn't solo the whole time)

[SW4Aurora]

Hi,

I’m also a single mum with a 3 year old. It’s starting to look like there are quite a few of us! Does anyone know of a group on here? Would be great to share tips and do meet ups.

Martinhal worked well for me in terms of practicality and all of the things you could order for the villa/room in advance and is heavily geared to entertaining the kids.

Daois Cove in Crete is more aesthetically pleasing and better restaurants. Recommend booking through Scott Dunn and using their kids club rather than the hotel’s own.

In the UK - Calcot Manor; book a cottage near Bruton in Somerset, or in the Cotswolds (find some local daily childcare help - with current checkable references and criminal record check); Featherdown Farm group; Moonfleet Manor and others in the group.

A few tips for making travelling a duex easier:
- British Airport Transfers - you can pre-order the right size car seats, and I have found them good and reliable
- If you want to take your own car, look for deals on Valet Parking at Gatwick or Heathrow - the drop off points are right on the doorstep which means you don’t have far to check in to negotiate with trolley and toddler.
- Airprtr: can pick up and send your suitcases ahead, which means you can catch the Gatwick/Heathrow Express
- Gatwick Airport has prebookable porters: particularly good when you arriving back from your hol: they will meet you at the luggage belt and get you to your taxi or car
- speak to the hotel about where the transfer driver will meet you. If it’s in arrivals, then you can hopefully persuade your little one to ‘help push’ the luggage trolley that short distance and then get the driver to assist from there
- You will be surprised how helpful and kind many other people will be when they see you travelling alone with a little one. If you
feel daunted when faced with stairs to the plane, or are struggling with a wriggling toddler in arrivals as your suitcases come into sight, just ask the closest friendly-looking person and 9/10 they will leap to your assistance.
- On the plane, aircrew will watch your little one for a few minutes while you go the bathroom etc. Don’t be afraid to ask them.
- There is not a natural break when you are a single mum, so you need to proactively build in some time for yourself. A few hours while they are at a kids club and a few nights of babysitting, will give time to exhale, go to the spa and have a grown up dinner.

Hope some of this helps.