There is a lot more to entertaining the kids and have a great family travel experience than a hotel that lays on all of the facilities and has kids clubs. It suits some and not others. Sometimes parents want the stylish facilities that they used to enjoy before they had children. Well it is not possible or perhaps it is.

Here are a few suggestions for hotels which are child friendly as well as stylish in Europe and we have done a separate list for the UK. Not all of them have supervised crèches, children's meals and trampoline-equipped adventure playgrounds, but they do deliver what’s important – a child-friendly welcome in the stylish surroundings you’ve come to expect.

Villa Bordoni, Tuscany

Villa Bordoni is a ten-roomed villa in the rolling countryside of Greve in Chianti. It is a tasteful country-house hotel with hi-tech trim that's child-friendly too. The Family Suite has two bedrooms upstairs and a large ground-floor living area. Extra beds and cots can be added to suites and junior suites and there is masses of space to run around in Villa Bordoni's six hectare grounds and kids can look out for lizards. Horse riding can be arranged at local stables. Mountain bikes are available which older children may be big enough to borrow. There isn't a children's pool, but children are welcome in the main pool, which has a shallow end. Children are welcome in the restaurant for all meals, and there's a dedicated kids' menu. You can book this through Mr and Mrs Smith.

Masseria Torre Coccaro, Puglia

Masseria Torre Coccaro is a family-friendly boutique hotel in Puglia set in a historic fortified farmhouse a short distance from the Adriatic. The hotel has an Aveda spa, Turkish baths, gym and large outdoor pool. Superior Rooms and the Junior Suite are large enough to accommodate a family of four with ease. Deluxe Junior Suites have a separate living room. During the summer season (1 June to 15 September), the Mini Club at this child-friendly hotel's nearby beach is open from 10am–1pm and 3pm–5pm and caters for children aged three to 10 years. Children can let off steam in the hotel's garden or in the surrounding farmland (the Masseria is a working farm). There are bikes to borrow free of charge and the beach is close by. The hotel also has a private yacht for guests use on request. You can book this with Mr and Mrs Smith or with Citalia.

Le Fuente de la Higuera, Rhonda, Spain

For families looking for a quieter holiday, La Fuente de la Higuera Rhonda is just over half an hour's drive from the Costa del Sol and is a beautiful town in a spectacular cliff top setting. This is a child friendly hotel and families have the option staying in a junior suite or a double suite. The outdoor pool has a shallow end but there is no children’s pool or paddling pool. Essentially this is a boutique hotel that is has made a policy of welcoming children rather than one with kids clubs and lots of other facilities. You can book this here with Mr and Mrs Smith.

Hotel de Russie, Rome

The boutique Hotel de Russie in the heart of Rome has five-star comfort and style, a super-central location and an elegant terraced gardens where guests can escape the fashionable buzz of the Eternal City. Deluxe double room categories and upwards are large enough to swallow up cots, extra beds and buggies. There is no extra charge for children sharing their parents' room. All rooms have mini-bars you can keep bottles in.

Mini Attenboroughs will love the hotel's Secret Garden, where the Butterfly Oasis butterfly reserve is endorsed by the World Wildlife Fund. Hotel-organised tours, such as a private viewing of the Sistine Chapel, make light work of family sightseeing. Children aged 12 years and older welcome in the indoor pool and a children's menu is available in the bar, restaurant and via room service. Complimentary children's toiletries, pint-sized robes and slippers are all provided at this child-friendly hotel. There's a good range of kids' DVDs, plus PlayStation 2 consoles and games are available for hire. Young children are given a Hotel de Russie teddy bear, milk and biscuits and eight to 12 year-olds will also be treated to chocolates and a cartoon guide to Rome. You can book this through Mr and Mrs Smith.

You will find lots of family friendly travel tips and advice in our research and advice section to help you book the right family holiday. Check out also the experiences of other parents and travellers in our parents forum and add your own experiences as we are a great believer in real parent's experiences as the best measure of whether somewhere will suit you for your family holiday. 

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