Here are our picks for the Sticky Fingers Travel top Irish hotels with kids’ clubs from reviews, feedback and quality of services. We are always looking for feedback and tips from parents so do let us and other parents know via the forum about your own travel experiences with the kids both at home and abroad.
Kelly’s Hotel, Rosslare,Wexford
Kelly’s Hotel is a legend among families and rarely puts a foot wrong when it comes to family friendly facilities.
They are a great option for all members of the family from babies right up to grannies. They are booked out for weekends month in advance and bank holiday bookings are made each for the following year on check out and for preferred weeks in the summer.
Families are accommodated in the family rooms or in interconnecting rooms. All meals are included. These include afternoon tea and there is also a baby supply room with sterilisers. They have an excellent balance of adult space and family space and the leisure facilities include two pools, crazy golf, table tennis, a games room, fantastic grounds for toddlers and younger children to explore and one of the best locations in Ireland only a few steps away from a long sandy beach. There is a separate supervised creche area for young children and lots of activities in the kids club including puppet shows, face painting, discos, movies after tea, arts and crafts, ball games, storytelling and sporting tournaments against parents and staff for the older children. There is a special children’s high tea as well and parents can often be seen in their bathrobes for this after a great swim in the pool with the kids.A nice feature for parents who do want to get away from it is that the Seaspa really is stunning and you get the impression that you are miles away from all the family fun in the hotel even if it is just for a few hours. You can book directly with Kellys and mention that you heard about them on Sticky Fingers Travel please.
Ferrycarraig Hotel, Wexford
The Ferrycarraig Hotel in Wexford has a spectacular location on the River Slaney and is also another family favourite. Families are accommodated in well-equipped family rooms which have bunk bed options or in adjoining rooms and there is also a baby station for guests. There is a leisure facility with a 20m swimming pool, a gym and health and beauty facilities.
The hotel runs a Baby Clubbers creche for children up to four years of age and a Crazy Clubbers kids club for children aged four to twelve. During school holidays the Crazy Clubbers kids club is open during the week but only on a Friday evening and on Saturdays outside school holidays and peak times. Activities include ball games, face painting, board games, puzzle competitions, arts and crafts and mini tennis. Dining is family friendly and as this is a popular hotel booking well in advance for busy period is recommended to get the family accommodation. Book here.
Galway Bay hotel, Galway
The Galway Bay hotel has the advantages of a city centre location while also being situated overlooking Galway Bay and on Salthill Beach. Facilities include a leisure centre gymnasium and immediate access to the Salthill promenade. Families are accommodated in family rooms which comprise a double bed and two single beds, cots are provided free of charge and interconnecting rooms are also available.
The Penguin Kid’s Camp runs for children between the ages of four and twelve during the school holidays and on bank holidays and has two sessions from ten in the morning to one and six to eleven. The six to eleven session has the benefit of allowing parents to have their own meals separately in the evening and high tea is served for children at 6 pm. The kid’s camp activities include outdoor games, obstacle courses, concerts, quizzes, face painting and the DVDs for some downtime. Babysitters can be provided for children under four if parents wish to have some free time during the day. Book here
Dingle Skellig Hotel, Dingle
The Dingle Skellig is another family favourite on the beautiful Dingle Peninsula. Families can share a room and standard rooms are stated to cater for two adults and up to two children. Interconnecting rooms are also possible and children in their own interconnecting room are charged a reduced rate. These rooms are very popular and to get booked up well in advance. The price for children includes bed and breakfast and a kid’s tea from 5.30 to 6.30. Even if children do not enrol in the kids clubs having a kid’s tea is a great way of meeting new friends
The Skellig Creche cares for children from infancy to four years of age and provides a friendly environment for young babies and toddlers. There is a charge per hour and a discount for families with more than one child. It is open in high season seven days a week and in low season at weekends and in school holidays.
The Fungi kids club (clearly named after the local dolphin) caters for children from four upwards and provides a range of entertainment and activities. This includes arts and crafts, face painting, talent nights, pottery making at Louis Mulcahy's workshop, quizzes, bouncing castles, trips to Dingle Ocean world and lots more. The club is free however there are charges for trips to outside activities. Book here
The Gleneagle Hotel and Apartments,Killarney
The Gleneagle hotel has great leisure facilities including a 25m swimming pool, a 13m swimming pool ideal for children and learners, a gym and a number of children's entertainment options. Families are accommodated in family suites or alternatively in the self-catering Gleneagle River Apartments which have the benefit of lots of extra space and use of the leisure facilities. The Gleneagle hotel is a three star property but the apartments are considered four star. The nearby sister hotel the Brehon hotel is a four-star hotel and guests can use all of the facilities of the Gleneagle so this may be a good option if you really want a hotel at the luxury end of the scale.
The kids club is the Eager Eagles club which runs all summer long, during school holidays and at peak times. This club caters for children aged between four and fourteen and has a wide range of supervised activities including arts and crafts, swimming lessons, bouncing castles, a playcentre with a ball pool, nature walks, tennis matches, pitch and putt, competitions, soccer, visits to an animal farm and to the cinema on occasions. It also has the benefit of being close to be INEC which often has family friendly shows including the family friendly favourite Barney and the stunning Killarney scenery. Book here
Hotel Kilkenny, Kilkenny
Hotel Kilkenny is located close to Kilkenny and is a contemporary hotel with a four-star rating and excellent leisure facilities. Families are accommodated in either large family rooms which consist of a double bed and two single beds or in interconnecting rooms.
They run an extensive kids club programme during the school holidays, bank holidays and at weekends for children aged between four and twelve. Activities include indoor games, treasure hunts, quizzes, arts and crafts, karaoke, discos and mini Olympics and they also have seasonal themes. The club runs from 9.30 to 12.30 and 5 to 10 which give parents a chance to have a quiet meal together in the evenings. Book here
Kenmare Bay Hotel & Resort
The Kenmare Hotel & Resort was voted one of the top 10 family friendly hotels in Ireland. They really are very focused on families. The resort has holiday homes Family Rooms, Interconnecting Rooms, Triple Rooms and suites.
The Kenmare Bay Hotel & Resort has a Leisure Centre featuring a 20m swimming pool, children’s pool, fully equipped gym & weights room, sauna, jacuzzi, steam room, sun shower and mini spa with full range of beauty and holistic treatments.
All residents of the Hotel and Holiday Homes have full use of the Leisure Centre facilities.The Hotel likes to keep its little guests happy with a Kids Club for children aged 5 – 12 yrs twice a day every Saturday, Bank Holiday Weekend and Daily throughout School Holidays, a kids Aqua Fun Club for children aged 5 – 12 yrs, a kids drop-in Playroom in the Hotel, a children’s play area in The Bay Restaurant and an outdoor Playground next to the Leisure Centre. Book here.
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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