Sarah Matthews
London Office
I’m going to be honest, I usually prefer to see the world without compromising on my creature comforts! My travel experience varies from 5 star hotels in far-flung places to little hostels in the backstreets of Andalucia where I spent my sandwich year studying at University in Granada. Now with two small children in tow I have learnt the hard way about what works when travelling with kids.
We’re not ones to sunbathe so always look for places where there’s a good balance of nice weather, good food, activities and childcare you can have total confidence in – Scott Dunn’s Mediterranean destinations offer no shortage of options. My family love the Algarve in Portugal so much so we’ve been five times in three years! It’s my top recommendation for first-time parents holidaying with little ones as they just “get” British kids over there, it’s like a home from home.
What my guests have said
Favourite places I've been
Algarve
Crete
Dubrovnik
Florida
Greater Kruger
Mauritius
Paris
South Africa
Travel nuggets
The stonework at Daios Cove was made from pre-existing dynamite exploded rock - you can see the marks!
Amirandes in Crete will score points with parents pushing buggies as it's a predominantly flat resort and the beach is easily accessible.
Book the kids into the Explorers Club and take some well deserved 'me time' in the brand new Serenity Spa. It's state of the art and truly luxurious.
My hot picks
Costa Navarino - The Westin, The Peloponnese, Greece
This resort is big and impressive, with lots of variety. It strikes the balance between style and family-friendliness so well. Even at full capacity, this hotel never feels too crowded.
Pine Cliffs Resort, Algarve, Portugal
Pine Cliffs is the best of the bunch in the Algarve, with multi-bedroomed, self-catering options that make life so much easier, especially with toddlers. I've got chatting to more friendly people round the pool at Pine Cliffs than I ever have at the park!
Sun Gardens Dubrovnik, Dubrovnik, Croatia
I had heard the Dalmatian Coast was stunning, but I was still surprised when I got there. From the moment you leave the airport, the scenery wins you over. Sun Gardens is an amazing family resort in its own right, and only 20 minutes from Dubrovnik.
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