This beguiling nation of over 17,000 islands has massive potential for family adventures. Read our list of the top 10 family resorts in Indonesia over four stars to start planning your next escape.
This beguiling nation of over 17,000 islands has massive potential for family adventures. Read our list of the top 10 family resorts in Indonesia over four stars to start planning your next escape.
The setting at Conrad Bali is simply out of this world, situated on Tanjung Benoa – a peninsula jutting out of southern Bali famous for its stunning stretches of sand – and spread across almost seven hectares of space. Aquatic adventures are the star of the show with many water sports on offer, including introductory scuba, parasailing and sailing. There’s on-site babysitting, an activity-packed kids’ club and daily activities from ship racing to cookie baking for kids. Families can choose from ocean-, garden- or resort-view rooms or suites with their own infinity pools and kids up to 12 get complimentary breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Meliá Bali is tranquillity at its finest. Set across 10 hectares of beautiful grounds filled with palm trees, bougainvillea and water fountains, families can join resort activities or escape for privacy and downtime. From yoga lessons, water basketball and beach sports to cultural activities ranging from cooking classes to temple visits, there is something to keep all ages entertained. There’s also an enormous lagoon-style swimming pool, a kids’ club catering to guests aged four to seven, and the YHI Spa, which offers family treatments – the ‘Mom and me’ option is especially fun with Balinese massages, manicures and nail art.
If you are after a ‘lie by the pool’ vacation, they don’t come better than Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua Beach Resort. Home to one of the best resort pools around; lagoon-like passageways link some of the ground-floor rooms to the too-cool-for-school main pool. If you’re after a little action, try the water sports, beach activties and kids’ club complete with an outdoor pool and reading room. Or, if parents need a little pampering, the on-site So Spa is fabulous. A huge buffet spread makes breakfast quite the affair at Kwee Zeen and dinner at Cucina is a must for lovers of Mediterranean fare.
On its own idyllic stretch of Nusa Dua Beach, The Westin Resort Nusa Dua boasts a private beach club in the comfort of the resort. Relax on waterside Dream Beds, use the surfboards on offer or head underwater for a snorkel or a scuba dive. There are six exquisite on-site restaurants to eat at and the hotel bar offers a beautiful array of cocktails and freshly-squeezed juices to keep you hydrated under the Balinese sun.
The Ayana Resort and Spa, Bali is situated across 90 hectares of cliff top looking out across Jimbaran Bay. You can enjoy views of glorious ocean from all over the resort, but one of the best spots to gaze across the sea is at the award-winning Rock Bar, where you can enjoy a cocktail and a majestic sunset at the same time. Your family can also sign up for a cooking class, do a little putting practice or simply relax beside one of the 12 luxurious swimming pools.
Padma Resort Legian is an ideal family holiday destination, carefully designed to be a paradise for kids and adults alike. There are five pools to splash around in, including an infinity pool for adults where you can enjoy a cold beer, and a family pool with waterslides and sun loungers. Kids can attend the Wolly Kids’ Club and make some new friends, or they can relax in the Kids Spa with specially-designed treatments to indulge your little ones.
Within easy reach of Jimbaran Beach, this five-star resort is a dream for families looking to have a memorable holiday. The Meera Kids’ Club has a jam-packed activities schedule, with everything from language lessons to mocktail-making classes to keep young travellers entertained. Grown-ups can visit Arkipela Spa for a massage or the Above Eleven rooftop bar for scenic views and themed cocktails, with babysitting on request if you feel like having a late night.
If you need space, InterContinental Bali Resort is the place to go, residing on 14 hectares of tropical grounds and featuring 417 stunning guest rooms. There is a white-sand beach to enjoy, and guests can lounge beside one of six pools, one of which is designed especially for families and is flanked by a restaurant and bar. Find your inner Zen in holistic classes like yoga and bayu suci (Balinese tai chi), or learn more about the island’s culture through music, or flower arranging, classes. With the kids happy and enjoying the program at Planet Trekkers, you are free to book a romantic couples treatment at the spa. Or, simply enjoy the tranquillity of the resort.
At Discovery Kartika Plaza Hotel, you are guaranteed a relaxing holiday and a culinary experience that you won’t forget. Start your day with a gourmet floating breakfast and then move on to one of the resort’s numerous gourmet journeys – perhaps high tea beside the ocean, or a Mediterranean feast under the stars. The complimentary Kids’ Club is a great place to leave little ones to make friends, while you can work up a sweat in an indoor squash game or rent a bicycle to explore the neighbourhood. Afterwards, the whole family can chill out at the spa, enjoying treatments that include two exclusive options just for kids.
Two infinity pools, an atrium pool and a kids’ pool tricked out with waterslides are just the beginning when it comes to the Holiday Inn Resort Bali Benoa. High on the list of benefits is the Kids Stay and Eat Free program for those under 12, offering complimentary accommodation for little ones sharing a room with an adult, and free food for those eating from the designated menu. Babysitting and nanny services are available, and there’s also a Kids’ Club to keep your young whippersnappers entertained.
The Novotel Nusa Dua is strategically located to give guests access to all the best bits of Bali, with Uluwatu Temple, Padang-Padang Beach and Pandawa Beach all well within reach. Inside the resort you can find a two-tier lagoon pool and the In Balance spa, ready to dole out relaxation in spades. The Junior In Balance Spa offers hair braiding and prince or princess treatments for little ones looking to be pampered, while adults can go on a village cycling tour or take a free fitness class. Round out your stay with an Indonesian cooking class, where you’ll prepare and eat a three course meal.
It’s a tremendous achievement to have your property recognised by the people who matter most: the families who stay there. We love seeing how many wonderful options there are for travellers with kids in tow all across the world, and every year the list is expanding.
As you can probably imagine, it’s a massive job to compile the Top 10 each year, and the Holidays with Kids team has been hard at work for the last few months compiling all the survey responses and sorting them into categories.
Holidays with Kids was the first travel magazine in Australia to do readers’ choice awards all the way back in 2001, our editors are pretty much certified experts in this field.
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