Travelling with a baby or toddler can be tiring and it is important that they are happy so that you can relax and enjoy your trip! Here is Kinder Travel Guide’s list of top baby and toddler friendly hotels in Ireland. Enjoy!
Kelly’s Resort Hotel, Rosslare, County Wexford
Kelly’s is a superb option for parents seeking to get away from it all and relax for a few days. This family run hotel is situated on a safe, sandy beach in County Rosslare. It offers quality accommodation, first class food and one of Wexford’s destination Spas, “SeaSpa”. The hotel offers family rooms or interconnecting rooms (most of which are on the ground floor). There is also a pool and arm bands are on sale at the Aqua Club Shop. For babies and toddlers, there is a small playroom, the “Starfish Club” which is supervised daily from 8.30am to 5.30pm for a nominal fee of €3.00 per hour or €2.00 for 1/2 hour.
There are also complimentary child minding services for children in the children’s playroom each evening from 6.30pm to 9.00pm, this gives mum and dad the opportunity to enjoy their meal! Or alternatively, babysitting can be arranged through Reception in advance, there is an hourly fee of €9.00 for a minimum of 2 hours. The “Pirates Club” at runs an extensive daily programme for children aged 4 and over from 9.30am to 9.00pm (Children younger are welcome to attend accompanied by a parent/guardian). There is also a special children’s dinner which is served at 5.30pm each evening followed by a disco in the Ivy Room and parental supervision is required at meal times.
The Quality Hotel & Leisure Centre, Clonakilty, County Cork
The Quality Hotel and Leisure Centre is a superb choice for families situated in Clonakilty, close to the stunning beach of Inchydonney and a charming model railway village. The hotel offers plenty of activities for older babies and toddlers in a relaxed setting and has a number of accomodation options including family rooms, apartments and holiday homes. The hotel boasts an indoor playzone, 3 screen cinema and pool with an inflatable pool slide.
There is also a fully supervised creche which has a safe, secure environment and is suitable for children aged 1-4 years. The creche must be booked 24 hours in advance to ensure that there is a sufficient staff to child ratio. The hotel also has a toddler area with a range of soft play equipment with a small slide (toddlers must be supervised by an adult). The charge for the toddler area is €4 per toddler, per session. The jungle gym is an indoor multi-level adventure centre. It has a huge slide, ball pool, climbing levels and lots more. It is suitable for 4-11 year olds and is a fully supervised facility, where parents must sign their children in and out.
There is also an outdoor playground with a large scale, pirate ship and weather permitting, during Summer holidays, form 5.30pm-7pm, the outdoor playground is home to a high rise bouncy castle with an obstacle course. There are also some excellent dining options and the toddlers menu has some of their favourite choices such as pasta tubes chicken goujons and a healthy toddlers portion of the roast of the day. The toddler menu costs €3.50 per child and includes a main course, dessert and drink.
Westport Woods Family Friendly Resort & Hotel, County Mayo
The Westport Woods is located just a couple of minutes from the picturesque town of Westport. The extensive private woodlands were once part of the neighbouring Westport House Estate. Westport House & Pirate Adventure Park, the Wild Atlantic Way and a host of blue flag beaches are pretty much on this fantastic hotel’s doorstep.
The hotel offers an onsite complimentary go!kids! club (for over 4’s) which guaranteed to keep the children entertained, while you have time to relax (open mornings and evenings only). For toddlers (ages 2 -4) there is a drop in service in the hotel’s HSE registered drop-in centre. Qualified child-care assistants will ensure pre-schoolers enjoy every minute of their own specialised mini programme. Activities range from musical games, crafting play dough, drama storytelling and more. The room can be booked for 45 minute slots, while you enjoy a romantic dinner or a relaxing spa treatment.
The hotel also boasts an 18 metre pool and toddler pool and kids welcome before 8pm. There are 122 en suite bedrooms, including spacious deluxe rooms, twin, triples and large family rooms on four levels with spectacular views of woodland scenery. Cots are available on request.
Dingle Skellig, Dingle, County Kerry
The Dingle Skellig Hotel, located on the stunning Dingle peninsula in County Kerry. This is a very baby and toddler friendly hotel choice which offers a crèche (during the summer season) in addition to the Fungi kids’ club. There is a charge for the crèche and the Kids’ Club is free for children over 4, and includes pool games, arts & crafts, talent nights, quizzes and a bouncy castle. The hotel also offers a “Junior Evening meal” where children can eat at 5.30pm. The hotel offers both standard rooms and suites and cots are available on request.
Fota Island Resort, County Cork
Fota Island Resort and Golf Course is located next to Fota House and gardens and Fota Wildlife Park and is one of the best hotels to take babies and toddlers in the county. The hotel is about a 20 minute drive from Cork city centre and is set is a great location with lots of green space around it. For adults there is a fantastic spa and hydrotherapy suite. There is also a pool (children’s swimming times from 9.00am – 11.00am and 4.00pm to 6.00pm) and a small games room which is ideal for toddlers to play in. Accommodation includes hotel rooms and self catering accommodation is also available. The hotel can also arrange babysitting services for an additional charge and cots and baby bowls are available on request.
The Malton, Killarney, County Kerry
The Malton is a great option if you want to stay in the town of Killarney. It is very central and has a retail outlet centre right next door. It offers 4 star luxurious four star hotel or self-catering accommodation in the heart of Killarney. The hotel has lovely gardens where kids can run around and there is also a small playground. During the summer the hotel organises a host of indoor and outdoor activities and facilities for kids which are included in the family package rate including a Jaunting Car trip around The Malton Gardens; seed planting in the hotel’s polytunnel; supervised water activities in The Innisfallen Pool; a Teddy Bear’s Picnic; a Big Chef and kids cooking demonstrations.
The Malton also offers a supervised playroom throughout July and August for children aged four years and over, (children under four must be accompanied by an adult). There is also a pool in the hotel however there is no kids pool but there are shallower areas where you can hold your child while they swim. Cots are available on request.
Renvyle House Hotel, Connemara, County Galway
The Renvyle House Hotel is set in beautiful rugged Connemara and is a fantastic place to take younger children. A snug conservatory provides a relaxing place to admire the view, and dark beams, rug strewn floors and open fires create a cosy atmosphere and a haven after a day of sightseeing and activities.
There is a heated outdoor swimming pool in summer and some excellent facilities for toddlers including a traditional playground and a crèche in summer – and, to ensure that parents are able to make the most of the excellent food, the large dining room is set out with a window along one side where parents can see their children in the supervised playroom next door. Cots and babysitting services are available on request.
Banna Strand Beach Resort
Banna Strand Beach Resort is located on one of the prettiest beaches in the county and is very popular with families. This self contained holiday village boasts a variety of holiday homes, gymnasium, swimming pool (with a separate toddler pool), playground, bars and a supermarket. For toddlers, there is Pirate Pete’s indoor play area with slides, ball pools and climbing ladders and a new outdoor play area. For older children there is also a games room. There is also entertainment organised for kids in the family bar. There is a large selection of restaurants close by and the seafood in the area is a must try! Babysitting services are available for an additional charge and cots are available on request.
Druids Glen, County Wicklow
Druids Glen is located in County Wicklow, known as ‘the garden of Ireland’ just 30 minutes from Dublin. The hotel has an outdoor playground with swings, slides & jungle gym and an indoor playroom with soft play area, wall puzzles, arcade machine, foosball and air-hockey. Movies are shown daily in the Den on a large movie screen with surround sound. There is also a handy guest kitchenette with bottle sterilizers, bottle warmers, microwave & disposables.
Picnic Baskets are available to order (prices available from reception). There are Family BBQs on the deck each Friday from 6.00pm – 9.00pm beginning June 5th until 28th August inclusive, music from 7.00pm – 9.00pm on the deck weather permitting. Midweek BBQs from 6.00pm – 9.00 pm on Monday and Wednesday from July 6th through to August 28th. There are family rooms and interconnecting rooms and cots and babysitting services are available on request.
Rathmullan House, County Donegal
Rathmullan House is another top choice for parents travelling with babies and toddlers set in idyllic wooded grounds overlooking Lough Swilly in Co Donegal. This family run hotel is just a few steps from a two-mile long golden beach and has a luxury restaurant which offers award winning food. The hotel has a swimming pool and spa and there are a number of child friendly amenities also. Wellies or buckets and spades are available from reception and there is a kid’s room, where they can enjoy meals, watch movies from a wide selection of DVDs and play a variety of games.
There is also a wholesome and nutritious children’s menu and kids can also take part in cookery demonstrations. There are also 7 acres of gardens and woodland and a walled garden with an array of fruit, vegetables and herbs growing. There are also family rooms available which are like a private suite with interconnected with spacious rooms for parents and children and a family-sized shared bathroom. Cots and babysitting services are available on request.
You might also like…
Baby & Toddler Essentials in Ireland
