4 of the best hotels in Europe for family holidays, perfect for everyone from kids to grandparents
- The best chance of having a successful multigenerational family holiday is by visiting family-run hotels, an experienced planner of such trips says
- These four family-run hotels, in Austria, Switzerland, Italy and France, will see guests of all ages having a great time
When it comes to European family holidays, it’s hard not to think of the cult film National Lampoon’s European Vacation (1985).
For those who didn’t grow up in the 1980s or don’t find slapstick comedies funny, the movie follows Clark Griswold and his family on a chaotic tour around Europe. Like most family gatherings, tensions arise with each family member wanting to do something different and relationships are tested.
As someone who plans her own yearly multigenerational family holidays to Europe, I can’t help but laugh at our usual chaos (even if, at the time, I find more pleasure in a scalding Finnish sauna than I do mediating between family members).
Like most Asian families who go on overseas holidays with their parents, grandparents and children, mine clashes over what time to have breakfast, or whether the morning should be spent mountain hiking or swimming in a nearby lake.
However, I have learned the best chance of having a successful and tantrum-free holiday is by seeking out family-run and operated hotels. It makes perfect sense: the owners of family-run hotels, more often than not, bring their own family values to the establishment, instilling a more genuine and down-to-earth approach.
Space is a key factor in the success of a well-run, family-operated business. Not only do rooms tend to be larger, but many such hotels have adjoining suites for children and parents, meaning families are not forced to spend more time with each other than they wish.
