Where to find the perfect adults-only escape
Three resorts at the top of the Caribbean and Mexico wish-list for couples wanting a relaxing adults-only romantic break are Melia Punta Cana Beach, and Paradisus Palma Real Golf & Spa Resort, both in the Dominican Republic, and Paradisus La Perla - Adults Only - at Playa del Carmen on Mexico's Riviera Maya. With a heady mix of natural beauty, golden sands, cultural highlights and friendly local people, these three are as good as anywhere on Earth for a seaside escape.
Choosing the right hotel is vital, of course, as is travelling with a tour operator with impeccable taste and reputation. Book with British Airways Holidays and you'll have peace of mind from start to finish thanks to a 24/7 holiday helpline, Atol protection, regular direct flights to choose from and the choice of the very best hotels.
Melia Punta Cana Beach – A Wellness Inclusive Resort
If you consider a holiday to be a time to focus wholeheartedly on your wellbeing, away from the rigours of daily life, this all-inclusive five-star hotel in Playa Bavaro is the place to stay. Melia Punta Cana Beach, which sits in a serene setting of lush gardens, specialises in offering a collection of wellness experiences and rituals designed to guide each guest into a conscious and personalised wellbeing journey. Wellbeing spaces – social, silent, sensorial, culinary and personal – have been specifically created to stimulate physical, mental and even spiritual development.
The Wellness Inclusive experience feeds into all aspects of the stay: expect to meet nutritionists, a naturopathic doctor, an ancestral guru, yoga experts and even a sound healer. The spa is, as you'd expect, a central pillar of a stay here and offers a mix of traditional and modern healing therapies. Plus there's a wellness events calendar with unique programmes each month and a well-equipped gym.
For guests wanting something a little extra special, The Level is Melia's premium service offering exclusive facilities, personalised service and a range of additional benefits. Plus the best rooms, reserved areas in the resort, access to a private pool, an exclusive beach area, private check in and a private breakfast area. The Level guests also get access to Wellness Rooms powered by Delos with Deepak Chopra meditations and spa included.
Dining at the hotel is a journey around the world for the palate from Mediterranean fare at Mar de Sal to Asian cuisine at Muoi to international flavours at the likes of Serendipia and Mosaico. And as if that's all not enough guests also have access to a world-class golf course.
Paradisus Palma Real Golf & Spa resort, Punta Cana
This glorious hotel, set within a vibrant tropical garden and overlooking a sensational white powder beach twins an elegant colonial-style with Dominican-inspired decor. The five-star property offers a luxury all-inclusive experience in the heart of Punta Cana with high-end suites offering direct pool access or sea views.
For a truly exceptional stay the hotel boasts The Reserve: an adults-only area, a cut above the rest of the already impressive hotel, where the most sophisticated and exclusive premium service is on offer. The suites are spacious, guests have VIP access to private areas within the resort (including pool and beach sections), a destination concierge is on hand to help with anything and everything – plus there's private check in and check out and snacks and drinks on offer throughout the day.
The Reserve guests also enjoy priority booking at the peaceful YHI spa and the eclectic restaurants such as Flora that serves Dominican fare created by Dominican chef Leandro Diaz, Italian eaterie Mascalzone and Blue Agave plating up the flavours of Mexico. Guests can also look forward to destination inclusive experiences that offer the chance to explore the sights, sounds and tastes of the local area as well as a range of events throughout the year such as The Epicure by Paradisus and fashion shows.
Paradisus La Perla - Adults Only - Riviera Maya
Within 45 minutes of leaving Cancun airport you'll find yourself in a beautiful adults-only retreat in the calming surroundings of mangrove forests and white sands. This laid-back yet elegant all-inclusive hotel in Playa del Carmen prides itself on the warmth of its Mexican hospitality and its ability to provide the perfect break, both in and out of the hotel grounds.
The pools, beach, restaurants, spa and other facilities ensure you can spend two weeks enjoying the ultimate in relaxation. But the opportunities to explore and discover life outside the resort are in place thanks to the hotel's destination inclusive experiences such as a visit to a private cenote (a natural and rather beautiful sinkhole) with yoga, or taking part in a Mayan shaman ritual. These extra-special experiences are available to guests who choose a suite in The Reserve where they will get a superior room, privileged access to various parts of the hotel and a concierge service.
Deciding where to eat is likely to be the toughest test for guests given there are six restaurants to choose from (plus eight more at nearby sister hotel Paradisus Playa del Carmen where guests at this hotel are welcome). But choose they must, so consider sitting for steak at Sal Steak Cave (charges apply), Italian fare at Cappella or perhaps fusion cuisine at Lemon Fish. And if the stress of choosing where to eat gets too much, treat yourself to a session at the YHI Spa where a water ritual awaits, alongside a serene collection of treatments and massages inspired by Mayan culture.
British Airways Holidays packages include a generous baggage allowance for each customer and come with full Atol protection for complete peace of mind. Secure your Melia holiday to Mexico or Dominican Republic with a low deposit and enjoy flexible payments until you fly*.
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Times
11 hours ago
- Times
19 of the best family hotels in Spain
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Parents in need of some child-free spa time, fear not — the summer-only 'mini club' is free. Once rejuvenated, try a game of petanque or a freewheeling bike ride through the 800-acre estate, which is dotted with almond trees. • Best luxury villas in Andalusia £ | POOL | SPA | Best for active families Sharing coastline and half its name with spectacular Cabo de Gata-Nijar National Park, the largest protected area in Andalusia, this palatial five-star hotel is a great base for families who want an action-packed itinerary. As well as the Olympic-sized swimming pool and paddle court on site, there are free-to-use paddleboards, kayaks and bikes, plus a nearby golf course and a spa offering Pilates and yoga classes as well as treatments. Decor in shared spaces and rooms — many of which are interconnecting — is immaculate, and there's a tapas restaurant as well as the obligatory buffet. ££ | POOL | SPA | KIDS' CLUB | Best for a beach break Spain's so-called Golden Mile is replete with high-end hotels, but this sophisticated beachfront property stands out. It is styled on an Andalusian village — and many guests never feel the need to leave its palm-dotted grounds — but is a short stroll along a seafront promenade to Marbella. There are good-sized rooms for those travelling with children, and a dazzling array of activities on offer for all ages — from yoga and Pilates to tennis and paddleboarding. There is also a family-focused swimming pool (one of three) and a kids' club, La Casita, which features devoted areas for tots and teens. Book them in and enjoy an uninterrupted meal at one of the 15 fantastic on-site restaurants, including a Nobu. • Best luxury villas in Marbella ££ | POOL | Best for a city break The outdoor-swimming season lasts longer in Madrid than most places, so families visiting the Spanish capital in the shoulder months will be glad of this hotel's gorgeous pool, surrounded by tall trees and potted greenery. Parents can supervise with a signature CoolRooms cocktail in hand before heading for the on-site El Patio de Atocha, a restaurant serving Mediterranean cuisine. Staff wear striped T-shirts teamed with braces and blazers — a uniform that epitomises their fun-yet-efficient approach to service. With nods to art deco, rooms are similarly period in style — for added space, choose a suite (adding a sofa bed for the children for £60). 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The greenery-filled Traca restaurant serves Mediterranean dinner options and the hotel's next-level breakfast, while Belbo Fasto has child-pleasing options including pasta and pizza. • Best family hotels in Barcelona• Best things to do in Barcelona ££ | POOL | SPA | KIDS' CLUB | Best for a wellness break Forty minutes by car from Barcelona airport, this generously proportioned property housed in a 1920s sanatorium is one of the country's loveliest beachfront hotels, sitting on a silkily soft stretch of coast. Guests can make use of the beach club loungers, borrow kayaks and paddleboards for excursions on the Mediterranean or swim in the hotel's elegant rooftop pool. Staff at the kids' club are buoyant and enthusiastic — delighted to engage your children in a game of ping-pong or Connect 4 while you make use of the sizeable adults-only spa. There are 144 rooms — book into a Premium Beachfront for magnificent sea views — and you can watch the waves crash from the restaurant's terrace. The dinner buffet is quite something, with everything from grilled prawns to paella whipped up on the spot. £ | Best for kid-friendly culture So close to the Guggenheim that Jeff Koons' Puppy serves as the hotel's guard dog, this is the perfect spot in northern Spain from which to visit the venerated modern art museum. Begin with a family breakfast on the roof terrace, which has a peerless view over the groundbreaking gallery — contemplate its silvery exterior as you dine on à la carte dishes such as eggs benedict. The property's art-filled atrium and corridors connect 145 rooms and suites, all of which are classically designed and very comfortable (book interconnecting suites for more space and a private terrace). 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We particularly loved sundowners and snacks at the adults-only Nix Sky Bar, which has a 360-degree panorama over the coast. • Best hotels in Malaga• Best hotels on the Costa del Sol £ | POOL | Best for theme park fun Designed to look like a Mexican hacienda, this enormous 500-room property is one of the hotels officially affiliated to PortAventura World — the country's biggest amusement park. A stay here includes tickets for it, but there's a good deal else on offer once you've had enough of the rides. The kids' pool features a pirate ship and there's a well thought-out playground. There are even some Woody Woodpecker-themed bedrooms, in addition to more adult-orientated bars and restaurants where parents will find sanctuary. A standard room here sleeps four, so average-sized families won't have to fork out for an extra bed. £ | Best for food The culinary capital of Spain, San Sebastian is also exceptionally child-friendly — kids love pintxos, the Basque take on tapas, plus there's the city's mountaintop amusement park and many beaches. Less than a ten-minute walk from Playa Zurriola, this excellent-value property offers a cleverly designed duplex room split over two floors. All suites are family-friendly and each features a tiny terrace where young'uns can let off steam. The buffet breakfast is surprisingly abundant for a small hotel, with fresh orange juice on tap and bubbly staff serving great platters of scrambled eggs at the table. Parents can enjoy a complimentary glass of cava in the stylish foyer before setting out to explore the neighbourhood's pintxo bars — the Gros neighbourhood has some of the best in the city. • Best hotels in San Sebastian £ | POOL | SPA | KIDS' CLUB | Best for style Putting family holidays front and centre, this beachside property capitalises on the big Spanish selling points of sun and sea while injecting a side order of fun into the mix. The hotel offers endless amusement for all ages — kids' pools with slides, evening entertainment, including magic, and its Star Camp activity programme for children. The property was refurbished in 2020 and its breezy contemporary decor is in keeping with the atmosphere, featuring hanging gardens in the lobby and nautical touches in the rooms, some of which have sea views. If you can prise yourself away from the resort it is 45 minutes' drive to the Jerez sherry cellars, which make a good day trip. £ | Best for a mountain location The state-run hotel chain is best known for its heritage buildings and fine dining — neither of which tends to have much appeal for kids. However, we challenge them not to love this eco-friendly outlier in the foothills on the Picos de Europa. Less than a five-minute walk from a cable car that will whisk you towards some of the most dazzling mountain scenery on the Continent, this is a memorable base for an adventurous holiday with older children — with canyoning, rafting and other activities all on offer nearby. If the kids have any energy left at the end of the day there is also a play area on site — while parents will find repose in the traditional rooms and enjoy the good old-fashioned service. ££ | POOL | SPA | KIDS' CLUB | Best for a combined city and beach break Paella may be the national dish, but you can only eat the truly authentic version in Valencia. The most upmarket address in the city is this sparkling seaside property, which is also a winning spot for families. As well as a spacious garden and a devoted children's pool there is a summer-season kids' club suitable for ages four to twelve. The hotel can also arrange babysitting, facilitating nights out on the town, and there are two on-site restaurants — Brasserie Sorolla has an original painting by its namesake artist. As well as interconnecting family rooms there are triples on offer — ideal for a larger brood. • Best things to do in Valencia• Best hotels in Valencia £ | POOL | Best for babies and toddlers A little more than an hour's drive from Alicante and just back from the Costa Blanca in the Sierra de Bernia mountains, this property combines the facilities of a boutique hotel with the space you would expect from self-catering accommodation. Clustered around the pool are six stylish apartments with one or two bedrooms, each equipped with every bit of infant paraphernalia you could ever need. Children will love exploring the mini-farm, play area, trampoline and sandpit, while the nearest beaches are less than 40 minutes' drive away. Each evening the British hosts serve home-cooked Mediterranean-inspired meals, with separate sittings for kids and grown-ups and the option to dine privately. £ | POOL | SPA | KIDS' CLUB | Best for waterparks As well as use of a devoted kids' pool with slides and a pirate ship, guests at this property in Lloret de Mar benefit from free access to neighbouring Waterworld — a saving not to be sniffed at, with tickets costing from £20 each. On site there's also a splash park for little ones, while adults can make use of the water circuit in the spa or head for a cocktail in their cossie at the swim-up bar. Many of the 345 rooms are great for families — for maximum value book all-inclusive. £ | POOL | KIDS' CLUB | Best for a budget crowd-pleaser Though less well-known than the other Costas, the 'Warm Coast' — the stretch of sand in Murcia province — has plenty of appealing beaches. 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Scotsman
18 hours ago
- Scotsman
Mallorca all-inclusive holiday deal with flights from £119pp
Sóller in Mallorca is known for its stunning mountain views, traditional architecture and sunny Mediterranean charm | Wowcher This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement. Think it's too late to find a school holiday beach break? This Mallorca deal includes return flights, meals, drinks and sunshine – from just £119pp. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Think you've left it too late to book a summer holiday in the school break? Think again. We've been on the hunt for a proper all-inclusive deal that still has dates left in August – and we've found a cracking one on the shores of sunny Mallorca. With return flights, unlimited food and drink, and a hotel minutes from the beach, it's ideal for families or couples who want the sun without the faff. The best part? It's one of the strongest-value summer sun deals still available, with multiple UK airports to fly from and durations from two to seven nights. You'll stay at the centrally located BLUESEA Mediodia, just steps from the beach and within easy reach of local shops, restaurants and bars. The hotel has a pool, on-site dining, Wi-Fi and 24-hour reception. Rooms come with air con, balconies and en suites, making it a comfortable base for a chilled-out break. Because it's all-inclusive, you don't need to budget for extras – your package covers breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and unlimited soft or alcoholic drinks. That means you can keep the kids fuelled up without constantly reaching for your wallet, or just kick back with a few poolside cocktails each evening. Mallorca is still one of the most reliable summer sun spots in Europe, with highs pushing 30°C through August. Whether you're beach-hopping, scuba diving, strolling through Palma or just soaking up the rays with a sangria in hand, it's a brilliant way to salvage the tail end of the school holidays without overpaying. This article was produced with the support of AI tools to assist in sourcing and structuring information. All content has been reviewed, verified and completed by a National World journalist prior to publication. Canva Get beach-ready with MySweetSmile's gentle teeth whitening range £ 20.99 Buy now Buy now Sunshine, selfies and holiday cocktails – summer is here, and so are all the moments you'll want to capture with a glowing smile. Whether you're jetting off for a beach escape or heading to a sunny staycation, MySweetSmile can help you look your best. This UK best-seller offers peroxide-free, gentle whitening that works its magic without harsh ingredients or faff. Their powder is perfect for whitening before take-off, while the handy on-the-go pen is great for keeping your smile photo-ready poolside. Shop the full MySweetSmile summer-ready range here. Discovery Cove Discover Orlando's hidden island paradise with exclusive early booking savings £ 115.00 Buy now Buy now Tucked away in the heart of Orlando, Discovery Cove is the all-inclusive tropical escape most visitors don't even know exists. Swim with dolphins, snorkel through vibrant reefs, hand-feed exotic birds and unwind on white-sand beaches — all in a serene, crowd-free setting with guest numbers capped daily. Right now, you can save up to 28% on 2026 bookings, plus an extra 12% off with code SUNNY, and enjoy a free premium drinks package for over-21s. But hurry — these early booking savings end soon. Explore Discovery Cove deals today
