Summer Travel Deals: Hotels Offering Exclusive Packages Over the Summer Holidays

“We’re all going on a summer holiday…”

It’s never too early to book your next summer holiday, especially when there are special deals on offer! Whether you’re looking for pure beach relaxation as a couple or fun, unique activities for every member of the family, Mr & Mrs Smith has handpicked five hotels for the perfect summer holiday. With plenty for parents and kids to enjoy on the itinerary, it’s worth checking out what’s in store in these stunning destinations. It may not yet be time to get packing, but it’s always a good time to get planning…

Read more: Tips & Tricks For Stress-Free Travelling With Kids

For a luxury beach break, Aava Resort & Spa is hard to beat. With dandy Scandi styling and Thai hospitality, the entire family will be kept entertained. The rooms are comfortable, the chefs are supremely talented, and there’s even an onsite bakery that rustles up perfect pizzas. The Poolside Villas are favourites, with ladder access to the pool and a private sun-deck with a sunbed, comfy sofa and a little table that hints at sunny private lunches. You’ll be spoiled rotten in the spa!

 The family offer allows you to stay four nights for the price of three (For stays until 30^th Sep 2018). As an bonus, guests get a fruit basket, home-made chocolate balls from Aava Bakery and a bottle of sparkling wine upon arrival!

How to get there: There are several direct flights a day to Phuket Airport, which is a four-hour drive from the resort. Alternatively, the closest airport, Surat Thani Airport, is only an hour and a half drive away, although you’ll have to fly via Bangkok.

Family attractions in the area: Pink dolphins! Head out to sea with a local fisherman to look out for baby-pink fins, stopping off at islands along the way. You can even pop over to see the statue of the famous Buddhist monk, Luang Por Tuad.

Kids will love: Playing with all of the floats in the resort’s pool and practicing Muay Thai on the terrace with the grown-ups!

Parents will love: Enlisting one of the on-call babysitters to watch over the kids, whilst they sip an Aava martini (vodka, fresh lychee and lemongrass, topped with apple juice) on the beach.

Clustered around winding lagoon pools, by the private sands or over the water sits Anantara The Palm Dubai Resort. The kids club ‘Tuk Tuk’ is a mini resort itself, with a shaded play area, a fenced paddling pool, a sand pit and pint-sized sun loungers! There is also an action-packed watersports centre for older kids and the seductive Anantara spa for you. The treatments are inspired by Anantara’s Asian roots and Arabic traditions, incorporating ingredients harvested from date-palm gardens and the Gulf’s seawater pearls. 

How to get there: Cathay and Emirates both fly direct from Hong. And plenty of taxis will be lined up outside Dubai International Airport ready to take you on the 45-mintue journey to Anantara The Palm Dubai Resort.

Family attractions in the area: Indoor ski slopes, amazing waterparks, gold souks… you name it, Dubai has it! If you are planning a fun-filled family outing, the hotel can provide picnic boxes to take with you!

Kids will love: Spying on the underwater world below through the glass-bottomed living rooms in the Over Water Villas.

Parents will love: Booking a couples’ room at the luxurious Anantara Spa for treatments inspired by a combination of Anantara’s Asian roots and Arabic traditions, while the kids are looked after by a sitter.

Rustic-luxe boutique hotel Castello di Vicarello is situated on hidden hilltop olive groves. With unforgettable panoramic views of the valleys of Tuscany, swimming in either of Vicarello’s two infinity pools is a delight. A variety of activities are available at the hotel, ranging from cooking classes to wine-tasting, horse riding, hunting and fishing. Aurora, the owner, cooks up a daily-changing menu of authentic home-grown, home-made Tuscan cuisine, served in the beautiful candlelit flower-filled courtyard in summer.

As a summer family bonus, you get a cooking and dining experience for the family (for stays from 1^st Mar 2018 to 31^st Oct 2018). Each guest also gets a ceramic gift designed by owner Aurora and one free entrance to the thermal spa.

How to get there: Fly into Florence or Pisa, followed by an hour and a half away drive to get to the hotel.

Family attractions in the area: Tuscan countryside and visiting nearby vineyards

Kids will love: Horse riding through the surrounding farmland.

Parents will love: A romantic dinner for two in a secret spot in the garden, before retiring to a nook in the courtyard for a glass of the hotel’s vintage red wine.

Elegant and eco-friendly, Monaci delle Terre Nere hotel is a dusky pink, 19th-century villa, situated on a 40-acre farm between the Mediterranean coast and Mount Etna. The outdoor black lava-stone pool with an infinity edge, overlooks the picturesque Sicilian countryside. The Suite Fresco is best suited for families and there is a small playground for children. Wine tasting tours, olive-oil tasting and yoga classes are all offered or you can enjoy the weekly live, open-air jazz sessions.

Book at least four nights and receive cookery lesson, children’s meals and more (for stays from 26^th March 2018 to 3 September 2018). And, as a little welcome drink, you get a glass of local Etna wine on arrival!

How to get there: Cathay Pacific offer direct flights to Rome – stop in the capital for a few nights before hopping on a domestic flight to Catania, which is just a 40-minute drive from the hotel.

Family attractions in the area: Head to Taormina for the day – with dramatic views of Mount Etna and a remarkable Greek amphitheatre, it’s a must-see!

Kids will love: The homely feel, cheesy pasta and gelato!

Parents will love: Etna wine tasting sessions with the hotel’s sommelier.

Nay Palad Hideaway is all about barefoot luxury. Verdant forests, azure waters and a powder-soft stretch of private sands: boutique resort Nay Palad Hideaway is a pacific playground waiting to be explored. Protected by the shape of the bay, the waters around the resort are calm and clear – an ideal playground for young splashers. Everything here, from the sea-fresh cuisine to indulgent massages and island excursions, is included. In the evening, roast marshmallows on open fire and enjoy the outdoor cinema between two coconut trees.

Families get 35% of all inclusive stays (for stays until 30^th Sep 2018). You’ll also receive a piece of fibre jewellery (there’s one for each guest!), made by the Compostela Project.

How to get there: Fly direct to Cebu, before hopping on a domestic flight to Sayak Airport. The hotel offers free transfers.

Family attractions in the area: Tob Tabon and Bito caves, the quaint fishing village of General Luna and the warm waters of Magpupungko rock pool.

Kids will love: Having their first ever surf lesson – instructors are on hand to coach any tots aged 3 and above.

Parents will love: The daily yoga classes, which take place in the treehouse, Mangroves Pagoda or indoors, depending on the weather.

Mr & Mrs Smith gives you best-price guarantee, as well as a little something extra on arrival at every hotel. To book, call toll free at 800 905 326 or visit mrandmrssmith.com.