by Victoria Pollitt | Jul 4, 2018 | Costa del Sol, Reviews
We take our children on a whistlestop tour of Malaga before heading for relaxation in Estepona.
It’s one of family travel’s trickiest conundrums.
How do you please mum and dad as well as the tiny travellers?
How to balance a need for sandcastles with a desire to trek around real castles?
The answer may well lie in two less familiar parts of that very familiar destination – the Costa del Sol.
We mixed a city break in Malaga with child-friendly sun and swimming in Estepona – and everyone was happy.
Flight
We flew with Norwegian from Manchester Airport.
There was good legroom, discounts on child tickets and free WiFi on board with entertainment and children’s programmes to watch on your own tablets and phones.
It’s clear why the company has often won Europe’s best low-cost airline.
Malaga
Our first stop – the city of Malaga – is often overlooked as just an airport.
But this is a child-friendly city – ours loved walking around the 1,000-year-old fortress palace Alcazaba and tasting tapas in Plaza de la Merced.
Malaga
There are gorgeous gardens, playgrounds a plenty plus a modern, renovated port area.
There are beaches too. On Playa San Andres you can get a well-priced paella and a dip in the sea – 10 minutes’ walk from our hotel.
The Barceló Málaga, next to the train station, is one of the most modern hotels around. Our suite was straight out of a designer’s dream and bath time will never be the same again for our children after enjoying the jacuzzi in the bathroom.
The room at Barceló Málaga hotel
They liked the slide almost as much. Not outside the hotel – this one is inside – taking guests from their tasty breakfast on the first floor down to reception to explore the city.
Using the slide to get to reception
After two days, it was time to head 50 miles south for part two.
A good tip if you need car seats – there’s a company called Tots Store which provides proper modern seats and meets you in arrivals at Malaga Airport to get you kitted out.
Safely strapped in we head down the motorway.
Estepona
Next stop, relaxation, as we check into the Kempinski Hotel Bahía on the outskirts of Estepona.
The town itself is more traditionally Spanish than the likes of Marbella and Torremolinos. Think packed plazas and tasty tapas at every turn.
The Kempinski is the area’s premier hotel – and you can see why.
A swimming pool at Kempinski Hotel Bahía in Estepona
It’s worth a stay here for the pool alone. Or should I say pools, there are four after all.
The main children’s one is perfect for small swimmers, winding its way under bridges and past trees so you can create your own adventures.
The beach in front of the hotel is not the most beautiful but has enough sand to bury a dad up to his knees, enough stones to keep a two-year-old happy and the gentle waves of the Mediterranean inviting everyone in for a swim with views of Gibraltar on a clear day.
The beach in front of the hotel
The hotel has four restaurants, a spa, gym and indoor pool. Rooms are spacious and luxurious with beautiful views.
Dining at Kempinski Hotel Bahía
It’s an upmarket hotel but caters for children well with a kids’ corner at the breakfast buffet, mini dressing gowns and an ice cream bar along with a children’s club at peak times.
The last night
After five days, two hotels, one city and one town, our last night was the same as our first.
The four of us sharing a paella at a beachfront restaurant.
Even on a twin-stop balanced break there are some things equally popular with all of us.
*For our more detailed review of the Kempinski Hotel Bahía, click here.
*For a more detailed review on the Barcelo Malago hotel, click here.
*You may also like this article about why Malaga makes a great city for a family beach holiday.
Accommodation: We stayed as guests at Barceló Málaga hotel and Kempinski Hotel Bahía in Estepona for the purpose of this review. All opinions are our own.
Travel: Norwegian Air – fares from £29.90 – we received a discount for the purpose of this review.
by Victoria Pollitt | May 8, 2018 | Accommodation, Costa del Sol, Spain
On a beach, with great pools and an amazing breakfast – why this Estepona hotel is a family favourite
Swimming pools
Definitely a big draw at the Kempinski Bahia, there are three outdoor pools and a small indoor one.
The largest outdoor pool is heated. It winds its way under bridges and past palm trees and we all thought it was great.
It is perfectly designed for children’s games, large and varied but little ones are never too far from the side.
We spent many happy hours in there pretending to be pirates or explorers.
The rooms
We had a junior suite for the four of us with one double bed, one single and one sofa bed.
There was also a large bathroom with separate bath and shower. And a lovely balcony with great views over the pool and all the mod cons you need.
A room at Kempinski Hotel Bahia
It had tasteful decor and plenty of space and the twice-a-day housekeeping service kept everything spotless.
The food
Breakfast is included and it is one of the best we have had at a hotel.
A good choice, there is even a children’s area with cereals, tiny pastries and fresh fruit. Our little ones loved choosing from their own area.
There were also fresh juices and on-demand omelettes at the egg station.
If you have any room left after breakfast there are other bars and great restaurants.
Dining at Kempinski Hotel Bahía at the sea front restaurant
If you stay half board, you have a set amount of Euros each day to cover your evening meal and drinks. Children aged 0 to 5 are free and children aged six to 11, receive a 50 per cent discount.
Otherwise, the food here isn’t cheap but it is very tasty. If you want to venture beyond the hotel there is a boardwalk to half a dozen restaurants about 10 minutes walk away.
The Location
The hotel is about two miles from the centre of Estepona, a charming town near Marbella.
It’s next to a busy road but also set on a beach with views stretching along the Costa Del Sol. Gibraltar is visible on a clear day.
The beach is a mix of sand and pebbles with sun loungers and sports equipment available.
The beach in front of the hotel
A short wander along the beach and boardwalk brings you to Laguna Village, a small development of shops, bars and restaurants.
The services and the staff
The hotel has a tennis court, a spa with the full range of treatments available, a kids’ club which is open in peak periods and grounds you can explore.
The staff were so friendly, one man on reception even put our son’s drawings of his holiday on the lobby walls to showcase them which made his day.
It’s those little touches that make a holiday.
In conclusion
A high end, luxury hotel in a great location. It’s worth splashing out for the pool and the breakfast.
*For a full review of our holiday, read here.
For more information and rates visit the Kempinski Bahia website.
(We stayed as guests of the Kempinski Bahia, all views are our own.
by Victoria Pollitt | May 4, 2018 | Costa del Sol, Spain
Malaga is well worth a family break with its parks, port, beaches and castles
The parks
Malaga is a very green city and its main park, called the Parque de Malaga, is an oblong oasis of huge trees, curving paths and children’s playgrounds.
It is situated between the port and the city and on a hot day is an ideal place to grab a bit of shade.
A view of the port and park area of Malaga
The new port
This recently-developed area has wide, open walkways and plenty of shops and restaurants.
There is a huge underground car park and a small version of Paris’ Pompidou Centre for modern art.
We ate a meal here at one of the small outside stalls and it was a great spot to people watch.
The Alcazaba
Malaga’s most famous historical site is child-friendly.
The Alcazaba is child-friendly but watch little ones on the raised wall areas
There aren’t too many steps but you have to be careful when walking along some of the walls. This Moorish palace has great views of the sea and the city.
The tapas
There is no shortage of restaurants on squares to indulge in tapas. Our children liked the variety of the options and the Spanish cheeses.
Plaza de la Merced is one of the best squares with plenty of places to choose from.
Top tip: When in Spain with children, it is better to eat your main meal out at lunchtime as the Spanish eat their evening meal very late. Try to eat early evening and the best restaurants will be closed or very quiet.
The beaches
Malaga’s beaches aren’t pure white sand but they are plenty good enough for an afternoon’s entertainment.
One of the many beaches in and around Malaga
The man-made Playa de la Malagueta is nearest the city centre and has a playground.
We also liked Playa San Andres near our hotel and the quieter Playa de la Caleta.
We visited at the end of October and found the temperature of the sand and sea to be perfect.
In conclusion
Often overlooked as an industrial gateway to the Costa Del Sol, Malaga is actually very child-friendly. Well worth a couple of days.
by Victoria Pollitt | May 3, 2018 | Accommodation, Costa del Sol, Spain
Near a beach, with modern rooms, we explain why the Barcelo Malaga hotel on the Costa Del Sol is a good family choice
It has a slide
Not just any old slide in a playground, this one is inside the hotel and takes you from the first floor breakfast room down to the lobby.
Our children were beyond excited by this wacky feature and loved whizzing down after breakfast.
The room
Our family room was split in two divided by a door you could pull shut.
The ultra-modern room complete with jacuzzi bath
There was one double bed and a sofa bed with plenty of space around both.
The bathroom was massive with a jacuzzi bath which the children loved using, they spent hours enjoying the noise and bubbles.
There is also a double shower. The decor is ultra-modern with funky wallpaper and moody lighting, there’s even an okay view of the hills beyond Malaga from the huge window.
Breakfast
Cava was available but so too was plenty of fresh fruit, continental and cooked options.
The pastries were fresh, the service good and there was lots of choice. The room where breakfast is served is on the first floor next to the slide – it is fairly bland but spacious.
Location
It is right next to one of Malaga’s main stations, the Maria Zambrano station.
That makes it straightforward if you are catching the train from the airport.
It is a fair walk into the heart of the city but just 10 minutes to the nearest beach, Playa de San Andres, which has a couple of good chiringuitos or beach restaurants and a playground.
The nearest beach is about a 10 minute walk away
Eating and drinking
There is a nice, small bar with some cool booth-style seating next to the lobby, there are also some seats outside but it is not a view to write home about.
You can eat and drink in the funky lobby bar area
The El Anden restaurant serves local food all day long. There is a terrace bar in high season but that was not open when we visited.
In conclusion
Smart, sleek and well-positioned. The Barcelo Malaga hotel has enough wacky touches to be a hit with children and adults.
*For a full review of our holiday, click here.
(We stayed as guests of the hotel for this review. For more information and rates visit Barcelo Malaga).
