Offering ease and comfort for the whole group, staying in a villa is a no-brainer for families. A private villa is the perfect place to make memories as you can maximise the time you spend together, instead of wasting time coordinating logistics.
The best family friendly villas go far beyond mere convenience. With thoughtful features and mind-blowing extras, they will elevate your whole holiday. This guide will introduce you to the best family friendly features villas can offer. We also showcase 8 villas that get it just right.
Private Pools
If you ask kids, the best part of any holiday is time spent in the pool! When staying in a villa, your brood will have the pool all to yourselves so everyone can splash around with abandon. The best family villas will have a shallow section in the main pool and some even have a separate wading pool altogether. We love the kid-friendly pools in Casa Mateo, Mia Ocean and Villa Sea Renity… and who could resist the water slide in Meda Gedara! The peek-a-boo pool in Bella Samui Beach Villa is pretty cool, too.
Fun & Games
When you travel to a new country, there is so much to see and do. Culture! Beaches! National parks! Shopping! But we all know that sometimes the kids (and parents!) need a break from all the excitement. The ultimate family villas come with fully loaded media rooms that allow the kids to recharge in air-conditioned comfort – how cool is the private cinema in Villa Splash? Family havens like Villa Kimaya come with fun-filled games rooms where kids can have a blast playing pool, darts or foosball. For younger kids, we love the playrooms at Villa Malouna and Villa Tievoli.
Gardens Galore
Sometimes kids just need to blow off some steam… which can be a problem if you’re staying in a small hotel room! When you choose the right villa, you’ll have access to huge lawns where kids can release all that pent up energy. Some standout villas go the extra mile and offer amazing outdoor activities to boot. Villa Mine has a floodlit skate bowl, trampoline and slackline, while Serene Garden Residence has an archery range, outdoor playground and trampoline. Are you and the kids into sports? Villa Essenza has a football pitch; Villa Palem has a tennis court; and Villa Kalibali has a mini golf course.
Complete Kitchens
All parents know the challenges that come with hangry kids. Having access to a full kitchen is an absolute game changer! You can stock the fridge with all their favourite snacks – or better yet, ask the villa staff to do this for you. This also makes it so much easier to eat (somewhat) healthy as you don’t have to rely on individually packed snacks and non-perishables. You can whip up smoothies, warm up formula and baby food, and keep (healthy!) emergency snacks handy at all times. If someone in your family has food allergies and/or is following a special diet (or simply has a mean case of the picky eats), having your own kitchen can be a lifesaver. The cherry on top? You never have to worry about washing up after.
Family Friendly Bedrooms
Sleep can feel like an elusive luxury for many families. Luckily, a lot of villas have bedrooms that were purposefully designed with families in mind. Some of these bunk rooms are so cute and cosy that we really wouldn’t mind sleeping in them as card carrying grownups. We love the dreamy design in Ginger Palm Villa and the funky decor in Villa Sea Renity. Hibari has a fun media room right next to the bunk room which is a great setup for bigger kids and teens. If you’re travelling with little ones, interconnecting bedrooms will give you that added peace of mind – we love the setup in Villa Abagram and Umbala the House.
Game Changing Services
In our humble opinion, a holiday should feel like a holiday for parents too. Unfortunately, most basic vacation rentals don’t include staff services but offer more of a “key under the doormat” situation. This means you’ll be spending much of your time cleaning someone else’s house and doing dishes in another country – not our idea of a holiday! That’s why staying in a fully staffed villa is an absolute game changer for families.
When your villa comes with dedicated staff, you can take a well-deserved break from daily chores and actually enjoy that long awaited holiday. Housekeepers ensure that no one has to even think about washing up or making the beds, while butlers look after any requests that pop up during the day. Drinks in the cabana while the kids play in the pool? Don’t mind if I do! With a private chef on deck, you won’t have to worry about meal prep or shopping lists, or try to wrangle the brood to a restaurant when everyone would much prefer to stay in. Babysitters, spa therapists and personal trainers will help you make the most of your holiday, both as a family and as individuals.
These Villas Are Perfect for Families
1. Umbala the House – 5 bedrooms – Canggu, Bali
Umbala the House is not just one of the prettiest villas in Bali – it’s also one of the best fits for families. The villa is centrally located in trendy Canggu with easy access to restaurants and a fun surf beach. There’s a cuter-than-cute bunk room that can sleep seven guests, a cosy TV room for movie nights and the pool has a generous shallow section for the little ones – plus a swim-up bar for the grownups! Of course, there’s a full team of staff to look after you all, including a chef, butlers, housekeepers and security.
2. Villa Abagram – 12 bedrooms – Seminyak, Bali
Dreaming of heading to Bali with the extended family? Welcome to Villa Abagram! This huge 12-bedroom villa is located in Seminyak, an easy walk from all the restaurants and shops lining Eat Street. The villa has generous living areas, lush gardens and two swimming pools to splash in. The bedrooms are particularly well suited for families: there are two bunk bedrooms and one of them even interconnects with the neighbouring king bedroom, so parents can check up on the kids with ease. We have stayed at this villa and can vouch for the staff – they really embody that famous Balinese hospitality.
3. Ro-An – 5 bedrooms – Hirafu, Niseko
This Niseko chalet is a great pick for families looking to enjoy Japan’s powder paradise to the fullest. The chalet is incredibly spacious so no one will go stir crazy and the upstairs living areas offer amazing views of Mount Yotei. Cosying up by the fireside after a long day on the slopes is the stuff family memories are made of. The well-designed bunk room is located close to the other bedrooms, so the kids are never too far away. The media room is sure to be a hit with kids and teens alike. There are restaurants within a short stroll and the ski shuttle stop is practically on your doorstep.
4. Serene Garden Residence – 6 bedrooms – Siem Reap, Cambodia
Older kids will have an absolute blast at this fun-filled Cambodian villa. This massive estate has lots of fun surprises hidden in its lush gardens, including an archery range, a climbing wall, an outdoor playground and a dreamy treehouse. The 18-metre pool goes to a depth of 3.7 metres and includes a fun diving platform too. This is the perfect mix of outdoorsy fun and local culture as you’re also just moments away from the UNESCO-protected ruins of Angkor and the vibrant centre of Siem Reap.
5. Skye House – 5 bedrooms – Habaraduwa, Sri Lanka
Skye House is the beachfront playground your kids have been dreaming of! This beautiful beach house offers direct access to one of Sri Lanka’s best beaches and comes with a fabulous 12-metre-long pool that has a shallow section for the kids. There’s also an actual playground to keep the kids happy, complete with swings, monkey bars, rope ladders and a pirate’s hut to boot. The villa has an adorable bunk bedroom that can sleep 7 kiddos with ease. The staff has years of experience under their belt and many guests credit Chef Sam’s cuisine as the highlight of their stay.
6. Meda Gedara – 7 bedrooms – Dickwella, Sri Lanka
Another fabulous find in Sri Lanka, Meda Gedara offers gorgeous interiors that’ll wow the grownups and fun features that’ll leave the kids begging for an extended stay. The villa is set amidst the tropics and offers direct access to a serene beach. While the beach is lovely, we suspect the kids will spend most of their time splashing in the pool thanks to its super fun water slide. There’s a huge garden where the kids can run and play and a media room where they can take a break from the tropical weather. The dedicated bunk room can sleep six, so the kids get to have an extended slumber party.
7. Villa Cielo – 6 bedrooms – Natai, Phang Nga
Huge lawns with a pool to match and a beachfront locale to die for – this Thai villa has it all! Villa Cielo is located directly on Natai Beach, one of our favourite “secret” beaches in Thailand. This villa is huge in size and impeccably modern, with plenty of opportunity to soak up the sun by the pool and then retreat to air-conditioned comfort indoors. The kids will go bananas for the villa’s outdoor playground and fun trampoline. If you’re travelling with younger kids, check out sister property Villa Tievoli which has one of the cutest kids’ rooms we’ve seen.
8. Villa Malouna – 7 bedrooms – Bang Por, Koh Samui
This beachfront villa in Koh Samui is a real family haven. It’s located right on Bang Por Beach, one of the calmest beaches on the island. We love the beachfront pool with its sunken lounge and shallow section – but the real showstopper is the kids’ room. This is one of the biggest playrooms we’ve seen in a villa! Besides two sets of bunk beds, the room features a full chalkboard wall, ping-pong table, Apple TV and a seemingly endless supply of games and toys. The villa has a great team on hand to look after you every need, including a fabulous chef. Why not take advantage of their recommended nanny service – the same one the owners exclusively use to look after their own three children?
As you can see, staying in a villa offers so many advantages for families. We hope we’ve inspired you to make the most of your next family holiday. If you have any questions or would like to get some recommendations from our villa specialists, please contact us.
