When you only have a week, I always think the journey matters just as much as the destination.
Tired, jet-lagged children aren’t the best way to start a holiday, so for February half term I look for places that are easy to reach, with little or no time difference and a hotel that’s genuinely set up for families. Here are a few of my favourite half-term escapes, all under five hours away and very manageable for seven nights during the school holidays.
Why book February half term now
February half term is one of the busiest weeks of the year for family travel. Everyone wants the same seven nights, and the hotels that do families really well, with good kids’ clubs, interconnecting rooms and family suites, only have so many of them. Booking now also means flights at sensible times, which, with little ones, is worth a great deal.
Snow: Courchevel, Megève and Méribel
For a family ski week, the French Alps are hard to beat. Flights into Geneva or Chambéry take around an hour and a half, followed by a transfer of a couple of hours into the mountains. Courchevel and Méribel sit side by side in the Three Valleys, with gentle nursery slopes and excellent ski schools for little ones. Megève is a pretty medieval village with horse-drawn sleighs and wide, forgiving slopes, lovely for families with mixed abilities.
Where I’d stay: Alpaga in Megève, a cosy chalet-style hotel with its own pool and spa and a relaxed family feel. Portetta in Courchevel 1650, right on the slopes, so you can ski from the door, with a kids’ club for the afternoons. Or Six Senses Residences Courchevel in 1850, with spacious residences, a beautiful spa and a kids’ club, wonderful for a larger family or two families travelling together.
A little tip from me: book ski school at the same time as the hotel, they are in high demand during the half term.
Sun: Andalusia, Spain
A two to three hour flight into Málaga, and in February the days are mild and spring-like, often around 17°C, ideal for exploring without the summer heat. Mornings by the pool or on the beach, an afternoon in one of the white villages, and for older children, a day trip to the Alhambra in Granada.
Where I’d stay: Ikos Andalusia near Estepona, where the kids’ clubs are brilliant and the choice of restaurants means even the fussiest eaters are happy. Or OKU Andalusia, a calmer, design-led alternative with lovely family facilities.
Sun: Tenerife
About four and a half hours from the UK, Tenerife has some of the most reliable winter sunshine in Europe, often in the low 20s in February. A day in Teide National Park and a boat trip to see the whales and dolphins off the south-west coast are always a hit with children.
Where I’d stay: Royal Hideaway Corales Resort on the Costa Adeje, where the family side, Corales Suites, has spacious suites with their own terraces, a kids’ club and plenty of pools.
Something different: Morocco, for older children
For families with slightly older children, Morocco is a short flight with cities, coast and mountains all in one trip. The souks and gardens of Marrakech, a few days up in the Atlas Mountains, then time by the sea. February brings sunny days around 20°C in Marrakech and cool, clear evenings.
Where I’d stay: Les Deux Tours, set in peaceful gardens in Marrakech’s Palmeraie. Kasbah Tamadot, Virgin Limited Edition’s retreat in the Atlas Mountains, with views that stop you in your tracks. La Fiermontina Ocean for time by the sea at the end of the trip.
Something worth knowing: plan around naps
With under-fives, I always look for a daytime flight that lands well before bedtime, and I check the transfer time as carefully as the flight. Ninety minutes in the air followed by three hours in a car is a very different day from a direct flight and a short drive. I also make sure cots, interconnecting rooms and kids’ club places are confirmed in advance.
Sun or snow this half term?
Tell me how old your children are and how you like to spend your days, and I’ll tell you where to go. Leave the rest with me. Start planning your half term →