Anyone been on a Neilson or Mark Warner Beach club holiday?

jap200

Neilson and Mark Warner are two companies that I happen to know of that offer holidays that include accommodation, food (various board options), a wide range of sports activities (for adults and kids) and kids clubs. All of these things are included in the cost. However, the costs are HIGH (£7-9K for 2 weeks in August)!

Despite that we are seriously considering splashing out on this sort of holiday as a one-off treat as it combines the potential for us (parents) to relax and do as little or as much as we like (and no cooking) and for our 3 energetic boys (aged 11, 13 and 15) to be fully occupied.

I would really like to hear of anyone else's experience of this sort of holiday or of other companies that offer similar sorts of things - or any other suggestions in general please. Our situation is that husband is recovering from an accident (broken bones) and I am/will be thoroughly exhausted by full-time work + parenting + nursing husband. The boys will spend ALL of their time on screens or fighting with each other unless presented with plenty of alternative activities.

melb

hi there would your kids go off and do things together as a threesome or are they best kept separate? The reason i ask is that many people seem to recommend hotels at portaventura near Salou which also has an aquapark i think. i've never done this myself, nor have I been on a Mark Warner or any other holiday with entertainent included but this might be a good option in that they can take themselves off to the theme parks and just meet up with you say at mealtimes . There would probably be other similar alternatives that would hopefully be cheaper than mark warner. Sounds like you will be ready for a rest x

loobs40

sounds like a Med cruise would be ideal and much much cheaper !

try looking at Royal Caribbean or NCL websites for some information

Full board with lots of eating options, lot of sports for adults and kids, kids clubs, loads of other families on board ( certainly in August), nightly entertainment etc etc

Last RCI cruise we went on with the kids, we wouldn't have seen them for the week, unless we had insisted on meeting up with them at dinner each evening !

74jax

We did a Neilson in Turkey and loved it. My DD completed several RYA certificates in sailsing, windsurfing etc.

We put her in hoteshots (I think it was called) and we didn't see her from morning till dinner time.... despite me begging her to spend time with us!

I dislocated my shoulder whilst wakeboarding and was taken to hospital, went to get her to come with me and she didn't want to leave even to be with me then.

Obviously if you want a more 'together' holiday it may not be for you as children and parents can't take many classes together.

I would highly recommend them.

Neilson's website has a forum for each destination, so your kids can make friends before you go and you can talk to other people who have been/going to go too.

jap200

I have briefly looked into the idea of a cruise loobs40, but the ones I looked at didn't seem to by our kind of thing. However as we have never been on one I couldn't say that for certain of course. I will look at the websites that you mention and stay open-minded!

74jax - thank you for the info on your Neilson holiday. I am sorry to hear about the dislocated shoulder (you poor thing!), I suppose that is one of the potential hazards of an activity holiday.

We spend a lot of 'together time' at home so I think the boys would be v happy not to see much of us on holiday to be honest!

Do all the parents tend to get involved with the activities available for adults though? I personally want to do very little except relax and my poor husband will probably have no choice as he will still be recuperating (although his bones should have more-or-less healed). Would we be the only ones not sailing/windsurfing/cycling/playing tennis etc?

Archergirl

We have been on a Sunsail holiday to Vonaki in Greece, the kids clubs are fantastic and the water sports good if you like sailing, they teach you if you are not familiar with it. Not too sure the age groups for the clubs but worth looking into.
There is a smallish beach and you can do nothing if you prefer.

meer53

Just a thought - Have you asked your 15 year old about how he feels about the Kidsclubs idea ?

I know my son at 15 would have been absolutely mortified if he had had to spend time in one when we were on holiday ! He was almost at the stage of not wanting to come with us !

jap200

meer53 wrote: »

Just a thought - Have you asked your 15 year old about how he feels about the Kidsclubs idea ?

I know my son at 15 would have been absolutely mortified if he had had to spend time in one when we were on holiday ! He was almost at the stage of not wanting to come with us !

If I asked my 15-year old if he wanted to go to a kids club of course he would say no - as would my 13-year old for that matter. The point of this type of holiday is that they aren't kids clubs in the usual sense, they are watersports (and other activity) courses that are divided by age.

The Neilson holidays split the age groups so that 15-17 year olds are together. The types of activities (which are all optional of course) are geared towards that age-group and are things like windsurfing, sailing, kayaking, paddle-boarding (whatever that is) etc. You cost is included in the overall price and it seems that they can choose to take part in the club or not on a daily basis.

All 3 of my boys are fit, active types so would jump the chance to learn try these sort of things that we don't do at home, particularly if the alternative was to sit on the beach or by the pool with a book for 2 weeks solid (my idea of heaven!).

jap200

Archergirl wrote: »

We have been on a Sunsail holiday to Vonaki in Greece, the kids clubs are fantastic and the water sports good if you like sailing, they teach you if you are not familiar with it. Not too sure the age groups for the clubs but worth looking into.
There is a smallish beach and you can do nothing if you prefer.

Thankyou, I haven't come across Sunsail so I will look into that option too.

74jax

Just a note on the 'kids club', it is by no way a 'kids club' whatsoever. It's an activity club for the people on holiday under 18, who can't take part in the activities with adults. They are in different age groups and I 'think' they are 0-3, 3-6, 7-11, 11-15 and 16-18 (but can't rememebr....) however they are very much activites.

So you might have sailing, windsurfing, quad biking etc you do not stay inside and paint and make thinkgs out of play doh:rotfl:

At the end of each week, you get presented with any certificates you have earned. My DD came away with RYA level 3 in a about 3 subjects and is now able to take a boat out on her own..............

I didn't get any certificates, but didn't spoil the holiday one bit. I went to relax.

You have ample time to do things as a family, but the teaching is split into age related groups.

As an adult if you don't want to take part, you don't have too. You sign up for courses as and when you want to do them. My OH signed up for everything going, DD the same in the club and I did wake boarding, sailing and sipping cocktails on a sun lounger ha ha:T

jap200

74jax wrote: »

Just a note on the 'kids club', it is by no way a 'kids club' whatsoever. It's an activity club for the people on holiday under 18, who can't take part in the activities with adults. They are in different age groups and I 'think' they are 0-3, 3-6, 7-11, 11-15 and 16-18 (but can't rememebr....) however they are very much activites.

So you might have sailing, windsurfing, quad biking etc you do not stay inside and paint and make thinkgs out of play doh:rotfl:

At the end of each week, you get presented with any certificates you have earned. My DD came away with RYA level 3 in a about 3 subjects and is now able to take a boat out on her own..............

I didn't get any certificates, but didn't spoil the holiday one bit. I went to relax.

You have ample time to do things as a family, but the teaching is split into age related groups.

As an adult if you don't want to take part, you don't have too. You sign up for courses as and when you want to do them. My OH signed up for everything going, DD the same in the club and I did wake boarding, sailing and sipping cocktails on a sun lounger ha ha:T

It all sounds ideal for us. I have discussed the whole thing with all 3 boys and they are raring to go. Now just want to wait for husbands next hospital appointment to check that he is likely to be fit to travel as we won't otherwise get travel insurance. Also need to brace ourselves for the cost having never spent that much on one holiday in our lives!