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Okay, these are the hotels I’d book again. With the baby, without the baby, doesn’t matter.

Could I try somewhere new every time? Yes. Would I miss brunch after a 3 hour desert hike? Also yes.

This isn’t a list of every hotel I’ve ever stayed in. It’s the ones I still think about: the first trip where I actually felt relaxed as a mum, the NYC hotel with real space, a Paris balcony I’d wake up on every day, and a couple of bucket list stays from our honeymoon. Want them all in one place? Every link is on my Hotels I’ve Loved list on ShopMy.

1. OKU Andalusia, Spain: the first trip I actually felt relaxed

(hosted stay)

• A kids club with activities all day
• Family pools AND adults-only spaces
• Car seats for the transfer and a kids menu at meals
• A gym and spa for when you sneak away

Good for: your first proper holiday with a little one. See OKU Andalusia

2. Viceroy at Ombria, Algarve, Portugal: our first hotel with a baby

• A crib in our room (first time, felt so crazy)
• A kitchen, so the fridge was all ours
• A separate bedroom for naps in the dark
• Really good food. Come off-season.

Good for: babies who nap and parents who don’t want to whisper all afternoon. See Viceroy at Ombria

3. Mint House at 70 Pine, New York City: a NYC hotel with actual space

• A full kitchen with a dishwasher (we’re not washing dishes on vacation)
• A separate living room. Giving live here, not just visit.
• A full gym that actually hits
• Michelin-star restaurants in the building

Good for: a family trip to New York where you need more than one room. See Mint House at 70 Pine

4. Ananti at Gangnam, Seoul: calm, spacious rooms (rare in Seoul)

• A full fridge for my breastfeeding mamas, cribs for the little ones
• Wellness energy without trying too hard
• Tucked away but in the middle of everything
• Already planning my trip back

Good for: Seoul with a baby. See Ananti

5. Chicago, two ways: Pendry Chicago + The Neighborhood Hotel

• Pendry Chicago (hosted stay): my bucket list stay when we lived there. A Tonal in the gym and a US king bed. See Pendry Chicago
• The Neighborhood Hotel, Little Italy: a hidden gem apartment hotel with a full kitchen and a living room. See The Neighborhood Hotel

6. London, two ways: Aethos Shoreditch + The Drey

• Aethos London: our first staycation as parents. Breakfast on the terrace is worth the upgrade 100%. See Aethos London
• The Drey, SW London: my solo reset. A nap, a long hot shower, journaling. Affordable and well located. See The Drey

7. Grand Hôtel du Palais Royal, Paris: breakfast on the balcony

• THE best place I’ve stayed in Paris so far
• The room was huge (which says a lot for EU standards)
• Central, chic and such great value
• Can I wake up to vegan croissants here every day?

Good for: Paris without the shoebox room. See Grand Hôtel du Palais Royal

8. Koia All-Suites, Kos, Greece: I was tempted to gatekeep this

• Every room has its own outdoor pool or hot tub
• Adults only (16+), and I felt safe as a solo traveler
• Rooms and service both nailed, at incredible value
• 3.5ish hours from London. Get a car to explore.

Good for: a solo trip or a couples’ reset. See Koia

9. One&Only Mandarina, Mexico: I slept here and loved it

• A room tucked right into the jungle
• A fresh coconut and a good book by the pool
• Mexico always feels like home away from home

See One&Only Mandarina

10. Zannier Sonop, Namibia: brunch after a 3 hour desert hike

• Sunset drinks on top of the sand dunes
• Service that left us speechless
• All-inclusive like nowhere else I’ve been
• Remote, and I LOVED THAT. The most luxe stay of our honeymoon.

See Zannier Sonop

11. The Brando, French Polynesia: good enough for Obama and Kim K

• On my bucket list for years
• Everything I wished for and more
• Our own plunge pool, palms everywhere
• A last-day run with no race in sight, just for fun

See The Brando

12. On the cover: Mas Olas, Todos Santos, Mexico

That villa plunge pool, the ocean behind it. Need I say more? See Kimpton Mas Olas

Quick answers

What makes a hotel family-friendly with a baby?

For us it’s a crib in the room, a fridge or kitchen that’s ours, and a separate space so naps can happen in the dark. A kids club and a kids menu are a bonus. Viceroy at Ombria, Mint House and The Neighborhood Hotel all had a kitchen.

Which of these hotels have a kids club?

OKU Andalusia has a kids club with activities all day, plus family pools and adults-only spaces.

Which hotels are adults only?

Koia All-Suites in Kos is adults only (16+).

What’s the best hotel in Paris for space?

Grand Hôtel du Palais Royal. The room was huge, which says a lot for EU standards.

Save this for your next trip, and tell me which one you’d book. What would you add to the list?

I worked with OKU and Pendry on those stays. Want every link in one place? It’s all on my Hotels I’ve Loved list on ShopMy.

Keep reading: Best First Trip With a Baby: Why the Algarve Works at 4 Months and My Ultimate Africa Travel Guide