If you’ve got a teenager, the pressure to nail your family holiday is so real. You can’t wait to spend some quality time together, but teens also love having their space and doing their own thing – we bet you didn’t want to build sandcastles with your dad when you were 15, either… From hotels with waterparks and live music to teens-only spaces, here are five stays your teenager will love. You’re welcome.
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Leonardo Laura Beach and Splash Resort
Paphos, Cyprus
The strategy for holidays with older kids is pretty simple – pick somewhere that has everything. Leonardo Laura Beach and Splash Resort in Paphos is basically a boredom-free zone, with all bases covered from a waterpark featuring flumes, multi-lane racers and a drop slide to escape rooms and a cinema. You’ve even got three pools – one with a wave machine – for switching up the swims, and you’ll be steps away from the sea, too. The sand-and-shingle stretch is chilled with tall palms and a beach bar, and for a top-tier bonding moment, team up for a game of beach volleyball against another family.
There are loads of other sports and activities to get involved in here – we’re talking tennis, scuba diving, shuffleboard, table football and pool, as well as the Fusion Teens Club, a space just for 13–16-year-olds to use. It’s got TVs, retro arcade games and games consoles, plus plenty of room to just sit and chill. The games room is another cool space to hang out in, then in the evenings everyone heads to the huge garden stage where there’s regular live music and DJs.
Now, onto the most important part – the food. Trips can get spenny with teenagers and their never-full bellies, so going All Inclusive is the ultimate hack. This resort’s got buffets covering breakfast, lunch and dinner, then there’s bakeries and ice-cream bars so they can snack in between meals. And if your teenager’s a bit of a foodie, you can spice things up at the American, Italian, Greek and Lebanese à la cartes, where you can eat once per person, per stay.
Rixos Premium Tekirova
Kemer, Turkey
Rixos resorts are known for next-level luxe, so you already know this stay has everything. Bigger is better is the vibe at Rixos Premium Tekirova – it’s got four bars and seven restaurants, including two buffets, plus five themed à la carte ones, a food court, a patisserie and an ice-cream and waffle bar. And you’ll be staying here All Inclusive, so your teenager can help themselves to as much as they like without racking up the bill on your tab.
When they’re not looking for their next snack, teens have got facilities for days to keep them entertained. The list includes football, basketball, tennis, a teens’ club with a games room and consoles, as well as an adventure park with a high ropes course and climbing walls. Then, there’s the Aqua Park, which has 10 slides and a lazy river. But the biggest win for families here is the free access to Land of Legends, AKA Turkey’s biggest theme park. Just jump on the free shuttle and it’ll take you straight there.
For something more low-key, the main pools are a prime pick. They’re served large and lagoon-style, with palm covered islands, wooden bridges and dreamy sea views nailing the tropical look. There’s a private beach right there, too, complete with loungers for siestas on the sand and a watersports centre. The bay’s super peaceful, so it’s a perfect for paddle-boarding – and you’ll easily be able to keep an eye without ruining their rep. After the sun’s set, a strong line-up of live shows like acrobatics, DJs and bands take over the main stage. If that’s not really their thing, separate teen parties are put on, too.
Hard Rock Tenerife
Playa Paraiso, Tenerife
If your teen is music obsessed, Hard Rock Tenerife is going to blow. Their. Mind. The iconic hotel chain is famous for its flashy looks and facilities – the pool scene is serving beach club, with chic day beds, in-water loungers and swim-up bars, plus regular live music, bands and DJs are put on. Other cool features include a rooftop bar, a merch shop and a teen hangout zone with a pool table, games consoles and instruments set up for a jam sesh. And if your teenager’s a rock star in the making, you can literally order a Fender guitar straight to your room for lessons, or just for fun.
Sporty teens are taken care of here, too, with football, basketball, minigolf and volleyball on the cards. The hotel’s Playa Paraiso postcode puts you right on the sand, so watersports and diving are also on offer – and you’re only 20 minutes’ drive from Siam Park, the biggest waterpark in Europe. If your kids prefer watching sport over playing it, you’ll score some serious parent points with the sports bar, where they can catch their team’s match even while they’re away.
The other thing everyone loves about these hotels is the food. Go All Inclusive and the fam can pile their plates high at breakfast, lunch and dinner in Sessions, the show-cooking spot. On top of this, you can eat in the sports bar, beach club and at Suena Chido, the resident Mexican restaurant. And for teens with boujie taste, treat them to a meal in the steakhouse or sushi restaurant.
Pickalbatros Jungle Aqua Park Resort Neverland
Hurghada, Egypt
This one’s for the water sign teenagers… With 47 pools and 81 slides, Pickalbatros Jungle Aqua Park Resort Neverland has Pisces written all over it. This hotel’s in a resort that’s a mega combo of different stays, and more is definitely more when it comes to the facilities here. The waterpark’s packed with every kind of slide going, from group flumes and space bowls to racer slides and lazy rivers, and the pools come laidback and lagoon-style or with wave machines or splash parks. There’s even a high ropes obstacle course above the water, too.
The waterpark’s obviously the big deal here, but the hotel’s also got lots more going for it. There are floodlit tennis courts and football pitches, a minigolf course, and a games room with consoles, darts and pool. If you feel like swapping the pools for the beach, there’s a free shuttle to a private sweep
nearby. Hurghada’s a huge name in the diving scene, so don’t miss the chance to go snorkelling or scuba diving in the world-class coral reefs here.
Back at the hotel, the options keep coming at mealtimes. You’ll be staying All Inclusive, and you’ve got 11 restaurants across the resorts, so even the fussiest eaters are sorted. The British restaurant does roasts and fish and chips, the fast-food spot’s good for burgers and pizzas, and then there are also Asian, Italian, Middle Eastern and German places, too. Can’t agree on where to go? There’s even an area where you can mix and match dishes from different restaurants. The dream.
Planet Hollywood Cancun
Costa Mujeres, Mexico
Planning that big family trip? Planet Hollywood Cancun will have your Parent of the Year award in the bag. This five-star stay is filled with famous faces – Marilyn Monroe, Bruce Lee, Mohammed Ali… sure, they’re not actually there, but they would’ve loved the VIP aesthetic. The whole place is giving LA glam – there’s a swim-up bar, a sports car simulator, and film-themed decor everywhere. It’s hard to pick, but the coolest thing here might be the lazy river with a cave bar where you can grab a drink as you float past.
Between the pools and the cliché-white beach right next to the hotel, your teens will be well and truly shook. But just to be safe, they’ve also thrown in a maze, a minigolf course, a whole trampoline park, an arcade, and a neon paint experience. The food situation meets the OTT brief, with a sushi and teppanyaki spot, Indian, Mexican and Japanese restaurants, a steakhouse, plus a food emporium with a taco stand, a noodle house and an American diner. Celeb chef, Guy Fieri even has his own burger joint here, too.
In the evenings, head to one of the glitzy bars and soak up the old movie memorabilia, catch a film in the cinema or embrace your competitive energy with a quiz. And for teens who are up for their first taste of nightlife, the live DJs and foam pool parties are going to give them some serious bragging rights with their mates back home.
Enter your cool parent era on one of our Family Holidays.
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Author: Daisy Colley
Last updated: 07/10/2024
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