If you're travelling with the little ones (or even the not so little ones) you might want to consider the properties below.

South Devon Family Friendly Hotels

Dawlish - Langstone Cliff Hotel

The Langstone Cliff hotel is truly a family hotel which welcomes children and families, and sets out to give them the best possible chance of a wonderful holiday. This hotel is set in 19 acres of grounds, which are available for the children to play in: if the weather is not so good, there is a multi-play area to keep them happy. As you might expect from a hotel with such family credentials, many of the rooms are designed as family rooms with baby intercoms connected to reception, and the hotel can supply all the things you might need to make a holiday with children go smoothly, right down to a children's supper time before the adults settle down to dinner. Other facilities include swimming and paddling pools, a toddler play room, and rooms with snooker tables and table tennis for the older ones. The hotel even lays on visits from children's entertainers! But if the appeal of all that pales, then there is a direct footpath to the beach, and the famous Dawlish Warren Bird Sanctuary.
Langstone Cliff Hotel, Mount Pleasant Road, Dawlish Warren, Dawlish, Devon
EX7 0NA Dawlish, Devon, EX7 0NA
Phone: (01626 868000 Fax: 01626 868006
Web: www.langstone-hotel.co.uk

Bovey Castle - North Bovey

As you may know, the heart of the Dartmoor National Park is only 2 hours by intercity train from London - which is great for families looking for a getaway or break with a journey that isn't too tedious for children. Bovey Castle has excellent facilities for all the family, regardless of the kids' ages. There is a variety of inter-connecting rooms, and even some suites, all of which offer flexible options for families of different sizes. As you'd expect in a family-oriented hotel, the rooms have baby-monitoring facilities and baby-sitting services are available. A children’s play-room has all kinds of activities and games, while out of doors the extensive grounds offer tennis, horse riding, golf and golf tuition, mountain biking, falconry displays and lots more besides. There are miles and miles of moorland walks from the hotel and in season you can see displays of apple-pressing, bee-keeping, hen husbandry and similar crafts. Children also love the small animal farm and miniature pony centre. With two swimming pools, indoors and outdoors, this is truly one of Devon's best children's hotels. Last but not least, the Castle organises exciting programmes for families all through the school holidays, with trained experts working for the junior guests' enjoyment in a holiday club from Monday to Friday.
North Bovey, Dartmoor National Park, Devon TQ13 8RE www.boveycastle.com

North Devon Family Friendly Hotels

Woolacombe - Woolacombe Bay Hotel

With the beach so close, and a blue-flag beach at that, the children may not want to spend any time at the hotel. After all, what could be more fun than playing in the rock pools? Well, how about flying kites, playing in the sea, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, an adventure playground, a crèche for the under fives and a club for kids older than that? Or even the afternoon and early evening entertainers, movies and discos? Baby listening services are provided so you can monitor your children wherever you are in the hotel. Basically, it's all set up so that you have the best possible family holiday.
Woolacombe Bay Hotel, Woolacombe, Devon, EX34 7BN
Phone: 01271 870388 Fax: 01271 870613 Email: woolacombe.bayhotel@btinternet.com Web: www.woolacombe-bay-hotel.co.uk

West & East Devon Family Friendly Hotels

Dartmoor - The Manor House and Ashbury Hotels

These two hotels might just be the best venues for a child-friendly holiday anywhere in the UK! Situated on the edge of Dartmoor National Park, they provide a range of sport, leisure and craft experiences and facilities which is probably unmatched anywhere else. The activity and entertainment programme takes accounts of the needs of beginners as well as the more experienced in a vast range of activities from tennis and bowls to ten-pin bowling and archery. There are a total of six indoor and five outdoor tennis courts. A splendid addition recently has been the "games zone", suited to 11 to 18 year olds, with four new bang-up-to-date 10-pin bowling lanes, pool tables, Playstations, air hockey tables, dance stages - and more besides. One of the most interesting features of the hotel is the craft centre, which offers guests an opportunity to try many different pastimes including pottery, silk painting, glass engraving, enamelling and more.
The Manor House Hotel, Fowley Cross, Nr Okehampton, Devon, EX20 4NA
Phone: 0800 1977611 Fax: 01837 55027 Email: enquiries@manorhousehotel.co.uk Web: www.manorhousehotel.co.uk