Why a Greek holiday destination is perfect for families with young kids – where you can hire a nanny for the week
A HOLIDAY with year-old twins doesn’t sound like much of a break.
With two of everything — from nappies to change to bodies to smother in suncream — would our first trip abroad as a family of four be double the effort . . . or twice as nice?
Sunbathing by the pool on my first day in Rhodes, I’m pretty sure it’s the latter.
I’ve got a frappé in hand, have already ticked off a yoga class overlooking the sea and have a bike ride planned for later.
My husband, Chris, is squeezing in a wakeboarding session before tennis.
And all of it without a nappy in sight. Our children, Bruce and Iris, are safe in the hands of the kids’ club, allowing us to catch up on all the activities we’ve missed out on since they burst on to the scene 14 months ago.
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We’re staying at Neilson’s new Levante Beach Beachclub on Afandou Beach, a half-hour hop from Rhodes airport and four miles south of the bars and clubs of Faliraki.
The resort is family-friendly to a T. There are accommodation options to suit clans of all sizes, including interconnecting rooms and spacious suites.
Ours has a separate lounge area, which we use as the twins’ bedroom, and a terrace that opens on to pristine grass — the ideal crawling zone.
The six pools include a shaded one for toddlers and one just for grown-ups.
There’s even a playground and — music to our ears — the fantastic kids’ club, available for children as young as four months to 17-year-old teens.
We’d been nervous about leaving our precious pair at a children’s club in a foreign country but as soon as we meet Erin, their nanny for the week, our minds are put at ease.
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She explains that all Neilson nannies have UK-recognised qualifications (Early Years Leaders), are first-aid trained and have bags of nursery experience.
The club runs six days a week, with evening care options available, and you can use it as much or as little as you like.
I feel a pang of mum guilt as I wave goodbye to my babies, but knowing they’re in safe hands, it’s quickly replaced by a liberating sense of freedom.
I pull my “activity planner” from my bag and browse the day’s options.
This morning-to-evening timetable is packed with activities that are included in the price of your holiday, from sailing lessons and tennis coaching to guided bike rides and fitness classes.
There are even CrossFit workouts and an outdoor gym.
With so much included, you could happily spend all day in the resort.
But I’m keen to explore the local area — and cycling is a great way to do it.
One option is to borrow bikes and strike north to Anthony Quinn Bay for snorkelling in crystal-clear water.
Or you could join a guided bike ride towards Kolymbia, a little beach village a mile down the road.
Relaxing and rejuvenating
I clip on a helmet and pedal with the group, passing vibrant restaurants and gift shops.
We weave through olive groves and climb to the top of a limestone peninsula where the smell of wild thyme hangs in the air.
“You can see Turkey on a clear day,” our guide, AJ, tells us, pointing towards a distant shadow above the sparkling Med.
We ride to Kolymbia harbour, with its tiny blue-and-white chapel, then park up at a taverna for a well-earned Mythos.
Back at the beachclub, the twins’ schedule is as packed as ours, with everything from painting and teddy bear picnics to tennis games and even dinghy sailing — all accompanied by Erin and expert instructors.
Of course, all this child-free time is both relaxing and rejuvenating, but it wouldn’t be a family holiday without time spent together.
As well as playing on the beach and splashing in the pool, we take the twins on their first kayaking adventure, with infant buoyancy aids and lifeguards making us feel safe.
All this activity justifies wolfing down the resort’s banquet-style buffets.
The local staff in the restaurant are fantastic, making us feel truly welcome, even with the mess beneath the twins’ highchairs.
Romantic evening
The three non-inclusive dinner evenings are the perfect excuse to sample food in the local restaurants.
And the kids’ club makes it easy for parents to spend a romantic evening together, with two nights of evening childcare (until 11pm) included during the week.
Kolymbia has plenty of eating options, but we venture five minutes in the other direction for a quieter experience.
“This is where locals go,” our taxi driver says, pulling up outside Fresko, a family-run seafood taverna with blue and white tablecloths and fishing nets hanging from the ceiling.
The freshly caught fish is delicious, cooked to perfection alongside a feast of calamari, Greek salad and saganaki (fried cheese).
We roll back into the resort to collect the twins from kids’ club, both sound asleep in their pram.
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We’re tempted to have a nightcap — but then remember what the next day has in store.
Swimming and yoga, and that’s just before breakfast.