‘I’ve never been more grateful for the sound of other people’s children to drown our kids out,’ mused my husband as he washed down his Chilean sea bass with a deliciously salty margarita. We are feasting in Lima, one of Sani Resort’s 27 (!) restaurants – whilst looking on in both horror and amusement at our toddler, who has joined forces with three others to deface the restaurant’s floor with glitter glue. It is this exact scenario that deters parents from holidaying in 5-star hotels with kids. Clearly they haven’t stayed at Sani – the family-friendly resort that not only welcomes children but actually embraces them in all their high-pitched, feral glory.
Much like the Rockit Rocker and Tommee Tippee blackout blinds, Sani is a parent-pleasing recommendation that’s passed around the nursery gates and NCT Whatsapp groups like Gospel. After approximately 756438433874 recommendations, my husband and I decided to make the pilgrimage with our toddler and four-month old to see what all the fuss was about.
Sani virgin? Here’s the drill: Sani Resort is a collection of five super family-friendly hotels on the Kassandra peninsula in Greece’s Halkidiki. Sani Asterias, Sani Beach, Sani Club, Porto Sani and Sani Dunes are seriously well-versed in smoothing the pain points of travelling with children to elevate a desperately-needed family holiday to something that actually feels like a holiday.
Ahead of my visit, I had questions. Lots of questions. And after posting about my trip on Instagram, I was inundated with even more questions. Because Sani is so sprawling with so much on offer, planning your trip can feel overwhelming. I was warned by regulars that preparation is key, especially in peak season, so definitely do your research and ask around before your trip to ensure you make the most of your stay.
Velvety sands, verdent landscape and vitamin D.
Sani is made up of five hotels spread across 7 kilometres of Carribean-esque blue flag coastline. There's Sani Beach: the main hotel in the resort’s hub, which is perfect for those who love being right in the action. Sani Dunes is a recently revamped former adults-only hotel that now welcomes kids (although it doesn’t have a kids club) and has an incredible location right on the beach. Porto Sani is the perfect fusion of child-friendly and luxury. Then there's Sani Club, which is further out and ideal for those looking for a more tranquil experience, and Sani Asterias - an uber luxe, money-is-no-object beachfront hotel that’s just had a total revamp.
Restaurants are spread across the hotels and the port – and the main kids activities and water sports are based at Sani Beach. No matter which hotel you’re staying at, you can walk between each in around 20 minutes to experience the resort’s pools, restaurants and activities – and there are golf buggies and complimentary shuttle cars everywhere too. Thanks to its sheer size, private beaches, Michelin-starred restaurants, high-end boutiques and private marina, Sani feels like a luxurious microcosm, offering frazzled families with excitable children huge variety within 20 minutes’ walk.
We slept at Sani Dunes – a former adults-only hotel that now welcomes families. Less chaotic than Sani Beach and Porto Sani, Dunes is ideal for parents craving the luxury set-up of a pre-baby holiday. First impressions count at Dunes, which houses the largest heated lagoon-style swimming pool in Greece, snaking across 3,500m, plus its own exclusively serviced beach.
Interiors give a nod to the calming presence of water – and rooms are fresh, calm, breezy and spacious, which makes piling in with your brood all the more manageable. A lot of hotels claim to be child-friendly by chucking some crayons on the table at dinner, but Sani goes the extra mile - and then some. The website encourages you to “pack light, because we can supply everything you need” – and it isn’t false advertising. Our children sleep notoriously badly in travel cots but our fears were alleviated by the full-sized wooden Stokke cot for baby, and plush sofa bed for our toddler waiting in our room. You can also request high chairs, changing mats, bottle sterilisers and warmers, white noise machine, tiny clothes hangers, Gro clocks, baby monitors, pushchairs, potties and toilet seats. Five minutes into our arrival, we received a Whatsapp from the hotel’s concierge asking if we needed anything. A few messages later – and much like a Deliveroo service for exhausted, out-of-routine parents – baby toiletries and a BabyBjorn Relax bouncer arrived at our door.
The child-friendly theme continues around every corner. The hotel’s creches, which welcome children from 6 months to 4 years at Sani Beach, Porto Sani and Sani Club, are run like a slick London nursery, adhering to UK OFSTED standards, policies and procedures. Friends of ours literally book a Sani holiday for the kids clubs. The hotel also offers Carol Mae Consulting sessions for advice on adjusting your child’s sleep and behavioural routine whilst travelling. ‘Babewatch’ – a complimentary 30 minute childminding service – also allows parents to take a stress-free dip in the sea or cram in a speedy glass of rosé at Ammos Beach bar.
Frequented by only the savviest of travellers.
Our favourite child-friendly touch was the food offering from our go-to child nutrition expert, Annabel Karmel MBE. The kids food guru has teamed up with the resort on an exclusive array of nutritious and flavoursome dishes for each of the restaurants. Much like her ready meals that fill our freezer back in the UK, the colourful quesadillas, crispy baked cod and kids ceviche (yes, really) were a total hit with our toddler. The weaning era is enough to put anyone off leaving their kitchen, let alone travelling abroad, but Annabel has also curated baby purée menus. Genius.
Sweet potato purée aside, Sani is an absolute foodie Mecca for the entire family. With 40 bars and restaurants across all its properties, 26 of which are part of the resort’s exclusive Dine Around programme, designed for half-board and full-board guests, there is no shortage of variety. From traditional Greek cuisine (Ouzerie and Tomata are an absolute must) to Peruvian (Lima gives COYA a run for its money), Italian (Macaroni in the marina is perfect for a beautifully chaotic pizza or pasta), Japanese (Katsu, we love you), and fine-dining under the helm of world-renowned, Michelin-starred chefs, my husband and I enjoyed some of the best food – and service – of our lives. From the all-singing-all-dancing team at Beach House who remembered our daughter’s name and food order, to the team at Macaroni offering to take our wailing baby for a walk whilst we ate in peace, the staff work like a well-oiled machine to ensure a holiday with little ones can actually be fun and relaxing for grown-ups.
It’s not just the top-notch service, childcare and next-level food that draws families in, it’s the resort’s plentiful facilities and activities that keep them coming back year on year – because it’s impossible to tick off every offering on the list in one trip. When we managed to peel our toddler away from the splash park and sprawling playground, we enjoyed family yoga with breath-stealing views at Bousoulas Beach, a mermaid swimming class and tennis lesson at the world-class Rafa Nadal Tennis Centre. Rafa isn’t the only big name on campus; there’s also a Bear Grylls Survival Academy and Chelsea FC Football Academy, as well as dedicated academies for biking, sailing, scuba diving and water skiing.
Sustainability is also a huge focus for Sani, which is Greece’s first certified carbon-neutral resort. The resort uses 100% renewable energy, single-use plastic is banned, they support various local biodiversity projects and organisations, and by 2024 they plan to be zero waste and zero plastic to landfill – no mean feat for a resort of this size.
Sani has gallantly redeemed the family-friendly resort model with top quality food, next-level facilities and the underrated privilege of relaxing with children in tow. As soon as I posted my trip on Instagram, I was inundated with messages from Sani stalwarts and virgins alike, sharing and seeking tips and posing the same question: ‘is it really worth it?’. Yes, fellow frazzled parents, it really, really is. The hotel has done its due diligence on exactly what a luxury family holiday looks like, and a week at Sani confirmed exactly why this Mediterranean haven has become a stress-free summertime ritual for smart families. They come here because they know they won’t need another holiday to recover from this holiday.
- Before you arrive, request everything you want in the room, from high chairs, changing mats, bottle sterilisers and warmers to white noise machine, tiny clothes hangers, Gro clocks, baby monitors, potties and toilet seats.
- Book your restaurants, childcare and activities on the app ahead of time so you don’t miss out (regulars know the drill).
- Leave your pram at home and rent a stroller, bike, trike or scooter for your little one at Sani Beach for around £10 a day - but get there early in the day as they sell out fast.
- I love a glass of Whispering Angel as much as the next basic SW London b**ch, but at around £20 a glass, your penchant for the stuff can rack up quite the bill. Try the Alpha Estate for a whisper-pale rose that’s a third of the price.
- Ditch the kids (at the creche, of course) and head to Bousoulas Beach, an Amalfi coast-style beach club, for cocktails. They do a white night here once a week too.
- Be sure to book the weekly (and complimentary!) sunset cruise.
