As the school holidays approach, finding family friendly hotels are often on the top of many parents’ wish-lists. I always find it a difficult balance when choosing somewhere to stay, as I don’t want a hotel that’s crazy busy and basically feels like an oversized soft play, but I do want somewhere I know my children will be welcomed and we don’t have to feel as though we have to tip-toe around the whole time.

Last May half-term I needed to find a family-friendly hotel in Cheshire and after a bit of research came across Carden Park Hotel. While it may not look like what you might expect from a traditional family hotel (it’s on a golf course for one) it ticked lots of our boxes, with family rooms, a swimming pool, a spa for the adults and activities organised for children during the holidays. 

A multi-generational trip

One of the reasons I chose Carden Park Hotel was that we were travelling with both my parents and my little adventurers. So I really wanted somewhere which offered something for everyone. As multi-generational trips continue to grow in popularity, I think that more hotels are trying to find ways to appeal to all ages.

What I liked about Carden Park is that while it does primarily feel like an adult hotel, they have made enough allowances for children to have a good time.

This is especially the case in the school holidays when extra events are put on for children, including a movie room. When we visited there was also an inflatable assault course, which our little adventurers loved.

There is also a small outdoor play area for children and you are, of course, free to explore the estate, which includes a vineyard and sculpture garden.

For older children, there are bookable activities, including segways, archery, ropes course and mini quads.

During some of the school holidays Carden Park Hotel also has Kids Stay Free offers, so it is worth keeping an eye on the website for those, 

Is Carden Park Hotel family friendly?

I would say that overall Carden Park Hotel is very family friendly. The family rooms are nice and spacious, with two double beds and a decent sized bathroom (with a bath, which I always find handy with little ones.) The bedrooms have actually been updated since we visited, but we were happy with both the styling and the cleanliness when we stayed. 

It’s worth noting that some bedrooms are in the main hotel building and others are in an outdoor courtyard, so its worth bearing that in mind when booking. My parents stayed in a courtyard room, which was slightly larger and had a small balcony.   

The breakfast buffet which is included with the room price is fantastic, with a good selection of full English and continental breakfasts. You could also order specials off the menu and I liked that there was a good variety if you’re staying for a few days. The biggest excitement for my little adventurers was the pancake making machine, which they definitely got our money’s worth from!

The hotel has a leisure club with a pool, gym and jacuzzi, hot tub, sauna and heated spa loungers. Again, it felt nice that there was something all members of the family could enjoy. It’s worth being aware that the club is open to the public as well, so can get busy at times. For example, it’s worth checking swim times as some private classes take place in the pool which means part of it is roped off. It is also adult-only swimming in the evenings.

The staff at Carden Park Hotel were all very friendly and welcoming, especially to the children. Special mention to the hotel’s marketing manager, who was out supervising the inflatable assault course after a recent downpour when we visited. (The little adventurers had the time of their lives, getting absolutely soaked in the process!)

The only thing we found slightly restrictive with children was the evening meal situation. There are two restaurants at the hotel. One is a fine-dining restaurant called The Vines, which only children aged 12 and over can dine at with their parents. 

Meanwhile Redmond’s Brasserie is the main restaurant in the hotel. However it doesn’t open until 6pm Monday to Friday (5.30pm Saturday and Sunday) which is a bit late if you have hungry little ones like we do! It would also get pricey to eat there every evening as a family (for example, a 3-course children’s meal comes in at over £20 and an adult’s around £40-£50). However, we did have some very good meals at the nearby Cock O Barton pub (open from midday Tuesday to Sunday) instead.

The Spa at Carden review

One of the main reasons I chose Carden Park Hotel was for its onsite spa. It was my mum’s birthday, so I wanted to be able to treat her. The hotel does actually offer spa packages including accommodation, but unfortunately in order to book these, both guests need to be staying in the same room. 

So instead I booked us a Morning Garden Experience package, which included welcome coffees and pastries, use of all of the facilities and a brunch. (We booked this for the end of the session, as we’d already had breakfast at the hotel). I’d read reviews that said that the spa can get busy on weekends and evenings, so I booked midweek and we had a really relaxing visit. 

A lot of emphasis is focused on the connection with nature and many of the spa’s facilities are based in its large garden. This includes the hot tubs, a hydrotherapy pool and heated pods where you can sit and have a drink. The day we visited was overcast, but not too cold, so it was nice sitting in the pools outside and enjoying the fresh air. 

There is also a herbal garden lounge, where you are supposed to sit and enjoy the smell while looking out at the view. However it was very cold inside when we visited so we didn’t stay in for long!

Inside the Spa at Carden is the thermal suite, which has a good selection of facilities. These include a Finnish sauna, hot sauna, aroma steam sauna and tepidarium. We enjoyed trying them all out and also spent time swimming in the indoor pool and chilling out on the heated loungers.

It wasn’t too busy while we were there and the time flew by. There’s also a whole range of treatments on offer, from massages and facials to manicures and pedicures. We didn’t actually book any treatments as we had plans in the afternoon, but we found that we had plenty to do.

The staff were extremely friendly and helpful in all areas. We enjoyed a brunch of smashed avocado on toast in the Elements Restaurants, which overlooks the garden.

We had a great morning at the spa and it was lovely to leave and be able to walk just a few minutes back to the hotel.

My Carden Park Hotel review

We really loved our stay at Carden Park Hotel and thought that it offered a good value family-friendly hotel option in Cheshire.

We used it as a base for exploring Chester Zoo, BeWILDerwood and the city of Chester itself and found it to be in a good location. 

The options of having an onsite spa and golf courses for adults, as well as a swimming pool and extra activities for children meant that it kept everyone happy. So I’d definitely recommend it as a family friendly hotel in Cheshire if you’re planning for upcoming school holidays.

If you want to read about another great multi-generational holiday option in the UK, check out my post about Things to do near Cockermouth in the Lake District. (Tip: Don’t forget to read my Armathwaite Spa review if you want to add in some relaxation for the adults!)