Humble beginnings…

Parent Friendly Stays was founded in 2012 by a mother of three from Sussex.

My husband and I love going away with our kids on holiday to new places.  But we became increasingly frustrated after visiting cottages or hotels which described themselves as ‘child friendly’ solely on the basis of a cupboard of old jigsaws or a broken swing in the garden.

We decided we were looking for something better.

Over a glass of wine (or two!) we came up with our very simple recipe for a perfect family holiday: plenty for the kids to do.. and something for the adults too!  

What’s different about Parent Friendly Stays?

There are countless existing holiday websites featuring thousands of hotels and cottages. We’re not trying to compete with them.

What we offer is something slightly different: a hand-picked, individually reviewed selection of parent friendly cottages, cottage complexes, lodges, hotels, farm stays and glamping sites.

We’ve carefully scrutinised every single holiday listed on our website to make sure each one is guaranteed to offer you a relaxing and enjoyable family holiday.

You won’t find any negative reviews on Parent Friendly Stays because we only feature holidays we’d genuinely recommend to a friend. If we don’t think somewhere is child and parent friendly, we won’t include it.

And while we don’t have the time (or money!) to test out each venue ourselves, we’ve fully researched every holiday as if we were planning to stay there ourselves. Meaning you’ll have a pretty good idea what to expect.  You can read in-depth reviews of holidays we have visited ourselves in our tried and tested section.

Start browsing our selection of family friendly holidays now!

Do we make any money from PFS?

For many years – eight in fact! – Parent Friendly Stays existed on the internet as an entirely free resource for fellow parents.

In 2020 we decided it was no longer sustainable for us to maintain the site in this way, and introduced a small charge for the holidays we feature to help cover our costs.  It was perhaps a sign of the value our visitors and holidays were getting from PFS that so many decided to stay with us after we introduced a fee. We also feature a small number of holidays for free, but charge a small affiliate commission on any bookings made by visitors who found them through us.

None of this affects the prices our visitors pay for holidays they find on our site, or the close scrutiny we give to any holidays before featuring them.  We continue to apply extremely high standards to our hand-picked selection of parent friendly holidays to make sure we only feature the very best destinations.  You can read more about this on our disclaimer and affiliate disclosure page.

We hope you continue to enjoy PFS and find it a useful resource for many years to come!

The PFS team

Pitt Farm, Devon
collage of images showing child and family friendly devon holidays at pitt farm
Pitt Farm offers spacious family friendly self catering cottages set in the breathtaking countryside of South Devon. Facilities and activities on-site include an indoor heated swimming pool, games room, outdoor playground, zip wires, boules court, tennis court and daily animal feeding.
La Mare Chappey, France
collage of images showing child and family friendly holidays at la mare chappey france
La Mare Chappey is a beautiful medieval manor estate tucked away in the peaceful Normandy countryside offering several well-appointed self-catering cottages. Facilities include a heated outdoor swimming pool, an indoor play barn, children’s playground, football pitch and a bouncy castle; while thoughtful extras parents will love include a luxury hot tub area, courtyard bistro serving
Budock Vean Hotel and Spa, Cornwall
collage of images showing child and family friendly holidays at budock vean hotel and spa
Tucked away on a serene bend of the Helford River, Budock Vean Hotel & Spa is a gem for parents seeking a five star countryside retreat in Cornwall. Spread across 65 acres of woodlands, gardens, and its own nine-hole golf course, family friendly accommodation includes luxurious hotel accommodation as well as self-catering lodges and cottages
Weare Cottage, Devon
collage of images showing child and family friendly devon holidays at weare cottage
Weare Cottage is a luxurious family friendly holiday cottage in the tranquil village of Weare Giffard, near Bideford in North Devon. Accommodating up to six guests in three bedrooms, the property is within easy walking distance of a local pub, village park and cycling trails, and only 15 minutes to the beach.
Big Skies Glamping, Cotswolds
collage of images showing child and family friendly cotswold glamping holidays at big skies glamping
Big Skies is a family-run glamping and camping site set on a 350 acre working farm in the heart of the Cotswolds. With comfortable safari and bell tent accommodation and all the fun of a down-to-earth glamping break – think campfires, toasting marshmallows, storytelling, outdoor games and the sound of nature as you fall asleep
Lower Elsford Farm, Devon
collage of images showing child and family friendly devon self catering holidays at lower elsford farm
Lower Elsford Farm is located within Dartmoor National Park, Devon and offers luxury self-catering holiday cottages with incredible facilities including an indoor heated swimming pool, games room, children’s play area and 32 acres to explore.
Augill Castle, Eden Valley
collage of images showing child and family friendly hotel holidays in the eden valley at augill castle hotel
Imagine whisking your family away to a genuine 19th-century castle nestled between the breathtaking landscapes of the Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District. Augill Castle isn’t just a unique hotel with fairytale bedrooms, child and parent friendly facilities and a genuinely informal laid-back atmosphere perfect for families; it’s an unforgettable adventure for both kids and
Hicks Farm Holidays, Herefordshire
Hicks Farm Holidays offers family friendly self catering holidays in the beautiful Herefordshire Marches. Rose Cottage and Orchard House sleep 7 and 14 people respectively, with superb on-site facilities including farm walks, animal feeding, an indoor heated swimming pool, games room, outdoor play area and unique BBQ cabins.
One Acre Wood Treehouses, Herefordshire
collage of images showing child and family friendly treehouse holidays at one acre wood
One Acre Wood in Herefordshire combines the magic of childhood treehouses with all the modern comforts of a family holiday destination. This unique and memorable retreat is home to two handcrafted award-winning treehouses each sleeping up to six guests, with fantastic on-site facilities including wood-fired pizza ovens, fire pits, expansive grounds and a games barn.
Newhill Farm Cottages, Fife
collage of images showing child and family friendly scotland holidays at newhill farm cottages
Newhill Farm Cottages are three luxury and family friendly holiday cottages set in a peaceful countryside location on the outskirts of Auchtermuchty, Fife. The complex offers a brilliant range of shared leisure facilities great for families including an indoor heated swimming pool, a games room and gym, outdoor play area, tennis court, picnic area and
Moonfleet Manor, Dorset
collage of images showing child and family friendly holidays at moonfleet manor hotel dorset
Located on the Jurassic Coast, Moonfleet Manor is a luxurious family friendly hotel with facilities including an on-site swimming pool, indoor play room, games room, kids club and cinema room. Parents will also love the spa facilities, dining options and two hours of complimentary childcare per night’s stay!
The Old Vicarage, Herefordshire
collage of images showing child and family friendly holidays at the old vicarage herefordshire
The Old Vicarage is a contemporary and luxurious holiday cottage in the village of Vowchurch near Hereford and Hay-on-Wye. Sleeping up to twelve people across six bedrooms, the spacious property is perfect for extended family gatherings and offers four acres of beautiful gardens and paddock, along with amenities including table tennis, outdoor play area, hot