If a child sketched their dream Alpine hotel, chances are, it would resemble Falkensteiner Lido. Tucked in South Tyrol’s pretty Pusteria Valley, the family-first hotel (and original Falkensteiner) dons a mini racing track and zip line on its roof, playdens and slides in its basement kids' clubs, warm indoor-outdoor pools with slides, play parks, trampoline rooms and a dry ski slope, no less. This futuristic, dark-wood-and-metal complex curves around an oversized pond (lake would be generous), which sparkles in sunshine and freezes over in winter, and essentially provides a focal point for all balconies and terraces.
In the rooms sliding doors cleverly divide the children’s sleeping quarters from the overall open plan family suites, some with playful netted lofts for little guests to scramble into via a ladder. The kids' club is separated into babies, toddlers, children (4+) and teens, with age-specific outings (such as picnics in the woods) and a packed programme of activities (pizza-making, seasonal crafting and discos). It’s all wooden toys, indoor slides and smiley leaders who the children fist-pump and high five. This is where families come to fully relax… there are no eggshell areas (except the sacred and silent adult-only spa). Everything can be provided – highchairs, baby purée, cots, sterilisers, all the tot paraphernalia. There’s even a baby room adjacent to reception where bottles can be cleaned and sterilised and baby purées cooked up or microwaved. And, quite surprisingly for a hotel with swings and merry go rounds in its reception (albeit subdued ones), the food for both parents and children is tastier than most pricey family joints – elevated without feeling too fussy, and packed with local, organic ingredients. You’ll get to know your table’s waiter or waitress throughout your stay as well as the South Tyrolean wine menu and the gelato windows.
Address: Via Stazione, 7, 39030 Casteldarne BZ, Italy
Price: From about £320 per night.
Family Hotel Posta
If a vast, contemporary kids' club-focused resort complex leaves you feeling queasy, and you yearn desperately for those cosy yesteryear chalets, Family Hotel Posta in Val Gardena is where to drop your bags. Yes, it’s fresh and zhuzhed up inside, but the fires roar, the snow-dusted views spin outside and there’s all the warmth of a traditional, family-owned chalet. That is, one that happens to enjoy a few playrooms, craft spaces and snug cinema corners to hunker down in after a hard day mastering first turns on the slopes. Built exclusively for children, Villa Dumbo features an enormous climbing wall, kitchenette and smalls from three years and over donning little chef hats for cooking sessions. Parents can leave little ones here happily crafting, climbing or cooking before beelining for the spa – where a steamy indoor-outdoor pool, organic hay sauna and locally-rooted treatment list await.
Light-filled rooms have been cleverly carved up for families of all shapes and sizes, and downstairs, floor-to-ceiling windows pull the snowy, Val Gardena magic in as children tuck into nourishing farm-to-table breakfasts and pastry-heavy afternoon teas. Those keen to get on the slopes (or off-piste with a guide) can book their clans into ski school, taking full advantage of the hotel’s shuttle and ski pass service, with the Saslong and Dolomiti Superski lifts nearby. There’s plenty of hiking, biking and outdoorsy activities as the landscape thaws for spring and summer, either en famille or while sprogs are scrambling up climbing walls or crafting following their foraging expeditions Villa Dumbo. Alongside the delicious speck knödels and hearty pasta lunches, Family La Posta’s focus on healthy options for children is a breath of fresh air, (think organic soups and meat from local farmers), while the 7pm children’s menu offers flexibility for families to eat together earlier, or for children to scoff at a civilised hour, should parents wish to eat a little later.
Address: Via Dursan, 32, 39047 Santa Cristina Valgardena BZ, Italy
Price: From about £400 per night.