There is one question that reaches us almost every week: «Which is the best destination to travel to with the children?» And the honest answer is that there isn’t a single one. There is yours. The one that fits the children’s ages, the pace you keep, and what you feel like experiencing this particular year.
Even so, there are destinations that, for one reason or another, work extraordinarily well as a family when they are designed with care. Not because of the hotel —though the hotel matters—, but because they are conceived so that everyone, from the youngest child to the grandparent, experiences something made for them. This is our review of the finest destinations for a luxury family journey, and what each one truly brings.
If we had to recommend a single journey for a family, it would probably be a safari. Tanzania, Kenya and South Africa offer something no screen can match: the moment a child sees an elephant twenty metres away for the first time and is left speechless.
Why it works as a family: the wildlife captivates a six-year-old and a sixty-year-old alike. The days have rhythm —an early start, a rest, an afternoon drive— and that, with little ones, is pure gold.
The luxury angle: private lodges with an exclusive guide and vehicle change everything. You stop whenever your child wants to watch the giraffes a while longer, you dine in the open air, you sleep surrounded by nature with every comfort. South Africa, moreover, adds malaria-free reserves, ideal for families with young children. We tell it in detail in our guide to the luxury family safari.
Japan surprises the families who arrive with doubts. It is safe, clean, punctual and deeply fun for children: bullet trains, gardens, temples, cities that seem to belong to another planet.
Why it works as a family: it blends urban adventure and rural calm effortlessly. The little ones are amazed by Tokyo; the parents breathe again in a traditional ryokan among the mountains.
The luxury angle: a private guide who translates the country —not just the language— makes the difference between seeing Japan and understanding it. That companionship, together with carefully chosen hotels and seamless transfers, turns a complex destination into a flowing journey.
The Maldives, the Seychelles and Mauritius are the answer when what the family needs is, quite simply, to stop. Turquoise water, villas over the sea, days that ask for nothing.
Why it works as a family: the Indian Ocean resorts are exceptionally well prepared for children, with serious kids’ clubs, water activities and cuisine designed for every age. Parents rest for real because they know the little ones are well looked after.
The luxury angle: a villa with a private pool, a chef who adapts to your timetable, snorkelling among turtles at first light. The Seychelles and Mauritius, with more territory to explore, are a good fit if you want to combine beach with a little discovery.
Costa Rica is nature in its purest state, measured out so that a family can enjoy it without wearing itself out. Volcanoes, jungle, sloths, beaches, all in the same journey.
Why it works as a family: it is one of the most versatile luxury destinations for travelling with children there is. A teenager goes rafting or ziplining; a little one hunts for frogs with a naturalist guide; everyone gathers again at sunset.
The luxury angle: lodges set within the jungle with every comfort, expert guides who turn a walk into a living biology lesson, private transfers that spare you the dead hours. The luxury here is logistical as much as it is sensory.
Bali has a rare ability to please the whole family. There is art, there are waves, there are temples among rice terraces and a hospitality that wraps around you.
Why it works as a family: it mixes accessible culture, gentle nature and beach without the distances of other Asian destinations. The Balinese adore children, and you can feel it.
The luxury angle: private villas in Ubud surrounded by greenery, surf lessons for the older ones, cooking or local ceremonies for anyone who wants to go deeper. Indonesia also lends itself to combining Bali with quieter islands if you are after a second act.
Italy is the easiest luxury family destination to love. Close by, safe, delicious and with a blend of art, sea and countryside that rarely fails with children.
Why it works as a family: food is immediate common ground, and the little ones go from an ice cream to a colosseum without missing a beat. Tuscany, the Amalfi Coast or Sicily offer different rhythms for different ages.
The luxury angle: a villa with a pool in the Tuscan countryside, private visits that skip the queues, a cook who teaches the children how to make pasta. Italian luxury is discreet, sensory and, above all, relaxed.
Lapland is the journey for those who want to give their children an unrepeatable memory. Endless snow, the northern lights, reindeer and husky-drawn sleds.
Why it works as a family: the snow levels the ages —everyone is equally awestruck— and the Arctic wilderness has something of a fairy tale that children feel at once.
The luxury angle: glass cabins for watching the aurora from your bed, guides who know where and when to look for it, kit and transfers all taken care of so the cold is only beauty, never discomfort.
The ideal destination is not chosen from a list, but by the moment your family is living. With babies, the Indian Ocean or Italy simplify the logistics. With curious children, Costa Rica or the safari ignite something. With teenagers, Japan or Bali offer adventure without giving up comfort. And when three generations travel together, it is worth thinking it through with a different lens: we tell it in our guide to multigenerational luxury journeys.
The cost of a luxury family holiday does not depend on the destination that appears first on a list, but on how it is designed: the dates, the type of accommodation, the degree of exclusivity, the support on the ground. That is why we do not believe in closed packages, but in tailor-made luxury family journeys conceived for you.
Because, in the end, the luxury of a family journey is not measured in stars. It is measured by one very simple thing: how much you can relax.
We help you choose the destination and design it to your measure.
Design your journey →Article written by the team at Away Travel Designer, a tailor-made travel agency in Seville. We design bespoke luxury journeys for travellers who will not settle for the ordinary.