Choosing a family holiday has a completely different set of rules than a holiday pre-children and there are some key ingredients that ensure the whole family can have a wonderful time. For us, as a family with a five year old, the key ingredients are a safe sheltered bay, big sandy beach, a good kids club or children’s programme and accommodation with multiple bedrooms so we can still relax and enjoy a film despite having an earlier bedtime. Windjammer Landing ticks all of the boxes and more, offering the most perfect holiday for families of all ages.
Firstly, the beach here is fantastic, long, sheltered and extremely safe for children of all ages, they even have a sea trampoline and inflatable slide in the water as well as hammocks and water floats for those who prefer a little bit more of a relaxing water experience. You can see the entire beach meaning its perfect for allowing the children a little freedom to play in the sand with their friends. There is also a central area with table tennis, corn hole, giant Jenga and is the main activity area through the day. The entertainment team arrange daily competitions such as beach volleyball and football meaning even the biggest of kids are kept entertained. We spent most days just enjoying the beach, building sandcastles and running in and out of the water.
The newest accommodation is the Ocean Pointe Villas. Modern, contemporary and boasting either a full size swimming pool or rooftop plunge pool, they offer all the amenities you could possibly need, full kitchens, indoor and outdoor dining areas, a spacious lounge and either two or three bedrooms. We stayed in a two bedroom which featured a stunning King bedded master bedroom with private terrace and a double queen bedded room. Upstairs was a spacious terrace with sun loungers and a fabulous plunge pool, the perfect spot for watching the sunset. They are also close to all the main resort facilities, the spa and the gym. The resort is nestled into the hillside and other villas are more easily accessed using the resorts efficient shuttle service.
Dining here is a real delight and with six options to choose from there is definitely something to suit everyone’s taste. Dragonfly is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and during the evening boasts a fantastic seafood menu, the sushi is incredible. Upper Deck is the spot for steaks and grills, Masala for Indian cuisine, Jammers for Caribbean delights and Papa Dons is a real highlight for Italian cuisine and pizza. All restaurants can assist in catering to the needs of younger guests and nothing is ever too much trouble for the friendly staff. During the day you don’t even need to move from you sun lounger as you can enjoy a host of tasty snacks delivered directly to you, the fish tacos are a personal favourite! I would definitely recommend the all-inclusive programme, it allows complete flexibility and ease, especially with a small child who either doesn’t eat a lot, changes their mind or wants multiple things, plus the beachside ice cream parlour is included and I guarantee it will be a highlight for both old and young, definitely ask for an ice cream milkshake!!
We were fortunate to stay over Halloween and the hotel curated a truly fun packed day. There was a treasure hunt for skulls around the property, a pumpkin carving competition and they turned a villa into a walk through haunted house. In the evening the kids club held a party and organised trick or treating through the hotel. The children absolutely loved it and the team really went above and beyond to ensure everyone had a really special day. While we didn’t use the kids club during the rest of our stay, it offered a fabulous choice of activities and the staff were lovely. There were morning, afternoon and evening activities. The Halloween party enabled us to actually have a dinner as couple which was a rare treat.
For the adults, there is a host of amenities on site: tennis courts, a gym, fitness classes, a spa and a variety of water sports activities. I would definitely recommend the day boat sail to the volcano, mud baths, waterfall and snorkelling. It was a great way to spend a day and was really well organised.
We couldn’t have asked for a better week at Windjammer Landing. When we asked ourselves if we would return, the answer was a resounding yes.