Investigate whether a hotel really is family-friendly. Many advertise themselves as such while also catering to wedding parties and honeymooners, and if so you may feel awkward having kids with you. Or the décor may be so chi chi, you’ll be worried about causing damage. Read widely across review sites for other parents’ experiences.
 
Check childcare hours and age limits to ensure it’s adequate to your needs, and establish if it needs to be booked at the time of your trip, to avoid disappointment. Find out if there is evening baby-listening or babysitting. If you bring a baby monitor, don’t rely on a standard model – Bébétel, which works via mobiles and landlines, is a surefire option.
 
Doublecheck what’s available in-resort. You can normally travel light since most practicalities will be taken care of, but if specific products such as nappies or formula are needed, you need to bring or have them delivered by a company such as Bebebel.
 
Before booking a family room, consider whether you really are happy to share space for a week or two. Interconnecting rooms or a suite with some kind of partition tend to be more successful, or go for broke with a luxury in-resort villa allowing greater space and freedom.
 
If you’re hoping to eat alone in the evenings, or if the hotel restaurant looks too formal for your kids, find out about children’s eating arrangements such as high teas, early suppers or room service.