Why Sani Resort Halkidiki continues to set the standard for five-star family-friendly luxury
Booking an exotic escape couldn’t be more appealing, particularly if you’re able to pack your bags last minute and jet straight into winter sun. But if you don’t have the flexibility to drop everything or are governed by school term dates, January is still a really a good time to book in a summer family holiday – in fact, you’d be wise to, before all the best resorts are booked up.
Having been a firm favourite among parents with young children for more than 30 years, Sani Resort Halikidiki has always been high on our list of places to visit for a luxury break that prioritises the adults as much as the kids. Along with other Greek hotel groups like Ikos (Sani’s sister brand of resorts spread through Halidiki, Corfu, Kos and Spain), it offers some of the best five-star family accommodation in Europe, as well as plenty of childcare options and family-friendly activities.
But perhaps what really sets Sani apart from other leading Greek family resorts is the energy it’s prepared to give to the small things. Stretching along Halkidiki’s Kassandra peninsula, a 30-mile-long expanse of coastline backed by pine forests and jutting out into the Aegean Sea, the resort combines the kind of bucolic white sands grown-ups dream of with shallow waters that are perfect for younger children to swim in. And yet it’s the subtler touches, like the signature ‘Babewatch’ service – a daily 30 minutes of complimentary beachside babysitting to facilitate adult-only leisure time (a rarity if you have a human limpet that attaches itself to you every time you step into the sea) - that really makes guests feel seen.
Due to its sheer size and scale, the thousand-acre resort is divided into five villages, each with a different vibe. Nestled in the hills, the tranquil Sani Club attracts families with younger children to its smattering of secluded villas and bungalows and low-stress setup (a chic central infinity pool with panoramic views out to sea attached to a shallow toddler pool feels particularly genius, as does the Ofsted-rated kids’ club and creche with direct access to the beach). Meanwhile, at the other end of the resort, Sani Beach tends to draw in families with school-age children thanks to its larger pools and proximity to Sani’s day camps, which include everything from the Chelsea FCF Football Academy and Rafa Nadal Tennis Center to a Go Ape-style adventure course and Bear Grylls Survival Academy. Sitting somewhere in the middle of the two are Porto Sani and Sani Dunes, directly serviced by the glittering Sani Marina, plus the newest and perhaps most exclusive part of the resort, Sani Asterias.
Being able to reside in whichever accommodation suits you best while having access to all the activity on the resort - including gyms, spas, yoga, watersports and hiking trails - gives guests all the flexibility they need. Owing to its impressive line-up of over 35 bars and restaurants, Sani also offers just about every cuisine under the sun, as well as a range of dining plans that enable guests to balance all-inclusive-style buffets with Sani's three restaurant concepts created by Michelin-starred chefs, plus everything in between.
Wherever you eat, the food is a cut above other five-star resort standards, plus there are extra highlights for gastronomes including the resort’s annual food festival, Sani Gourmet, in which globally renowned chefs are invited to host residencies. Last summer, Michelin-starred Parisian chef Hélenè Darroze was among the selection of names offering a five-course tasting menu at chic poolside restaurant Elias, meanwhile up on Sani Beach’s headland overlooking the sea, stars from Tom Odell to Bonnie Tyler took to the stage as part of Sani Festival, the resort’s live music offering for the summer holidays.
These specially planned events for adults are just another reminder for parents that they’re on vacation too, with the opportunity to book private nannies and evening babysitters for an additional cost. As part of its offering, the resort also partners with experts such as infant sleep guru Carol Mae Consulting, who can help with adjusting little ones’ routines, while Annabel Karmel devises the delicious children’s menus (with purees and even first-solids meals incorporated, there's no need to bring your Ella’s pouches here).
The level of thought and consideration is carried through to the resort’s elegant suites, bungalows and private villas with pools, where you’ll find everything from child-friendly toiletries to mosquito plugs, plus the option to request additional complimentary items such as baby monitors, white noise machines and GroClocks. Even the oval-shaped white wooden cots are a welcome upgrade from your standard hotel travel cot and tie seamlessly into Sani’s modern beachy aesthetic; meanwhile adults get everything they would expect from five-star luxury, including freestanding baths, Nespresso machines, and spacious super-king beds.
When holidaying with kids is this easy, it’s hardly surprising that after a couple of days here you won’t really want to leave, but if you can peel yourself away, nearby Thessaloniki - Greece’s second-largest city next to Athens - is well worth a visit. Not that you necessarily even need to think about hiring a car – with 45-min private car transfers to and from the airport bookable and guest vehicles banned on the resort, it’s otherwise down to Sani’s uber-friendly fleet of golf buggy drivers to zip you from breakfast to beach to activity. Because if Sani understands one thing, it’s how to help you relax while it takes care of the logistics.
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