USD 
Written by Ashleigh Whitehill
Thailand is a natural choice for a family getaway. Whether you like to get to the heart of a destination or prefer to rest and play by the beach, Thailand offers an incredible selection of family-friendly resorts that will help forge a lifetime of family memories.
Read on for our pick of family resorts in Thailand.
Top family resorts in Phuket
COMO Point Yamu, Phuket
Experience five-star luxury from the moment you arrive at COMO Point Yamu, from exceptional service and world-class wellness facilities to exquisite onsite dining. La Sirena brings you sumptuous Italian flavours paired with ocean vistas, Nahmyaa serves up mouthwatering southern Thai in an elegant setting, and Aqua Bar is on hand with poolside cocktails, smoothies and healthy juices.
With complimentary kids’ club access, little ones are taken care of while you soak in the 100-metre infinity pool or treat yourself at COMO Shambhala, complete with hydrotherapy pools, sauna and steam room. Reawaken your senses with sunrise yoga sessions, learn something new with complimentary Muay Thai classes, or head out to discover the treasures of the Andaman Sea. However you picture paradise, COMO Point Yamu brings it to life.
Amora Beach Resort Phuket
Set on one of Phuket’s calmer, quieter beaches, this resort delights all ages. There’s plenty of space for all with interconnecting, two-bedroom and special family accommodation options, whether you prefer to be near the pool or the gardens. The AQUA kids’ club has three separate zones to keep little ones entertained all day, when they’re not at the water park and slide, that is. Dine casually at the poolside or the beach club, or sit to Thai dishes at the beautiful N Restaurant.
Katathani Phuket Beach Resort
A sanctuary on the soft sands of Kata Noi Beach, Katathani Phuket Beach Resort is a playground for families. With six sparkling outdoor pools – including four kids’ pools, an aqua play area and mini water slide – plus an action-packed kids’ club, the entire family is guaranteed endless fun in the sun.
Pick and choose from a rotation of daily activities, including Batik painting and mocktail making or enroll the little ones in a full-day ‘summer camp’ experience and treat yourself with a visit to the serene Tew Son Spa. To top it off – kids 11 and under stay, play and eat for free.
Wyndham Garden Phuket Kamala
Settle into Thai paradise at Wyndham Garden Phuket Kamala, perfectly perched above the pearl-white sands of Kamala Beach, just 20 minutes from Phuket’s buzz. Enjoy the space to spread out in the large resort pool while younger adventurers splash around in the kid’s pool, or venture less than 10 minutes walk to the blissful Kamala Beach for a family day out. Sip on cocktails while children are in safe hands at the kids’ club.
Top family resorts in Krabi
Centara Ao Nang Beach Resort & Spa Krabi
With a backdrop of soaring, emerald-green cliffs, on a quiet patch of sandy beachfront, this resort feels like a castaway paradise, without compromising on facilities. There are two outdoor pools including a kids’ area and waterslides, restaurants to please all tastes (with flavours from Italian to local Thai), several bars, plentiful dedicated activities for little ones and a kids’ club, plus grown-up perks like a spa and a beach club. Family Residence rooms are generously sized for families with a king bed, bunk bed and living area, or opt for a Deluxe Pool Access Double-Double with two double beds, which allow you to step straight out of your room onto the pool deck.
Top family resorts in Hua Hin
Mövenpick Asara Resort & Spa Hua Hin
If you’re looking for coastal relaxation, Thai culture and fantastic food away from the crowds and party scene, Hua Hin, around a 2.5-hour drive down the coast from Bangkok, should be on your list. Mövenpick resorts are always a safe bet for families, and the brand’s Hua Hin resort, set in tropical gardens beside a pristine beachfront, is no exception.
Here, you can expect sweet treats (Mövenpick resorts are famed for their daily ‘chocolate hour’), dining to please every taste, and something to keep all ages happy, from an oceanfront pool to the Asara Spa.
Avani+ Hua Hin
A picturesque patchwork of pools, lakes and gardens, the Avani+ Hua Hin estate is a sun-kissed playground for all ages. All of the resort’s villas come with a private pool as standard, with the two-bedroom versions offering plenty of space for families.
Food is sourced from local farmers, fishermen and suppliers wherever possible, with flavours to suit every taste, from Thai and Indian to Western. The AvaniKids program welcomes children from four to 12 years old for holiday fun, with childminding services available.
Veranda Resort & Villas Hua Hin – Cha Am
This resort offers really fun accommodation options for families: think a suite with bunk beds and an indoor jacuzzi, or one that even has a slide into its private pool. Its beachfront location is perfect for catching the sunrise, and is only a stone’s throw from everything Hua Hin has to offer.
Kids will absolutely love the pool area, which has a manmade beach, water slide, sand pit and bubble jets to entertain them all day. Plus, the kids’ club is on hand while parents enjoy a treatment at Veranda Spa or a tropical drink at the beach bar.
Top family resorts in Koh Samui
InterContinental Koh Samui Resort
Another gem of a family resort in Thailand is the InterContinental Koh Samui Resort. Tucked away from the busy tourist spots in Taling Ngam Bay, surrounded by azure waters and jungle-covered islets, this beachside resort offers something for everyone with six pools (including a dedicated kids’ pool), the award-winning Baan Thai Spa, and dining that ranges from flame-grilled seafood and steak at Flames to beachside barbecues.
The kids’ club Planet Trekkers keeps kids aged from four to 12 years entertained with games and Thai-inspired crafts, plus there are nanny and babysitting services available.
Nora Buri Resort & Spa Koh Samui
Find island paradise on your doorstep at Nora Buri Resort & Spa Koh Samui, an ocean-facing gem shouldered by lush gardens and the white sands of Chaweng Beach. This resort complex is a sanctuary for the senses, offering the unparalleled tranquillity of two pools – one perched on the hillside and the other kissing the ocean’s shore. Opt for one of the villas where one child (16 and under) stays and eats free – the ideal choice for small families looking to unwind.
Silavadee Pool Spa Resort
For smaller families, this boutique resort offers tranquillity between Chaweng and Lamai beach, away from the thrum of Koh Samui’s centre. Set in the cliffs overlooking the ocean, each of its villas offers a private pool. A program of daily kids’ activities covers everything from yoga and Muay Thai to arts and crafts, while special cooking lessons for children will see them decorating cupcakes or baking cookies.
While the kids are entertained, grown-ups can enjoy fitness classes, snorkelling and spa treatments. Dining should tick the box for everyone, from laidback bites by the pool to the signature Thai restaurant with a view, while room service and private barbecues prepared in your villa are a saviour after busy days.
Top family resorts in Khao Lak
Grand Mercure Khao Lak Bangsak
Ensconced in tropical gardens on Thailand’s tranquil southwest coast, this dreamy resort offers family-friendly connecting room options with two kids under 17 staying free. High-end amenities invite complete relaxation: enjoy an invigorating swim in the beachfront pool while kids enjoy the children’s pool, spoil yourself at Pran Spa, or experience a fresh take on Thai favourites at one of two innovative restaurants, Patio Restaurant and Green Mango Restaurant. Soak Pool Bar is on hand with tropical sips while the little adventurers are entertained at Manta Ray Kids’ Club.
The Sands Khao Lak by Katathani
Beachfront The Sands Khao Lak by Katathani is jam-packed with family-friendly fun, from an onsite waterpark with slides, splash tunnels and lazy river to the Sands Castle Kids’ Club, featuring a ball house, games arcade and superhero corner.
Leave the kids to a movie night or kite-making class while you enjoy a dip in the adults-only pool or a rejuvenating massage at The Spa. Additional features include a dedicated kids’ menu and marine-themed family rooms – opt for a room in the resort’s Aqua Wing for direct waterpark access.
Pullman Khao Lak Resort
Set on the golden sands of Bang Muang Beach, Pullman Khao Lak Resort offers five-star luxury for the whole family. The kids’ club comes complete with a waterpark, rock climbing wall, cinema room and rotating schedule of activities; adults can stay for activities like face painting and pizza-making classes or drop the little ones off and head to Rosalyn Spa for the pampering they deserve.
Sprawling family suites ensure plenty of room to relax, and direct access to the resort pool only sweetens the deal. Order from the a la carte kids’ menu at Plai Dining Room or make use of the resort’s babysitting service and enjoy a seaside dinner for two at Kram Beach Club.
Devasom Khao Lak
Set between a natural lagoon and Khao Lak’s sunset beach, Devasom Khao Lak is a tropical haven where all ages will find enjoyment and relaxation. The resort’s two-bedroom villas are ideal for family groups, and come with their own jetted pools. A dedicated kids’ pool and kids’ club guarantee fun for little ones, and there’s also a private beach, two-tier saltwater pool with spa jets, a spa, authentic Thai dining and a grill restaurant sat right on the sands.
Top family resorts in Bangkok
Anantara Riverside Bangkok Resort
Anantara Riverside Bangkok Resort makes quality family time easy, thanks to a wealth of services, tours and activities. Start your day with buffet breakfast at The Market – watch the kids’ eyes light up when they spot the multiple live cooking stations.
Learn to master yoga and tai chi or recreate your favourite local recipes in a family cooking class. If me-time is in order, drop the kids at Chang Noi Kids’ Club, where they’ll be under the watchful eye of specially trained staff, or take advantage of the resort’s babysitting service and embark on a romantic Manohra river cruise.
Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok
Where regal Thai hospitality meets European flair, Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok is perfectly situated in Bangkok’s buzzing shopping and entertainment district. Tucked behind Siam Paragon shopping centre and moments from BTS Skytrain station, this resort-style, five-star oasis offers easy access for the family to see the best that Bangkok has to offer.
Kids will love the adventures of Kempinski Kids’ Club, where they’ll do everything from cook, craft, garden, sing, snorkel, skate and read. Teens can enjoy everything from video games, sports tournaments and yoga sessions to cinema nights, Lego building and cookery workshops.
Rosewood Bangkok
A five-star oasis in the heart of the Thai capital, Rosewood Bangkok offers all the very best of Thai hospitality. Young families can pack light for their stay as the hotel’s Rose Buds program provides thoughtful amenities including cots, linen, baby bathtubs, in-room bottle warmers and adorable child-sized robes.
Children aged four through nine can participate in the engaging Rosewood Explorers program, while teens can enjoy Muay Thai classes and ‘spa-cations’ featuring DIY face masks and foot soaks. While the kids are well looked after, visit Sense Spa for a blissful treatment or unwind with a cocktail at speakeasy and vinyl bar Lennon’s.
Discover Thailand
Feature image: Ramada Resort by Wyndham Khao Lak. Source: supplied.
