Looking for a relaxing mini break? Why this luxury family resort in Greece is the ultimate choice for some winter sun

Holidays have really changed since I became a parent. Once upon a time, travel was the pursuit of exotic locations, vibey restaurants and a sense of adventure; now, it’s almost entirely focused on how happy my daughter will be at all times and where we can go and still have the most fun together as a family. And if there’s an outside chance of us getting a minute or two to relax, so much the better.

Sani is a luxury family resort that was always talked about in revered tones among my mum-friends as the ultimate holiday for families. They weren’t wrong. It’s a stunning location; it’s surrounded by nature, has a plethora of fantastic restaurants and, crucially, there’s such a lot for kids to love. We stayed at two of the resort’s hotels: Sani Club, surrounded by ancient olive groves and offering stunning views across the Aegean Sea and Sani Asterias, the most luxurious hotel, which is set in a peaceful gated garden, opening out onto a private beach on one side and with a pool overlooking the marina. There are five different hotels in total, all with something unique to recommend them.

One of my favourite things about Sani Resort is that everything is made easy for you. First up, the airport transfer: this may not seem like a big deal, but after a flight full of stickers and colouring pens, the last thing I want to do is stand in a rent-a-car queue with a bulky car seat in tow. We were greeted on arrival with ice-cold waters and a cool, spacious ride with a car seat already installed. If you are travelling with babies, Sani has a ‘pack light’ offering, with complimentary use of everything you might need, from bottle sterilisers to white noise machines. A key aspect of its philosophy is to make things easy for guests, including a clever app to download ahead of the holiday, which you can use to book dinners and activities for kids in advance. There’s also a concierge service on WhatsApp, so it’s easy to push forward a dinner reservation or check in for a last-minute spa treatment.  

Another key point for me, as a mum to one little girl and newly pregnant – and quite nauseous – with a second, is that everything you could possibly want is located inside the resort. Packing for a family holiday and surviving the journey is enough stress for anyone, so the fact that I could stay put on arrival was a huge bonus. The resort itself is large, but there are shuttles from one hotel to another, and golf buggies whisking you from place to place make it easy to get around.

Probably the best thing about Sani Resort for families is the number of activities on offer for kids. Our little one was absolutely mesmerised by watching bigger girls learn synchronised swimming one afternoon. (We had to solemnly promise to return when she is old enough to join in.) Not only are there multiple beaches and pools to keep the family entertained, but the activities list is extensive too. Everything from coastal hikes to archery and even a mermaid club are on offer. There is a big eco focus, and activities are available for kids to discover the bees and dolphins that live in Sani Resort’s surrounding habitat. Sports is also key: a Rafa Nadal tennis centre and a football club in collaboration with Chelsea FC are on site. Another brilliant aspect for kids is the evening show – free, and takes place five nights a week. My daughter still talks about a scene when dancers emerged from under another performer’s giant dress – she was spellbound.

My daughter wasn’t quite old enough for the mermaid club, but she did enjoy playing at the Sani crèche. I’m anxious when it comes to leaving my little one, but the staff were extremely sweet and reassuring. I was immediately given a number to WhatsApp to check my daughter had settled in and was happy, and they let me know – as I requested – when they thought she’d had enough. In the short time she played, my partner and I managed a big old chat, had drinks and a swim in the sea. It’s amazing what you can achieve in a short space of time as a parent. My daughter gave it a glowing review when I picked her up – complete with a new French-braided hairdo – and said she’d like to go back. There is also beach childcare, private nannies and evening babysitting available for 0–4-year-olds, with kids clubs, supper clubs and family courses also available for older children. Basically, there is a huge range of childcare options to suit all needs.

Both in Sani Club and Sani Asterias, the rooms were spacious and thoughtfully designed for calm relaxation. There was also private outdoor space to relax and enjoy the natural surroundings. Our daughter slept in with us on her own little bed, but there are accommodation options with multiple rooms if you’d like more space.  

Good food is at the top of my holiday wishlist, and Sani Resort has you covered with 27 restaurant options and 13 different bars. The breakfast buffet in both locations was a delight and didn’t feel like the combative bun fight of previous all-inclusive holidays. Obviously, Sani Resort has children’s food needs at the top of its agenda, getting the wonderful Annabel Karmel to design the kids’ menu. My child is a huge fan of chips and ice cream on holiday – and at all times, really – so it was wonderful to feel I could offer her options that had been crafted by an expert and with kids in mind. Again, all ages are considered, and there are purees for babies too.

For adults, everything we ate here was lovely, but two restaurants really stood out for me. I could have happily eaten at Ouzerie, based in Sani Club, every day. It is a pared-back whitewashed restaurant overlooking the glistening sea and shaded by pines and serves traditional Greek food, such as spicy baked feta and courgette balls, which were perfect holiday fare. I also tried armenovil here for the first time, a divine Greek dessert that’s sort of like a fancy Viennetta. So delicious.  

Water at Sani Asterias, the gastronomic flagship of the resort, was very special. It offers the most relaxed fine dining I’ve ever experienced. Between courses, I danced to a live band with my daughter, and the team made everything as appealing as possible for her. Bringing out a little stool for her unicorn handbag to sit on was a particularly adorable touch. The food – from the beef ragu and mushroom cappelletti to the braised beef cheek and a heavenly hazelnut dessert – was all incredible. My little one was especially entranced with the petit fours trolley, offering bergamot marshmallows and pistachio white chocolates to finish off your meal.

To conclude, Sani was a complete delight. We ate, we mooched, we even got a moment to ourselves, and we definitely all wanted to stay for longer. I would highly recommend it.  

Where did we stay? Sani Resort, Kassandra, Halkidiki 630 77, Greece.

For how long? Four nights (two in Sani Club and two in Sani Asterias).

How did we get there? We flew from London Heathrow to Thessaloniki with BA. The hotel organised a very smooth transfer from the airport; it was a 50-minute drive from the airport to the resort. For stays of 5 nights or more, booked directly with Sani Resort, guests get free transfers from and to the international airport of Thessaloniki (SKG).

How much did it cost? Prices vary depending on accommodation. A double room at Sani Club starts from £277 a night on a half-board basis. A junior suite at Sani Asterias starts from £415 on a half-board basis.

Age of children travelling? One 3-and-a-half-year-old (but the resort caters for all ages from babies to teens).

Type of holiday? Luxury family resort. 

Thursday

We fly BA from Heathrow on the 08.15 flight, landing in Thessaloniki by 13.35 and arriving at Sani Club in time for a very late lunch. We peek at our very spacious and lovely room in calming shades of blue, before heading straight to Ouzerie for the perfect first holiday lunch with a view.

We spend a lazy afternoon in the stunning infinity pool next to the Club Lounge enjoying the amazing views.  We finished the day with dinner at Cabana, which serves up French classics overlooking the beach, where I made sand angels with my daughter between courses. She enjoys a kids’ mocktail garnished with candy floss, which was a definite trip highlight for her.

Friday

We spent most of our day by the Sani Club pool, ordering toasted sandwiches and juices for lunch from the Club Lounge which is perfect holiday fare.

Late afternoon we took the shuttle to Sani Beach to explore. The kids’ pool with a slide and water sprays is down here, as is a beautiful beach fringed with salt cedar trees. We scoop up some sunbeds and new towels. Towels are available at all pools and beach locations so you never have to think about lugging them with you. We build sandcastles as the sun goes down.

We retreated to relax on our little terrace and read books before dinner at Ouzerie, which was a real treat.

Saturday

We move to Sani Asterias today, which is right by the kids’ pool and playground, so we spend the morning between the two. Our little one makes friends and plays happily. Another simple lunch by the pool is perfect for today: we ordered pitta and crudité for our little one to encourage some vegetable consumption.

After lunch, it was our daughter’s first foray into the Sani crèche. While she plays, we have drinks in the Sea Breeze bar at Porto Sani and then head to the private beach in Sani Asterias for a swim and some calamari.

In the evening, we have a spectacular dinner at Water, accompanied by a gentle three-piece band, by the lit-up pool at Sani Asterias, with lots of room for our little one to run about. We make it to the show this evening at the Garden Theatre, which our daughter was entranced by. She loves it so much; I am annoyed we haven’t brought her every night and vow to spend our last evening here.

Sunday

I think we have clocked it’s our last full day, so we are more active than ever. First up, we hire bikes and explore the resort. It is £20 for two bikes, one with a child’s seat attached. We cycle around the marina and out to the jetty – not something we could ever do in London. There is a shopping piazza in the marina – one to explore next time.

I take myself to the Spa Retreat at Sani Asterias for a pregnancy massage. It’s heaven and costs around £137 for an hour, including tip. I leave feeling totally rejuvenated and like pregnancy might be a breeze with daily massage.

We have dinner at Psaroyannos, which is on the marina and has the perfect festive holiday buzz for our final night. We even made it to the evening show, which starts with a little dance party for the kids. Our girl loves it. The perfect evening.

Monday

On our final morning, we hired a bright pink flamingo pedalo from the watersports people by the sea at Sani Beach. It was approximately £33 for an hour. This was the ideal activity for our last few hours at the resort, and it seemed special. We are then whisked to the airport in our dreamy Sani Resort transfer, busily planning our next visit.

We fly BA home, taking the 13.55 flight and are back at Gatwick around 4pm with some minor delays. Our luggage collected, we are home in time for dinner, bath and bed. Perfect. 

To find out more, head to the Sani Resort website

Images: Sani Resort; Lucy Reber