At 5pm on a Monday, I find myself in a panoramic rooftop sauna in South Tyrol, northern Italy. Outside, forest-covered peaks stretch into the distance; inside, German-language reggaeton plays, and a man in red harem pants whirls a towel, sending hot air over spellbound kids and smiling parents. As lightning flashes over a far-off mountain, I think: you'd never get this at Center Parcs.
In the UK, it's hard to find a place truly built for kids—even letting them join in sauna rituals like the Aufguss. But this is normal in South Tyrol, a peculiar corner of Italy with breathtaking hilltops, a fascinating cultural mix, and some of the world's greatest family hotels. The region is home to the Dolomites, whose surreal peaks have become increasingly popular with British tourists, though most are unaware of its epic family hotels.
Falkensteiner Family Resort Lido, in the Puster Valley, is a flagship for child-friendly hospitality. Managed by the Falkensteiner dynasty since the 1950s, it has grown from a lakeside guesthouse into a mini-resort with 126 rooms. Its facilities include a family waterpark with indoor and outdoor pools, a toddlers' pool, a long tube slide, and a rooftop family sauna. There's also an adult-only spa and a rooftop adventure park with a year-round ski slope, trampoline park, sports hall, rooftop bar, hiking trail, playground, and miniature ice rink.
Below ground is an extensive kids' club, split into rooms for babies (from six months), kids (three to 11), and teens. Childcare runs from 9am to 9pm daily, included in the room rate. Activities include supervised play in 'Falky-Land', crafting, baking, building campfires, sailing on a pirate raft, and meeting farm animals. Staff are trained in a holistic approach to childcare, emphasising education, exercise, and nature, with deep roots in Germanic child-rearing philosophies. This is subtly incorporated throughout the hotel, such as child-height buffets in the restaurant.
German influence is evident: most signs are in German first, then Italian and English. South Tyrol's family hotels, part of the Familienhotels Südtirol association, are run by families for families, making the region perhaps the best destination in Europe for a holiday with kids.
