9 awesome family-friendly hotels in Asia to visit in 2023

If you’re a parent who’s starting to make plans for the upcoming holiday season, you’ll want to check out these hotels across Asia that are ideal for a family getaway. From lush, remote sanctuaries to sleek hotels in the heart of a city’s shopping and entertainment district, there are options to suit every family’s taste.

For the nature-loving family

The 101
Fully operational from September 2021, Avana Retreat appeared seemingly out of nowhere (and in the middle of nowhere, four hours west of Hanoi). But after it was named Asia’s Leading Retreat by the World Travel Awards two years on the trot, this mountain sanctuary has entered a class of its own.

Highlights
Avana Retreat is artistically wrapped around a gushing waterfall, which flows into rock pools, trickling streams and a duck pond. The villas, some of which have their own private pools, boast panoramic views of the jagged mountains and farmed valleys.

The family draw
The waterfall’s highest cascade, accessible by a network of over-water bridges and pathways, will impress even the most disinterested teenagers. There’s also a kids’ club and on-site babysitters so you and your partner can catch a breather while the little ones are taken care of. 

For private beachfront fun

The 101
Singapore’s only beachfront resort, with a private strip of sand, no fewer than six dining concepts and a huge pool complex with kiddie slides. One of the originals and still among the very best.

Highlights
There can’t be many tropical beach resorts just 15 minutes’ drive from a city centre, and Shangri-La Rasa Sentosa Resort does an amazing job of convincing you you’ve travelled a whole lot further. Tucked away at the end of Sentosa island and drenched in greenery, there are no end of activities on offer here, from kayaking and paddleboarding to volleyball, badminton and more. Dining runs the gamut from feet-in-the-sand pizza at Trapizza, to themed buffets at Silver Shell Café and even Singapore’s first meat alternative restaurant in a hotel, Casserole.

The family draw
While you could certainly stay here without little ones in tow, you’d be missing half the fun. Kids can spend hours in the children’s pool, water slides and splash pad, while you put your feet up beside them. You can also drop the over-fives off at Toots Club, which features a three-storey tree house and slide.

Meanwhile, next door to the hotel on Siloso Beach is Nestopia, an open-air play space with 17 sections featuring nets and obstacle courses and two of the longest slides on Sentosa. The fun doesn’t stop there either, with dinner entertainment at Silver Shell Café that includes magic performances, balloon sculpting, face painting, cupcake decorating and more. It’s all effortlessly done and a real treat for kids of all ages.

For the family of park enthusiasts

The 101
SilQ opened in early 2022 just off Sukhumvit Road, the principal artery running through many of Bangkok’s shopping and entertainment precincts.

Highlights
A sleek and modern hotel with a stylish onsen, fully-equipped gym with city views and a swimming pool that kids will love – all a stone’s throw from family-friendly spaces and activities.

The family draw
In a word, location. By foot, SilQ is just a few minutes from Benchasiri Park, a pleasant little green patch with children’s playgrounds, basketball courts and a skate park. From there, you can hop over Sukhumvit Road and head into EmQuartier, a luxury shopping centre with an entire floor dedicated to activities for kids like soft play and trampolining. A few minutes by taxi is the much larger Benchakitti Park, which is connected to Lumphini Park by a recently renovated public walkway.

For the shopaholic family

The 101
Part of the Marriott family, Le Meridien opened in January 2022 in Kuala Lumpur’s dynamic Petaling Jaya (PJ) suburb.

Highlights
Malaysia is a melting pot of cultures, as demonstrated by Le Meridien’s tantalising spread of world cuisines, including western grill, Chinese noodles, Malay stews and Indian curries.

The family draw
Travelling to – or through – Southeast Asia’s big cities with kids isn’t always easy. But Le Meridien is conveniently linked to Paradigm Mall, with a huge cinema, toy stores, kid-friendly restaurants and the Milky Way Play Space, an ambitious adventure playground with virtual reality games and elevated rope walks.

For the nature and culture-loving family

The 101
In Hoi An, less than an hour south of Danang International Airport, La Siesta fronts urban heritage, picturesque countryside, long stretches of sandy coastline and a storied food culture.

Highlights
La Siesta opened its new club wing in July 2022, and now flaunts greater room choice, more facilities for kids and a gasp-inducing infinity pool overlooking Hoi An’s rice paddies.

The family draw
La Siesta’s proximity to Hoi An’s pedestrianised old town (a 10-minute walk or free shuttle bus trip) has long been popular with families. With its new wing, La Siesta now offers an additional children’s pool, an enlarged garden for playtime and duplex rooms designed with families top of mind.

For the active beach-loving family

The 101
Opened in February this year, this luxe resort has a prime location on the idyllic Pantai Tengah beach on Malaysia’s Langkawi archipelago, famed for its wealth of family activities, including a soaring cable car, a network of sky bridges and a beachside water park.

Highlights
Parkroyal Langkawi’s sheer size means that it can promise heaps: a trio of restaurants, various swimming pools – including a kids’ pool replete with fountains and slides – and a spa whose treatments are inspired by traditional Malaysian healing practices.

The family draw
The resort’s diverse facilities are orientated towards families, such as the adventure playground and activity centre where little ones can participate in seasonally themed entertainment like Easter egg hunts and Lunar New Year arts and crafts.

For the family looking to live it up

The 101
The palatial Jumeirah Bali, a new, all-villa luxury resort inspired by Bali’s tranquil and enchanting Hindu-Javanese water temples, is sprawled beachside in Uluwatu, on the island’s southwestern tip.

Highlights
The property recently unveiled two-bedroom ocean villas that are perfect for large families, accommodating as many as six adults plus two little ones (or children under 11 years old).

The family draw
Right on arrival, kids are treated to a fun resort-wide treasure hunt that sets the tone for the trip. Then there’s the resort’s Peafowl Pavilion Kids Club, an imaginarium designed to spark curiosity about nature and the local culture. It boasts an indoor playground as well as outdoor sections where budding botanists and zoologists can spend hours discovering Balinese flora and fauna.

For a cultural immersion in the big city

The 101
The 90-room Serangoon House is one of the newest properties under Tribute Portfolio, Marriott Bonvoy’s collection of independent hotels that derive its look and feel from the locale, assuming a distinct sense of place. Serangoon House is located in Singapore’s Little India, one of the city-state’s most vibrant heritage enclaves.

Highlights
Get your kids culture-curious and introduce them to the riches of Indian heritage – and its various evolutions outside the subcontinent – by eating your way through. Start at GupShup, the hotel’s dining spot that serves Indian street food. GupShup is decorated with richly upholstered furniture and mesmerising wallpaper of sultry Indian scenes, a perfect setting for savouring a sampler of chaats (savoury street snacks) or filling mains such as slow-cooked goat curry. Young palates craving comfort food can also opt for the GupShup’s TFC Burger (that’s tandoori fried chicken) or the chocolate chip pancake from the kids’ special breakfast menu.

The family draw
Not many city hotels in heritage hubs have the luxury of space, but the Serangoon House features rooms that can accommodate up to six – perfect for the whole brood. Family rooms come with gilded double-tier canopy beds for that extra swish.

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For a jungle-tripping weekend

The 101
Go from the big city to a beach paradise and wild jungle in a matter of hours. Accessible via the Singapore-Desaru ferry service at Tanah Merah, One&Only Desaru Coast in Malaysia’s southern state of Johor is an ideal weekend getaway spot.

Highlights
The luxury resort is a chic and airy tropical retreat – think minimalist, soothing lines and relaxing neutral earth tones, replete with wide verandahs, plunge pools and lush jungle views. The 1.7km stretch of private beach is a sweet bonus.

The family draw
KidsOnly, the resort’s kids’ club, teems with educational programming to keep the young riveted, and the adventures in nature are guaranteed to keep your little ones suitably occupied. Led by the resort’s resident naturalist, Khairulizwan Bin Ismail, better known as Wan, young explorers of all ages can venture into the Panti Forest Reserve for birdwatching, tree-climbing or foraging.

For a once-in-a-lifetime underwater adventure

The 101
The hot opening in May 2023 is Avani+ Fares Maldives, Minor Hotels’ first Avani-branded property in the Maldives. It’s located on Fares, one of 75 islands in the Unesco-listed Baa Atoll Biosphere Reserve.

Highlights
The Baa Atoll reserve is home to the largest groups of coral reefs in the Indian Ocean, where approximately 250 species of corals nourish an entire ecosystem that includes marine turtles, manta rays and whale sharks. Create beautiful memories with the family while swimming and snorkelling in the Maldives’ crystalline waters with these stunning sea creatures.

The family draw
Take advantage of their promotional opening discounts to score a great deal for a three-bedroom over-water villa. It also promises a kids-only restaurant tucked into the resort’s colourful indoor kids’ club that welcomes kids four to 11 years old. At Petit Bistro, open from noon to 2pm, tables and chairs are built to tiny-human scale (no legs dangling from high chairs here), and young guests can enjoy a with a menu of fun and nutritious food. Who’s ready for healthy pizza?