11 Tips for Choosing the Best Family Resort in Croatia

One that boasts upscale amenities and an overall adult feel, yet successfully caters to every age group, particularly children. Simply put, the best family resort prioritizes quality amenities, services, and activities for all family members, young and old, without compromise. Add a superb location such as Dubrovnik’s breathtaking coast and you’ve got your perfect Croatian holiday!

1. TOP FAMILY-FRIENDLY ACCOMMODATION CAN MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE

A carefree family holiday owes much to ensuring everyone has space and nobody feels cramped. As a 5-star family resort, Sun Gardens Dubrovnik has an accommodation range for families of all sizes. Spacious, elegant suites offer connecting rooms and residences for greater flexibility and better family interaction.

Large families or groups will discover the ideal luxurious getaway in our exclusive five-bedroom resort villa with a private infinity pool. Experience unforgettable vacations at this amazing Mediterranean jewel that blends privacy, all the resort comforts, and immersive experiences.

2. THERE’S A REASON WHY BEST FAMILY RESORTS ARE UNFORGETTABLE GETAWAYS

Besides great location, first-rate amenities and experiences, the best family resorts always have that extra something, an it-factor that turns them from nice family hotels into memorable getaways. At Sun Gardens Dubrovnik, enjoyment is the order of the day. The all-around range of resort experiences for both adults and kids will leave you spoiled for choice. There’s space and time for everyone and everything.

Imagine waking up amidst the scents of the resort’s lush Mediterranean gardens and stunning sea views. You could answer the sun's call by easing yourself into the new day with a wake-up swim, or join the other early risers on a delightfully invigorating morning beach yoga class.

If you're in the mood for skipping your sun salutation, start right away with an indulging day-opener, a delicious alfresco breakfast that will set just the right tone for that endless-vacation vibe. What’s next? The kids, especially tweens and teens, are probably already loudly voicing their wishes. Fortunately, the resort offers plenty of flexible choices, which will take the strain off the parents and keep the kids from getting bored.

3. GREAT KIDS CLUB IS ESSENTIAL FOR A PERFECT FAMILY VACATION

Something new, something fun, unlike the usual daily routine – this is what every kid expects from a family holiday. Perfectly attuned to children’s innate curiosity and versatile interests, Marco Polo Kids Club b caters to separate age groups by offering phased and varying programs from late May to mid-September. In addition, our professional in-house Babysitting Service gives adults all the stress-free time they need. It goes without saying: keeping both children and parents happy is the Club’s ongoing mission!

Discoverers Baby Club is a joyful haven for the youngest ones, aged 12 to 36 months. You can relax, confident that your babies will be safe with our highly qualified childcare specialists. Every amenity in Baby Club gives rise to a gently motivating and safe environment, where our smallest guests can explore and play, and have an amazing time without risk.

Children aged 3 to 6 years will have a blast at the Explorers Mini Club. There, under the watchful eyes of our dedicated professionals, kids can join various sessions throughout the day, engage in sporting competitions, creative and artistic workshops, and take some fun breaks. To have those batteries properly recharged, the dedicated Kids Lunch menu sneaks in a prescribed amount of healthy calories. Designed to entice children’s often choosy palates, these dishes are both visually appealing and nutritious.

A day at the Navigators Junior Club is filled with excitement and adventure, sports and arts, all designed for children aged 7 to 10. All that imagination and playfulness needs some serious fuel, so again, our chefs will make sure the little navigators run to the lunch table with gusto.

There is no place for boredom at Tween Club. This is the ideal hub for tweens and teenagers to mingle and forge new friendships with kids all over the world, while engaging in pool games, indoor and outdoor sports, and other activities attuned to their interests. And come back with stories and smiles. Come evening, your little ones can enjoy cinema under the stars and mini discos as well.

Still, our Kids Club is not the only source of excitement, far from it! A rich Animation Programme, featuring sports, dance, games, and workshops, takes place across the resort, ensuring all smiles for the entire family. Although Kids Club only runs during peak season, off-season parents needn’t worry. A playroom within the Sport Centre, gaming corner, and outdoor playgrounds will keep your juniors happily engaged. Along with our professional babysitting service, your smooth and carefree family holiday is a sure bet.

4. FOR A WINNING HOLIDAY, CHOOSE A FAMILY RESORT THAT APPEALS TO YOUNG ATHLETES

A fantastic physical outlet for kids, sports are known to boost children's self-confidence as they are a great platform for learning various life skills. A seaside family resort offers an ideal setting for your young athletes to move up and about in every possible way and make new friends.

Even the shyest sports beginners will flourish at the Children Sport Academy,the right place to learn or brush up on sports skills. It’s a safe and attractive environment where kids get a real feel of sports discipline and team play. Junior footballers will be thrilled to train at our popular Football Academy, under the lead of experienced coaches. On selected weeks, children can train at our guest Campioni Soccer Academy. Run by former Premier League players Andrew Cole, Andrew Johnson, Michael Johnson, and other football celebrities, this professional football school for children of all abilities between 6 and 15 is where UEFA-licensed coaches pass their wealth of experience to the new generations.

Expect lots of fun with peers and rackets at the Squash Academy or Sunball Tennis Academy, where kids develop key skills through personalized coaching that goes beyond basic serves and backhands. And where better to learn proper swimming techniques than at a seaside family resort? Swimming Academy holds its fun session in a safe pool environment, all crowned by a certificate and a medal that any kid will be proud of.

Let your kids move with the music and discover all the joys of dancing at our summer Dance Academy. Sessions filled with games, creativity, and laughter proceed under the watchful guidance of professional dance teachers until the final day of the Academy, when kids proudly stage their show in front of their families. Aspiring little dancers whose passion for dance has already been ignited will not want to miss pro-classes at Campioni Dance Academy led by a celebrity choreographer, Aimee Azari.

5. BEST FAMILY-FRIENDLY RESORTS TAKE CARE ABOUT ADULTS, TOO

Now that your tinies or teens are having some great supervised time, you are free to tone, tan up, and unwind at will with a roster of activities and amenities at the most family-friendly Dubrovnik resort.

Ready for a stay-active challenge? Visit the Sports Centre, with its array of indoor and outdoor sports. Take your pick between group classes and private trainers, gym, tennis, squash, wall climbing, badminton, basketball, or football. Venture outside for all those sun-soaked, vista-fuelled bike or hike routes. Or enjoy some water-sport action amidst the glory that is the Adriatic Sea.

NUKU Beach captures the essence of a relaxed summer holiday, when sunny shores meet ever-blue waves. Have an epic swim in a clean and safe sea and relish the salty sea breeze. Enjoy the amazing sea vista with refreshments from NUKU Bar. Have your lunch delivered straight to your complimentary lounger, or take the first row view from a VIP cabana.
As you steer your holiday through diverse, exerting or relaxing activities, remember to include the ultimate restorative miracles that await you in our Spa Centre.

6. IS THERE A SPA BLISS FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY?

It’s impossible not to relax at our many-time-awarded Spa Centre. Say yes to beauty and goodbye to tension with a treasure trove of exceptional luxury wellness products and services, such as Balinese massages, signature experiences, and an array of rejuvenating cosmetic treatments.

A sanctuary of regenerative tranquillity, the Spa Centre blends ancient therapies and contemporary techniques. Beautifully designed facilities give rise to unique spa experiences.

Our experienced Spa specialists will take you through amazing wellness rituals that include hammam, coal and salt sauna, Pure Air Bubble, aromatherapy steam room, tepidariums, and an indoor pool that is especially popular during shoulder seasons. Now you can also share the pure spa bliss with your loved ones using our couples and parent-child packages.

7. THERE’S MORE TO MENUS THAN MEETS THE EYE

Searching for holiday menus and venues that will make your family both happy and healthy can be tiresome. Best family resorts take this burden off your shoulders by insisting on healthy yet delicious meals, relying on local produce from sustainable sources. Our family resort proudly holds the award for regional leadership in sustainable luxury. Rather than being a one-time affair, sustainability at Sun Gardens Dubrovnik is an evolving project that quietly affects all the resort’s operations.

All our sustainable practices positively affect both the environment and human health. Some of those practices are visible, some less so, while others are tasty! Come autumn, we even have an olive harvest on our grounds. But much before the summer is over, whenever you visit one of our wine and dine venues, you’ll be glad to know that some of its green ingredients have been picked that morning in our organic vegetable garden.

It doesn’t get more locally sourced than that! No matter which of our five restaurants and three breakfast venues you choose, you can relax knowing our talented chefs make no exceptions when it comes to seasonality, freshness, and sourcing of their dishes that draw on Dalmatian and Mediterranean cuisine, with a contemporary fusion flair.

8. TRACK DOWN THAT MULTIGENERATIONAL HAVEN

Go truly multigenerational on your Dubrovnik family vacation! Multigenerational holidays have lots of advantages. Grandparents, aunts, or uncles who don’t get to see the little ones that often will finally have the chance to deepen their bonds with no schedule restraints, in a beautiful setting. We are here to assist all members of your beloved crew in navigating their adventures with ease, ensuring they enjoy every single second of their Croatian holiday.

Perhaps you are looking forward to your own lounger’s dream-come-true? The kind of poolside bliss where you sip your favourite chilled drink while your little explorers bomb-dive into a dedicated children’s pool? The sun-kissed Lemonia Pool and cool Sunset Pool are about to become your favourite family playgrounds all day long, into the evening. Maybe you are swayed to a more structured family holiday with plenty of exhilarating activities, sea and land excursions? We will make your plans come true in no time. Worried about your oldest kid who easily gets bored? No need, because teenagers simply love the fully equipped Gaming Room, where they can hang out with their peers, leaving parents to enjoy their cocktails and well-deserved romantic refuge at the adult-only Marina Pool.

If you feel the irresistible pull of entertainment and enjoying under the starry summer sky, don’t miss our FESTA 2025. Glamorous live music and dance performances, dazzling acrobatics, dance beach parties, themed dinners celebrating flavours from around the world, buffets with assorted delicacies – along with a kids menu and kids corner – come together in those truly unforgettable summer nights for all generations. Once you are in resort, don't forget to download our resort APPresort APP to explore the resort, make reservations and view all current events.

At Sun Gardens Dubrovnik, we never forget that a family holiday is, essentially, about those precious moments together. Sometimes, the simple downtime, like a quiet evening on your suite’s terrace with a sweeping view of the stunning coastline, will do it, until the next morning’s adventures and games. After all, we all know that multigenerational trips are the stuff that the most cherished memories are made of and can easily become a family tradition!

9. TURN YOUR FAMILY RESORT INTO A BASE FOR CROATIA HOLIDAY ADVENTURES

Travelling and exploring together as a family is magical. Moving through new spaces and shared experiences, we strengthen our bonds and weave treasured memories that will stay with us for life.

Located just 16 km from Dubrovnik Old Town, Sun Gardens Dubrovnik is a splendid base for your explorations, offering inexhaustible possibilities for family adventures that can include anything, from majestic Dubrovnik sights to picturesque Konavle countryside, Pelješac Peninsula, islands, and archipelagos with some of the most beautiful beaches in Croatia. Find your inspiration in our Dubrovnik blog section and check out our list of the top 10 things to do with kids in Dubrovnik.

Unveil the hidden gems, glide over the high seas on a speedboat tour, and file away all the sensational tastes and sights of southern Dalmatia. Our on-site travel agency is ready to tailor your unique and memorable excursions and trips, packed with wonders.

10. BEST FAMILY-FRIENDLY RESORTS HELP YOU TRAVEL LIGHTLY

Traveling with children is no small feat! Packing for a family holiday can be quite a challenge, especially with small kids and babies in tow. At a certain point, every parent is bound to ask - Do we really need this? Or this? After all, one has to consider strollers, carriers, clothes, diapers, medicines, special food, various spares, first aid, toiletries, insect repellents, sun blockers, chargers, toys… At one point, every parent realizes that what you don’t take becomes as important as what you do take with you. No wonder many parents end up overwhelmed and exhausted before the trip even starts.

At Sun Gardens Dubrovnik, we know about traveling with small children. Moreover, it is our specialty! Our Baby Concierge service enables you to get all your baby equipment on the spot. Let us know and we will pre-book anything you need: baby cots, bottle sterilizers, toys, potties, and more.

If you still find you’ve missed packing something your kids need, just stroll down the resort’s shopping promenade. There you’ll find Rosetta store, which offers products such as baby food, diapers and wipes, kids' care products, floaties – you name it. Likewise, if you find yourself needing anything else, be it groceries, cosmetics, clothing, or accessories, simply shop around the promenade. This is also a perfect location to get some thoughtful and original gifts for your friends back home or a tasty souvenir for yourself.

11. RESEARCH THE REPUTATION OF YOUR FAMILY HOLIDAY OASIS

While you check if the resort ticks all the right boxes for you, don’t forget to check the professional reputation. Being recognized by professionals and experts is no small feat, as it takes years of hard work in a competitive industry such as hospitality. And don’t forget – if you have questions, you can always ask us.

The award-winning Sun Gardens Dubrovnik resort takes pride in being a family oasis where magical holidays become reality. We constantly improve and expand our offer, motivated and inspired by the evolving needs of modern-day travelling families.

Publish date: August 2025