Travel

Adults-only holidays: clothes-optional resorts and exotic gems

A guide to the best child-free holiday destinations, both in Ireland and abroad

Child-free zones: a wide range of options for those who prefer to holiday with adults. Photograph: Getty Images

Joan Scales
Sat Jul 1 2017 - 01:00

There are quite a few alternatives for adults-only resorts and destinations, and here are some pointers to child-free zones both in Ireland and abroad.

Falcon and Thomson tour operators have the Sensimar and Sensatori resorts, some of which are for adults only. These are all-inclusive resorts in Spain, Canary Islands, Greece and Italy with spas, free wifi and entertainment. See falconholidays.ie for details.

The Caribbean has a good number of adults-only resorts, some with clothing optional. Many of the resorts are focused on the marriage and honeymoon market. Some boutique resorts are The Caves resort in Jamaica (thecaveshotel.com) and the SoCo in Barbados (thesocohotel.com).

For those who like to have an active holiday, The Body Holiday in St Lucia is available through virginholidays.com. For party lovers, Breathless in Cancun is a lively resort with lots of music, bands and shows (breathlessresorts.com).

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Indulge

The most adults-only resort in the United States is Las Vegas, where what goes on tour stays on tour. Indulge yourself in fabulous hotels, amazing shows, top-class restaurants, great shopping and of course gambling. There are also some adults-only cruise lines such as P&O, Saga Holidays, Voyages to Antiquity. Most of them are river cruises, but the age profile is the young at heart.

UK-based Mark Warner Holidays offers adults-only trips to Greece, Sardinia and Corsica. The activities include sailing, water sports, cycling, tennis, mountain biking and more. There is also a ski programme in the winter.

Recently recommended to me by a friend is Domaine de Leygue, a French farmhouse with five traditional gites for couples. See peacefulfrance.com for details.

The islands of the Indian Ocean are some of the most incredibly beautiful places in the world and many of the resorts are for adults only. Consult classicresorts.ie or tropicalsky.ie for suggestions.

In Ireland, the most well-known child-free zone is the Monart resort in Co Wexford, where you can relax to your heart's content. Another place to indulge for a quiet few days is the Old Convent in Tipperary, known for its exquisite food. See theoldconvent.ie.

jscales@irishtimes.com

BreathlessresortsPeacefulfranceThecaveshotelThesocohotelVirginholidaysMark Warner