The Best of Europe

best European chain

No matter which city you're in, chances are you'll find an eager-to-please Roccoforte with drawing competitions in Brussels, kid-focused concierges in St. Petersburg, and healthy and appealing kids' menus (can you say risotto quattro formaggi?) in all 15 locations. $$$ to $$$$

best chic family package

In the sunniest stretch of the southern part of the country, you'll find five-star service with an informal vibe. Included in the package are breakfast and dinner, golf, and a children's club with an animal farm. $$$

best hotel pool

After a full day of piazzas and pietàs, there's nothing better than a little Marco Polo in the swimming pool, especially when it's in the Villa Borghese gardens. $$$

best garden (that happens to have a hotel)

With its Etruscan ruins and medieval castle, La Foce is one of the finest gardens in Italy (the hedged "rooms" are perfect for hide-and-seek). The hotel offers babysitting, tasteful accommodations, and a pool smack in the middle of the garden. $$$$

best family feast

The owners of this inn, who have three kids themselves, spend Sundays cooking up a massive pan of paella over an outdoor wood fire. Parents trade travel secrets while kids play in the sandbox or the pool, or feed the goats that wander in the field. $$

best place to nail a triple axel

At Christmastime, its courtyard becomes a pristine ice rink with faux snow on the side. And the staff won't mind when your toddler spills her après-skate chocolat in Alain Ducasse's restaurant. $$$$

best Easter-egg hunt

Kids go in search of dark-chocolate eggs (hand-crafted by the in-house chocolatier) hidden among live (!) bunnies. $$$$

best view from a hotel bar

While you savor Rieslings and the local Branger brew, your kids will be intoxicated by the view of Lipizzans prancing and jumping in the equestrian ring. $$ to $$$

best inn for couples (plus one)

It's cozy enough for intimate dinners with just you, him, and the baby monitor keeping tabs on the sleeper upstairs. $$ to $$$

best family hotel (with spa)

The Thalassa spa uses Organic Pharmacy products, and the kids get five-star treatment with organized art projects, like painting stones they've collected from the pristine beach. $$$$

best spot to cultivate a golfer

It had us at "golf in Greece plus infinity pool." Then it kept us with the amazing Children's Ark kids' club (which was designed by and for children themselves). $$

best hotel for swingers (pictured above)

It has quirky rooms created by an impressive roster of Dutch designers. Our favorite: room 608, which features a bona-fide rope swing. $ to $$$

best European hotels

Gorgeous antiques, a walled garden, and a laid-back vibe in a family-run estate tucked into the green, undulating countryside. $

Its family program includes in-room breakfast for four, carousel rides in the Tuileries, and a concierge-organized treasure hunt, plus DVDs and mini robes. $$$$

Ancient olive trees abut the turquoise Adriatic Sea, a bilingual staff tends to your every need, and a beach club offers umbrellas and towel service. $$$

This riverside inn has idyllic views from every window (castles, grazing sheep, English gardens), plus a gastropub with organic food and baby monitors. $$ to $$$