Luxury family fun in Greece

Spanning 1,000 acres of nature reserve, Halkidiki’s Sani Resort sits at the intersection of three natural worlds: the sea, the forest and wetlands. Here Sani Resort offers a collection of five unique hotels, located within a secluded bay on the Kassandra Peninsula. Sustainability is at their heart, having been recognised for their third consecutive year as the ‘World’s Leading Luxury Green Resort’ at the 2024 World Travel Awards, and they are committed to preserving this environment and its rich mix of wildlife for guests and future generations to enjoy. The 5* resort has also been awarded ‘World’s Leading Family and Beach Resort’ for the past six years, and Regional Sales Manager Emma travelled with her family to discover the joys of Sani Resort for herself this April.

“Halkidiki is just over 3 hours’ flight from Gatwick, and our easyJet flight was very smooth,” Emma confirms. “Sani gives a great first impression right from the start, with its own transfer desk at Thessaloniki airport, where they offer guests water before each party takes their private transfer to the resort, just a 50 minute drive away.”

“Arrival at Sani is breathtaking, with staff waiting ready to welcome you. We were staying at Porto Sani, one of the five hotels in the Sani Resort, and you are shown to the pool area where you can order a drink of your choice whilst a member of staff runs through your stay, explaining what is included and what facilities are in the resort. You are shown to your room and have an explanation of how everything works, by which time your luggage has already been delivered.”

Porto Sani has 148 suites, designed with families in mind. “The resort feels very clean and spacious with immaculate attention to detail throughout.” confirms Emma. “We were staying in a Junior Suite with Garden, which was perfect for 2 adults and 2 children. We had a huge bathroom, with a separate bath and shower room, a large lounge, coffee machine, kettle and mini bar. The garden was huge with sofas and sun loungers to relax on.”

There are many, many ways to pass your day at Sani Resort. Their Academies offer tuition and activities in waterskiing, sailing, triathlon and biking, and they have partnered with famous experts for the Chelsea FC Football, Rafa Nadal Tennis and Bear Grylls Survival Academies. On the water you can enjoy windsurfing, catamaran sailing, kayaking, wake boarding, parasailing, snorkelling, diving, and even synchronised swimming! To enjoy the natural surroundings on land there are guided nature walks, a climbing wall, bike and scooter hire, and all the kids club are complimentary, which means all members of the family can enjoy some time doing their own thing, safe in the knowledge that everyone else is having a great time. Emma confirms, “We really enjoyed the facilities. My son went to the Chelsea Football Academy which was incredible. My other son enjoyed the high ropes in the forest and playing basketball, and my youngest daughter had fun in the kids club. I loved the spa and sampling the restaurants with my husband!”

Sani Resort boasts 39 options across its hotels when it comes to dining. They have a Dine Around programme for half and full board guests across 25 of the restaurants, so there are many flavours to explore, from Japanese at Sani Marina’s Katsu to local farm produce at Sani Club’s Pines, and the junior menus have been created by world famous children’s nutrition expert Annabel Karmel.

Porto Sani is located close to Sani Marina, the beating heart of the resort, with a buzzing piazza offering shopping and dining, and private yacht moorings for visiting guests and day charters. For evening entertainment an open-air theatre features musical extravaganzas; there are Greek theme nights; their famous White Nights; beach parties and discos, or just enjoying a sunset cocktail in one of the many bars. “Absolutely everything is on resort,” says Emma, “There are multiple hotels, the marina, beaches, pools, sports and boats, plus the other Sani properties to visit, with golf buggies to take you around.”

The Sani staff ensure guests have the very best time, as Emma elaborates, “I felt very relaxed – nothing was too much trouble for the fantastic staff. They were all very professional and really love children, I cannot fault them. It never felt overly busy, with so many staff there to help in any way that they can. It’s the perfect destination for families across all generations to relax and enjoy time together.”

Their website declares ‘Families are at the heart of Sani Resort’ and this would certainly appear to be true. Emma summarises what makes it so special, “Sani Resort distinguishes itself from other five-star resorts through its expansive ecological setting, diverse accommodations, and exceptional amenities. I totally fell in love with it and would love to go again.”

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