While family holidays are still sought-after and appreciated by many, especially during the summer months, the number of adults-only hotels is on the rise across the globe. Though some see it as a threat, others consider it to be a necessity in an already overly-stimulating world.
Adults-only hotels first emerged in the 1970s. Back then, they mainly existed in the Caribbean, but little by little, the trend spread. Spain and France were the first European destinations to ban children from specific hotels, and nowadays, approximately 1,000 adults-only properties can be found around the globe, according to the British newspaper The Telegraph.
The facts aren’t lying. Google Trends has seen a real surge in searches for adults-only holidays since 2020. Tour operator TUI is jumping on the trend, as about 50% of the brand’s clients are couples, and as many of them are asking for adults-only options, 780 hotels now cater to this demand, according to Aviation Direct. Britta Baeke, owner of the travel guide Travel Express Benelux, says the demand has risen by 20% in 2025.
The reason why people are opting for adults-only holidays, whether it be at entirely child-free properties or at resorts where part of the restaurants, pools, and other on-site options have an adults-only policy, is multiple.
Firstly, there are those who don’t have children and simply want to enjoy a relaxing holiday, uninterrupted by crying babies and balls flying through the air. Secondly, some parents and teachers want to be in a child-free environment every now and then, escaping their everyday lives. And thirdly, those who are childless without having chosen to be so tend to find it less painful not to be confronted with families while enjoying some time off.
While travelling outside of the high season has traditionally been a great way to avoid too many children and families on a holiday destination, adults-only accommodations now offer certainty to those who are looking for it. According to Britta Baeke, quiet has become a luxury in a very busy society, one that has been gaining in popularity. And as some airlines now offer the possibility to book a seat in a child-free zone of the plane, even the journey towards a holiday destination can be made less noisy.
Limits of adults-free holidays
Those who are already dreaming of their next child-free holiday should, however, be aware of some details surrounding the adults-only trend. Overall, adults-only journeys tend to be more luxurious and thus more expensive than ‘normal’ holidays, as it seems like people are willing to pay the price for their much-needed quiet. According to the International Hotel Consulting Service, most of those who book a child-free accommodation are aged between 30 and 50, while their family income is mostly above €60,000.
“If you consider how much you would pay for a family of four to stay at a hotel for a week, would you pay the same amount for just two of you if it were an adult-only hotel? The answer seems to be yes. If a hotel or tour operator can differentiate itself and appeal to a certain demographic, then it has a market advantage”, Aled Evans, travel specialist at Our Local Tour, told The Telegraph.
Moreover, while banning children from a hotel is overall considered to be legal at the moment, this could soon come to change. In France, adults-only accommodations are increasingly being criticised – in 2024, socialist senator and former families minister Laurence Rossignol even proposed making it illegal for premises to refuse families. She went as far as saying child-free policies “institutionalise and legitimise intolerance” by permitting an attitude that says, “I don’t like children and I don’t want to see them.” As a way of counterbalancing the adults-only trend, French high commissioner for childhood, Sarah El Haïry, has now launched a Family Choice award to encourage French parents to vote for the best places to go on holiday as a family.
