by Michelle Braham

It's a challenge to find a hip hotel where your baby is not just tolerated by an achingly trendy staff but genuinely welcomed and adored with cuddles and playtime. We pick the best

While many hoteliers provide the last word in luxury for mums and dads, they often fail miserably with provisions for babies and toddlers. Luckily, there are some fabulous hotels which ooze cool - and include childcare. Here we single out five properties that are child-friendly and provide childcare, play facilities and essential equipment (cots, bedding, sterilisers and highchairs). Most importantly, parents are positively encouraged to chill-out whilst their under two's are kept blissfully nappy happy.

The Grove
Chandler's Cross
Hertfordshire WD3 4TG
Tel: 01923 807807
www.thegrove.co.uk
The scene: Following in the Jimmy Choo footsteps of fellow country house chic champions Cowley Manor and Babington House, this new kid on the block is a revamped 18th-century mansion boasting 300 acres of style. If you truly are where you sleep, sweetie, this 'groovy-grand' haven for hip urbanites and their offspring is the coolest thing to ever happen to Watford, sorry, Chandler's Cross.

Best baby-friendly features: Anouska's - the impressive new Ofsted-approved centre for children aged 0-10 - is the fluffy pom-pom on The Grove's poncho. A perfect paradise for kids, it includes an indoor pool, sandpit and large outdoor adventure playground. For teeny ones, devoted qualified staff (ratio in the under two's room is 1:3) lavish lots of attention for just £5 an hour (for up to three hours at a time). The staff are superb; the toys are terrific and the grounds are great. Dine at The Stables for tasty sausage and mash. Best of all, the kiddie's menu is designed by children for children, so you'll find the usual favourites like milkshakes, fresh juices, mini sausages, goujons and fish and chips alongside fun offerings like build-your-own-burger and top-your-own-pizza.

Other baby services: There are no 'in-room' baby-listening facilities, but you can book a babysitter for £5/6 an hour. The hotel happily performs a host of baby tasks, from heating up, mashing and pureeing food to supplying baby wipes and nappy creams in the loos. All bedrooms are stocked up with toys, mini-bathrobes for toddlers, milk and cookies and age-relevant videos.

Just for parents: A truly bespoke experience which maintains civilised comfort for adults in a child-friendly environment. Whilst dad checks out the championship golf course (and he will), don't miss being pampered to perfection at the Sequoia Spa.

Cost: Doubles from £210 per night.

Bedruthan Steps Hotel
Mawgan Porth, Cornwall
Tel: 01637 860555
www.bedruthan.com
The scene:The 70s-references of the exterior may disconcert style-conscious guests, but don't be fooled. This is a sumptuous slice of Cornwall cool, second only to turquoise waves, soft sands and Rick Stein's seafood restaurant in nearby Padstow. Set in gorgeous gardens with stunning views over a massive beach, this white-washed retreat is a showcase for child-care excellence.

Best baby-friendly features: The four well-equipped Ofsted-inspected children's clubs are a parent's dream. Tiny babies are fabulously cared for by dedicated professional nannies at the Tadpole Club (0-18 months), which boasts a 1:3 staff/baby ratio, a delightful range of stimulating toys and oodles of cuddles. For older children, Minnows (19 months - 3 years) and Dolphins (3-6 years), the hotel offers seven separate play areas for kids to explore, including a Jungle Tumble (adventure-themed indoor soft play area), outdoor playground and castle, indoor and outdoor pools and a large selection of children's activities.

Other baby services: A baby listening service is provided in every bedroom and early suppers are served in the dedicated kid's restaurant (for under-sevens) between 4.30-6.30pm. For younger babies, branded jars (Heinz and Baby Organix range) are available free of charge - or the chef will willingly puree anything you request. Hire your very own Mary Poppins for £10 an hour (a qualified nanny who will babysit, bath and put to bed your little one). You can make use of the food preparation facilities on your own, if you like. And the hotel shop even stocks nappies and other baby necessities.

Just for parents: As a family hotel, Bedruthan Steps does a fabulous job. The Ocean Spa offers some gorgeous Elemis treatments (we recommend Absolute Spa Ritual £70 and Body Glow Treatment £22) and the childcare is excellent. The facilities themselves are a little tatty around the edges but management says it is upgrading with a good lick of paint and a plethora of 'chic and stylish refurbishments'. About time.

Cost: Family suites cost from £134 for two adults. Check for seasonal offers.

The Ickworth
Horringer
Bury St Edmunds
Suffolk
Tel: 01284 735 350
www.ickworthhotel.com
The scene: The Luxury Family Hotels group has found a winning formula and run with it, not least in this 18th-century elegant Italianate house - formerly owned by the dissolute Marquess of Bristol. Guest rooms in the main house are beautifully appointed and traditionally furnished, whilst the individually designed Dower House apartments (a short cycle ride across the estate) are ideal for families seeking more extravagance.

Best baby-friendly features: Four Bear's Den offers a nanny-supervised haven for children from 10am-5pm. You can leave children up to the age of seven for a maximum of two hours, but can also use the den at any time to play with your child. A children's 'grand high tea' is served in the den at 5pm for the very young. For older children there is Club/Blu with table tennis, table football, Playstation, adventure playground, nature trails. What the crèche lacks in soft-play facilities for weenie babes, it makes up for with lots of soft cushions scattered on the floor. The staff (ratio 1:3) are wonderful; maximum cuddles, minimum tears.

Other baby services: Children sharing their parent's room stay free of charge, so squeeze in as many as you can tolerate. Note that this rule changes over the Christmas/New Year period when you pay per child, according to age. There is baby-listening in the main hotel, but if you stay in the Dower apartments you will need to book a babysitter.

Just for parents: The great outdoors was somewhat let down by the indoors; the Aquae Sulis spa was lovely, but the pool, at just 50 feet, was a tad disappointing and could feel rather crammed. Tea was a bit too fancy and fussy, and generally the cuisine was too rich. The Dower apartments could also have done with a dust on our visit. Thank heavens we mistook Flash wipes for baby wipes when packing.

Cost: Doubles from £200 per night midweek; from £235 on weekends

Calcot Manor
Nr Tetbury
Gloucester GL8 8YJ
Tel: 01666 890391
www.calcotmanor.co.uk

The scene: Promoted as a cool alternative to fussy country house chintz, Calcot Manor has effortlessly mastered the art of adult glam. So it comes as no big surprise that this elegantly converted farmhouse in the Cotswolds is also a huge hit with families. A nirvana for kids, this is spot-on for parents craving all the charm of the Cotswolds.

Best baby-friendly features: Located in a converted barn, the Play Zone is fully staffed and superbly equipped with tons of toys and games (it is, after all, sponsored by Hasbro). Catering for newborns to 16-year-olds, there is also a special area for tiny babies. Unlike many hotel crèches, Calcot's Play Zone is open daily from 9am until 5.30pm, at no extra charge. The mezzanine floor (the Mez) incorporates a cinema and studio equipped with Playstations, X boxes and computers for older children. A yummier-than-average children's tea is served at 5.30pm, with nannies around to help or supervise.

Other baby services: All the rooms have VCRs (with a great selection of children's videos at reception) and there is baby listening available in the evenings.

Just for parents: Pricey, but utter bliss. The Calcot Spa creates a true sense of escape (the Calcot Manor Massage £30 was dreamy). Totally welcoming and unpretentious; the staff genuinely love children here.

Cost: Family room from £215 per night, plus £20 supplement per child per night for under-12s.

Babington House
Babington near Frome
Somerset BA11 3RW
Tel: 01373 812266
www.babingtonhouse.co.uk
The scene: Whilst an ultra-hip (media, mostly) clientele floats about in a weekend daze, the country arm of Soho House buzzes with the sound of their offspring letting off steam and having fun. Kids are perfectly catered to at this thoroughly modern manor - a grade II listed Georgian country house in Somerset.

Best baby-friendly features: The message at Babington is simple; babies are cool. Built on two levels, the family-sized Stable Rooms have been especially designed for families and boast a living area, microwave, baby bath and bottle steriliser. The hotel also has Little House, where between 9am and 5pm (9am to 6pm on Saturdays) they will entertain your sweet 'Little People' free of charge from age one upwards (with no need to book ahead). You can only leave your tot for two hours at a time and the management insist you remain on the premises for the duration.

Other baby services: There is no in-room baby-listening, but babysitters are available at £7 per hour (for a minimum of three hours). The hotel also has lovely family suites which mean you are guaranteed a decent night's sleep.

Just for parents: If tennis, cricket, horse-riding, shooting and golf sound too energetic, bliss out at the Cowshed - the hotel's sumptuous spa housed in a former cowshed. We recommend Pampered Cow (1 hr 10 mins; £60), a blissful full body massage using a choice of Cowshed aromatherapy oils.

Cost: Rooms from £395 per night (minimum two-night stay over weekends); weekdays from £360 per night.

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