Family Friendly Farm Stays: (2021)

HS Farm Waterpark is a fun Malaysian farm stay getaway in Johor, near to the popular tourist towns, and states, of Malacca and Muar. They have a waterpark, a well stocked fishing pond and a great range of exotic and not so exotic animals that guests are free to interact with and learn about. The Accommodation: They have a nice selection of comfortable, spacious, B&B rooms all with, at the very least flat screen TV and fan that can cater for differing numbers of guests. Their breakfast is buffet style with a wide range of options and they also serve good buffet meals throughout the day too. It’s a lively place with many activities on offer for both kids and adults, fishing, cycling, horse riding, swimming, water slides, spa facilities etc. In the evenings barbecues are organized with some karaoke sessions, and you’ll find all the staff welcoming and friendly. The Farm: The farm animals include sheep, cattle, porcupines, snakes, marmoset monkeys and horses. and you can arrange a nice, educational tour of the farm where guests get a chance to meet and learn about the many different animals that call the place home. You’ll also find a gift shop at the property too with many nature and farm based souvenirs available. The Location: Most guests take in the farmstay as a detour from the beautiful city of Melaka/Malacca one of Malaysia’s most popular tourist attractions and a virtual must see for anyone exploring southern Malaysia. It’s only about a 30-minute’s drive directly south along the coast roads from Melaka, very near where Johor and Melaka states meet, and it can make for a nice scenic drive. The regions main airport is Senai international Airport about 1 hour 45 minutes south again while Malaysia’s capital Kuala Lumpur and its own international airport is a little over two hours away back up to the north. Note: Children are welcome but not pets, and though they have WiFi you only find it in some of the main, common areas. READ MORE

A classic West Country retreat between Taunton and Bridgwater in the heart of beautiful Somerset; Hunstile Organic Farm has a mixture of B&B and self catering accommodation in a wonderfully atmospheric 15th-century farmhouse surrounded by green fields where the friendly owners keep a number of dairy cattle, pigs and around the farmhouse, hens. They also grow vegetables and medicinal herbs on their fully organic farm, and they serve an award winning breakfast each morning with much of the ingredients coming straight from the farm. All their rooms and self catering apartments are cosy, clean and tastefully furnished, all with private bathroom, flat screen TV and WiFi, and there’s a nice shared lounge at the property too, where you can get drinks and snacks all day. WHAT OTHER GUESTS SAY: “100% would stay again…in fact, I have just booked again! Beautiful scenery, very friendly staff, room was spacious and the shower was absolutely to die for. Wish I could’ve stayed a bit longer and seen the pigs/chickens/animals, but had to rush off for work….” “Amazing!! The whole place has a lovely wholesome feel to it, will come back again!…” >>CLICK HERE TO READ MORE REVIEWS & TO BOOK YOUR STAY AT THE HUNSTILE ORGANIC FARM: READ MORE

In the heart of British Columbia, Canada, beside the Kettle Valley Railway and just half an hour from Kelowna city center, Myra Canyon Ranch is a cool mix of farmstay, adventure park and horse riding stable and showcases some lovely modern wooden architecture along the way. It’s very highly rated accommodation, both self-catering and B&B, is super comfortable and clean with each having a private bathroom as well as their own private entrance and patio. Wifi is standard throughout. Outside there’s a hot tub for guests to use and barbecue facilities too. And you can pick up a horse from just outside your front door to ride around the ranch, and there’s also lots of good hiking and mountain biking to be found. WHAT OTHER GUESTS SAY: “A relaxing ranch with amazing views. The view from all the rooms are spectacular and the warm, friendly greeting from the hosts made it even more of an enjoyable stay. Especially loved the bathroom that overlooked the city of Kelowna!….” “Amazing views, beautiful property. Getting to see and interact with the animals were bonuses for my kids. We loved everything so much that we changed our plans and asked to extend our stay. The kitchen and BBQ were great to use. One of the best places we’ve stayed at….” >> CLICK HERE TO READ MORE REVIEWS & TO BOOK YOUR STAY AT MYRA CANYON GUEST RANCH: READ MORE

Casa Lata Agroturismo is a very popular farm stay/vineyard hotel stay near Braga, Portugal in the heart of the Vinho Verde wine region, with a mixture of rooms in its plush farmhouse surrounded by olive groves, orange trees and grape vines. THE ACCOMMODATION: All their comfortable, hotel standard, rooms come with flat screen TV and private bathroom, and they also have a sociable dining area and lounge at the property as well as an outdoor swimming pool in the gardens. THE WINE: The main attraction here seems to be the wine though and the owners are always happy to show guests around, teach them about the wine making processes and of course take part in wine tasting sessions. At the moment they produce red and white wines under the Terras de Amares brand with its white Loureiro being a particular favourite. THE LOCATION: The Vinho Verde region of Portugal, up in the north near the border with Galicia, Spain, is the country’s largest wine growing region and has been producing wine for at least two thousand years. Most visitors to the area will have an interest in wine though in itself the region is pleasant to travel around; classic Northern Portuguese terrain with fertile, green hills all around, meandering rivers and gentle sloping valleys. You’ll find the area around Casa Lata Agroturismo less touristic than the Douro Valley to the south, the majority of the wineries here are small scale family affairs but some of them do offer visits and tours. The owners at Casa Lata Agroturismo are always happy to advise on other vineyards to visit as well as their own. Nearby towns of note include historic Guimarães, with its famous castle, the beautiful city of Viana do Castelo where the Lima River meets the sea, and of course Braga just to the south of Casa Lata, with its historic centre and abundance of old churches. WHAT OTHER GUESTS SAY: “This family run hotel was amazing. We couldn’t feel more looked after. It was beautiful, the location was stunning and the wine we had from their private vineyard was out of this world. Anyone staying here will not be disappointed…..” READ MORE

Near Perugia and just outside the town of Collazzone, Umbria, Italy, San Giovanni al Monte farm stay has stunning views from its rustic, classic old Italian farm house surrounded by olive trees and woodland. They have a mixture of self catering and B&B accommodation in rustic, stylish rooms and apartments, all with private bathroom and TV, while the apartments also have a full kitchen, lounge with fireplace and a patio, and there are barbecue facilities for guests to use in the gardens. They serve a really good Italian breakfast including some home-made marmalade and cakes. They make olive oil on the farm too and the owners are always happy to explain the processes to guests and can organize tasting sessions. WHAT OTHER GUESTS SAY: “The two bedroom apartment was very comfortable for the two couples. The outside space was perfect and what a view. Host was very sweet. Setting on the top of a ridge and the valley view was spectacular, especially the sunsets. Loved the olive groves, gardens and chickens on the property. …” CLICK HERE TO READ MORE REVIEWS AND TO BOOK YOUR STAY AT SAN GIOVANNI AL MONTE: READ MORE

In Kukerin, Western Australia, on the route between Perth and Esperance, this very popular, eco-friendly farm stay has rooms and self catering accommodation and can make a great introduction to Australian outback rural life, with the extra novelty of it having a yabby (freshwater crayfish) packing plant at the farm. THE ACCOMMODATION: They have very comfortable B&B rooms with air conditioning, private bathroom, flat-screen TV and DVD player and some self-catering cottages which also have a lounge/seating area and full kitchen. Whether self catering or not you can arrange good meals, breakfast included, to be cooked for you at the farm, and as you might expect they do a nice range of yabbie dishes. You’ll find it a friendly sociable place and it has lots of outdoor space, with a barbecue and a children’s playground. THE FARM: The farm produces wheat, barley lupins and peas and, as mentioned above, has a large yabby packing centre. The owners started off in the nineties supplying just one restaurant in Perth, under the brand name Cambinata, but have expanded greatly since, supplying yabbies to far flung markets in Asia, Europe and the United States. The yabbies are supplied by around 700 farmers from all around Western Australia. THE LOCATION: The farm is just outside the tiny town of Kukerin (motto: Small But Strong), and just off the main road between Perth and Esperance. This is the heart of Western Australia’s wheat belt and Kukerin is a small, typically Australian farming community which is always friendly and welcoming to visitors. The distances here are large of course but there are a number of diversions relatively nearby. Drive for about a half an hour to the east and you’ll come to Lake Grace for example, with its natural salt lakes in various shades of pink and green and its wildlife filled nature reserve wildlife. And, less than an hour back to the west and you’ll come to another spectacular salt lake at Dumbleyung. You’ll find many of those iconic rocky outcrops towering over this part of Australia too, with two of Western Australia’s most well known; Bruce Rock and Wave Rock, both being within two hours of READ MORE

This lovely organic farm stay is just 6km from the beaches of Lagos, Algarve, Portugal, and has B&B accommodation in an early 19th-century traditional Portuguese farmhouse. THE ACCOMMODATION: Their rustic style rooms are all hotel standard; clean, comfortable and spacious with en-suite bathroom and flat screen satellite TV. Most rooms have also a balcony or a terrace giving nice views of the nearby Algarve hills, and the Monchique Mountains to the north. There is a very good restaurant at the farmhouse too which serves up a range of organic Algarvian and Portuguese specialities, some of the ingredients of which come fresh from the farm, and on some summer evenings they also organize barbecues and traditional Portuguese ‘churrasco’ evenings in the garden. THE FARM: The farmhouse is surrounded by extensive, beautifully tended gardens and a small organic farm which has horses, goats and pigs, as well as various vegetables and over twenty different types of herb. Much of the farm produce ends up in the above mentioned excellent organic restaurant. There is a natural botanical swimming pool there too, and all around you’ll find plenty of space for sunbathing and outdoor dining. TTHE LOCATION: Though just 6km from some of the Algarve’s most popular beaches the immediate area around the farm stay is peaceful and rural. You’ll find the village of Odiaxere like all the small villages in the area to be slow paced and traditional, and with a whole different character to the mass tourist resorts of the coast. Horse riding trips around the countryside, plus various other excursions and tours, can be arranged at the Quinta. The nearest airport is Faro, 85 kilometres away, and transfers to and from there can also be arranged. WHAT OTHER GUESTS SAY: “Vibrant colours, peaceful vibes. Close to nature, great for escaping the urban life yet close enough to the city center….” “Very pleasant stay, very silent and relaxing, nice location, exceptional breakfast!…” >>CLICK HERE TO READ MORE REVIEWS & TO BOOK YOUR STAY AT QUINTA DAS BARRADAS: READ MORE

This great farm stay offers horse riding near Iceland’s, Golden Circle route and accommodation in the form of a comfortable, modern, self catering villa which sleeps up to six people beside the main farmhouse. It is located near the village of Hella, about 80km south of Reykjavík airport, in an area that is as peacefully rural and serene as you could ever imagine but within easy reach of a host of beautiful natural sights. THE ACCOMMODATION: The spacious villa (110 sqm) comes with three bedrooms, two doubles and a twin, a good, fully equipped kitchen and lounge with dining area with flat screen TV, & of course wifi throughout the property. There is also plenty of outdoor space with a seating area, and you’ll find lovely views over the farm and the surrounding countryside, even out to sea, as far as the Westman Islands. THE FARM: Skeiðvellir is an extensive Icelandic horse breeding farm with dozens of horses that can be rented by the hour. The ever helpful owners also offer various horse riding lessons and tours in the surrounding area for all levels of ability.  THE LOCATION: This area around Hella is the agricultural heart of Iceland, and is a really great introduction to Icelandic rural life. It is less touristic around these parts and therefore more authentic, but it also offers easy access to what is known as the Golden Circle Route, a ring road known as such due to the number of natural attractions it has around it, including the very famous Pingvellir/Thingvellir national park, site of Iceland’s and the world’s oldest parliament, and the meeting point of the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates. Around the circle there are also the hot springs at Geysir, from where the English word geyser comes from, and many spectacular waterfalls such as Seljalandsfoss, and Gullfoss, Europe’s largest in terms of volume of water. There are some great hiking around too; Fimmvörðuháls in particular is a popular trail which runs from Skógar to Þórsmörk, between the Mýrdalsjökull and Eyjafjallajökull volcanoes. Eyjafjallajökull famously sent an ash cloud all around Europe when it erupted in 2010. Fimmvörðuháls too erupted in less spectacular fashion READ MORE

  In the heart of Fethiye’s countryside, this organic farm stay has eco-friendly accommodation and a taste of traditional village life with outdoor activities for both children and adults. Pastoral Vadi is committed to the health of the environment and its guests. This unique farm property features organic vegetable plots, farmyard animals and a rustic ambience. A stay at Pastoral Vadi is a true learning experience. The friendly staff includes guests in all aspects of the farm and runs seasonal workshops, such as photography and yoga. Pastoral Vadi’s charming bungalows are made from stone, mud-brick or wood. Each one has been ecologically designed and all waste and used water is recycled. The produce used for meals has been grown on the farm or supplied by local farmers. Staff will teach guests how to prepare traditional Mediterranean cuisine. Children will find plenty to keep them entertained. There is a lovely animal farm and children’s arts and crafts workshops. They can also help out with tasks around the farm. Enjoy a relaxing escape from the stresses of 21st-century life in Yaniklar Village. Indulge in culture and art workshops and agricultural activities. Visit the local beach, just 10 minutes away. READ MORE

This organic farm stay B&B, near Brisbane, Queensland, on Australia’s Sunshine Coast and just 10 minutes from Steve Irwin’s Australia Zoo, has a large spacious suite on its small (by Australian standards!) farm with cows, alpacas, pigs and hens. THE ACCOMMODATION: They have three accommodation choices. There is the sleek, modern and spacious, suite which has its own separate lounge area with flat screen TV, DVD player and ipod docking station. It also comes with a kitchenette, plus an en-suite bathroom with a nice old style claw foot bathtub. Then there is the cosy ‘tiny house on wheels’ which has 2 bedrooms, 1 of which has a queen-sized bed, the other 2 single beds. There is a TV, reverse-cycle air-conditioning, a full kitchenette and a large terrace outside where you’ll find a BBQ. Finally it has a small bathroom with a shower and compost (no smell!) toilet. Note: the ‘tiny house on wheels’ accommodation involves stairs and a climbing ladder and is not suitable for children under the age of 7. Finally there is the bungalow which has two bedrooms, one with a king size bed and the other with two king size singles. It has a nice bathroom with a claw foot bath tub, and a kitchen and lounge. Outside there is a large outdoor terrace area with seating and a barbecue. Check out all your options on the booking page here. Guests have access to the entire farm and are welcome to help out with farm tasks such as feeding the animals, collecting fresh eggs etc. They also have an organic vegetable garden and the friendly owners give kitchen garden workshops where you can learn how to create your own organic garden at home. There is a common lounge at the farm with books and board games, and there is WiFi throughout. The accommodation is self catering but you’ll also be treated to a great organic breakfast in the morning, included in the rate, and breakfast and BBQ dinner hampers can be provided on request. THE LOCATION: As mentioned the farm is conveniently just 10 minutes away from the world famous Australia Zoo, a definite must visit in the READ MORE

Newhouse Farm B&B is an elegant Georgian house on a working farm where Gloucestershire meets Herefordshire in the English countryside, and near to both the Forest of Dean and the Wye Valley. All their comfortable rooms have private bathroom, flat-screen TV with DVD player, WiFi and tea and coffee making facilities. They do a great English breakfast in the morning with home reared bacon, sausages and free-range eggs from the farm, and smoked fish from the local area too.  They also have other, lighter options as well, including vegetarian and try to cater for special diets as much as possible. In the evening there are a few local pubs that can be recommended for some good pub food or you can order a nice evening meal at the Farmhouse. The surrounding countryside is great for hiking and country walks, with the farm itself containing much nice woodland where you can also arrange clay pigeon shooting lessons from a qualified tutor. WHAT OTHER GUESTS SAY: “Lovely farmhouse in 80 acres with livestock to view and plenty of walks. Excellent accommodation….” “A grand and very roomy country house whose hosts pamper weary travellers with warmth and humour….” >> CLICK HERE TO READ MORE REVIEWS & TO BOOK YOUR STAY AT NEWHOUSE FARM:     READ MORE

Beside the village of Dalton, and not far from Lockerbie town, Scotland, this popular farm stay has a choice of self catering cottage accommodation on a busy working farm with sheep, cattle and hens. All have a full kitchen and lounge area with private bathrooms and varying numbers of bedrooms, and all come with the usual modern conveniences, TV, WiFi, central heating etc. Outside in the large gardens you’ll find a barbecue and a children’s playground, while inside there is a games room with a full sized snooker table, darts board and table tennis. On the farm there is also plenty to do, you can go quad biking, tractor driving, hiking and fishing in the nearby rivers. Or you can take a look around the farm with the owners, feed the lambs or collect your own eggs from the resident hens. You have the Westlands Activity Centre down the road too where you can try other activities such as paint-balling & go-carting. WHAT OTHER GUESTS SAY: “Amazing place, excellent hosts, highly enjoyed. The owners were extremely friendly, kind and making sure all our needs and wishes were meet. Fantastic location and magnificent land and woods. We highly recommend this place….” “A peaceful and beautiful place to get away from the business of life. The cottage was bordered by beautiful woods, a short walk from a delightful stretch of the river Annan. The cottage was quiet and peaceful. The kitchen was adequately equipped with all the crockery and utensils we needed….” >>CLICK HERE TO READ MORE REVIEWS & TO BOOK YOUR STAY AT KIRKWOOD FARM COTTAGES: READ MORE

Beside the village of Paola, near Cosenza, Calabria, Italy and about 35 km from Camigliatello Silano, this beautiful B&B has comfortable rooms on a small farm that produces its own olive oil, fruits and vegetables. It also has a great hilltop location that allows magnificent views over the Tyrrhenian Sea below. All their rooms come with private bathroom, a flat screen TV and WiFi. And there are barbecue facilities and a terrace in the gardens outside. There is also a restaurant and bar on site serving some really good local food, including some straight from the farm. There is also a shared lounge at the farmhouse and a 24 hour reception where the friendly staff can organize room service, child minding, airport shuttles etc. and can give good advice about exploring the surrounding area, an area which is one of Italy’s hidden gems. WHAT OTHER GUESTS SAY: “Unique hotel – great place to spend a night. It was our halfway point driving from Sicily to Amalfi….” “Absolutely amazing. Excellent service, excellent staff, room was clean, spacious with big terrace with amazing views. Breakfast was excellent, good choice, also dinner great. We stayed 4 nights, we loved it….” >> CLICK HERE TO READ MORE REVIEWS & TO BOOK YOUR STAY AT AGRITURISMO LE CHIATRE:   READ MORE

The very highly rated Shave Farm B&B is a lovely 200 year old farmhouse on a working dairy farm just off the A303 near Ilminster and the village of Chard, Somerset. They have a range of very clean and comfortable B&B rooms with private bathroom, flat screen TV and WiFi, and there is a cosy shared lounge downstairs with an open fireplace. The friendly owners cook a great breakfast in the morning with a lot of the ingredients coming straight from the farm. And guests are of course free to wander the farm and get to know a bit about farming life, milking the cows, feeding the calves etc. WHAT OTHER GUESTS SAY: “Enjoyed everything about staying at Shave Farm. Kate and James were brilliant hosts, the accommodation was very clean and comfortable, breakfast was very tasty and it was fun seeing the cows milked….” “Really friendly owners and great breakfast! The place was lovely, well-looked after and very pretty. We liked seeing the goats, chickens and cows and all the outside areas and comfy rooms and sitting/breakfast area….” >> CLICK HERE TO READ MORE REVIEWS & TO BOOK YOUR STAY AT SHAVE FARM B&B: READ MORE

Il Castagnolino is a classic Tuscany agriturismo with high quality B&B accommodation, fantastic food and lovely views of San Gimignano and the Tuscan Hills. THE ACCOMMODATION: Their 6 rooms are traditional style, with terracotta floors and wood beamed ceilings. They’re clean and comfortable and come with private bathroom and WiFi. Outside you’ll find a swimming pool and gardens with plenty of place to relax looking out on to the countryside below. The breakfast is buffet style and includes, amongst many other things, a nice selection of homemade jams, yoghurts and cakes. You can also enjoy a full 4 course Tuscan meal every evening at the restaurant with much of the ingredients coming fresh from the farm. Guests are also welcome to join the daily cooking classes, where you can learn to make a range of Tuscan and Italian staple dishes. THE FARM: Organic olives, and other fruit, vegetables and spices are grown on the small farm. As mentioned previously the owners make some of their fine homemade food from the farm produce, and guests can sample some at meal times, learn to cook with it, and buy some to take home from the on-site organic shop. THE LOCATION: Agriturismo Il Castagnolino is just 3km outside San Gimignano, Tuscany, it is also less than 30km from the ancient Etruscan town of Volterra, while the cities of Siena and Florence are both about 50 to 60km away. WHAT OTHER GUESTS SAY: “Nothing in life is perfect but this stay with Carmela was very very close. The location with its views were breathing taking and Carmela’s home local cooking & breakfast was just wonderful. Her staff were always friendly and helpful. Thank you for such a memorable holiday….” “Beautiful home cooked food, stunning location, peaceful and tranquil. A warm welcome from a lovely lady. Perfect….” >>CLICK HERE TO READ MORE REVIEWS & TO BOOK YOUR STAY AT AGRITURISMO IL CASTAGNOLINO: READ MORE

This 19th-century château, near Carcassone, has a variety of lovely rustic style, self catering accommodation on a famous Languedoc winery with nearly 300 acres of vineyards and olive groves. Their wines are highly prized and they do a full program of wine tourism activities; tours of the vineyards and wine cellars, tasting sessions etc., but even if you have very little interest in such things Château Canet is still a very pleasant, sociable place to stay with a lovely peaceful setting and plenty to do and see both around the estate and in the surrounding area. THE ACCOMMODATION: They have a great range of accommodation on offer, mainly cottages but with some small apartments too. All are very charming, comfortable and clean and come in various sizes, with the largest covering 250 m² and which can sleep up to eight comfortably. Check your options on the booking page here. The accommodation mixes rustic and modern styles well, and generally doesn’t stray too far from the traditional French farmhouse look. They are comfortable, homely and well equipped and there is plenty of outside seating, dining and lounging space plus BBQ facilities, a swimming pool, tennis courts, a boules court and a playground for the kids. Beyond the gardens there are some small sections of farmland and woodland but the estate is mainly comprised of vineyards and olive groves. Château Canet is very well known in the region and has won numerous awards for both wine and olive oil with their Minervois (an AOC in this area of Languedoc-Roussillon) being a mixture of whites reds and rosé. Olive oil tasting sessions and educational tours are available as well as a full program of wine tourism activities. THE LOCATION: The chateau is very near Carcassone, just 15km from the city centre in fact, and so makes a good base for enjoying the spectacular fortress city while also avoiding much of the daily tourist hordes. The accommodation is self catering and shopping for food supplies etc. can also of course be done there. The charming little town of Trèbes is less than five minutes away too, and is a good place to arrange a READ MORE