I SPEND a lot of my time looking at holiday prices – comparing deals, breaking down packages, and figuring out where the strange little pricing tricks are hiding.
There’s one trend I keep seeing again and again. In some family resorts, it can actually work out cheaper to stay as an adult and a child than as one adult on their own.
That’s not because flights suddenly get cheaper, but because the hotel part of the package drops in price.
It sounds odd, but when you look at how hotels price their rooms, it starts to make sense.
Why does this strange holiday pricing trick happen? The main reason is something called a single supplement.
Most hotel rooms are priced for two people sharing, so when just one person stays, hotels often increase the price to make up for the empty bed.
Solo travellers can end up paying a hidden surcharge, but when you add a child, the pricing works differently.
Family resorts – especially in places like Turkey, Spain and Greece – are built around rooms designed for two adults and a child, and children usually cost hotels less to accommodate.
They often sleep on sofa beds, eat smaller portions and have discounted all-inclusive rates.
Because of that, hotels often price children very cheaply – and sometimes the total hotel cost actually drops compared with a solo booking.
Hotels are usually happy with this because families tend to spend more around the resort, from drinks and snacks to activities and excursions.
So, filling a room with an adult and a child can be more valuable than one guest travelling alone, which occasionally leads to the strange situation where bringing a child makes the hotel portion of the holiday cheaper.
When I looked at the data, I found several resorts where this pricing quirk shows up.
I compared the price of a 7-night stay as a solo traveller versus the cost when bringing one child at a variety of holiday resorts.
Here are some of the best examples, and the biggest savings of up to £698.
Labranda Targa Club Aquapark, Marrakech
Average saving: £30
Just outside Marrakech, Labranda Targa Club Aquapark combines Moroccan sunshine with a proper family-friendly resort setup.
Kids get water slides and splash pools, while adults can explore the markets and gardens of the city nearby.
And the pricing still shows a small advantage, with adult and child bookings averaging £30 cheaper for a 7-night stay than solo travellers.
BLUESEA Puerto Caleta, Fuerteventura
Average saving: £43
Located in Caleta de Fuste, Puerto Caleta is a relaxed apartment complex perfect for an adult and child beach holiday.
You’ve got sandy beaches, boat trips and plenty of restaurants right on your doorstep.
When I priced it up, holidays average a £43 saving for an adult and child per 7-night stay compared with travelling alone.
Sol Barbados, Majorca
Average saving: £45
Sol Barbados in Magaluf is one of the most family-friendly resorts in Majorca.
There’s a huge waterpark-style pool area, kids’ entertainment and easy access to the beach.
For an adult travelling with a child, it’s a simple sun-and-pool holiday – and the pricing shows an average saving of around £45 for a 7-night stay compared to booking solo.
Staycity Aparthotels, near Disneyland Paris
Average saving: £60
City breaks can show the same pattern too.
At Staycity Aparthotels near Disneyland Paris, you’re just minutes from the Disney parks, which makes it ideal for an adult taking a child on their first big theme park trip.
And the pricing structure means the average holiday can come out around £60 cheaper for a 7-night stay when you book as an adult and child instead of travelling alone.
Oludeniz Beach Resort by Z Hotels, Dalaman
Average saving: £81
Oludeniz Beach Resort sits right by one of Turkey’s most famous beaches – the stunning Blue Lagoon at Ölüdeniz.
It’s an easygoing, all-inclusive resort where an adult and child can spend the day swimming, exploring the beach or watching the paragliders drift down from the mountains.
And package bookings for this hotel show an average saving of £81 for a 7-night stay when adding a child versus travelling solo.
Gran Castillo Tagoro, Lanzarote
Average saving: £212
This five-star resort in Lanzarote is practically designed for family holidays.
Gran Castillo Tagoro has dedicated kids zones, family pools and incredible views over the volcanic coastline near Playa Blanca.
For an adult and child travelling together, it’s the perfect mix of relaxation and activities.
Bookings here show an average saving of around £212 when bringing a child for a 7-night stay compared with a solo holiday.
Golden Port Salou & Spa, Costa Dorada
Average saving: £251
In Spain, Golden Port Salou & Spa is a brilliant base for an adult and child holiday.
It’s close to the beaches of Salou and just minutes from PortAventura theme park, which makes it perfect for a trip packed with rides, waterparks and ice cream stops.
Thanks to family-friendly pricing, the average holiday price drops by about £251 per 7-night stay when a child is added to the booking.
Rixos Radamis Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt
Average saving: £279
If you’re looking for something more luxury, Rixos Radamis in Sharm El Sheikh is one of the most impressive resorts in Egypt.
Huge pools, beach access on the Red Sea, kids clubs and endless all-inclusive food options make it a dream for families.
And the pricing structure here means an adult travelling with a child can save around £279 for a 7-night break on average compared with booking the same trip alone.
Auramar Beach Resort, Algarve
Average saving: £349
Over in Portugal, Auramar Beach Resort sits right above the cliffs near Albufeira with incredible sea views.
It’s a laid-back all-inclusive hotel where an adult and child can spend the day between the beach, the pools and the buffet before watching the sunset over the Atlantic.
Because it’s built for families, adding a child actually brings the average holiday price down by around £349 for a 7-night break compared with travelling solo.
Eftalia Blue, Antalya
Average saving: £698
One of the biggest differences I found was at Eftalia Blue on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast.
This is a classic big Turkish all-inclusive resort with huge pools, slides, and easy access to the famous Eftalia Island beach complex.
For an adult and child travelling together, it’s ideal – kids get waterparks and entertainment all day while parents can relax by the pool or head down to the beach.
And the pricing quirk here is huge, with holidays averaging almost £700 cheaper for an adult and child for a 7-night stay compared to travelling alone.
Here’s my key takeaways for travellers.
I should make it clear: holidays aren’t always cheaper with kids.
Flights are still one of your biggest spends, and plenty of hotels price things normally.
But when you start digging through package holiday deals, you occasionally find this strange pricing quirk.
Because of single supplements and heavily discounted child rates, this is one of those travel industry secrets you only really notice when you spend your days digging through holiday data.