Rafaela Kuzenc was staying at TUI’s new Holiday Village resort in Tunisia, and from the moment she arrived, everything seemed geared towards making family holidays as easy as possible
Travelling alone with a five-year-old sounds simple on paper. In reality, it’s usually a mix of logistics, snack management, emotional negotiation and carrying more things than you thought physically possible.
So when I booked a sizzling half-term trip to Tunisia with my daughter, I had two possible outcomes in mind: either it would be smooth and surprisingly easy or completely exhausting from start to finish. It didn’t feel like a third option existed.
The holiday began with a 3am alarm and an early morning flight. By the time we’d landed, navigated the airport and reached the resort, I already felt like I needed a holiday from the holiday.
As any parent travelling solo will know, there is nobody to hand responsibility over to. Every suitcase, every snack request falls entirely on you. That’s why I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly I started to relax.
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We were staying at TUI’s new Holiday Village resort in Tunisia, and from the moment we arrived, everything seemed geared towards making family holidays as easy as possible. Constant sunshine and 30C all week also didn’t hurt.
Check-in was smooth, staff were welcoming, and within minutes we were being shown to our suite. It had separate sleeping areas, and my daughter was thrilled to discover she had her own room. She barely stopped talking about it for the rest of the day.
Then came the pool. And honestly, seeing it was the moment I stopped worrying about entertainment schedules. Before arriving, I had imagined we’d spend our days trying lots of different activities and making the most of the organised entertainment. Instead, my daughter became completely obsessed with the pool. If it had been entirely up to her, she would have spent the entire week pretending to be a mermaid.
The water slides quickly became the highlight. On one afternoon, she went down the same slide so many times I lost count. I just sat there watching, occasionally wondering if I was meant to be doing something else, and then deciding I wasn’t.
For once, I wasn’t responsible for inventing fun every 10 minutes. The kids’ club took that even further. I went to check on her after about half an hour, expecting hesitation, clinginess, or at least a “stay with me”. Instead, she barely looked up.
She was too busy drawing, playing games and joining in with activities. In fact, she enjoyed it so much that she stayed for the full three-hour session.
As a parent travelling alone, that kind of independence is priceless. The staff were warm, friendly and engaging, and the children’s programme was well organised. Knowing there were trained staff, lifeguards and structured activities around gave me confidence to actually relax.
I even booked a massage for myself and later one for my daughter. It was her first professional massage and she absolutely loved it. Would I normally book a spa treatment for myself when travelling alone with a child? Probably not.
But that’s exactly what surprised me about this holiday. For brief moments, it didn’t feel like I was travelling solo at all. Meanwhile, my daughter was happily entertained elsewhere, which felt almost surreal.
Meal times were another area where the resort made life easier. There was no planning, no shopping and no cooking. Whenever my daughter announced she was hungry, there was always something available, whether that was pasta, sandwiches, fruit, snacks or desserts. The toasted sandwich station became particularly useful.
Of course, travelling solo with a child is never completely stress-free. Early mornings were still early mornings. Bags were still heavy and there were moments when I felt like a walking luggage depot. Some activities were also better suited to older children, although my daughter didn’t seem particularly bothered because all roads eventually led back to the pool.
One of our favourite moments came during a boat trip when we spotted dolphins swimming nearby. Seeing her face light up reminded me why travelling with children can be so rewarding despite the challenges.
By the end of the week, my daughter didn’t want to leave. Normally, after a few days away, she starts talking about seeing her dad again and returning home. This time she was trying to negotiate staying in Tunisia indefinitely.
That, more than anything, felt like a successful holiday. I arrived expecting to spend the week entertaining my daughter. Instead, I found myself enjoying the holiday too.
Book it
TUI offers a seven-night holiday to Skanes, Tunisia, staying at the 4T+ Holiday Village AQI Skanes Resort on an all-inclusive basis from £830 per person. Price is based on two adults and two children sharing a 1 Bedroom Family Room with Balcony or Terrace. Includes TUI Airways flights departing from Newcastle on
5th July 2026 with 25kg hold luggage per person and transfers included. Package includes one free child place.