Club MAC holidays are for the entire family, and we are delighted to welcome guests of all ages and sizes to our resort, including your tiny tots. We understand travelling with babies can be stress-free, especially if it’s your first time or if you’re travelling to a new country – but trust us when we say that we have your back. Every year, our guests include many families with young children of various ages, and we strive to provide them all with a relaxing and enjoyable vacation experience.
Our experience with young guests enables us to offer you some tips on how to travel stress-free with babies and how to make the most of your baby-onboard family holiday at Club MAC!
Flying abroad with your baby
There is no standard regulation on how old babies need to be before they can travel on flights. A few airlines may insist that your baby needs to be at least one or two weeks old, while the first 40 days is the traditional period of confinement many parents adhere to before taking their baby out. It’s best to check specific airline regulations before booking tickets, to be doubly sure. On British Airways, for instance, you can only book an infant ticket by contacting the airline.
You will also need to get a passport and travel insurance coverage for your baby. You will need to get a passport sorted, and make sure your baby is covered by your travel insurance. If your child’s surname is different from yours, you will need to take extra documentation.
When travelling with babies by air, a baby sling can help keep your little one secure and your hands-free to deal with tickets, luggage, and money. A lightweight foldable stroller can be equally useful. Check with the airline for the infant allowance on must-have items.
Some long-haul flights may carry tinned baby food, but you should always bring your own unopened baby food as well as sterilised bottles, boiled water in a thermos, and other necessary equipment in your hand baggage. You should be able to carry milk and baby formula in bottles exceeding the liquid restrictions when you’re travelling with babies.
A good tip is to feed your baby on take-off and on landing, as swallowing will help ease any earache due to changes in pressure.
What to pack for your baby
At Club MAC, when you book a room with a baby 23 months old or younger, we automatically provide a cot. You don’t need to request cots specifically unless you need one for a child who is two years or older, in which case let the hotel know before you arrive.
Bringing your baby’s own bedding can help them settle down and sleep better as they are used to the smell of your laundry. If you travel with a carrycot, make sure it’s one that also works for overnight sleeping, as they’re not all suitable.
If your baby tends to wake up as soon as the sun rises, all our rooms have black out blinds, which should help them sleep through. A sunshade for your pushchair, and plenty of hats and clothes with full coverage are necessary due to the hot Mallorcan sun. You can hire all kinds of equipment while at Club MAC, including pushchairs, if you’d rather travel as light as possible. Our on-site shop sells baby powder, nappies, formula and other baby-orientated products, and there is a chemist located just a few minutes’ walk from Club MAC.
If you’re bringing a baby monitor or nightlight, then make sure you also pack an adaptor for the sockets. Don’t worry if you forget, as you can always purchase one when you’ve arrived. Don’t forget a couple of favourite toys and books too. Baby supplies that are useful on holiday include high-factor sunscreen, nappies baby wipes, a changing mat, tissues, bibs, steriliser kit, bottles and formula. A small first-aid kit is always a good idea, with infant paracetamol, sticking plasters, colic treatment and teething gel.
Feeding your baby at Club MAC
If you’re feeding with formula, you can stash a few packs of ready-made formula in your hand luggage while travelling. It’s also available at the local chemist and supermarket. Travel sterilisers are available for hire if you don’t want to pack your own.
Keep in mind that fresh milk is not readily available in Spain since everyone drinks UHT (ultra-high temperature processed) milk, but you can find a small section of fresh milk at the nearby Lidl and Eroski supermarkets.
At Club MAC, we prepare homemade baby purees without added salt and only use 100% olive oil. These are batch-made and frozen ahead, so allow us plenty of time to defrost and heat them up for your little one. You can also heat up your choice of baby food in the microwaves at our restaurants and in the halls. We provide small plastic plates and cutlery as well as highchairs (think McDonald’s) for the comfort of our tiny guests.
Protecting your baby from the sun
Babies younger than six months should be kept out of the direct sun and older babies up to a year old should have limited sun exposure. Keep your baby protected from the hot Spanish sun with hats, sunglasses, full-coverage cotton clothes, and sunshades for their stroller or pushchair. Use a water-resistant high-SPF sunscreen to protect against both UVA and UVB.
If you go in the water with your baby, make sure that your sunscreen is water resistant, and always apply it straight away when you get out of the water. This applies even with ‘water resistant’ sunscreen, as it can easily be rubbed off by mistake.
Other baby travel essentials to pack
You can rent or purchase all kinds of essentials at Club MAC, so you get to travel to Alcudia as lightly as possible, even with a baby. For example, if you need a power adaptor for your baby monitor, you can purchase it here.
If you are running low on baby supplies, you can pick up things like baby powder, wipes, and nappies at the on-site shop. There is also a chemist located nearby, but we recommend carrying a small first aid kit when you travel, with infant paracetamol, saline nose drops, teething gel, sticking plasters, and other baby medications, especially since you may need any of them on the incoming flight.
We hope you have a happy and stress-free holiday with your baby at Club MAC!
