Neilson Active Holidays

Neilson Active Holidays: active holidays in the Mediterranean and the Alps

Neilson Active Holidays is a British tour operator specialising in sports and adventure holidays. Its offering is structured around three main lines: beach clubs in the Mediterranean, ski programmes in the Alps and sailing holidays. The company sells its packages through the website neilson.co.uk and operates as an agent for Neilson Active Holidays Ltd, with ATOL licence 10794.

Beach Clubs: more than 25 activities included

Neilson's beach clubs are located in coastal destinations in the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean. The company states that all activities are included in the price, with free instruction from expert teams at each resort. The sports offering covers racket and ball sports (tennis, padel tennis, pickleball), cycling (road, mountain biking and ebikes) and watersports (dinghy sailing, eFoiling, foiling, kayaking, kitesurfing, paddle boarding, sea scooters, swimming, wakeboarding, wakesurfing, water skiing and windsurfing). It also includes fitness (cardio, strength & conditioning, yoga and holistic) and wellness (beauty treatments, relaxation massage, recovery massage, sound bath).

The confirmed beach clubs are: Alana Beach Club (Paklenica, Croatia), Buca Beach Club (Analipsi, Greece), Cosmos Beach Club (Vassiliki, Greece), Levante Beach Club (Rhodes, Greece), Messini Beach Club (Analipsi, Greece), Vounaki Beach Club (Paleros, Greece) and Baia dei Mori Beach Club (Budoni, Sardinia). In addition, the "Neilson inside" collection includes partner properties: The Ravenala Attitude (Balaclava, Mauritius), Mangia's Torre del Barone Resort (Sciacca, Sicily) and Cook's Club Adakoy (Marmaris, Turkey).

Skiing in the Alps

Neilson's ski division covers resorts in Andorra, France and Italy. In Andorra it offers Hotel Del Clos, Chalet Hotel Casale and Chalet Motxo, all in El Tarter. In France, the properties are concentrated in Val d'Isère (Hotel La Tovière, Hotel & Spa Le Savoie, Hotel Ducs de Savoie) and in Les Menuires (Hotel Le Menuire & Spa). In Italy, Chalet Hotel Edelweiss in Sauze d'Oulx. The company sells these stays under the Neilson Mountain Collection brand and includes services such as free ski guiding and programmes for families and groups.

Sailing and sailing courses

Neilson organises sailing holidays in the Mediterranean with flotilla, bareboat yacht charter and course options. The courses range from beginner to advanced level, and include ICC assessment, RYA Competent Crew and RYA Day Skipper. The flotilla offering is focused on the Greek Ionian, with options for skippered flotilla and bareboat yacht charter.

Kids' clubs and customer profile

The company runs kids' clubs by age group for children aged 2 to 17, with qualified teams. Babies are also accepted with a supplement. The company states that seven out of ten guests return to relive the experience, a figure it attributes to the combination of locations, included activities and the atmosphere it calls "Good Energy".

Teams and operation

Neilson notes that most resort teams are employed directly by the company and return season after season, which, according to its presentation, ensures a more consistent experience. Where it works with partners, these follow the company's standards.

Awards and track record

The company presents itself as a multiple award winner and was voted "Best Activity Holiday Company 2025". Cosmos Beach Club marks 40 years of relationship with Neilson in 2026, since the company began operating in Vassiliki in 1986, when it was a fishing village. The company also sells seasonal offers, such as the ski promotion "buy one lift pass get one half price" with the code FIRSTLIFTS, and super early bird prices for summer 2027.