thetelegraph--2019-01-04--The best 2019 summer holidays for families with primary-school-aged children

Your holiday time together is precious now, and what children this age want is fun on tap – whether in the form of organised activities, a pool, beach, or simply other children their own age to play with.  Pine Cliffs offers water sports, football, golf and an Annabel Croft Tennis Academy or you can relax on the beach or at the spa. The Porto Pirata kids’ club includes two life-size pirate ships and a dedicated children’s pool. Family cookery classes with a Michelin-trained chef are also on offer.  A one-bedroom Pine Cliffs Gardens Suite sleeping four starts at €480 (£418) per night in high season, room only (pinecliffs.com). Fly to Faro.  With just seven apartments, family-run Country Kids in the Languedoc comes with a free crèche and kids’ club for ages three months to 12 years, two nights of babysitting, plus there’s family boating and a weekly circus. There’s also animal feeding and tractor rides, plus a spa and yoga.  A week at Country Kids (country-kids.fr) starts at €7,550 (£6,812) for a family of four in the school summer holidays, all inclusive. Fly to Montpellier.  Ideal for several families travelling together, a stroll from the traditional town of Alcudia and just 660yd (600m) from Bacarès Beach, the six-bedroomed villa Casa Alcudia Uno comes with a private pool and whirlpool, plus a large dining terrace and barbecue area. There’s also a huge kitchen, comfy lounge, and a water park nearby.  Jet2 Holidays (jet2holidays.com) offers Casa Alcudia Uno from £729 per person travelling from London Stansted on July 6 based on 12 people sharing.  As well as activities for all the family such as yoga and aqua aerobics at Sunwing Resort Fanabe, kids’ clubs cater for ages three to 15, plus there are mini-spa treatments. Rooms come with kitchenettes. You can self-cater or book an all-inclusive package.  Thomas Cook (thomascook.com) offers seven nights at Sunwing Resort Fanabe from £2,237 for a family of four with under-14s travelling from Gatwick on July 19 – add all-inclusive for the whole party for £549.  Spend four nights exploring the coastline of Skane, known as the Swedish Riviera, with its charming coastal towns of Skanor and Falsterbo, pastel-painted beach huts and miles of fine white sand. Then head to Malmö for three nights, enjoying its art and design scene and fine restaurants.  Sunvil (sunvil.co.uk) offers a seven-night trip to Sweden for a family of four from £4,284 B&B in August including four days’ car hire and a Skanetrafiken public transport pass.  Scott Dunn’s Explorers’ and Crew programmes at Sun Gardens, set into a hillside in Dubrovnik, provide activities for children of all ages. There are three swimming pools, a beach, spa, and sports on offer including football, tennis and rock climbing, plus family-friendly accommodation with up to three bedrooms.  Scott Dunn (scottdunn.com) offers seven nights at Sun Gardens from £7,900 for a family of four travelling in July/August half-board in a two-bedroom residence, with kids’ club spaces, flights and transfers.  Soar in a sea plane over the Golden Gate Bridge, visit Alcatraz, sail on the America’s Cup yacht and hang out with the stars on a VIP trip of Universal Studios on this 14-night self-drive adventure along the Pacific Coast Highway. Other highlights include kayaking, paddleboarding and surfing – plus Disneyland.  Abercrombie and Kent (abercrombiekent.co.uk) offers a 14-night Californian tour in July or August from £7,495pp for adults and £6,495pp per child under 12, including flights.  Enjoy five nights of beachside luxury in the Maldives followed by five nights meeting wildlife in the national parks of the south of Sri Lanka including elephants, flamingos and peacocks. Both hotels feature kids’ clubs for ages four to 12 – there’s also an on-site water park at your accommodation in Sri Lanka.  Destinology (destinology.co.uk) offers five nights at Shangri-La Villingili HB in an Ocean View Villa followed by five nights at Shangri-La Hambantota B&B in an Ocean Suite Room travelling between July 28 and Aug 31 from £10,529 for a family of four with children under 12 including all flights and transfers.  Built in traditional Apulia style with a conical roof, four bedrooms, three bathrooms stocked with Acqua di Parma toiletries, three living areas and two kitchens, Villa Trullo offers plenty of room for families travelling together. There’s a large pool with speakers on the terraces, and a garden where you can pick fresh fruit. Beaches are a 20-minute drive away.  Oliver’s Travels (oliverstravels.com) offers seven nights in Villa Trullo from £12,041 in July and August. Sleeps eight. Fly to Brindisi.  Enjoy the freedom of the road with a motorhome. You can pick one up in Barcelona and then explore the fabulous beach of the Costa Dorada, as well as PortAventura theme park. You could also visit the Dalí and Picasso museums, explore the Pyrenees, go duty-free shopping in Andorra – or whatever else takes you fancy.  Motorhome Republic (motorhomerepublic.com) offers eight-day hire of a four-berth vehicle, picking up and dropping off in Barcelona from €1,080 (£975), plus €185 (£167) for bedding, towels and an additional driver.  With every suite offering a sea view and private pool, the Elounda Peninsula is the most secluded of the three Elounda resorts with a beach, plus access to the shared facilities. These include a Six Senses Spa, water sports and the kids’ club for ages four months to 12 years which features two pools and a vegetable garden.  Elounda Peninsula (elounda peninsula.com) suites from £1,336 per night B&B based on four sharing in July. Fly to Heraklion.  Avoid single supplements on a trip exclusively for single parents. The Arbatax Park Resort is just 550yd (500m) from the sea and offers three outdoor pools, tennis, a diving centre and spa, as well as free kids’ clubs from ages three through to teens.  An all-inclusive week in Sardinia with Single With Kids (singlewithkids.co.uk) costs from £1,149 per adult and £824 for a child under the age of 12, departing July 25 or Aug 1, including flights from Gatwick.  Sky Den is a beautifully designed, thoroughly modern Northumberland treehouse which features glass doors opening on to a balcony with river views, two bedrooms, a kitchen and a wet room. Best of all, on a calm day you can open up the entire roof for an unobstructed view of the sky. Nearby there are water sports, rope courses and other activities for the adventurous.  Canopy and Stars (canopyandstars.co.uk) offers the Sky Den from £207 per night in the months of July and August. Sleeps four.  Take to 2,000 miles (3,200km) of waterways through beautiful, unspoilt countryside in England and Wales on a canal boat with all mod cons including central heating, a shower, fitted kitchen and Wi-Fi. Start at Wrenbury, near Crewe, head across the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and on to the pretty town of Llangollen and the Horseshoe Falls, stopping at the various welcoming riverside pubs and restaurants along the way.  Drifters Waterways (drifters.co.uk) offers weekly hire of boats suitable for a family of four from £1,200 in July and August.  Strathfillan Wigwams are set on a working farm surrounded by Highland forests. Snuggle up in your cosy wooden cabin, take a woodland walk to a waterfall and then light a campfire to grill exotic kangaroo and ostrich meats, available for sale on site. Loch Lomond and Oban are both within an hour’s drive.  Pitch Up (pitchup.com) offers camping pods at Strathfillan Wigwams from £66 per night in July and August, based on a family of four sharing.


thetelegraph--2019-01-04--The best 2019 summer holidays for families with tweens and teens

They’re robust enough to try out some new activities or travel a bit more off the beaten track, and yet still young enough to want to spend time with you. Here are some ways to make the most of these moments.  Perched atop the red seas cliffs of the Algarve region in Portugal, Club Med’s Da Balaia resort offers flexible kids’ clubs for all ages, nightly shows and trapeze lessons for all. Other activities include tennis, football, archery and mini-golf, as well as music and arts and crafts for the kids. There’s also a beach, an adults-only “Zen Zone” with eco-pool, plus a spa.  Club Med (clubmed.co.uk) offers seven nights at Da Balaia in August from £1,516 per adult and £1,052 per under-12 including flights from Luton. Children under the age of six stay free.  Children (and adults) of all ages can learn to sail and windsurf at Mark Warner’s Phokaia Beach Resort, with kids’ clubs from four months through to 17 years. Other activities include wakeboarding, tennis and cycling, or you can simple laze on the Balinese beds on the beach.  Mark Warner (markwarner.co.uk) offers seven nights at Phokaia Beach for £1,599 for adults and £1,429 for children travelling July 20, including most activities, kids’ clubs (aged two plus) and most meals.  Neilson Holidays’ Mar Menor Beachclub in Murcia, Southern Spain, is new for 2019 and boasts first-class facilities. Extras at the Mar Menor “Select Beachclub” include breakfast in bed, as well as kitesurfing and dinghy foiling, plus various other water sports, land sports, and kids’ clubs for ages four months to 17 years.  Neilson Holidays (neilson.co.uk/beach) offers seven nights at Mar Menor Beachclub from £6,156 for a family of four on July 19, including flights from Stansted, most meals, activities and kids’ clubs.  Beachfront property Bahía del Duque Resort is surrounded by acres of lush gardens. It has five pools and even boasts its very own observatory. During the day there’s also a kids’ club, a Californian surf-inspired teens’ lounge and plenty of water sports to keep everyone happy.  Kuoni (kuoni.co.uk) offers seven nights B&B at Bahía del Duque Resort in a junior suite from £6,399 for a family of four (with two children under 12 years of age) travelling in August, including flights from Gatwick.  Starting in the jungle of Belize, this trip will take you to the Guatemalan ruins at Tikal before journeying deep inside the mountains to the Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave. There will also be time to try some snorkelling and enjoy beach barbecues, plus relaxing on an idyllic island.  Stubborn Mule (stubbornmuletravel.com) offers a 15-day self-drive Belize Adventure Highlights tour from £12,000 for a family of four travelling in July or August, including flights, mid-range hotels, breakfasts, some meals and most activities.  Set in a Marine National Park and hand-built by the local community, Azura Benguerra’s public areas open right on to the beach. Children aged 10 and up can learn to dive and guests can also enjoy a game of football with the locals.  Turquoise Holidays (turquoiseholidays.co.uk) offers seven nights all-inclusive in a two-bedroom villa at Azura Benguerra from £6,645 per adult and £6,365 per under-12 including flights, transfers, a Land Rover island drive and a sunset cruise.  Hire the 60ft yacht Lunous, complete with skipper and chef, and either help to sail the boat or simply sunbathe on deck as you explore hidden coves, beaches and ports. Water sports equipment on board includes snorkels, stand-up paddleboards, windsurfers, and even a speedboat complete with giant ringo and water skis.  Fleewinter (fleewinter.com) offers seven nights on Lunous (sleeps 10) from £2,000 per person (£100 reduction per child) in July and August based on 10 sharing, half-board. Fly to Corfu.  Whizz up the Sugar Loaf in a cable car, explore Corcovado Mountain in a Jeep, get up close to toucans and monkeys in the jungle, then meet giant guinea pigs in the wetlands of the Pantanal, finishing with some relaxation on the Emerald Coast.  Journey Latin America (journeylatinamerica.co.uk) offers a 15-day Family Brazil trip from £5,295 per adult, from £2,495 for under-12s, based on a family of four including flights, transfers, good hotels, plus most breakfasts and full board in the Pantanal.  Just 550yd (500m) from the beach and the local village of Brignogan Place, the recently renovated Villa Brise comes with an indoor pool, a hot tub and relaxation area so it doesn’t matter if it rains – everyone’s happy whatever the weather. With five bedrooms, three bathrooms and an open-plan living area, there’s also plenty of room if you want to bring the grandparents.  Vintage Travel (vintagetravel.co.uk) offers seven nights at Villa Brise from £1,346 to £3,858. Sleeps 10. Fly to Nantes or take a ferry to Roscoff.  Tui is offering a new route to Calabria this summer, as well as Italy’s first Magic Life Hotel. It will feature all-inclusive 24-hour dining, three pools, a splash park and an adults-only area. As well as sports, fitness, well-being and entertainment programmes, there will also be kids’ clubs for ages three to 12.  Tui (tui.co.uk) offers seven nights for a family of four sharing at the 4T Tui Magic Life Calabria from £1,019pp all-inclusive, departing Gatwick July 20.  Just 72 steps from the beach and a five-minute walk from St Mawes’s harbour, shops, pubs and restaurants, Shellseekers is a two-bedroom cottage featuring an upstairs living room with bi-fold doors which open on to a balcony with a 180-degree sea view. It also has its own, small, private parking space – a rarity in the village.  St Mawes Retreats (stmawesretreats.co.uk) offers seven nights at Shellseekers for £1,699 in July and August. Sleeps four.  Set among hundreds of acres of lakes and heathland, Silverlake offers kayaking, paddleboarding and wild swimming plus, new this year, geocaching. GPS units can be rented on-site allowing you to explore the area on foot or by bike while treasure-hunting. Sailing, climbing and coasteering are also available nearby.  Habitat Escapes (habitatescapes.com) offers seven nights in a two-bedroom cottage from £1,275 per family in July. GPS units and trail guides cost £15 per day.  Cycle through rainforest on the slopes of Mount Kenya, camp in the Ngare Ndare Forest, track game around the Aberdares, explore the Loita Hills and Plains accompanied by a Maasai warrior and enjoy a full day of game viewing in the Maasai Mara.  Gane and Marshall (ganeandmarshall.com) offers its Discover Kenya Family Activity Safari from £9,550 for a family of four (£8,560 if both children are under 12) in the school summer holidays, including flights, all meals, a driver/guide, entrance fees and four-wheel drive transportation.  Make the most of these last family holidays with extra adventure or simple relaxation, with a little bit of independence thrown in.  This outdoor adventure can include white-water rafting on Canada’s Kicking Horse River, a walk on the Athabasca Glacier, soaking in the hot springs in Banff, and exploring the waterfalls of Wells Gray Provincial Park. There’s also the option of ziplining, canoeing, mountain biking and more.  Grand American Adventures (grandamericanadventures.com) offers its Canadian Family Discovery Tour from £1,279 per person excluding flights (10 per cent discount for under-16s) in August including eight camping nights, two ranch cabin nights and a hotel night, most meals, transportation and a guide. Fly to Vancouver.  Set on a cliff edge, this Lighthouse Keepers’ Cottage has a real working lighthouse (minus the foghorn). As well as six bedrooms, there’s also a games room, a walled yard with a picnic table and a large balcony. Complimentary fly-fishing on the East Lyn is available and Woolacombe Beach is a 40-minute drive away.  The National Trust (nationaltrust.org.uk) offers seven nights at Lighthouse Keepers’ Cottage at Lynston, Devon for £2,499 in the school summer holidays. Sleeps 10.  Starting in Beijing, this 15-day tour includes the chance to see the Great Wall, Forbidden City, plus the Terracotta Warriors. You’ll also travel by bullet train, visit the giant pandas at Chengdu Panda Research Base, discover the countryside of Yangshuo by bike, learn to make dumplings and play mah-jong with a master in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province.  Audley Travel (audleytravel.com) offers its Family China trip from £4,940pp travelling in July or August including flights, transfers, excursions and some meals.  Vila Vita Parc Hotel offers kids’ clubs for all ages, plus a teens’ programme including surf lessons and Jeep excursions. Activities on the resort’s sandy beach include stand-up paddleboarding, canoeing, diving and boat trips, plus a spa.  Destinology (destinology.co.uk) offers a week at Vila Vita from £5,199 per family based on a family of four travelling between May 28 and Aug 24, sharing an Oasis Family Suite B&B, including return flights and private transfers.  Enjoy rafting, kayaking, canoeing and hiking in Slovenia’s Triglav National Park, staying in a village of eight log cabins and five rooms. Ride a Lipizzaner horse, or rent bikes to head out to swim or fish. Then spend two nights in the Grand Hotel Toplice on the edge of Lake Bled.  Red Savannah (redsavannah.com) offers a week in Slovenia from £1,182 per person for a family of four B&B in July, with car hire and a horse ride per person.  The family-run Peligoni Club in Zakynthos features a beach shack “teens only” bar, with daytime and evening activities such as kayaking, snorkelling and mocktail making, designed to let them have fun in a relaxed, join-in-or-not-as-you-want kind of way. There’s also a kids’ club available for the younger children, water sports, plus a spa.  The Peligoni Club (peligoni.com) offers a two-bedroom villa with club membership and windsurfing and sailing upgrades from £4,900 for a family of four travelling in July or August.  Terzetto is an unusual villa constructed of three cubes – ideal for families with older children as it offers some independence. There’s a private pool plus a summer kitchen with wood oven. The village of Sant’Ambrogio and a small beach are two miles down the hill, with a sandy beach at Caldura and the medieval town of Cefalù a 15-minute drive away.  Vintage Travel (www.vintagetravel.co.uk) offers a week at Terzetto from £2,930 to £4,934. Sleeps eight. Fly to either Palermo or Catania.  Korsan Guney is a seafront villa with everything needed to keep several families happy – there’s an infinity pool, plus a private bay with beach platforms. It’s a half-hour paddle to Kalkan’s harbour and its chichi beach clubs – plus there’s an activity “PA” to help organise any activities.  Fairlight Jones (fairlightjones.com) offers seven nights at Korsan Guney based on 10 sharing from £1,250pp in July and August, including flights to Dalaman, transfers, Jeep hire and daily cleaning service.  Starting and finishing in Bangkok, this tour includes longboat tours in the capital, meeting hill tribe communities in the north, temples and a cookery class in Chiang Mai. There is also a visit to the Erawan Park and the bridge over the River Kwai, as well as some time to relax on the beach or go surfing at Ko Chang.  G Adventures (gadventures.co.uk) offers a 12-night Thailand Family Adventure from £899 per person in July and August, excluding flights.  On a cliff top overlooking Fistral Bay, the Headland Hotel offers rooms in a grand Victorian building as well as cottages, ideal for families. The whole family can learn to surf, kite surf, coasteer or stand-up paddle board at the hotel’s Surf Sanctuary, plus there’s an outdoor pool, putting green, buckets and spades and a spa with a Cornish sea salt steam room.  The Headland Hotel offers two-bedroom seaview cottages for four from £470 per night in July.  Canoe along the coast, hike to the Giant’s Causeway and learn about the Titanic on this guided tour of Ireland’s northern edge, which inspired The Chronicles of Narnia, Game of Thrones and countless folktales. Search for puffins on Rathlin Island and take a family-friendly whiskey distillery tour.  Wilderness Ireland (wildernessireland.com) offers its Giants, Myths and Legends Tour from €1,850 per adult and €1,520 per child B&B in July/August plus six meals, a guide, transfers and activities. Fly to Belfast.  Enjoy the beaches and water sports of Lake Annecy in France then head into the nearby foothills and mountains for adrenalin-fuelled activities such as white-water rafting and paragliding – plus those with a head for heights can scale the almost-sheer via ferrata at Thônes. Gentler activities include hiking and electric mountain biking.  CGH Residences (cgh-residences.co.uk) offers a seven-night stay in a two-bedroom apartment (sleeps six) at Le Village de Lessy with a communal indoor pool and spa from £704. Fly to Geneva.  Satisfy all your cowboy cravings in one fell swoop in Idaho. Enjoy daily horseback rides, take horsemanship lessons, learn to catch and saddle a horse and play cattle-sorting games in this hands-on holiday at Western Pleasure Guest Ranch. In the evenings there’s music round a campfire, billiards, wagon rides and a dinner cruise on Lake Pend Oreille.  Ranch Rider (ranchrider.com) offers six nights at Western Pleasure Guest Ranch from £1,889pp (£1,219pp for those aged six to 12) including most meals and activities. Fly to Spokane.  Pack your wetsuit and head to Klitmoller, sometimes referred to as Cold Hawaii, for surfing or windsurfing, plus hiking, biking, kayaking and horse riding. Klitmoller is also home to the huge surf festival Surfjoint on July 20, visited by more than 1,000 people with DJs, bands, barbecues and free surf lessons.  An en-suite room for two at the Klitmoller Kro & Badehotel (klitmollerbadehotel.dk) costs from around £232 per night in July and August, including breakfast. Fly to Aalborg.


thetelegraph--2019-01-10--The best tour operators for a family holiday

Great family travel means different things to different people. There’s budget to consider, destination, the age of your children, and the type of travellers you are - do you want to fly and flop or scale the highest peak you can find?  For the best beach holidays, ski trips, adventure tours, and once-in-a-lifetime journeys, our family travel experts have tried and tested the following operators with their children, and recommend their offerings.  Please note that many of these firms excel in a number of areas - Scott Dunn has great beach and ski options; you could hire an exclusive seaside villa with Abercrombie & Kent, or find yourself on a riding safari in Kenya. But we have organised them based on the ways in which each firm really stands out.  The trusted airline’s range of holidays takes in the States, Caribbean and Indian Ocean, plus shorter-haul European destinations, many offering kids’ clubs and all-inclusive options. Try a long weekend of Roman history in the Eternal City, or an all-inclusive break in Cancun, Mexico. Check out low deposit and staggered payment options to spread costs.  Handpicked four- and five-star luxury hotels, many with kids’ clubs, are the main draw, while private transfers come as standard. Try also a family villa or the new lakes and mountains holidays. Options range from a family-owned hotel in Ibiza to an all-inclusive Caribbean resort with babysitting service. Bookings with children aged 4 to 11 earn a complimentary BubbleBum inflatable booster seat.  The leading long-haul operator, voted Best Large Luxury Tour Operator at the 2016 Telegraph Ultratravel Awards, majors on expert, personal service with high-street locations, including some within John Lewis department stores. From family safaris to all-inclusive beach resorts, it has handpicked hotels in over 90 countries, most notably in the Caribbean and Indian Ocean.  These tailor-made breaks to standout destinations cater for all ages. Childcare (from four months) options in the Alps and Med include private nannies and clubs, plus the CREW activity programme for ages 11 plus. Families with older children could try a family safari to Kenya or a family beach break off the Great Barrier Reef. Strong local partnerships are assured.  The new family offshoot of members-only travel club Mr & Mrs Smith indulges the hotel-Babylon passion with little ones in tow. That means the parent panel only selects properties with great childcare provision and attention to detail, plus also the right ambience for parents. Many, such as a luxury resort in Crete, let kids under 12 (sharing with parents) stay free and offer free childcare.  The trusted Virgin brand pioneered fly-drive holidays to the States, notably Florida and its theme parks. The portfolio is on the smaller side but includes Disney holidays, Florida villas and all-inclusive breaks in Mexico and Cuba. New concept stores, integrated plans for special assistance and a concierge service to pre-book local attractions are amongst the company’s latest innovations.  This former Africa specialist now offers expert-led bespoke luxury family tours all over the globe. From hands-on learning activities in China’s southwest to private Kenyan safaris, no expense is spared in getting families off the beaten track with truly phenomenal local guides who know how to engage with children.  Formerly an Asia specialist, Audley now offers expert-selected tours to over 75 destinations. From family safaris in Botswana to luxury family trips to Japan, the emphasis is on local experiences uncovered by local guides. Named Best Tour Operator at the 2016 Telegraph Travel Awards, search handpicked options for all age groups from babies to teenagers.  With great service, plus airport meet-and-greet and an army of handpicked local guides, these family adventure holidays combine both discovery and comfort. Family breaks are on a private basis only with options including a family tour of Sri Lanka or a family safari to Tanzania. Choose from self-drive or private vehicle with driver options, and expect great on-the-ground support.  Adventure pioneers, Exodus, now pioneer family adventure holidays, including cycling, walking and wildlife safari breaks. With authentic destination experiences in the safe hands of local-expert tour leaders, you could ride camels through the Moroccan desert, or try snowshoeing through the Finnish winter. Book an extended family-group experience via the Private Adventures option.  Explore has a history of running small-group adventures with expert local guides and a strong responsible-travel ethos. The choice of Family Adventure Holidays, including options designed for grandchildren and single parents, ranges from trekking with hill tribes in Thailand to walking in Morocco’s Atlas Mountains. Save 5 per cent when booking second and subsequent trips with the family loyalty scheme.  The pioneer of the all-inclusive holiday now offers a huge range of holidays on a sporting motif from the Alps to the Andes, plus continues its long tradition of responsible tourism. There are over 60 activities available at resorts from Portugal to the Dominican Republic, plus interconnecting rooms and well-trained staff to engage with all ages, including younger children.  The former ski specialist now majors on well-regarded childcare with dedicated clubs for all ages, including a Baby Club from four months and an evening listening service until 10.30pm. Childcare for ages two to 17 is free, including evening activities. Choose from watersports in Greece, or Christmas skiing in Austria. If it’s all too much, try an adults-only week at selected resorts and chalets.  Sporty families favour these high-octane holidays. Most beachclubs, such as a watersports break in Greece, offer interconnecting rooms and kids’ clubs, including the TAG club for teenagers and Hot Shots, a water-based club to gain RYA qualifications. Winter sports breaks, based on children aged 11 years and under, include a week in Les Deux Alps with dedicated childcare.  The established Sunsail fleet now extends to over 500 yachts and covers all water-based activities from a tailor-made sailing holiday via a yacht charter, to sailing courses. Flotilla holidays work best for families and options include a Croatia flotilla holiday, touring the Dalmatian Coast in a small group with crew. Summer flotillas from Lefkas have a dedicated activity coordinator to arrange kids’ activities.  Thomson has been booking holidays since the mid Sixties and continues to re-invent itself while Thomson Airways is now the UK’s largest charter airline. The Tui Family Life collection of hotels, with locations from the Canaries to Bulgaria, has an excellent range of childcare and clubs, plus activities ideal for multi-generational groups. Plus you can still book face to face at one of 650 high-street locations.  Big-hitting Trailfinders has a global reach for family options from cruises to small-group family adventure holidays, such as a touring group to Vietnam. Australia is a strong seller with offbeat family trips including a motorhome fly-drive trip along the Great Barrier Reef area coast. The policy of no credit card charges could save up to 5 per cent of travel costs.  An offshoot to Alistair Sawday’s Special Places to Stay, the company has quirky UK and European breaks to more than 500 treehouses, cabins and yurts. As champions of the small and independent, the focus is on sustainable tourism. For families, that means low-impact stays suitable for all ages, including babies and non-car owners. Download the Nature Investigators packs to take along for in-situ family fun.


thetelegraph--2019-01-16--The best art holidays for 2019

The best art holidays for 2019

Our experts round up the most exciting holidays in 2019 for art lovers.  A landmark Piero della Francesco show runs until March 11 together with another on trompe l’oeil painting and following that is an unusually strong run of exhibitions. Gods, Humans, Heroes will focus on ancient art from the National Archaeological Museum of Naples (early April–June), Masterpieces from the Collections of Mikhail and Ivan Morozov (June–September) will reunite this extraordinary collection of 19th and 20th-century French art, and A Dream of Italy: The Campana Museum (July–October) recreates the collection of the Marquis Campana – the 19th century’s largest private art collection.  There is a particular appeal to exhibitions that reunite famous collections of the past. This exhibition returns 36 spectacular paintings – including major works by Rubens, van Dyck, Caravaggio and Bruegel to their former home in the Palazzo Zevallos Stigliano in Naples where they formed the collection of the Prince of Stigliano in the 17th century.  Picasso’s early Blue and Rose periods marked a moment of radical change in the history of art, and they are also among the most poignant and alluring of his paintings. Picasso Blue et Rose, which is transferring from the Musée d’Orsay in Paris to the Fondation Beyeler in Riehen, near Basel, will be one of the most comprehensive accounts yet of his work during this crucial phase.  The 350th anniversary for Rembrandt’s death is being celebrated in a big way in the Rijksmuseum. All the Rembrandts does what it says on the tin, showcasing all 22 of the museum’s paintings by the great artist of the Dutch Golden Age, plus 60 drawings and more than 300 prints. In July a restoration project will begin on The Night Watch and the public will be able to watch the entire process at the museum and online. Then from Oct 11 until Jan 19 2020 Rembrandt-Velázquez will present a comprehensive overview of their paintings.  There is still time to catch National Gallery’s fabulous Mantegna and Bellini exhibition in London (closes Jan 27) which compares two of the greatest artists of the Renaissance. But, if you can’t, it transfers to Berlin from March for a four-month run. The two artists were among the leading lights of the early Renaissance.  The Art Biennale always adds an interesting dimension to a trip to Venice. You don’t even need to go out to the Giardini to see the main show pavilions – installations often take place in central campos and in palazzi that may otherwise be closed to the public.  May 11–Nov 24; more details to be announced (labiennale.org)  You never need an excuse to visit one of the world’s greatest art museums, but this year is the bicentenary of the founding of the Prado in Madrid, and the milestone will be marked by a series of major events and celebrations. Top of the exhibition bill is Fra Angelico and the Rise of the Florentine Renaissance, which will investigate the beginnings of the Florentine Renaissance art in the 1420s and 1430s with works by Fra Angelico alongside the key Florentine artists including Masaccio, Masolino, Uccello and Donatello.  New for this summer, Yorkshire Sculpture International (YSI) is a free 100-day festival major including new public commissions in Leeds and Wakefield and a programme of events and exhibitions across the four galleries that form the Yorkshire Sculpture Triangle: Henry Moore Institute, Leeds Art Gallery, The Hepworth Wakefield, and Yorkshire Sculpture Park.  Along with Vermeer, Pieter de Hooch is the most famous Delft artist of the Dutch Golden Age. In some ways his quietly atmospheric paintings capturing life in the courtyards, kitchens and drawing rooms of the time give more of an insight into the everyday world of the 17th century than Vermeer’s work. At Delft’s Museum Prinsenhof, Pieter de Hooch in Delft: From the Shadow of Vermeer will include some 30 paintings from museums and galleries around the world to form the first major retrospective of de Hooch in Holland.  The Bauhaus art school opened in Weimar in 1919, then moved to Dessau and then to Berlin. The clean, functional lines that underpinned its style made a lasting impact on architecture, art and design. To mark the centenary, events and exhibitions are happening all over Germany.  Flanders is commemorating the work of Pieter Bruegel 450 years after his death with a series of exhibitions and events, although there won’t be a major exhibition of his paintings (go to the Musée des Beaux Arts in Brussels and the Mayer Van den Bergh museum in Antwerp for these). Among the highlights, a new walking route in Dilbeek will you past the church and watermills that Bruegel painted and in the autumn the Royal Library of Belgium Brussels is showcasing Bruegel’s prints.  It’s hard to know where to start. The list of exhibitions in Paris this year is one of the most impressive line-ups I have ever known. The leading light is the Leonardo da Vinci show at the Louvre in October (see p25); but there are numerous highlights to take in before that, being held throughout 2019.  Red: Soviet Art at Grand Palais (grandpalais.fr; March 20–July 1); Dora Maar (Picasso’s muse) at Centre Pompidou (centrepompidou.fr; June 5–July 29; Berthe Morisot (impressionism) at Musée d’Orsay (musee-orsay.fr; June 18–Sept 22); Francis Bacon at Centre Pompidou (Sept 11–Jan 20 2020); Toulouse-Lautrec at Grand Palais (Oct 9–Jan 27 2020); El Greco at Grand Palais (Oct 27–Feb 10 2020)


thetelegraph--2019-01-16--The best opera and music holidays for 2019

Our experts round up the most exciting holidays in 2019 for fans of opera and music.  Each summer Ravenna stages a truly eclectic and original festival, which includes classical music, dance and theatre performances dispersed around some very special settings, from the city’s ancient monuments to its historic theatres, cloisters and palaces. Leading performers this year, the 30th anniversary, include Riccardo Muti, Maurizio Pollini (June 5) and John Neumeier’s Hamburg Ballet.  The villages of Lenox and Stockbridge in the Berkshire Hills, western Massachusetts, have been the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra for more than 80 years, and its annual Tanglewood festival is East Coast America’s most distinguished music event. Andris Nelsons, BSO music director, conducts 14 of the concerts and star performers include Emanuel Ax, Paul Lewis and Anne-Sophie Mutter. Tickets on sale Feb 10.  This year is the 70th anniversary of the Aspen Music Festival, one of the longest-running and most prestigious festivals in the United States. The 2019 programme has yet to be announced, but a typical eight-week summer season includes more than 400 classical music events – including concerts by five orchestras, solo and chamber music performances, fully staged opera productions, masterclasses, lectures, and children’s programming. Tickets and details available in February.  Each year, the festival reprises the season’s productions and premieres new ones. New for 2019 will be productions of Richard Strauss’s Salome and Handel’s Agrippina with Alice Coote in the title role. Treats among the 12 other operas to be performed include Anja Harteros in Andrea Chénier and Sonya Yoncheva as Norma, as well as performances of La traviata, L’elisir d’amore, The Marriage of Figaro and Turandot. Ticket requests will be processed from Feb 1.  Aspen’s great classical music rival in the Rocky Mountains is the Grand Teton, which has been held in Jackson Hole since 1962 and at its heart is a timber concert hall, the Walk Festival Hall, famous for its intimate atmosphere and excellent acoustics. Despite its relatively modest size, the hall attracts the greats – current music director is the Scottish conductor Donald Runnicles. The programme for 2019 is yet to be announced but subscriptions are on sale from Feb 1, single tickets from March 1.  The excitement is building in Salzburg both for this summer and for its centenary year in 2020. Bar the Proms, it is the world’s oldest music festival and this year it will pack in a staggering 199 performances in 43 days at 16 venues. This year’s theme is ‘Myths’ and includes premieres of Mozart’s Idomeneo and George Enescu’s opera Œdipe, a marathon reading of James Joyce’s Ulysses and the customary line-up of the world’s great musicians.  Jean Nouvel’s fabulous lakeside concert hall in Lucerne is the setting for one of Europe’s premier classical music festivals with an extraordinarily high standard of performances. In 2019, in his fourth year as music director of the festival orchestra, Riccardo Chailly is focusing on Russian symphonic music, with works by Rachmaninoff, Tchaikovsky, and Stravinsky. But there is plenty of variety – for example Bernard Haitink is conducting a Schubert and Mahler concert.  The Staatsopera Unter den Linden reopened after major restoration at the end of 2017 and this festival of Baroque opera was launched a year later with three operas and 13 concerts. It was a huge success and the second edition will take place next November. The full programme has yet to be announced, but will feature works by Scarlatti and Henry Purcell.


thetelegraph--2019-01-28--10 of the best sailing holidays for 2019

This year's finest sailing adventures including everything from to a skippered yacht tour of Croatia to a dinghy exploration of Europe’s largest saltwater lagoon.  The British Virgin Islands, with their sheltered coves, white-sand beaches, steady winds and straightforward line-of sight navigation, are an excellent cruising ground for a winter sailing holiday. You will need a day-skipper qualification to hire a boat without a crew, however.  Moorings Exclusive 4500 from £1,940 per person for seven nights based on six people sharing, including flights. Food and transfers excluded. Departs year-round. The Moorings (moorings.co.uk).  Prefer to sleep ashore than on a boat? New to the portfolio of activity specialist Neilson is Mar Menor Beachclub in the south-eastern region of Murcia, which has 139 rooms and five suites located next to Europe’s largest saltwater lagoon. The price of a stay includes unlimited use of sailing dinghies including Lasers, Toppers, Darts and RS Aeros, and RYA-approved courses are available to book on arrival.  Mar Menor Beachclub from £839 per person for seven nights including most meals, flights and transfers. Departures from July until October. Neilson Active Holidays (neilson.co.uk).  New to the fleet of two dozen sailing ships offered by tall ship specialist Classic Sailing is the Santa Maria Manuela – a 22ft, four-masted schooner built in 1937 and once the flagship of the Portuguese cod fishing fleet. A crew of 24 look after 50 passengers berthed in two, four and six-person cabins, with an island-hopping itinerary in the Azores planned for August.  Santa Maria Manuela in the Azores from €765 (£665) per person (reduced from €850 until Feb 28) for seven nights including all meals. Excludes flights and transfers. Departs weekly in August 2019. Classic Sailing (classic-sailing.co.uk).  A skippered yacht not only makes sense if you are new to sailing but can also be a good option for more experienced sailors who want to explore new areas. Sail Croatia offers private yacht tours with a choice of one-way or circular itineraries departing from Split or Dubrovnik. The yachts call in at selected Adriatic islands including Brac, Hvar, Mljet and Vis, used as a filming location for Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again.  Spring Special Private Yacht Tour from €2,759  for up to six people sharing for seven nights including transfers. Excludes food and flights. Departs April and May 2019. Sail Croatia (sail-croatia.com).  Gulet cruises are an ideal way to explore the Turkish coast, but it can be rare for crews to turn off the engines and unfurl the sails for a quieter passage. Cultural tour specialist Peter Sommer Travels offers an autumn gulet cruise that includes walks and visits to archaeological sites. Two free days are built into the itinerary, allowing ample opportunity to experience a gulet under sail (weather permitting).  Walking and Cruising the Lycian Shore from £4,075 per person for 14 nights including full board and transfers. Excludes flights. Departs Sept 28 2019. Peter Sommer Travels (petersommer.com).  Borneo is the newest destination to feature in the south-east Asia itineraries offered by tall ship specialist Star Clippers. The four-masted Star Clipper, carrying 170 guests and 74 crew, sails from Kota Kinabalu in northern Borneo to Singapore, calling in at Pulau Tiga island, Bandar Seri Begawan (the capital of Brunei) and the Malaysian cities of Miri, Bintulu and Kuching.  Borneo Westbound from £1,791 per person for 10 nights full board (including a 20 per cent discount if booked by Jan 31). Excludes flights and transfers. Departs May and October 2019. Star Clippers (starclippers.co.uk).  With the right conditions, British waters rival anywhere in the world for exciting sailing and spectacular coastal scenery. That’s why Wilderness Scotland offers two itineraries that take in the Inner Hebrides islands which lie off the west coast. The 75-year old gaff-cutter Eda Frandsen departs from Mallaig, west of Fort William, taking passengers on a week-long exploration of the islands of Eilean Shona, Eigg, Muck, Canna and Skye. Private charters also available.  Sailing Journeys: the Inner Hebrides from £925 per person for six nights including all meals. Departs May, June and August. Wilderness Scotland (wildernessscotland.com).  You don’t need yachting qualifications or even previous sailing experience to join a flotilla on a holiday offered by Greek Island specialist Sailing Holidays. However, if you are nervous, for the first couple of days experienced crew are available to help on board when required (for a fee of €90 a day). Sheltered harbours and light winds make the South Ionian Islands ideal for relaxed, sociable sailing for families and groups of friends in flotillas of 10 to 12 boats, guided by a lead yacht,  Kefalonia Flotilla from £1,095 per person for seven nights based on six people sharing a Beneteau 361 yacht, including flights and transfers. Departs April to October. Sailing Holidays (sailingholidays.com).  Sailors of all abilities and ages are well-catered for at the long-established Minorca Sailing school, based in the Bay of Fornells on the north coast of this small Spanish island. Accommodation options include self-catering apartments, private villas and small hotels, all within easy reach of the sailing centre at Ses Salines. The price of your stay covers RYA sailing and windsurfing tuition and use of an extensive fleet of dinghies. Structured days include morning briefings and daily race programmes.  Sailing week from £1,160 per person for seven nights, self-catering, including flights and transfers. Departures from May to October. Minorca Sailing (minorcasailing.co.uk).  When it comes to sailing boats, the traditional felucca is about as straightforward as it gets. Its simple design, with a wide hull and triangular “lateen” sail, is ideally suited to the calm waters and gentle winds of the Nile, and a makeshift awning provides overnight shelter. Adventure operator On The Go Tours includes a three-day felucca cruise on all its Egyptian itineraries.  King Tutankhamun tour from £633 per person (including 15 per cent discount if booked by Feb 28 2019) for eight nights including some meals and transfers. Excludes flights. Departures year-round. On The Go Tours (onthegotours.com).


thetelegraph--2019-01-28--Where is hot in February The 10 best holiday destinations

Where is hot in February? The 10 best holiday destinations

February can be as bleak a concept as January in terms of the European weather. But with school half-term holidays falling in the middle of the month, parents have the opportunity to whisk their children to a destination where the sun shines in earnest.  This may cause crowded beaches in popular places, but with the Caribbean at its hottest and driest, there is plenty of time for travellers without offspring to find their own escape zone.  The twin-island nation on the opposite side of the planet is rarely an obvious choice for travellers in search of sunshine – but there is much to be said for a tour of New Zealand as February clicks into gear. This is the last month of pure summer in this portion of the Southern Hemisphere (the equivalent of August in Europe) – and if autumn is just starting to flicker upon the trees of the South Island, this only adds to the romance of a road trip.  The best hotels in New Zealand  Florida’s most party-centric city never needs an excuse to stay out late, and the bars and restaurants of South Beach will be in full swing if you choose to visit in February. However, the advantage of the second month of the year is that while the Spring Break rush – which turns the metropolis into one giant mass of whooping college students – is yet to materialise, the temperature gauge is still nicely slotted into the Twenties Celsius.  The best hotels in Miami  There aren’t many European hot spots in February, but Spain’s most southerly province is a decent bet. Head there at the end of February and 20C days are possible. Annie Bennett, our expert to the region, suggests exploring the Costa Tropical, in the province of Granada, a coastline of coves and Moorish watchtowers. “A quirk of climate means that dense groves of mangos, avocados, custard apples, bananas and other exotic crops flank the Mediterranean,” she writes. “The protection of the Sierra Nevada and the warm winds blowing over from north Africa create a subtropical microclimate with 320 days of sunshine a year and mild temperatures even in winter.”  The city of Jerez is another good bet. Its flamenco festival kicks off on February 22.  St Lucia is one of the Caribbean’s most coveted destinations – and with good reason. Its west coast is home to some of the planet’s loveliest beaches, including the golden strip of Anse Chastanet – while the twin volcanic bluffs of Gros and Petit Piton offer hiking and climbing challenges, as well as wonderful photos. All of this is served up in temperatures which cling to the upper twenties Celsius, not least in the dry season of December-May.  The best hotels in St Lucia  Along with its smaller companion Nevis, St Kitts is a Caribbean “Little and Large” act. The bigger island has an intriguing south-coast capital in Basseterre, and a sandy crescent on its southern tip in the form of Turtle Beach. Its friend across the tiny channel of The Narrows is just as enticing, its charm visible on Nisbet and Oualie Beaches. Both isles are quiet outcrops that do not rouse themselves to wild nightlife – and are all the better for it.  The best hotels in St Kitts  There can be no doubt that America’s mid-Pacific archipelago requires quite a journey from the UK, and an 11-hour slug of jetlag once you arrive. But there are few better cures for such time difference than the soft sands of Waikiki Beach – the sunshine strip which adorns the southern edge of the state capital Honolulu, on Oahu. And the sight of the volcanic titans Kilauea and Mauna Loa, on the “Big Island”, is sure to awaken the senses.  The best hotels in Hawaii  Neither as grandstanding as Dubai, nor as grand as Abu Dhabi (whose long-in-percolation outpost of the Louvre opened last year, while the Guggenheim has yet to be unveiled), Oman is the calmer cousin of the Arabian Peninsula. But it should not be underestimated as a possibility for winter sun. Both Zighy Bay and Sur are alluring places for beach escapes; Muscat is a city of underappreciated culture and sophistication.  The best hotels in Oman  Let us deal in statistics. Some 1,192 islets and coral outcrops – stretched across 26 atolls and 35,000 square miles of water – make up this archipelago nation in the Indian Ocean. Very few of these soft shards veer away from the template – golden sands, swaying palm trees, azure shallows. If you want variety of terrain, do not visit the Maldives. If you want temperatures in the thirties Celsius and unrestrained beach luxury, you have chosen well.  The best hotels in the Maldives  This feted slice of sand and sunshine is a continental junction box – officially African in that it is part of Tanzania, seductively Middle Eastern in the mercantile heritage of Stone Town (which was once the capital of Oman), temptingly tropical in the way the Indian Ocean laps at its sides. Of course, this clash of cultures only makes Zanzibar more exotic – and the weather is largely reliable, flirting with the thirties Celsius as February dawns.  The best hotels in Zanzibar  The world’s third largest island is a natural haven, and so big that it is split between three countries. Indonesia and Brunei have their share of the landmass, but it is the Malaysian portion of Borneo that is of most interest to visitors – whether they take in Kuching (the capital of the state of Sarawak), hike up Mount Kinabalu in Sabah, or opt to doze on the beaches which fringe the west coast – or in the rainforest lodges cossetted in the interior.  The best hotels in Malaysia  Where to go on holiday in October   Where to go on holiday in November   Where to go on holiday in December   Where to go on holiday in January   Where to go on holiday in February   Where to go on holiday in March  Or to find the best destinations for the rest of the year try The Heatseeker, our interactive online tool


thetelegraph--2019-01-30--Independent travel is the best thing you can do for your family why DIY holidays beat a big-reso

‘Independent travel is the best thing you can do for your family’ – why DIY holidays beat a big-resort break

Several years ago, I treated my family to a stay in a swish resort hotel in Andalucia. The place had a swimming pool for every day of the week and a man who would drive us to our room and back in a zippy little golf cart. We checked in and tuned out and quickly discovered that doing absolutely nothing was absolute bliss. For a day or two.  By mid-afternoon on the third day, I was plotting inland routes on a map I’d bought and hogging the hotel-lobby Wi-Fi to research farmhouse B&Bs. The resort was lovely, the staff couldn’t have been more helpful. But Spain’s most intoxicating region was right on our doorstep. And Córdoba was calling.  Travelling independently as a family is like taking a shared voyage of discovery. It builds up a picture of a place and its people, between you, that goes far beyond the experiential footprint offered by a single hotel.  Our first big trip as parents, a guidebook update (OK, so we jumped in at the deep end), was a six-week tour of Costa Rica with a toddler in tow. Our daughter soaked in volcanic hot springs and took night walks through the jungle. She danced with old waiters in roadside restaurants and saw sloths and toucans and moths as big as dinner plates. And she traded travel stories with a young girl on the flight home whose memories of her Pacific-coast resort revolved around the size of the breakfast buffet. The girl had loved every minute of her holiday, but she’d proved the point.  Then there’s the freedom and the flexibility.  Not just where to go but when. With independent family travel, there’s no group schedule to follow, no disinterested parties waiting on the bus. You can visit first thing in the morning or stay there overnight. In Mostar one time, we followed a flock of Chinese tourists as they filed across the rebuilt Stari Most bridge and methodically shopped their way through the stalls selling Ottoman trinkets on Kujundžiluk street; returning after dark, with the day-trippers long departed, we had the cobbled streets of the Old Town almost to ourselves.  With freedom and flexibility comes variety, too. On our trips to Morocco, we stay in Fassi riads filled with birdsong and tinkling fountains, under thick Berber blankets in mountain houses high up in the Atlas, in sun-baked kasbahs made of cracked mud and straw. Each one is different to the last, each one gives us a little extra insight into the customs and culture of the country.  At the end of a holiday we’d planned round Thailand, our kids spent the long-tail boat journey back through Phang Nga Bay chatting about whether they’d enjoyed the open-sided truck rides through Khao Yai National Park the most, or the noisy express boats that ply the Chao Phraya in Bangkok, or the little carriage we’d all shared on our overnight train journey up to Chiang Mai. You just don’t get those kinds of discussions when you stay put in one place, when you stay put at one kind of place.  It doesn’t have to be an either-or.  You could tag a couple of nights at a beach resort onto the end of a more adventurous independent trip. Or pick and mix your perks by taking the most appealing aspects of a resort hotel (their airport pick-up service, say) and organising them yourself. That way, you’re still ensuring that most of your holiday budget is funnelled directly into the local economy – another benefit of going it alone.  Independent travel can be more challenging. It certainly takes more time and effort, poring over maps, sifting through reviews and shaping a hundred possibilities into a single itinerary. But, for us, the rewards are far greater, the memories burn that much brighter. We’ve seen our children become more confident and more curious. And they’ve seen us do the same.  Are big resorts better than DIY holidays? Which family holidays do you remember most fondly? Let us know using the comment box below.    A former managing editor at Rough Guides, Keith Drew now runs the new independent family-travel website, lijoma.com.


thetelegraph--2019-04-08--10 of best mountain hiking holidays for 2019

There's no view that looks as good - or feels as deserved - as that which can be enjoyed from a mountain top. From the Rockies to the Remarkables, here are some of the world's finest holidays for those that like nothing more than climbing a good peak.  Not for the faint-hearted, the hike up to Everest’s base camp takes nine to 10 demanding days of walking (from four to nine hours per day). High-peaks specialist The Mountain Company offers an itinerary that includes a couple of nights in Kathmandu to acclimatise, before following in the footsteps of Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay. Accommodation is in the best lodges available, some with en suite bathrooms.  Luxury Everest Base Camp from £2,895 B&B for 19 days including all meals on the trek and transfers. Excludes flights. Departs March to May and September to December. The Mountain Company (themountaincompany.co.uk).  The four national parks of the Canadian Rockies were listed as Unesco World Heritage Site in 1984 and you don’t have to be a hardy walker to enjoy the spectacular landscapes. Group-tour specialist Mountain Kingdoms offers an itinerary of scenic but easy walking from comfortable bases around Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper and Kananaskis. The most challenging itinerary is on day three with a walk to Helen Lake at 7,776ft.  Gentle Walking Canadian Rockies from £3,245 for 12 nights including most meals, flights and transfers. Departs July to September. Mountain Kingdoms (mountainkingdoms.com).  The UK may not have the highest mountains in the world, but it does have some of the most scenic. Take the family for a week trekking, ghyll scrambling, climbing and abseiling. Based in the Keswick Country House Hotel in the Lake District’s Borrowdale Valley, outdoor specialist Activities Abroad offers a flexible itinerary where families with children aged eight and above can pick and choose from a range of activities in groups of up to 24 people.  Family Holiday in the Lake District from £565 for six nights half-board, including transfers. Departs April to October. Activities Abroad (activitiesabroad.com).  One of Europe’s most spectacular rail journeys is between Zermatt and St Moritz aboard the Glacier Express, which climbs from the Rhine Valley to the Oberalp Pass (6,706ft) for views of the snow-capped Italian Alps. Also breathtaking is the Bernina Line, which extends south from Chur, crossing deep ravines and the Bernina Pass (7,638ft). The escorted tour specialist Great Rail Holidays offers a week-long itinerary that includes both these iconic journeys.  Traditional Glacier Express 2019 from £1,245 B&B for seven nights including five dinners and standard rail travel from St Pancras. Departs April to September. Great Rail Journeys (greatrail.com).  Mount Cook is New Zealand’s highest peak (at 12,218ft) surrounded by some of the most spectacular scenery on the South Island. Walking specialist Ramblers Holidays explores this region within a fortnight’s itinerary that also includes hikes in Mount Aspiring National Park, Ben Lomond and the Remarkables mountain range, which overlooks Lake Wakatipu. There’s also an option to walk the Milford Track.  South Island Discovery from £5,350 B&B for 17 nights including flights, transfers and eight meals. Departs November, February and March. Ramblers Holidays (ramblersholidays.co.uk).  From St-Jean-de-Luz on the Atlantic coast to Banyuls-sur-Mer on the Mediterranean, this 434-mile (700km) trail is a bucket-list ride for keen cyclists. Following the Tour de France route, the itinerary takes in the challenging cols of Aubisque, Aspin and Peyresourde, and the highest, Col du Tourmalet at 6,939ft. The reward for cycling from 39 to 75 miles (62-120km) per day is the spectacular scenery running the length of the border between France and Spain.  Trans Pyrenees Challenge from £1,995 for nine nights half-board with transfers. Excludes flights and bike hire (£225). Departs Aug 23, 2019. Saddle Skedaddle (skedaddle.com).  Corsica’s 112-mile (180km) GR20 is one of Europe’s most iconic walks – and one of the most challenging. From Calenzana in the south, to Conca in the north, the entire trail takes around two weeks to complete. Outdoors specialist KE Adventure has cherry-picked the best stretches in the northwest corner including ascending to Punta Mezzella at 7,238ft and the spectacular ridge walk from Lac de Nino to Castel di Vergio, staying in small hotels and national park refuges.  Best of Corsica’s GR20 from £1,195 for seven nights full-board including transfers. Excludes flights. Departs July to September. KE Adventure (keadventure.com).  Looking for a family expedition in the Alps? Fancy a hand with the luggage? Hiking specialist Sherpa Expeditions offers a week-long tour of Mont Blanc with donkeys to carry your bags. The 60-mile (97km) trek through the foothills of western Europe’s highest peak includes accommodation in alpine villages and mountain huts. Suitable for families with children aged from seven years, the tour starts in Courmayeur with three to six hours walking per day, finishing in Le Tour.  Mont Blanc Family Adventure from £603 for six nights full-board. Excludes flights and transfers. Departs June to August. UTracks (utracks.com).  So revered are mountains in Japan that the country has an annual Mountain Day public holiday on Aug 11. An itinerary with Inside Japan Tours focuses on this aspect of the country’s landscape with tough hikes in group sizes of up to 14. The trip highlight is an ascent of Mount Fuji with an early start to watch the sunrise. Also Japan’s third-highest peak Hotaka Dake, and the ancient Nakasendo Way.  Historic Mountain Trails from £2,895 B&B for 13 nights including eight dinners and arrival transfer. Excludes flights. Departs July 21 2019 and July 19 2020. Inside Japan Tours (insidejapantours.com).  The highest peak in the Atlas Mountains, Mount Toubkal (13,671ft), is a rewarding two-day climb for walkers with a reasonable level of fitness and the ability to cope with altitude. Since the start of the climb is within two hours’ drive of Marrakech, it makes sense to spend a couple of days exploring this city from a comfortable hotel base, before braving the basic refuge accommodation on the mountain.  Mount Toubkal trek from £332 B&B for six nights with some meals. Excludes flights and transfers. May to September. Intrepid Travel (intrepidtravel.com).


thetelegraph--2019-04-12--The five best destinations for a family holiday in April

Whether Easter is early or late, as it is this year, the April school holidays offer grand scope for a family trip. You could fly long-haul for culture or reliable beachy sunshine, or you might seek an active break somewhere in Europe, enjoying the very first rays of springtime sun.  The quickest way to a sunny break is a four-hour flight to the Canary Islands. Choose the best island for your family using our guide. Tenerife and Lanzarote have the most child-focused hotels - Princesa Yaiza on the latter is a perennial favourite, thanks to its all-singing and dancing kids’ club and spa. Tots to Travel offers villas geared up for babies and toddlers on either island. For older children, consider packages from operators like Cachet Travel, Classic Collection, Prestige Holidays, Thomas Cook and TUI.  The mildest climate in the Med can be found in Cyprus, where you should see highs of 21C, and nine hours of sunshine a day - refreshing for anyone emerging from a British winter. In April, the wild flowers are in bloom, and you’re well before peak season, so operators offer reasonable packages. Paphos is the main resort, and the north coast of the Akamas peninsula is the place to go to escape package holidays. See our experts’ favourite hotels or holiday offers.  This is an excellent time of year for a trip to the Caribbean; the longer Easter holiday will allow you to recover from jetlag and have plenty of time to relax on the beach. The region took a hard blow last autumn when two category five hurricanes passed through, but while there was devastation, more than 70 per cent of the Caribbean remains open for - and in need of - business.  For real seclusion, head to the beautiful island of Nevis, either to the Four Seasons resort, with its golf and watersports, or to the more low-key but very pretty Nisbet Plantation. Both are waterside (unusual on Nevis). For keenly priced trips, search Thomas Cook for destinations including Antigua.  The long Easter holiday is the perfect time for a long-haul cultural trip before the heat of the summer months, and this is the perfect time of year to visit Japan. Read our expert’s guide to the best things to see and do in Japan, or explore this range of tours with some of the Telegraph’s favourite operators to Japan, including Trafalgar and Wendy Wu.  If you’re after sun and theme parks but also fancy a bit of monumental landscapes, fitness and culture, California is a treat. Our expert reckons Disneyland is the best of Walt Disney’s parks for charm and climate. Read our guide to the best museums and activities - and why a native New Yorker believes it’s superior to the Big Apple for a family holiday.  Even if you can’t get much time off work, a long weekend to a European city offers a chance to learn and indulge in some culinary explorations. Whether you sign up for a ThatMuse scavenger hunt in Paris or London, a marionette opera in Vienna, or a gladiator lesson in Rome, there are plenty of ways to make the best of European culture accessible to even the youngest visitors.


thetelegraph--2019-04-29--The best ski holiday bargains and deals for next winter to book now

For the best chance of bagging a real bargain, now is the time for skiers and snowboarders to book their next winter holiday.  With the dust settling on the 2018/19 ski season and summer in the air companies are beginning to advertise their best early-bird deals, rewarding those who can be organised enough to set a date for their next trip to the mountains. From huge discounts, flash sales, low deposits and free lift passes to deals on added extras such as free childcare and equipment, here’s our round-up of the best offers.  Deals and prices are subject to availability. This page is updated regularly with the latest deals at the top.  Ski Line has released prices for 2019/20 trips, including peak dates. A week’s New Year ski holiday in La Plagne costs from £673 per person. The price includes self-catered accommodation at La Licorne residence and flights from London Gatwick, departing December 28 2019. Seven nights during February half term at Hotel Les Fleurs in Morzine costs from £814 per person. The price includes half board, flights from Edinburgh, departing February 17 2020.  Skiworld is running early-booking discounts on trips to Canada, including chance to save up to 50 per cent on Whistler holidays. 10 nights at the Westin Resort and Spa in Whistler Village costs from £1,199 per person. The price includes accommodation, flights from transfers, departing November 30 2019. Bookings must be made by June 30 2019. Other deals to resorts such as Banff, Lake Louise and Panorama have varying deadlines.  VIP Ski is offering the chance to save £100 per person on early-bookings at the four-bedroom luxury Chalet Madrisah in Val d’Isère. A seven-night stay costs from £1,069 per person, saving £100 each. The price includes chalet board, flights and transfers, departing January 2020.  Ski Safari has a number of early-bird deals including lift passes. Skiers wanting to head across the pond can save up to 50 per cent on accommodation in Copper Mountain, USA, when they book a lift pass and stay at Copper Mountain Condos. A 10-night stay at the three-star Condos costs from £1,495 per person. The price includes accommodation for four adults, flights, nine-day lift pass and transfers or car hire. A little closer to home a seven-night stay at the three-star Larix hotel in Saas Fee, Switzerland, costs from £1,205 per person, an special early booking rate. The price includes bed and breakfast, flights, train transfers and six-day lift pass.  Peak Retreats is offering chance to save 10 per cent on trips to the Trois Vallées next season. A week’s stay at the four-star five-bedroom Chalet Rose, with its own outdoor hot tub, sauna, home cinema and games room, in Saint Martin de Belleville costs from £518 per person. The price includes self-catered accommodation for 14 people and FlexiPlus Eurotunnel crossing for three cars, arriving April 1 2020.  Crystal Ski Holidays is offering £150 off any Canadian ski holiday for next winter, using the code EARLY. Seven nights at the Canalta Lodge in Banff costs from £1,009, excluding discount. The price includes bed and breakfast and flights from London Heathrow, departing February 26 2020. There’s also free ski carriage with Air Canada flights.  Inghams has a number of offers currently running for early bookers, including free group places and two-for-one lift passes. There’s also chance to make the most of big discounts on trips to resorts all over the world. A week at Hotel Le Mottaret in Méribel costs from £1,548 per person, saving £320 each. The price includes full board, flights from London Stansted and transfers, departing January 25 2020. The operator is also bringing back six nights catering in all its chalets and chalet hotels, after a dramatic change to its model last season.  Alpine Elements has frozen its prices on 2019/20 ski holidays. A Christmas trip to Morzine staying at Chalet Flo costs from £761 per person, at a special early book rate. The price includes chalet board for six nights, flights from Gatwick and transfers, departing December 22 2019. Groups can also benefit from a number savings including two free places, free equipment hire and free lift passes.  Iglu Ski is offering a number of deals for early-bookers, including two-for-one equipment hire when pre-booking lift passes on most deals, plus reduced prices. A week at Chalet Hotel de Champoluc in Champoluc costs from £774 per person. The price includes chalet board, flights from Gatwick and transfers, departing January 4 2020.  Ski Line is offering up to 15 per cent off all inclusive ski holidays. Seven nights at Club Med’s La Plagne residence costs from £1,115 per person, reduced from £1,310. The price includes all meals drinks, lift passes, lessons, flights and transfers, departing January 12 2020.


thetelegraph--2019-05-15--The best ski holiday bargains and deals for next winter to book now

For the best chance of bagging a real bargain, now is the time for skiers and snowboarders to book their next winter holiday.  With the dust settling on the 2018/19 ski season and summer in the air companies are beginning to advertise their best early-bird deals, rewarding those who can be organised enough to set a date for their next trip to the mountains. From huge discounts, flash sales, low deposits and free lift passes to deals on added extras such as free childcare and equipment, here’s our round-up of the best offers.  Deals and prices are subject to availability. This page is updated regularly with the latest deals at the top.  Peak Retreats is offering the chance to save 15 per cent on Christmas trips to Val Cenis. A seven night self-catered stay at the four-star Chalet de Flambeau apartments costs from £358 per person, reduced from £413. The price includes accommodation for five in a two-bedroom apartment and return Eurotunnel crossing with free Flexiplus upgrade, arriving December 21 2019.  Ski Collection is offering the chance to save 10 per cent off trips to Alpe d’Huez and Les Menuires on dates throughout the season. A week at the four-star Cristal de l’alpe apartments in Alpe d’Huez, which has an indoor pool and spa, costs from £253 per person. The price includes self-catered accommodation for five in a two-bedroom apartment and return Eurotunnel crossing with free Flexiplus upgrade, arriving December 14 2019. A week at the four-star Les Clarines apartments 100m from the slopes in Les Menuires costs from £270. The price includes self-catered accommodation for five in a two-bedroom apartment and return Eurotunnel crossing with free Flexiplus upgrade, arriving January 4 2020.  Le Ski has a number of offers available on bookings made before July 31. Guests visiting its chalets in Val d’Isere, Courchevel or La Tania at Christmas or in January will receive a free six-day lift pass. There are free places for under sevens and half-price places for seven to 12 year olds available on date throughout the season. Loyal Le Ski visitors, who have booked three times or more with the operator, can also receive an additional 10 per cent off their holiday if they book again for next winter. All these offers apply to bookings made, with deposits paid before July 31 2019.  Ski Line has released prices for 2019/20 trips, including peak dates. A week’s New Year ski holiday in La Plagne costs from £673 per person. The price includes self-catered accommodation at La Licorne residence and flights from London Gatwick, departing December 28 2019. Seven nights during February half term at Hotel Les Fleurs in Morzine costs from £814 per person. The price includes half board, flights from Edinburgh, departing February 17 2020.  Skiworld is running early-booking discounts on trips to Canada, including chance to save up to 50 per cent on Whistler holidays. 10 nights at the Westin Resort and Spa in Whistler Village costs from £1,199 per person. The price includes accommodation, flights from transfers, departing November 30 2019. Bookings must be made by June 30 2019. Other deals to resorts such as Banff, Lake Louise and Panorama have varying deadlines.  VIP Ski is offering the chance to save £100 per person on early-bookings at the four-bedroom luxury Chalet Madrisah in Val d’Isère. A seven-night stay costs from £1,069 per person, saving £100 each. The price includes chalet board, flights and transfers, departing January 2020.  Ski Safari has a number of early-bird deals including lift passes. Skiers wanting to head across the pond can save up to 50 per cent on accommodation in Copper Mountain, USA, when they book a lift pass and stay at Copper Mountain Condos. A 10-night stay at the three-star Condos costs from £1,495 per person. The price includes accommodation for four adults, flights, nine-day lift pass and transfers or car hire. A little closer to home a seven-night stay at the three-star Larix hotel in Saas Fee, Switzerland, costs from £1,205 per person, an special early booking rate. The price includes bed and breakfast, flights, train transfers and six-day lift pass.  Peak Retreats is offering chance to save 10 per cent on trips to the Trois Vallées next season. A week’s stay at the four-star five-bedroom Chalet Rose, with its own outdoor hot tub, sauna, home cinema and games room, in Saint Martin de Belleville costs from £518 per person. The price includes self-catered accommodation for 14 people and FlexiPlus Eurotunnel crossing for three cars, arriving April 1 2020.  Crystal Ski Holidays is offering £150 off any Canadian ski holiday for next winter, using the code EARLY. Seven nights at the Canalta Lodge in Banff costs from £1,009, excluding discount. The price includes bed and breakfast and flights from London Heathrow, departing February 26 2020. There’s also free ski carriage with Air Canada flights.  Inghams has a number of offers currently running for early bookers, including free group places and two-for-one lift passes. There’s also chance to make the most of big discounts on trips to resorts all over the world. A week at Hotel Le Mottaret in Méribel costs from £1,548 per person, saving £320 each. The price includes full board, flights from London Stansted and transfers, departing January 25 2020. The operator is also bringing back six nights catering in all its chalets and chalet hotels, after a dramatic change to its model last season.  Alpine Elements has frozen its prices on 2019/20 ski holidays. A Christmas trip to Morzine staying at Chalet Flo costs from £761 per person, at a special early book rate. The price includes chalet board for six nights, flights from Gatwick and transfers, departing December 22 2019. Groups can also benefit from a number savings including two free places, free equipment hire and free lift passes.  Iglu Ski is offering a number of deals for early-bookers, including two-for-one equipment hire when pre-booking lift passes on most deals, plus reduced prices. A week at Chalet Hotel de Champoluc in Champoluc costs from £774 per person. The price includes chalet board, flights from Gatwick and transfers, departing January 4 2020.  Ski Line is offering up to 15 per cent off all inclusive ski holidays. Seven nights at Club Med’s La Plagne residence costs from £1,115 per person, reduced from £1,310. The price includes all meals drinks, lift passes, lessons, flights and transfers, departing January 12 2020.


thetelegraph--2019-07-23--20 of the best family walks for the summer holidays

We love walking with the family. As it warms up a bit and nature starts coming back to life after the long winter months, there’s so much for the kids to explore and do. We started walking as a family early – and as a result our children are growing up with a sense of the amazing outdoor world and all it holds.  At this time of year the children love to play games spotting wildlife, and in the spring we all enjoy looking for new-born lambs as they start appearing across the countryside. We learn something new every time we go walking by challenging ourselves to identify different types of cloud, plants or animal tracks. Sometimes it can be fun to add a bit of adventure to the walk by letting the...


thetelegraph--2019-07-24--The best ski holiday bargains and deals for next winter to book now

For the best chance of bagging a real bargain, now is the time for skiers and snowboarders to book their next winter holiday.  With summer in full swing ski companies have begun to advertise their best early-bird deals, rewarding those who can be organised enough to set a date for their next trip to the mountains. From huge discounts, flash sales, low deposits and free lift passes to deals on added extras such as free childcare and equipment, here’s our round-up of the best offers.  Deals and prices are subject to availability. This page is updated regularly with the latest deals at the top.  Crystal Ski Holidays is running a number of offers, including two-for-one lift passes, free child lift passes and £50 of childcare for next winter, all on selected holidays. A week’s self catering at Christmas at the three-star Coeur Des Ours Apartments in Les Deux Alpes costs from £719 per person. The price includes apartment accommodation, flights from Stansted and transfers, departing December 21 2019.  Peak Retreats is offering 15 per cent off Christmas trips to Samöens, France. A week in a four-star apartment, with pool and spa access, for five people costs from £364 per person. The price includes accommodation for five in a two-bedroom apartment and Eurotunnel crossing, arriving December 21 2019.  Skiworld is offering the chance to save £100 per person when groups book an entire chalet. A week at Chalet Yves in Les Arcs, which sleeps seven, costs from £697 per person, saving £700 total. The price includes chalet board, flights and transfers, departing December 21 2019. If groups book a three-five star chalet they will receive a free upgrade worth £39 per person, which includes wine on arrival, cheese board and after-dinner treats.  SkiLine is offering the chance to save up to £100 per person on Christmas, New Year and half term trips, until July 31. A week at Chalet Furka in Lech, which sleeps 14, costs from £1,214 per person. The price is based on the whole chalet being occupied and includes chalet board, flights from Gatwick and transfers, departing December 28 2019.  Action Outdoors is offering a 5 per cent discount on all UCPA all-inclusive holidays booked between August 5 and September 10. It’s first trips of the season depart November 28 to snow-sure Val Thorens or Les Deux Alpes and costs from £277 per person. The price includes three nights full-board accommodation, lift pass and equipment hire. All packages are on sale August 5.  Esprit Ski has launched its holidays for next winter including a range of new hotels in Austria and France and its returns to offering six nights catering in its chalets. A week at Chalet Arnica in La Rosiere costs from £758. The price includes chalet board, flights from Gatwick and transfers, based on a family of four sharing a quad room, departing January 5 2020. Returning customers will receive between five and 10 per cent discount on their holidays.  Ski Collection is offering up to 20 per cent off trips to Méribel throughout the season. A week self catering at Residence l’Hevana, with pool and spa access plus kids area and restaurant costs from £351 per person. The price includes accommodation for five in a two-bedroom apartment and Eurotunnel crossing, arriving January 11 2020.  SkiLine has a number of deals on holidays to some of the Alps’ biggest resorts next winter. Seven nights self catering at ski-in/ski-out Le Cheval Blanc apartments in Val Thorens costs from £334 per person. The price includes accommodation for four in a three-star apartment and flights from London Gatwick, departing January 11 2020.  Peak Retreats is offering 10 per cent off luxury half term holidays in St Martin de Belleville. Seven nights at four-star Chalet Violet with private hot tub and terrace costs from £726 per person. The price includes self-catered accommodation for eight people and Eurotunnel crossing for two vehicles, arriving February 15 2020.  Inghams has announced it has added Japan to its destination list for 2019/20. A five-night split-destination trip to Tokyo and Hakuba costs from £1,869 per person. The price includes bed and breakfast accommodation, flights from London Heathrow, transfers and lift passes, departing December 14 2019, February 29 2020 or March 7 and 14 2020.  Inghams is running a number of bolt-on offers including, 50 per cent off equipment hire or ski carriage when guests pre-book lift passes, free places and lift passes and private transfers for groups and free child places for families.  Skiworld is running a sale with the chance to save up to £560 per person on its ski-all-in packages, that include lift passes and equipment hire, until Monday July 15. A week at Chalet Yves in Les Arcs costs from £726 per person, saving £360 each. The price includes chalet board, flights, transfers, lift pass and equipment hire or carriage, departing February 8 2020.  Ski Collection is offering the chance to save 20 per cent off trips to Les Menuires on peak dates throughout the season. A week at Les Alpages de Reberty apartments, which has an indoor pool, spa, children’s play area costs from £277 per person. The price includes a week’s self-catered accommodation in a two-bedroom apartment for five people and Eurotunnel crossing, arriving April 11 2020.  Skiworld is offering £100 off per person on group chalet bookings in any of its European resorts, with no date restrictions. A week’s stay at Chalet Leopold, which sleeps eight, in Meribel costs from £799 per person, saving £100 each. The price includes chalet board, flights, transfers, lift pass and equipment hire or carriage, departing March 14 2020. To qualify for the discount the entire chalet must be booked, this offer can be used in conjunction with other offers.  Esprit Ski is offering families the chance to save when they refer a friend. Guests will receive £100 towards a 2019/20 Esprit holiday for every family they introduce to book with them. The referred friend will also receive £50 towards their first holiday. There is no limit to the number of referrals and a unique booking code must be used to receive the saving.  SkiLine has a number of discounts running on peak holiday dates. A week’s self-catered stay at Residence Les Horizons d’Huez in Alpe d’Huez over New Year costs from £693 per person, reduced from £746. The price includes accommodation for six people, flights from London Gatwick and transfers, departing December 28 2019.  Crystal Ski Holidays has a number of special offers running, including BOGOF lift passes, plus reduced prices on packages for next winter. A week at the Radisson Blu Resort in Beitostolen in Norway costs from £470 per person. The price includes bed and breakfast, flights from London Gatwick and transfers, plus buy-one-get-one-free lift passes, departing January 19 2020.  Canadian Affair is running a summer sale with up to 40 per cent off ski hotel stays, plus an additional 10 per cent off early bookings. Seven nights room-only accommodation in Whistler costs from £1,355 per person, saving 40 per cent. The price includes accommodation, flights from London Heathrow and transfers. Book by June 14 to receive a further 10 per cent off.  Peak Retreats is offering the chance to save 15 per cent on Christmas trips to Val Cenis. A seven night self-catered stay at the four-star Chalet de Flambeau apartments costs from £358 per person, reduced from £413. The price includes accommodation for five in a two-bedroom apartment and return Eurotunnel crossing with free Flexiplus upgrade, arriving December 21 2019.  Ski Collection is offering the chance to save 10 per cent off trips to Alpe d’Huez and Les Menuires on dates throughout the season. A week at the four-star Cristal de l’alpe apartments in Alpe d’Huez, which has an indoor pool and spa, costs from £253 per person. The price includes self-catered accommodation for five in a two-bedroom apartment and return Eurotunnel crossing with free Flexiplus upgrade, arriving December 14 2019. A week at the four-star Les Clarines apartments 100m from the slopes in Les Menuires costs from £270. The price includes self-catered accommodation for five in a two-bedroom apartment and return Eurotunnel crossing with free Flexiplus upgrade, arriving January 4 2020.  Le Ski has a number of offers available on bookings made before July 31. Guests visiting its chalets in Val d’Isere, Courchevel or La Tania at Christmas or in January will receive a free six-day lift pass. There are free places for under sevens and half-price places for seven to 12 year olds available on date throughout the season. Loyal Le Ski visitors, who have booked three times or more with the operator, can also receive an additional 10 per cent off their holiday if they book again for next winter. All these offers apply to bookings made, with deposits paid before July 31 2019.  Ski Line has released prices for 2019/20 trips, including peak dates. A week’s New Year ski holiday in La Plagne costs from £673 per person. The price includes self-catered accommodation at La Licorne residence and flights from London Gatwick, departing December 28 2019. Seven nights during February half term at Hotel Les Fleurs in Morzine costs from £814 per person. The price includes half board, flights from Edinburgh, departing February 17 2020.  Skiworld is running early-booking discounts on trips to Canada, including chance to save up to 50 per cent on Whistler holidays. 10 nights at the Westin Resort and Spa in Whistler Village costs from £1,199 per person. The price includes accommodation, flights from transfers, departing November 30 2019. Bookings must be made by June 30 2019. Other deals to resorts such as Banff, Lake Louise and Panorama have varying deadlines.  VIP Ski is offering the chance to save £100 per person on early-bookings at the four-bedroom luxury Chalet Madrisah in Val d’Isère. A seven-night stay costs from £1,069 per person, saving £100 each. The price includes chalet board, flights and transfers, departing January 2020.  Ski Safari has a number of early-bird deals including lift passes. Skiers wanting to head across the pond can save up to 50 per cent on accommodation in Copper Mountain, USA, when they book a lift pass and stay at Copper Mountain Condos. A 10-night stay at the three-star Condos costs from £1,495 per person. The price includes accommodation for four adults, flights, nine-day lift pass and transfers or car hire. A little closer to home a seven-night stay at the three-star Larix hotel in Saas Fee, Switzerland, costs from £1,205 per person, an special early booking rate. The price includes bed and breakfast, flights, train transfers and six-day lift pass.  Peak Retreats is offering chance to save 10 per cent on trips to the Trois Vallées next season. A week’s stay at the four-star five-bedroom Chalet Rose, with its own outdoor hot tub, sauna, home cinema and games room, in Saint Martin de Belleville costs from £518 per person. The price includes self-catered accommodation for 14 people and FlexiPlus Eurotunnel crossing for three cars, arriving April 1 2020.  Crystal Ski Holidays is offering £150 off any Canadian ski holiday for next winter, using the code EARLY. Seven nights at the Canalta Lodge in Banff costs from £1,009, excluding discount. The price includes bed and breakfast and flights from London Heathrow, departing February 26 2020. There’s also free ski carriage with Air Canada flights.  Inghams has a number of offers currently running for early bookers, including free group places and two-for-one lift passes. There’s also chance to make the most of big discounts on trips to resorts all over the world. A week at Hotel Le Mottaret in Méribel costs from £1,548 per person, saving £320 each. The price includes full board, flights from London Stansted and transfers, departing January 25 2020. The operator is also bringing back six nights catering in all its chalets and chalet hotels, after a dramatic change to its model last season.  Alpine Elements has frozen its prices on 2019/20 ski holidays. A Christmas trip to Morzine staying at Chalet Flo costs from £761 per person, at a special early book rate. The price includes chalet board for six nights, flights from Gatwick and transfers, departing December 22 2019. Groups can also benefit from a number savings including two free places, free equipment hire and free lift passes.  Iglu Ski is offering a number of deals for early-bookers, including two-for-one equipment hire when pre-booking lift passes on most deals, plus reduced prices. A week at Chalet Hotel de Champoluc in Champoluc costs from £774 per person. The price includes chalet board, flights from Gatwick and transfers, departing January 4 2020.  Ski Line is offering up to 15 per cent off all inclusive ski holidays. Seven nights at Club Med’s La Plagne residence costs from £1,115 per person, reduced from £1,310. The price includes all meals drinks, lift passes, lessons, flights and transfers, departing January 12 2020.


thetelegraph--2019-08-21--Revisiting the Del Coronado Hotel scene of a classic film and my best childhood holiday

Revisiting the Del Coronado Hotel, scene of a classic film – and my best childhood holiday

This summer marks 60 years since cinema-goers first saw Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis totter up the stairs of the Del Coronado Hotel in matching dresses and frilly hats, the palm-fringed Pacific Ocean behind them, the hotel’s clapboard verandas and tiled turrets rising above them.  The San Diego resort’s rambling, Queen Anne revival architecture – like an ornate white wedding cake displayed against miles of pristine beach – so amazed the early audiences of Some Like It Hot that one critic slammed it as 'uproariously improbable'. The movie’s director, Billy Wilder, agreed that: “People who have never seen this beautiful hotel will never believe we didn’t make these scenes on a movie...