What is it? A three-night break in a medium-sized hotel away from the hustle and bustle of London life. Where? At the Hatherton Country House Hotel in Penkridge, Staffordshire, a sleepy market town set in beautiful countryside. Description: Penkridge is a sleepy market town far removed from almost everything – the perfect spot to enjoy a quiet four days in the countryside, …

What is it? A four-day break in a log cabin on Cornwall’s south-west coast. Where? We went to Deerpark in Cornwall but other Forest Holiday Cabin locations include the Forest of Dean; Keldy on the edge of the North Yorkshire Moors National Park; Cropton in North Yorkshire; Argyll on the shores of Loch Lomond and Strathyre close to Callander, both in Scotland. …

What is it? A four-day break on a family-friendly hotel package, with breakfast, lunch and dinner included. Where? At the Royal Hull Hotel, located in – you guessed it – Kingston-upon-Hull. Description: Fancy a holiday in Hull? Most people wouldn’t. But when Wendy Sloane and her family were offered the chance to sample some of Hull’s alleged delights, they couldn’t resist. Amazingly, …

What is it? A week-long trip to the City of Light. Where? We spent six nights at the Hotel Raspail Montparnasse, a three-star hotel on the edge of the Luxembourg Gardens. Description: Paris is widely known as a romantic destination for adults. But what do you do there with kids? Delia Lloyd took her family there over the Easter holidays to find …

What is it? To spend time exploring the chateaus of the Loire Valley. Where? Troo: After a stroll around the village, have lunch at Les Iles, a casual restaurant right in the middle of the Loir river. If it’s summertime, jump on the tourist train – a remodeled 1950s railway car – that runs from Troo to Thore-la-rochette. Kids may also enjoy …

What is it? Christmas Week in Vienna. Where? We spent six nights at The Levante Laudon, a Design apart-hotel affiliated with the five-star Levante Parliament. Description: [cafe.jpg]If you want a break from the fast-paced, cosmopolitan feel of cities like London, Paris and Helsinki, Vienna is the place for you. Delia Lloyd took her family to explore Vienna’s old-world charm over the Christmas …

What is it? We drove two hours to Dover where we caught a Sea France ferry to Calais, which takes 75 minutes. Then we continued on for another few hours to the outskirts of Paris, where the Magic Kingdom awaited. Duh! Disney has everything you could hope for, and our Hotel New York even had an ice skating rink (open until …

What is it? That the water pressure in our hotel rooms was so dire, so we could have planned having showers at different times. Several times there was no hot water whatsover – don’t know why. Where? Take food and drink with you into the park. Even if are willing to spring for lunch, the queues during peak times can be mind-boggling, …

What is it? We travelled by P&O Ferry from Dover to Calais on a one- hour crossing, then drove the 210 miles to Duinrell in three and a half hours through France and Belgium. You can also travel from Harwich to Hook of Holland (26 miles) or Zebrugge (139 miles)  or do fly-drive to Amsterdam ( 22 miles away).Our two-bedroom …

What is it? If you live in London and want a break to get away from it all or need a fantastic place to stay in the capital, this is it. Although it’s pricey, we really did feel that we were on holiday. With views overlooking the harbour and meals al fresco, it was almost as if the Mediterranean were just …