Ickworth House, SuffolkWith a spectacular Rotunda at its heart, the stunning Ickworth House stately home hotel is set amid 1,800 acres of parkland and lush gardens - with an open invitation for children to try a spot of tree-climbing, play croquet

Castlemartyr Resort, CorkThe Castlemartyr Resort is just 25 minutes drive from Cork Airport and is a truly fairytale 17th century manor house. Set on Sir Walter Raleigh’s former estate, the resort has two gorgeous dogs, Earl and Countess, and guests

.Should you manage to pry your child away from her pleasure dome, there’s also a children’s swimming pool, plus a heated adult pool that comes complete with floating beds. Prices from €550 per night for a Junior Suite with two double beds and breakfast

lid. Continue until you use up all the batter. Serve with strawberry jam or whipped cream. To set a suitably cosy mood, the recipe is accompanied by this lovely quote from Jansson’s Comet In Moominland (Puffin, £5.99): “The dusk came billowing over

minimal charge. Family rooms cost from £150 per night, including breakfast.- Cornwall Stay in a cottage right by the sea in a stunning Cornish seaside location such as Watergate Bay, Porth, Polzeath, Fistral, Mawgan Porth and Camel Estuary, and your

At first I thought the onlookers at the breakfast buffet were merely admiring my four-year-old son’s undeniable cuteness: he was certainly attracting more than his fair share of smiling glances. But then I looked down at the floor and realized

toddler’s hearing. Festival tickets sell out quickly, so make the most of early-bird offers, and secure your camping spot in good time. Top of the pile for family-friendliness has to be Camp Bestival (July 29–31, 2011) held in the delightful setting

Mountain playground Megève – the traditional Rhône-Alpes town in the shadow of Mont Blanc – may attract more trophy-dog toting oligarchs than La Croisette, but there’s a good reason that it’s so popular with the jet set: summer or winter, it’s a

-enact plots set in Gothic castles and oriental palaces (shows are at 11am and 4pm on Saturdays and Sundays and 4pm on Wednesdays), or visit the Theatre Anatole at the Parc des Buttes Chaumont. Head to the wonderful children’s amusement park located in the Bois

day in Bangkok. Up early for breakfast, before catching the shuttle bus to the weekend market, then onto the Grand Palace and a walk in the sprawling Lumpini Park, before coming back to the hotel. Lesson Two: always set your alarm clock. We overslept