This is a promotional feature brought to you by the Post OfficeAny first time parent will understand both the allure and complication that a holiday presents – some time out, away from the everyday routine, but also the daunting thought

The results of my informal Family Holiday Highlights Survey took me by surprise. Devised and carried out by myself – the mother of three children, aged ten, nine and five – it involved one simple question: what was the best day of your Italian

A giant orange velvet beanbag in reception, Magis Puppy stools and Fatboys by the pool – and we’re talking pouffes here, not the male guests. I’m not sure which of these first made me realise that the recently opened Martinhal resort in Sagres

– that this was unlikely to be our home for the next three days, so we drove on. Fortunately, the landing of the Earthship – as it’s aptly known – was big news amongst the residents of the surrounding French villages and farms when the 26-week construction finished in June

with more seating and access to an outdoor stone oven, should you be inclined to turn your hand to baking your own stone-baked pizzas. Also on the ground floor was the first of five double bedrooms, with an en suite wet room.Upstairs, the bedrooms were

in 11 countries over 11 months. My four-year-old son, Joe – a big fan of Lightning McQueen and Disney Pixar’s Cars – is cheering on Kris Meeke and Team Peugeot. Every time my phone beeps, I cross my fingers Kris’s name is first, which means he’s setting

hours. An added bonus is that our first-class seats are big and roomy, with plenty of space to pore over our This Is Paris picture book for a taster of the classic sights we’re likely to see in the French capital. By early afternoon, we were checking

Three years ago, we went on our first two-week holiday in Denmark and it wasn’t long before we had a family mantra. “Oh wow, I love this place.” It was used as the children discovered the Jacuzzi on the first night in the coastal summer house we

the mountains for superb views and walks. Even more exciting for our children was the Shafbergbahn – the oldest cog mountain railway in Europe. The antiquated wood-panelled carriages are shunted and heaved by a wheezing antique steam engine to the top

museum in Figueras. The Alva Park Resort And Spa is a chic hideaway with the first Molton Brown Spa in continental Europe, and funky features like submerged sunbeds, an ice fountain, a children’s club with a cinema and courtesy Smart cars. Seven nights’ B