the schools of fish that swim right up to the villas that are set on stilts in the ocean. A seven-night stay at the resort costs £5,225 in July with Tropic Breeze. Want to read more about the Maldives? see Postcard from Maldives and Desert Island

Maya, which translates as “dream”, offers a combination of tranquility and adventure. Located in southern Sri Lanka, this five-suite villa is set in tropical gardens and boasts fine local cuisine, four poster beds and a swimming pool. Best of all

The beautiful village of Carmona is just 20 minutes’ drive from Seville airport and the relaxed elegance of 16th-century Casa de Carmona provides a memorable way to greet 2012. Children will love the swimming pool and playgrounds in the village

enjoying a more relaxed stay in Essaouira, an old Portuguese port and former pirates’ lair, with a sandy beach for swimming. The eight-day tour is suitable for children aged two and above, and costs £3,196 for a family of four in February, including half

build up an appetite for a scrumptious meal in the family brasserie. Then, before bed, why not relax together in the family spa with its ice fountain, rasul mud therapy room, experience shower, swimming pool and fitness suite? Prices for a family of four

Located on a sandy beach overlooking secluded lagoons and a river, the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino at Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic has three children’s swimming pools with slides, a children’s club, arcade centre and playground. Family Level

. There’s no television or Wi-Fi, just fresh air, fields, waterfalls, beaches and your own imagination. Spend your days walking, talking, playing and swimming. And you definitely won’t be slumming it: towels, bathrobes, and Molton Brown products

The five-star Amathus Beach Hotel Limmasol in Cyprus has a children’s club, five swimming pools, tennis and spa. A seven-night stay in September costs from £3,740 for two adults and two children. Enjoy the stunning natural surroundings of Lanzarote

saddled with second best, though – tennis courts, a football pitch, swimming pools and children’s cookery classes are just for starters.Colerne, Chippenham, Wiltshire SN14 8AZ. Tel: 01225 742777.Rates £295–£995, room only. Extra beds, £25, and cots, £15

in charge kept warning us because if you did bump, things could get unpleasant. The swimming pool was brilliant with slides and squirty things and whooshy bits, all supervised by enormous numbers of lifeguards. We even managed to fit in a cinema visit