KIDS GUIDE 2019

GETTING AWAY

Where’s the best place you’ve travelled to with the family and why?

Our girls loved Disneyland Hong Kong. My husband and I loved Penang because it’s so close to Singapore and great value. We’ve been there a few times and will definitely go back. Sarah The Danna Langkawi – it’s a 15-minute drive from the airport after a short flight, it’s not too large, and the staff were really nice to us. We had a suite and Immi loved the pool and beach. It was understatedly kid-friendly with a kids’ club and babysitting service as well. Harriet For ease, it has to be Bali. I use Bali Baby and they deliver a baby kit to your villa, which includes a baby bouncer, steriliser, baby bath and toys. They can even install a pool fence if you need. Katie The New Forest in the UK; I think it’s simply stunning. There are horses, cows and pigs free-roaming the forest. Rent a house that overlooks the forest and you get space, fresh air and tranquillity. There’s so much to do with children and it’s very easy just to amble into the forest and enjoy blackberry picking, poking sticks in bogs and building dens. The playgrounds here are incredible and there are beaches close by where you can build sandcastles or go crabbing. I really think it is “the good life”, and we love it. Lucie Legoland. We have a car so it was easy to get to and nice to avoid flying. They totally cater to kids and our eldest loved it. Our youngest was a bit too small to appreciate it but I think for ages three and up, it’s amazing. Another great holiday was The Holiday Inn in Krabi, Thailand. It was recommended by a friend and very family- friendly, with a small kids’ club and waterslides. April

We just did a last-minute trip to The Slate in Phuket, which was our first as a family of four, and it was brilliant. It was so easy, with a flight of less than two hours, and the hotel about 15 minutes from the airport. We got a fantastic deal as it was off-peak and we’d booked flights and accommodation in one go on Expedia. It’s a beautiful hotel, with all the facilities you could need for a long weekend, various restaurants, on a lovely beach with warm, shallow water and gentle waves, which the kids loved. They also had lovely babysitters so we could still have dinner ourselves in the evening if we wanted. There’s also apparently a kids’ club for those over four years of age. We’ve also just travelled to Lisbon where my parents have retired, and the New Forest in the UK where my in-laws live; we had a fabulous time at both of those too. Parenting on holiday with grandparents and other family around is a lot easier! Kim A beach homestay in Langkawi. A toddler will be happy all day digging in the sand and swimming in the sea. Just remember to take a large sunshade to stop them overheating. Katherine

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