Where should sad, exhausted family go for fabulous cheering up holiday?

[WearyWalker]

Any suggestions gratefully received - my lovely friend has had a very tough year and has had to spend a lot of time away from her family. They are planning ahead and want to spend February half term somewhere amazing to regroup and have a bit of fun after a terrible time. They can throw a bit of money at it, and are thinking all-inclusive, lots of sunshine - basically somewhere to let them all be together and play. DCs are 4, 7 and 9. Any ideas?

Somewhere lovely in the Caribbean? Sri Lanka? South Asia - langlawi?

Should say Langlawi

Langkawi!! Aargh stupid phone

If its only a week I'd consider the canaries - no time difference to get over, sunshine, flight 4-5hrs.

I thought of the Canaries too. Langkawi sounds exciting! Anyone else, pleeeeease?!

Langkawi is lovely but the flight & time difference might be too much for a week.
There's Cape Verde as well but never been there, oh and The Gambia sounds good.

I thought the Canaries might not be mega hot at that time of year - early twenties only I would say.

How about looking at a Neilson holiday? They have some lovely locations (Greece & Turkey) and there is lots to do, bars, childcare if wanted...or they do snow/ski ones...

other ideas for hot Feb

Baja, California
Mexico
South Africa

Don't do cheap Caribbean. Everyone smokes! Love Virgin Gorda as there is plenty to do and it's paradise. Charter a yacht around the BVIs. Total bliss if you have a bit of money to spend. Dubai not as good but easier to get to. Safari in East Africa, but choose carefully. I would not go to The Gambia. Bahamas or a cruise in Baja California to see the whales.

Thank you so much for all these ideas, I'll check them all out. My wrung out friend needs this holiday badly, but is too tired to think about it herself, if you see what I mean, so this is really helpful!

We were sad exhausted family recently.
Just had October half term week all inclusive in hotel in Paphos, Cyprus.

Still sad but not exhausted & therefore more able to cope.

I'm so sorry you're in the same situation, Inkle Winkle, but glad the holiday helped. As you say, you can't run away from sadness but there are ways of making life a little more bearable...

MIddle East for that time of the year

Cape Town. No time difference and night flights each way which maximises your holiday time. Alternatively all inclusive in Mauritius.

Lanzarote.

Or Key West.

North Coast of the Dominican Republic - Sosua or Cabarete.

Great food, water sports, great beaches (esp in Sosua), it was a relaxing paradise when we needed it. I'll happily recommend apartments etc if required.

Capetown would be fab. Find a house on Noordhoek beach to rent, kids can run round in the surf while adults have a sundowner on the dunes. Horse riding there too. Penguins at Boulders Beach. Ostrich Farm. World of Birds. The Cape itself. Cable car up Table Mountain. Trip to Robben Island to see how other people go through hell and come out the other side. Gorgeous food. And as people have mentioned, night flight and no time difference.

Seychelles. On same time zone.

Florida. Even for a week - you can work with the time difference - it's in your favour going out there - and you can get in the parks early. The ages of the children are perfect.

I love the Caribbean but it's a long way for a week with children, unless she can afford to upgrade them all. Also, I'd recommend an island that she can fly direct to.
St Lucia is great, but a resort in the South to avoid hours of transfers. Antigua has great beaches & nowhere is too far from the airport.
If it was me I'd choose a 5* in the Canaries for a week.

I would say dubai or canaries. sensatori hotel Tenerife is supposed to be fab for both kids and grownups.

Canaries wouldn't necessarily be warm. We went in Feb half term and three of the seven days were quite cold. Nowhere in Europe will be very warm then, even Cyprus.

To avoid too much jetlag or a long flight what about Gour Seasons Sharm El Sheikh? Lovely hotel, great pools amazing underwater life. If she is willing to fly further then South Africa would be fab and would also avoid jet lag. The time difference tithe Caribbean and Florida etc would mean a week was more exhausting than relaxing.

Agree totally with Stinkingbishop. Kids are perfect ages - we took ours at a similar age and had a week doing exactly what Sb suggested - divine and have been back so many times since. We had a nanny thrown in - heavenly and the kids adored her.

Oh thank you, loads more lovely ideas and wise advice. Am going to print off more details about all these places and give them to her to look through - safe in the knowledge they have MN approval! to all.