Help! I Need to Book a Family Holiday ASAP..... Ideas?

[ionaming]

The biggest catch is that it must be through the Thomson travel agent (shop, not website). We have approx £1000 worth of gift vouchers to use & they expire in less than 2 weeks. Haven't got a clue where to start . The holiday will be for myself, DH & DD (4.5 yrs) & needs to be during the dreaded school hols or half term. Currently favouring the May 2006 half term. Main requirements are family friendly (but not over-run with screaming kids ), with a decent beach close by, heated swimming pool would be nice, self-catering, interesting architecture/scenery/places to go nearby. Don't want the usual package holiday with kids clubs etc as DH will hate it!! Maybe a small villa/apartment in the south west region of France? Or the lakes in Italy? Oh dear, I haven't got a clue really !!!

Do Thomson do packages to La Manga resort in Spain? We went this May, week before half term. Weather was lovely, there's a gorgeous nature reserve type beach just a few mins drive awy. However, we booked direct with a private apartment, so I don't know if you can book apartments thro Thomson.
Whatever you do, don't fall for the blurb about Superfamily hotels - they are purgatory!

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Yorkiegirl, we've booked on Jet2 next May to Faro. Where do you recommend on the Algarve?

thanks for the replies. Our last 2 holidays have been to Spain, so wouldn't mind venturing somewhere else...ooh, feeling brave! Very nervous about the language thing though! The Algarve looks beautiful. Any recommendations on resort? How friendly are the locals? Are they as welcoming towards children as the Spanish & Italians? Thanks!

Anyone?

Greece is lovely around then - and warm - and the people could not be nicer. Check out the travel recommendations on the Mumsnet Best listings - access via the homepage.

isle of wight.

don't think they do La Manga, its only Barwell from my memory. Get the brochure and a cup of coffee and have a happy hour browsing!

Bettythebuilder, where did you stay in La Manga? We were there in June at La Quinta club but have been twice before and stayed in Los Olivos and also the Hilton apartments. I love it there and the childcare is fantastic.

oh, didn't know about the Mumsnet Best listings - will check that out...thanks!

Does anyone have any experience of taking a baby on a skiing holiday?
The firm Crystals have a nanny service, and they seem pretty organised, but if anyone has been away with them i'd be grateful for your thoughts or any tips

Oh god I'm really going to put you off now! I've taken ds1 on 2 ski-ing trips aged 1 and then 2, both were a disaster. I've taken ds2 also when he was 1 so I've tried it 3 times god help me. I've tried it self catering, hotel, you name it I've done it. You need to go with an English company if you have small children, who have an English ski school and english speaking instructors. Other English speaking children are always a help. I would suggest Mark Warner, I have a friend who had been about 6 times on there ski holidays and says they are great. If you go at Christmas time however don't forget, most of the hotels and resorts are very quiet on new years day. We were up dancing till 4am one new years eve only to have ds1 awake at 6am. no breakfast available, everything shut. nightmare. I'm not going this year but we actually might try mark warner next year when the boys are a bit older.

Sicily - Cefalu or Taormina. Vast amounts of interesting architecture and historic sites in Sicily! Cefalu convenient for Palermo (and in summer for Aeolian islands), Taormina convenient for Etna.

Thanks for your help bosscat. I guess we won't know until we try, and what's the worst that can happen?!!!

You can book any of these holidays through Thomson