When you get here you’ll see why this friendly park has a David Bellamy Award for conservation. The 70 acres of parkland provide plenty of quiet and verdant locations for letting off steam, plus access to the beach.

Make your home a castle for a short break. Swinton Park is an elegant ancestral family home turned luxury hotel. It’s set in 200 acres of parkland, lakes and gardens so letting off steam is not a problem. Energetic youngsters can explore the Gothick orangery, Spring Gardens, lakeside paths and admire the deer herd.

Butlins at Skegness offers resort life, sandy beaches and lots of adventure for youngsters. You can go for whatever caravan suits your family really – there’s something for everyone and every budget. There’s a huge range of sports on offer plus the wet’n’wild Splash World which is great fun for kids of all ages.

For many years Croft View Cottage was a family home. Maybe that’s what makes it so welcoming to families now.

Football fans will love the location – it’s so easy to get to Aston Villa from this hotel! And then there’s Star City itself, a premier family leisure complex with everything from ten pin bowling to a multi-screen cinema.

Spectacular coast (Bedruthan Steps is National Trust), a simply gorgeous family-friendly beach and a child-centred hotel.

Butlins at Minehead offers great beaches, stunning coastline and lots of adventure for youngsters. You can go for self-catering accommodation; the dinner, bed and breakfast option (babies catered for), or the newly refurbished Silver Apartments (also available on half-board option). It’s whatever suits your family really.

The Ashdown Park Hotel is deep in the heart of Winnie-the-Pooh country which is, in itself, enough to endear it to any small child.

Youngsters will be intrigued by this Alpine style hotel with a three-storey Aquarium rising above its atrium. Right next door is the dry ski slope and winter sports complex; this is as close as you can get to the Alps without actually being there.

Portsmouth Historic Dockyard is just a few minutes walk away, as is the Spinnaker Tower and Gunwharf Quays with its leisure and shopping. The Holiday Inn really does offer you a family-friendly place to stay whilst you explore.