Time To Yourself

If you’re desperate for some time to yourself, this would be our top pick. Marrakech is one of those destinations that has so many brilliant hotels, palaces & riads to stay at that you could literally pick one blind-folded and not be disappointed. This said, there is one new arrival to the scene which has us very excited…The Oberoi Marrakech. Ten years in the making, this is an architectural & design masterpiece, a haven of peace, set amongst 28 acres of olive and citrus groves with uninterrupted views of the Atlas Mountains. The Oberoi hotels are legendary in India for their serene interiors and slick, authentic service. As well as a traditional Moroccan hamman, the spa also offers Hatha yoga, meditation, and nutritional and ayurvedic programmes. Whether you stay with your partner, a friend or by yourself, a stay at this elegant retreat will undoubtedly give you space & time for yourself.

Our favourite times of year? March-May, & September-November

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Wide-Open Spaces

If you’re craving wide-open spaces, consider a 7-10 day break in Oman or Jordan. Situated towards the west coast of Oman, these desert camps are brilliantly run and combine well with a few nights in the breathtaking Hajar Mountains, finishing off with an easy few days on the shores of the Arabian Sea. You’ll find similarly serene valleys, rugged canyons, desert landscapes & star-gazing skies in Jordan where you can also indulge in two culture-packed days in Petra and Jerash.

Our favourite times of year? October-November, and March-April

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Time With Grandparents

Many of us are sorely missing seeing our grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and extended families at the moment. This 4-bedroom Cretan villa provides the perfect holiday hang-out for all; an ensuite bedroom on the ground level for grandparents, an infinity pool for adults, separate kids pool, a large lawn for ball games, spacious lounge areas inside & out, and a housekeeper & chef if you want them, or total privacy for your family if you prefer. The nearest beach & village are a 5-minute drive away. The villas that we feature come in all shapes & sizes. They are all well taken care of throughout the year and come with the most brilliant of local hosts. Our carefully-selected portfolio of villas includes the Greek islands, Ibiza, Puglia, Sicily & Umbria. Here at My Native, we have extraordinarily high standards and expectations, and source only the best home-from-homes.

Our favourite months for a European villa break? May half-term, for a hit of early Summer sun & quiet beaches.

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Not Lifting A Finger

The ideal twin-centre holiday if you feel in need of a total break from domestic chores would be a stay at one of these exclusive-use houses in Madikwe Game Reserve and then the Beach Lodge at De Hoop Nature Reserve. Here you will have your own staff - a personal chef and butler, two housekeepers, a host, safari guide and, in Madikwe, a wildlife tracker as well. Moreover, the  ‘Morukuru Freedom Concept’ gives you and your party the opportunity to do “whatever you want, whenever you want”. Genius.

Our favourite months of year to go? This depends on your priorities.

For the best game-viewing: April to October but temperatures will be cooler, particularly during our summer months.

For the best whale-watching: August and September are the best months for whale-watching on the Garden Route (Ocean Beach Lodge has some of the best shore-based whale watching in the world).

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Freedom for your children

We love our children to be outdoors, and firmly believe that they should be seen AND heard on their holidays, and that’s why these three private island resorts are our favourites for families.

Play by COMO, the kids club at this brilliant Maldivian resort, focuses on social play over technology-driven games and kids can even snorkel with a marine-biologist. All three islands offer a wonderfully-safe, natural habitat for children to explore and let off steam, whether it be swinging on tarzan ropes, paddling in shallow house reefs, hiding in tree houses or jumping off jetties, there’s something for every child, not to mention the young at heart. And what better way to wind down the day than with cinema under the stars and marshmallow-toasting on the beach? We wish every day could be this good.

Best time to go? Maldives: November-March | Indonesia: March-September

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The Mountains

Many of you may have missed out on your ski break this year, so let’s make sure that 2021 is one to remember for all the right reasons. Why not consider venturing cross-Atlantic for the slopes of Whistler, Lake Tahoe or Colorado? Ski schools in the US & Canadian resorts take children from three years of age, and we’ve found the ski instructors across the pond to be particularly good with our younger learners. Service levels are second-to-none, queues for ski-lifts tend to be shorter and more organized, and, in general, your hotel suite or residence will be roomier than the equivalent chalet or room in the Alps. The ski-in, ski-out Ritz Carlton on the north-western shores of Lake Tahoe is hard to beat for young families, and we love Little Nell in Aspen for its central location, contemporary design and slick service.

Best months to go? Early January-end of March

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For more details on any of the above breaks, or to chat through other travel ideas you’re considering, do get in touch at julie@my-native.com, or 0203 371 7203. We’d love to hear from you.

And in the meantime, stay safe & stay home.

If it’s your first time taking your family to India, consider a 10-day tour of the Golden Triangle of Delhi, Agra and Jaipur with a few nights on the beaches of Goa. For budding wildlife enthusiasts, and to break up the intense days of sightseeing, two nights in Ranthambore National Park makes a lot of sense, particularly since the tiger population in the park has risen over recent years. For many years, Goa has almost exclusively been a package-holiday destination. More recently, a number of unique boutique properties offering a more authentic experience, sublime service levels and wonderful cuisine have put the destination back on the map; ask us about the newly-opened, heritage Postcard Hotels…we simply love the local experiences they are offering.

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For families preferring a shorter flight, Amman in Jordan is a 5-hour flight from London with average October temperatures of 27 degrees. Float on the Dead Sea, walk along the streets of the Roman Decapolis in Jerash, star-gaze from a Bedouin camp in Wadi Rum, even learn how to make baba ghanoush in Amman's finest cookery school. All this before you've even arrived in Petra! As this is the third most water-scarce country in the world, our superb guides will be sure to drop the topic of sustainability into the conversation. We’d recommend a minimum age of 7 years old for this trip as the drives are long, and the walk to the Treasury in Petra will be challenging for very young children.

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You’ll need to be smart about venturing to South-East Asia in October as many places will require an umbrella & mac. This said, it is one of the best months to visit Borneo, for an exciting fortnight of beaches, pristine rainforests & wildlife. Equally, October is one of the finest months to visit northern & southern Vietnam; providing you avoid central Vietnam. Start in the northern mountainous region of Sapa & the French-colonial city of Hanoi, and finish-up in Saigon, which in late October should be dry & warm, with relatively low humidity levels. For beach-time, stick to Mui Ne or the unspoilt islands of Phu Quoc.

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If two weeks on the beach is too much for your family, consider flying with Oman Air to the Maldives stopping off for a few nights in Muscat & a desert camp enroute. After a 4-hour flight to Malé, Como Maalifushi is then a spectacular 60-minute seaplane flight away. For a truly remote setting with a wondrous house reef and uninterrupted horizons, you couldn’t ask for better. The activities on offer are equally as impressive; daily yoga, kayaking, paddle-boarding, night-snorkelling, and splash-net dolphin-spotting cruises (where you sit in the net of a dhoni and get dragged through the ocean). Their ‘Family Getaway’ offer for October half-term includes complimentary half board upgrade for adults, and complimentary full board upgrade and return seaplane transfers for two children under 12.

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And finally, to ensure Dad looks stylish on his family holidays next year, consider Mangata London - a brilliant, British company offering sustainable men's swimwear made with the environment in mind. The brand uses a super soft, super quick dry fabric made from recycled plastic bottles, sourced from all places where plastic shouldn't be, the ocean, beaches and landfill. Stylish and sustainable - be part of the solution not the pollution. To receive 10% off your purchases, use discount code MYNATIVE10 when checking-out. Your hardest decision will be which stylish design to choose...

We're excited about this property in Brazil....and think it works particularly well for families with children who have outgrown the kids club. You'll sleep in stylish, beachfront bungalows - some with private pools, and if the kids are no longer kids and prefer to have their own space, there is even a separate 'bunk bedroom bungalow'...Kite-surfing, 4x4 dune riding, and dune lagoon swimming are popular past-times here; the cookery school, gym & spa are also sublime. Food is locally sourced and daily menus depend on the catch of the day and what's in season.

August is a brilliant month to be here so consider it for next summer...& if you have time, combine with Rio, Salvador & the Pantanal. 

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Who doesn't love toes-in-the-sand-dining? We do! If this appeals, we know you'll want to try out this Indonesian private island family paradise. The resort supports a community-based foundation which, as guests of the property, you can actively participate in. There's a chocolate factory with cocoa-making courses, and for the most sublime swim, trek to Lake Weekuri - nature's saltwater pool - separated from the ocean by a rugged cliff. Stand-up paddle-boarding, fishing, diving & surf lessons are also on offer, and outdoor yoga if you're so inclined... You might even get lucky with a turtle release.

July and August are ideal months to be there…

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Tried & tested…

“My family holiday in Jordan was an incredible adventure. I feel like I saw everything from north to south: walking through ruins, scuba diving in the red sea, fighting with crusaders in their castles, staying in hotels in the middle of nowhere – including camping in the desert. It took 2 hours to get there on a camel, which was sore but fun!! it was the best holiday ever. Petra was especially amazing - walking through the siq you turn a corner and the sight you see takes your breath away. I thought in Jordan there was going to be a few amazing things but actually you discover a whole new culture. It was outstanding!!”

Lucy, 9 years old | My Native Kids Easter holidays 2019

Contact us at info@my-native.com or on +44 (0)203 371 7203 for details on these destinations, and for more Summer 2020 inspiration…

Are you thinking of sun or snow for your Easter holidays? We're going with snow but one of our clients is considering Jordan for some early spring sun and we think it's a brilliant choice. April is the ideal month to visit and it's a fantastic location for families with older children who are ready to explore. Float on the Dead Sea, walk along the streets of the Roman Decapolis in Jerash, star-gaze from a Bedouin camp in Wadi Rum, even learn how to make baba ghanoush in Amman's finest cookery school. All this before you've even arrived in Petra! As this is the third most water-scarce country in the world, our superb guides will be sure to drop the topic of sustainability into the conversation...

Jordan features in our Native Kids brochure out later this month, sign up here for a copy, or if you're ready to chat now, call us on 0203 371 7203.

Book a slice of guaranteed autumn sunshine for October half-term. Since for most of us, the holiday is only a week long we've selected our favourite short-haul destinations which deliver on temperature, but don't leave you exhausted for your Halloween celebrations. For those families lucky enough to have a longer holiday, we've got some alternative long-haul destinations up our sleeve.  Here are just a few of our fall favourites...https://www.my-native.com/october-halfterm

Contact us at info@my-native.com.