These lodges are our absolute favourites in Lapland; a collection of small, family-owned properties, in a remote, pristine location, where the details matter. Choose from a room in the hotel with easy access to the restaurant and cosy lounges, a lake-side chalet, or a log cabin or suite in the forest - some with their own sauna. You can even spend a night in an Aurora Bubble directly under the north sky; given its’ remote location, far removed from any light pollution, you are ideally placed to spot the aurora borealis.

Whichever option you choose, the modern Scandi alpine decor is cosy & stylish. The mezzanine children’s rooms are brilliantly designed and we love the spacious, fireside living rooms; ideal for family gatherings or groups of friends.

For families, whatever your child's age, there are activities to suit... learn to fish on the ice, cross-country ski or snowshoe through pristine forests, make cinnamon buns with the Pastry Chef, meet Father Christmas, Aurora hunt by snowmobile, visit an actual reindeer farm and learn from the herders the importance of reindeer in Lapland, or spend an afternoon sledging!

How do the logistics work? Given the remote location, it’s surprisingly straight-forward; a 3-hour direct flight from London to Northern Finland and, depending on which lodge you choose, a 30-60 minute transfer. Your destination is 300 km inside the Arctic Circle, just a short distance from the Russian border.

Contact us for availability, a detailed itinerary & prices. We’d love to send you there!

In the meantime, stay safe, stay well & stay home.

Just as the shops are starting to think Autumn/Winter, so we’re thinking ski! A few of our clients are booking their Feb & Easter ski breaks now, and, knowing how busy those weeks are, we’re also making sure they have their ski lessons booked.

If you haven’t booked yet, there’s still some superb availability. We’re excited about the opening of Le Coucou in December in Meribel, and we’re marketing some fabulous chalets in Austria. Copperhill in Sweden also remains a firm favourite for young families and beginners looking for quiet slopes.

So, as much as we dislike seeing those Autumn shades in the high street windows in August….we’re actually big fans of forward planning :) What do you prefer….last-minute holiday planning, or booking ahead?

We’re busy writing departure documents this weekend for clients leaving on their August summer holidays. And surprise, surprise…the ‘What to eat & where to eat it’ section is taking up a lot of our time, love and attention.

Our clients travelling to Costa Rica later this month are in for a real foodie treat. Gallo Pinto, meaning spotted rooster, is one of the most common breakfast dishes in Costa Rica. It is a blend of rice, beans, onions, pepper, coriander, and sweet plaintains. Topped with a fried egg & cheese, add salsa lizano or lime. We’d be washing this down with a Naturales - a local term referring to the fruit & vegetable juice found on sale on most street corners & roadsides across the country, often sold by local farmers. Our faves are mango, pineapple & lychee.

Tell us, where’s your favourite place in the world for their local breakfast?

Gallo Pinto

Considering taking your children on their first safari? It's important to take them at the right age, book well in advance, carefully choose your reserve and lodge, and travel in the optimum season. So...lots to consider. We'd love to help you get it right. These photos were taken last month by lovely clients of ours; a family of 12 spanning three generations, celebrating a special anniversary in two malaria-free reserves in South Africa and a quick hop up to Vic Falls to boot. In their own words…

“We could not have had a more wonderful holiday! Everything went perfectly. We feel that we were able to expose our children and grandchildren to the magic of Africa that we were lucky enough to experience so many years ago. We think this was an adventure that they will always remember. We cannot give enough praise to our guides who, taught, protected, organized, and cared for all of us. They truly became our friends.”

Three-day weekends always make us smile. But receiving these comments this morning has had us grinning ear-to-ear all day :)

Scroll for a flavour of this family’s Asian Easter adventure… rooftop swims in KL’s finest pool, jungle treks & traditional longboats in Taman Negara (the world’s oldest rainforest), kicking-back in Malaysia’s unspoilt eastern beaches, and snorkelling off Tenggol Island.

We love South-East Asia for so many reasons; sublime service levels, excellent value-for-money, pristine beaches & rainforests, and cuisine that makes the 12-hour flight with kids totally worthwhile. It is important to know when to visit where though so do ask us which parts of the region are best when…we’d love to advise…

Occasionally the interiors of a hotel are so beautifully put together that our spirits soar from the choice and depth of colours, textures & fabrics. And we know that our clients will delight in their surroundings. This is definitely the case at this 18-room Tuscan retreat where old stone walls meet wonderfully-vivid splashes of colour and contemporary furnishings compliment the original features & architecture.

The perfect choice for a minimoon, or time away to recharge the batteries. There is also a 2-bedroom, 3-bedroom and 6-bedroom villa so families need not miss out…

Of the 100+ kids clubs I’ve inspected over the fifteen years I’ve worked in travel, Nikoi’s Scallywag club is, hands down, my absolute favourite.

Why? Well, the staff on Nikoi genuinely adore getting to know each child, bringing the quiet ones out of their shells and sharing a cheeky joke with the gregarious ones. And the creative activities on offer each day inspire kids of all ages to try something new…whether it be jetty jumping, snorkelling, catch-the-flag, flying dragon (code name for their zip wire), treasure hunts, or woodcraft. Paddle-boarding, kayaking and diving are popular past-times amongst the teenagers and as the sun sets over the South China Sea, a beach bonfire is lit, BFG-proportioned marshmallow sticks appear and a movie under the stars ensues. Add to this peanut-butter cookies & bananas on the bar for that essential morning snack on-the-go, a kids menu which brings local dishes to their radar without shocking young taste buds, and giant monitor lizards lazily sloping around the resort & you've got a pretty spectacular family holiday. 

April to July are our favourite months to be there so consider it for your Easter or Summer holiday. With prices starting from £2,850 for 7 nights in a 2-bedroom family beach villa in July, it offers great value for money and a brilliantly-authentic Asian escape.

Considering sharing a holiday with friends? A large villa for a few families makes good financial sense and, assuming you choose those families carefully, kids and adults alike will be entertained from dawn to dusk! Hosting up to 12 people, this villa is one of the oldest fincas (farms) on the island and has been beautifully restored, while remaining in the same Ibizan family for 200 years.  Showcasing gorgeous Sabina (native wood) beams, traditional whitewashed walls and an earthy colour palette, the open-plan living spaces flow seamlessly out to the beautifully manicured lawns, infinity pool and shady summer kitchen and dining area. This villa is also near to some of the best beaches on the West coast, such as Cala Gracio, Punta Galera and Cala Tarida. 

Follow us on Instagram or Facebook to make sure you don't miss out on more 2019 holiday and honeymoon ideas. And if you'd like to receive our monthly newsletter or My Native Kids brochure, go to my-native.com/contact-us.

Started planning your 2019 holidays yet? If you'd like a hit of holiday and honeymoon ideas directly into your inbox each month in 2019, sign up here to receive our monthly newsletter. We'll be reviewing the Indonesian private island resorts of Nikoi and Cempadak in February, updating you on renovations at the sublime Copperhill Mountain Lodge in Sweden, weekending at the Palazzo Avino on the Amalfi coast in the Spring….and test-driving the Mandarin Oriental resort in Bodrum in the Summer.

And our family brochure is coming out in January featuring itinerary ideas for destinations including Jordan, Borneo, Namibia, Madagascar, Sri Lanka, Oman, and the Seychelles, a focus on our favourite family-friendly safari lodges and a directory of hotels where we know the service levels won’t disappoint. Plus we’ll be spotlighting villas that we know & love. Let us know if you’d like a copy.

We've enjoyed working with some lovely clients in 2018, exceeding their expectations on being price competitive, and providing honest, local knowledge and reliable, unparalleled services wherever in the world they’ve landed. For some of our clients, they just like the fact that we save them time and allow them to focus on work, family, house renovations, wedding planning, a new baby and whatever life is throwing at them.

We look forward to meeting and delighting more of you in 2019...