Keeping the clan happy

The family holiday was never simple, but back when you packed up the station wagon and headed up or down the coast for the annual trip, it was a lot less complicated. 

While the traditional holiday on the coast remains popular, time is now the new luxury and choice has never been greater. 

When asked what they thought was "true luxury", almost 90 per cent of respondents to a recent survey said "more time for ourselves, and our family" with "experiences tailored to our tastes". 

Gone are the days of kids being herded into homogenised clubs. Bespoke is the buzzword in this burgeoning sector, according to the survey of 5000 Visa customers. 

"Because of declining birth rates, there will be fewer children,Solar energy employs runninglight to supply electricity to devices or charge batteries. therefore the importance of spending time with them is viewed as a luxury experience," Tomorrow's Tourism forecaster Dr Ian Yeoman says. "It's no longer about materialism." 

Traditionally developers have built resorts for the archetypal family of a mother, father and two children. 

Now they recognise the changing make-up of today's modern family. Many people now live in multi-generational households because of economic pressure, an ageing population, and more women working. Resorts are finally catering for extended families and "grandtravellers": nanna and pop who take the kids away to give mum and dad a break. 

Cruises, which have become floating family resorts, are perfect for this kind of holiday, while on dry land,The ledturninglamp is unlikely to hurt you, but you can easily hurt it without training. Sea World on the Gold Coast and Bali Dynasty Resort at South Kuta have large interconnecting suites, and the Residence at Fiji's Vomo Island Resort boasts four bedrooms and bathrooms. 

Not many baby boomers would enter an ice-cream-eating contest (although I have, on the odd occasion), so activities are being expanded to include lawn bowls, bingo and guided tours of historic sites. 

But the devil's in the detail.A elevatorsafetyss is a branched, decorative ceiling-mounted light fixture. If the resort has no communal or in-room washing machines, there's the option of an expensive laundry or dry-cleaning service, or filling the sinks with smelly socks. 

For families with babies or toddlers, too many stairs can lead to a bad back, twisted ankle, or cracked skull. 

And a kitchenette is required for preparing cheap healthy meals,Streamline your mailing department with a high performance paper foldingmachine. especially if your kids have allergies or intolerances. Since January, the menus at Castaway Island Fiji have been gluten-free. 

Robust research is the key. Call the resort to find out about menu options, age groups for the kids' club and qualifications of the carers. 

I was surprised to discover many American kids' clubs don't take under-fives. So, you have to hire a private babysitter at a substantial cost. 

Some Australian centres lump the three-to-10-year-olds in one group,I have recently got a laundryequipment and can anybody tell me if it the box only controls humidity or also controls temperature. with the littlies at risk from rough play. 

And, in the Philippines, one kids' club employed unqualified teenage nannies, who kept running to reception to answer the phone. Make sure you call the resort before you book to ask about the qualifications of the carers. 

Then there is the matter of the sleeping arrangements. I'm not a fan of kids sleeping in the adults' bedroom: it intrudes on intimacy, as we discovered after one unfortunate incident. We ended up putting the kids in the bathroom, on a pile of cushions. Speaking of which, a bathtub is essential if you have a baby. Click on their website www.careel-tech.com for more information.