Holidays that will not leave mum chained to the kitchen sink

Choosing a family holiday which will suit both the children and the parents can be tough and one of the hardest decisions of all is selecting the right accommodation. Is a hotel better than self-catering, or will the latter leave mum (or dad) chained to the kitchen sink?

To help you decide, we've listed some of the pluses for both hotel-based and self-catering holidays.

One of the best things about staying in a hotel is that it gives parents a break from the washing up. Many have restaurants with children's menus, high-chairs and baby feeding facilities, making meal times a breeze.

They usually work out more expensive than self-catering, but it might be a price worth paying.

Many hotels now offer cr?ches and kids clubs where little ones can play with children their own age, leaving parents free to enjoy the adult entertainment. The best ones have children's pools and playgrounds too.

Some UK tour operators, including Thomson (www.thomson.co.uk/family-holidays.html) and First Choice (www.firstchoice.co.uk/sun-holidays/family-holidays) will teach children staying in their hotels new sports or skills. Thomson's Familyclub offers swimming lessons, football skills and a stage academy.

Self-catering holidays on the other hand will give families more freedom. They aren't locked into fixed meal times and they can choose where, when and what to eat.

Many hotels now offer all-inclusive prices and while these might be good value for families with teenage children, they can be a waste of money for younger kids who eat much less.

A self-catering apartment or villa will give a family more space than a hotel room. Some come with gardens and private pools and many also have home comforts such as satellite TVs, washing machines and dishwashers.

Cosmos (www.cosmos-holidays.co.uk/villas) has a good selection of villa-based packages. If you just want to book a villa and arrange transport separately (which can work out cheaper) try www.holidaylettings.co.uk, which has private lets.

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