How to improve holidays with children

When I was a little girl, I spent many a family holiday in a teeny weeny beach chalet on the Somerset coast. All five of us stayed in one room, and we had to share it with several very large spiders. But it was worth it for the backyard - our door opened straight on to miles of glorious beach. The grown-ups would sit around listening to jazz and drinking wine while we kids spent entire days running ourselves ragged, exploring the never-ending coastline. It was hard work, back then.

Of course, now that it is my turn to sit around drinking wine in the sunshine, our beloved coastal retreat is nowhere to be found - apparently the chalet was knocked down to make way for a car park. My quest to find something remotely similar has been fruitless; I'm sad to report that teeny weeny beachside chalets with spiders are no longer in vogue. (If you know of any, please get in touch.) But the search has been fun, because in the process I've come across lots of potential seashore hideaways for families, and here, just for you, are some of the best.

For UK breaks, the family-run company Coastal Retreats (0191-236 5971; coastalretreats .co. uk) is well worth a look. Its properties are dotted along the stunning heritage coastline of Northumberland, great for families looking for something a bit different. There is the Fisherman's Retreat, a fully renovated, five-star, 17th-century grain store, as well as several houses with big gardens and games rooms. Bikes, boogie boards and babysitters are provided.

For rugged coastline Mediterranean style, Corsica is a must. One of the best family-friendly places to stay, if you're lucky enough to get a room, is the Grand Hotel de Cala Rossa (00 33 4 95 71 61 51; hotel-calarossa .com). Set on a pine-fringed beach, it is a far cry from my little chalet, and no doubt a lot more comfortable. It offers plenty for the kids to do, including hobie cat sailing and mountain biking. And you can even schedule its 35ft private yacht, complete with skipper, for a day trip up the coast.

Once you have got a taste for luxury seashore hotels, you may want to venture further afield, so check out Raffles Resort (001 784 458 8000; raffles -canouanisland.com) on Canouan Island, in the Grenadines. This island takes up just three square miles, so you can do the coast-to-coast tour in an afternoon, and it is surrounded by one of the world's largest coral reefs, so it is great for mini-snorkellers.

But as far as coastlines go, you can't beat the west of Ireland. We've had lots of lovely holidays there and, although wellies and raincoats are essential, my kids and I agree that it beats anywhere else for dramatic coastline and deserted beaches. Our favourite hotel is the Dingle Skellig Hotel (00 353 66 9150200; dingleskellig.com), set right on the edge of the sea, with amazing views over the mountains. There are kids' clubs and crèches, but the real reason my younger son likes it is because it is perfectly placed to look out for Fungi, Kerry's one and only dolphin. He is yet to spot him, but it gives us the perfect excuse to keep returning.

Katy's top tip

For fantastic Cornish coastline and beautiful clifftop views, check out the luxurious hotel Driftwood (01872 580644; driftwoodhotel.co.uk). It has its own private beach and children sharing their parents' room stay free.

Katy Holland is deputy editor of 'Mother and Baby' and motherandbabymagazine.com