Best of both worlds?

Hotels are often just too costly for big families, and self-catering can be, well, not much of a break. Tania Alexander visited Suffolk in search of the solution

If you have more than two children, staying in a hotel can be both expensive and cramped. Yet self-catering with a gaggle of children in tow is also not much of a break, particularly if you are the parent who ends up doing most of the cooking and clearing up. The Dower Apartments at the Ickworth Hotel in Suffolk, are apartments within a hotel, aiming to provide the best of both worlds for larger families - the freedom and space of an apartment with all the services and perks of staying in a hotel.

The first time we stayed with three children at the Ickworth Hotel a year ago, I found the accommodation cramped. There are 28 bedrooms in the main house. We were given one "large double", which albeit generously sized for a couple, was squashed when five of us were installed: the wardrobe space was minuscule and I found myself constantly tripping over the three z-beds that had been put down for our trio to sleep on. The result was none of us got a good night's sleep and we were all cross and edgy by the end of the weekend. An added problem with the all-in-one-room concept, was that our older two children (then 10 and eight) wanted to stay up and watch a DVD while our younger one (then three) needed to sleep. We consequently had so much trouble settling them that I had to come up half way through dinner on the first night and missed the rest of the meal.

We were not alone in our grumbles. Another family from London who were staying there described it as "high cost camping" - they also had three children with them in one room. They were so annoyed at the high cost of this - a large double at peak times currently costs from £310 for two adults half-board with children sleeping in the room for free - that they vowed they would not do another hotel holiday with the kids.

One could, of course, book two rooms - but even at a family hotel like Ickworth there are only four sets of interconnecting rooms at a cost of £440 per night with dinner during peak times.

As a family hotel, however, Ickworth Hotel, which is part of the Luxury Family Hotel group, has a tremendous amount going for it. Best is the grounds - 1,800 rolling green acres of parkland, all on the flat so ideal for family cycling with marked routes of various lengths from 1.5 to six miles. A good selection of bikes for all the family is available at the hotel and is a fun way of getting everyone out into the fresh air. They also have an indoor swimming pool, a spa and riding stables, so you can explore the grounds on horseback if you prefer. We were so impressed by these facilities that we were tempted back again. This time we tried Dower House, a small complex of 11 luxury apartments on a quiet corner of the Ickworth Estate, about half a mile from the main hotel, set within its own secluded gardens.

Walking into our huge apartment created an instant wow factor. There were two adjoining apartments, in fact, providing two large bedrooms, two bathrooms and a huge living-room with a table long enough to seat 14. There was also a well-equipped kitchen with everything you would need to cook for the children and yourselves - dishwasher, fridge freezer, oven and microwave.

Nearly all the other apartments have a specially designed "dresser base" with a small dishwasher, fridge and convection/microwave oven. This time there was no feeling of claustrophobia, even with our lively family dog in tow who couldn't believe her luck at being in such fantastic walking terrain.

The children were far more relaxed with so much more space at their disposal, plus they had the luxury of a DVD in each room, so there was no fighting over what they watched. They thought it a great perk to be able to walk into the corridor to the DVD cupboard where they could borrow a good selection of films, books and board games. There is also a little tuck-shop under the stairs where you can buy a bottle of wine, crisps and sweets, plus a laundry room with a washer and dryer should you all get covered in mud exploring the grounds.

Although we spent a lot of time in the apartment, we also made good use of the hotel facilities, which is what sets this sort of holiday apart from the usual self-catering. The older children enjoyed hanging out in the Club/Blu, an unsupervised games room downstairs that has table-tennis, PlayStations, and a selection of games and drawing materials.

Our four-year-old, Joshua, was sniffy about going into the Four Bear's Den where he could have been looked after by nannies. Although Luxury Family Hotels usually have excellent childcare with the latest toys and well-trained staff, this is not the most welcoming of their "dens" as it is in the basement.

On both visits to Ickworth, we were disappointed that the National Trust house was closed as this is meant to include an eclectic collection of art from the owner, the Earl of Bristol's travels. If you're interested in this, go in the summer season (March-September) when the house is open for viewing (free for Ickworth Hotel guests) and when you'll get a chance to wander round the beautiful Italianate gardens (which are closed to the public).

The evenings worked particularly well for us on this second visit. After rustling up the children's favourite pasta meal in the apartment, we left them in the capable hands of a babysitter called Anouska, who was an instant hit as she played games with them all night. Meanwhile, we drove off for dinner a deux in Frederick's restaurant in the main hotel. Whether you like what they have done with the decor in the main hotel is a matter of personal taste and makes a good topic of debate at dinner. I quite liked the striking mix of traditional and contemporary furnishings - my husband thought the Sixties style chairs and sofas in such a stately house jarred. We both agreed, however, that staying in an apartment within a hotel, really does offer the best of both worlds for larger families.

The Dower House Apartments at the Ickworth Hotel, Horringer, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk (01284 735350); Tania Alexander and family stayed in the Ludwig and Scarlet interconnecting apartments at Dower House - from £820 for four nights midweek in low season

HOTELS WITH APARTMENTS

Bedruthan Steps, Mawgan Porth, Cornwall: (01637 860555; www.bedruthan.com)

There is always plenty going on for all the family in this well-established hotel. You can enjoy all the facilities, including children's clubs, swimming-pools and the Ocean Spa, while staying in one of the hotel's holiday cottages nearby, which sleep up to eight people. Open all year. From £400-£1,000 per cottage per week.

Westin Turnberry Resort, Ayrshire, Scotland: (01655 331 000; www.turnberry.co.uk)

A resort with cottages and lodges in its grounds that are just a few minutes' walk from the hotel and directly opposite the golfing facilities. Ideal for a large family party - the lodges can accommodate up to 16 people. There's also an award-winning spa. Lodges from £56 per person per night.

Woolacombe Bay Hotel, Devon: (01271 870388; www.woolacombe-bay-hotel.co.uk)

This hotel offers a choice of self-catering suites and apartments, with full access to amenities such as the indoor and outdoor swimming-pools, nine-hole approach golf and the family entertainment programme. The Bay Mews suites sleep from four to eight people. From £330 a week for a suite that sleeps eight.

Headland Hotel, Newquay, Cornwall: (01637 872211; www.headlandhotel.co.uk)

The cottages attached to this seaside hotel are currently being expanded, and are due to reopen for the spring bank holiday week. There will be two- and three-bedroom cottages for families. The setting is ideal for surfers, as there is a path from the hotel to Little Fistral Cove. Fistral Beach is where the British and World Surfing Championships take place, and tuition is available for all the family. From £1,150 for a two-bedroom cottage for a week.