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Family friendly-spas

Spas have become the holiday hotspot - new ones are opening all the time and we just can't get enough of them. And who can blame us? We all lead such increasingly stressful lives, the thought of being buffed, polished and massaged into a state of total relaxation is surely the ultimate in sybaritic delights. But how do we square blissing out in a spa with a family holiday? Most spas won't let children anywhere near them, pointing out that their clients understandably want to relax in a scream-free zone.

There is, however, a growing number of spa resorts where you can chill out while the kids are having an equally good time, albeit at a more frantic pace than yours! This new breed of resorts have managed to combine state-of-the-art spas with extensive facilities for children, including clubs and organised activities for all ages. So you can be pampered to perfection without a care in the world. Here is our round-up of some of the best for summer and winter hols on offer for the whole family.

Cyprus

Le Meridien in Cyprus is a five-star resort with excellent clubs and facilities for children of all ages, with extras, such as diving and discos, available for older kids. It's right on the beach, so there are lots of water sports, too. The thalassotherapy, or seawater, spa is huge and there's an extensive range of treatments. Seawater is full of beneficial minerals and, when you are immersed in it, these penetrate the skin and enter the bloodstream - try the thalassotherapy programme that takes you through a series of pools, waterfalls and grottoes. There is a heavenly underwater massage and I recommend, too, the hot stone massage for total relaxation.

Le Meridien
Tel 00 357 586 2000
Fax 00 357 563 4222
www.lemeridien-cyprus.com

Slovenia

Slovenia has recently placed itself on the map for very good-value family holidays - but it is also a renowned spa centre. In Portoroz, you have the double advantage of an excellent seaside resort and excllent, reasonably priced spas. Two hotels offer particularly good facilities. The Morje has a wonderful specialist Thai spa, while the Grand Hotel Palace has a vast hydrotherapy spa and treatment centre. Both offer great kids' clubs on the beach with some of the best activities I've come across: including a pirates' ship, a day trip fishing (and cooking your catch), diving and more. For a complete change of pace, you can take a trip to Venice for the day, just an hour away by boat.

Grand Hotel Palace
Tel: 00 386 5696 9001
Fax: 00 386 5696 9003
www.hoteli-palace.si

Morje Hotel
Tel: 00 386 5692 3333
Fax: 00 386 5692 7070
www.hoteli-morje.si

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