Fab Mag

KIP with the kids in a two-bedroom lodge at The Mole Resort or try the boujee airport hotel alternative of a grand Italianate mansion.

In search of the perfect pit stop, Lifestyle Editor Catherine Bennion-Pedley found out all that both had to offer.

The Mole Resort

As I slam on the car brakes, my kids Poppy, seven, and Raffy, four, shout: “Woah!” In the middle of the road is a local walking her dog – which happens to be the size of a small pony.

Yep, it’s safe to say rural Devon is proving to be an eye-opener for us all.

We’re kipping at The Mole Resort, a country-house hotel that had a spruce-up a couple of years ago, set in 125 acres of rolling countryside.

Our two-bedroom, two-bathroom lodge in the grounds comes with floor-to-ceiling views of a verdant meadow and a hot tub, which proves particularly restorative after the long drive.

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Another huge win is the raft of activities on site – from pickleball to pétanque, disc golf to axe-throwing, and archery to pottery painting.

Talking of which, the kids adore painting egg cups, £14 each, and are thrilled to pick up their newly glazed souvenirs the next morning.

There’s also a restaurant, games room and health club with a pool – though this has seen better days.

The village it sits in, Chittlehamholt, is also home to excellent 16th-century pub The Exeter Inn.

Owners Hazel and Steve welcome visitors like family, as does their gorgeous cockapoo Frankie.

Flavour-packed dishes like Peking duck bon bons with hoisin, £9.50, and beef and ale pie topped with stilton, £17, are spot-on.

As are the proper puds – pick spiced sticky toffee, £8.50, for the win.

With more than 80 gins and local ales aplenty, you won’t go thirsty, either (Exeterinn.co.uk).

Just 20 minutes’ drive away is another absolute gem – Quince Honey Farm, which brings joy even on the drizzliest day.

Here, we roll our own beeswax candles, forage for wildflower seeds and taste five varieties of the golden stuff – the dandelion honey is crowned our fave.

Entry per adult and child over five costs £10.80 (Quincehoneyfarm. co.uk).

Leaving armed with brilliant bee facts, we all agree this pretty nook of Devon makes for a super stop-off en route to a beach break.

Stays in a two-bedroom lodge at The Mole Resort cost from £120 per night (Themoleresort.co.uk).

Down Hall Hotel

I’m not a huge fan of airport hotels, which is why the boujee alternative of a grand Italianate mansion in the Essex countryside instantly appeals.

Less than 20 minutes’ drive from London Stansted, its rural setting will help you to properly relax before take-off.

A giant chessboard, tennis courts and a mini football pitch in the expansive grounds keep the whole gang entertained.

Meanwhile, the newly opened Barn Spa offers mini-me treatments, including head and scalp massages, from £25 per child, and the recently refurbed family rooms come with a Nintendo Switch, so the kids are more than alright.

Tuck into dinner treats, such as crab with apple gel, cucumber and nasturtiums, £16.50, followed by venison loin with a dark-chocolate jus, £41, at The Garden Room, which holds two AA Rosettes.

And it would be rude not to try the moreish house cocktail – a Down Hall Bramble, made with the hotel’s own garden gin, £15.

When in Rome (or Essex) and all that. . .

Family rooms at Down Hall Hotel cost from £212 per night (Downhall.co.uk).

SPECTACULAR volcanos, breathtaking lakes and ancient jungle cities – explore this Central American gem before the crowds hit, says Picture Director Alan Gittos.

Here’s why it’s time to head to the central American country.

1 – Majestic Volcanos 

As your flight descends into Guatemala City, you can’t miss the giant volcanoes that guard the highlands and stir the clouds. 

Volcán de Fuego (Volcano of Fire) in the Sierra Madre mountains is one of the world’s most active stratovolcanoes.

And at hotel Villa Colonial, in former capital city Antigua, you can breakfast on the magnificent terrace with a great view of Fuego’s volcanic plumes. Stays cost from £77 per night (Villasdeguatemala.com).

To get even closer to playing a real game of The Floor Is Lava, take a trail ride up Volcán Pacaya, an hour’s drive from the city.

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Let your horse carry you across dark ash soil to the base of the cone, then toast marshmallows on the geothermal vent – yes, really!

A six-hour horse-riding tour costs £67 per person (Pacayatours.com). 

2 – Punchy Plates 

Breakfast is a big deal here. Try the traditional feast of eggs, black beans and tortilla somewhere atmospheric, such as Raíces Restaurant on the edge of Lake Petén Itzá – it will only set you back £3 (@Raicesrestaurante).

For classic dishes in Antigua, head to charming La Fonda de la Calle Real and order the delicious Chiles Rellenos De Res – battered roasted peppers stuffed with beef mince, £9 (Lafondadelacallereal.com).

After modern fusion cooking? Dig into a trio of ceviche at Maxán, £14, followed by Buñuelos – moreish plantain fritters laced with cardamom, £3 (@Maxangt).  

3 – Floating Flores 

This small town on a tiny island in Petén was the last Mayan kingdom to resist. Set sail on Lake Petén Itzá to spot kingfishers, vultures and maybe even a crocodile or two.

Expect to pay around £37 for a boat ride from the shore. Once back on dry land, browse the brightly painted shops for textiles, ceramics and souvenirs, then sip a refreshing, bright-green limonada con chaya, made with lime juice and local chaya leaves, £3.40, at La Danta restaurant as the sun sets (Ladantarestaurante.com).

After dark, settle into a charming cabin at nearby Hotel Villa Maya and drift off to the sounds of the rainforest.

Rooms cost from £90 a night (Villasdeguatemala.com).  

4 – Awe-inspiring Atitlán 

Lake Atitlán was described as “the most beautiful lake on Earth” by German explorer Alexander von Humboldt, and at sunrise it is truly bewitching.

Stroll the water’s edge in Panajachel, then hop on a boat to the sleepy lakeside villages.

Stop off at San Juan La Laguna to meet women-run weaving cooperatives, watch natural-dye workshops and grab a large bag of fresh Arabica coffee, £8, from Café San Juan (Cafesanjuangt.com).

Day tours cost from £74 per person (Getyourguide.com). Finally, be sure to make the short, steep climb to Kaqasiiwaan Viewpoint for a stunning panorama – the £4 entry fee is well worth it.

At the top, sip cold Gallo beer crowned with spiced cucumber rings, £2, from the kiosk. Heaven!  

5 – Cacao + Coffee 

For thousands of years, maize and cacao have been Guatemala’s sacred crops.

In San Juan La Laguna, stop by Deleite Ancestral and learn to make traditional dishes, such as tz’utujil chicken stew with handmade tortillas – expect to get hands on! – then sample the mouth-watering results (@Deleiteancestral).

In Antigua, join a lively chocolate workshop at Ek Chuah to hear all about cacao’s history, while making sweet treats to take away.

An hour’s workshop costs £19 per person (Chocolateantigua.com). Coffee is the latest big Guatemalan obsession, and at 5,000ft above sea level, Antigua’s volcanic-soil plantations grow some of the world’s finest.

Take a tour of Finca Filadelfia to find out why shade-grown beans taste richer, why only women can plant the seedlings and why medium roast is the national sweet spot.

Finish with a tasting that’s both jittery and blissful. A 90-minute tour costs £19 per person (Facebook.com/fincafiladelfia).  

6 – Gemstone shopping 

Antigua is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and its cobbled streets are filled with shops selling locally made ceramics, leather goods and exquisite jade jewellery. Discover why it’s the Mayans’ favourite gem with a free tour of Casa Del Jade’s museum (Casadeljade.com).

Later, check out the impressive 18th-century Convent of La Merced, with its giant fountain shaped like a water lily, and the Arch of Santa Catalina, £2 entry. But for the most dramatic view, head for Cerro de la Cruz (the hill of the cross) to snap vistas of the city beneath the incredible backdrop of Volcán Agua.  

7 – Jungle adventures 

Want to hear howler monkeys roar like dinosaurs and spy pyramids emerging from the jungle canopy?

Hit Tikal, a vast site built by the ancient Mayans using only stone-age tools, and climb Temple IV for one of the most extraordinary views in the Americas – it even featured in the first Star Wars film.

Entry costs £15 (Tikalnationalpark.org).

Tikal is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its biodiversity – back at ground level, coatimundis scramble across paths, spider monkeys hang from branches and leafcutter ants march across the jungle floor.

Or to channel your inner Indiana Jones, head for the Belize border and pay the £8 entry to explore Yaxhá, a site whose origins are even older than Tikal.

It only receives about 80 visitors a day, so you may feel like the first to discover its huge plazas and temples.

Look out for the famous ball court, where Ancient Mayans played pok ta pok – a game with high stakes, where losing teams faced being sacrificed!  

STARGAZE for days at this island gem, says Associate Editor Sarah Barns.

The Pad

With a slipper bath, outdoor shower and a cloud-like king-size bed, Glamping The Wight Way’s four plush safari tents are ideal for giving off-grid life a go.

Set in lush meadows between Yarmouth and Freshwater, expect solar-panel lighting and USB charging points, plus three spacious bedrooms, a sofa bed, a well-equipped kitchen and a wood burner.

We loved toasting marshmallows on the fire bowl overlooking the River Yar – one of the best paddleboarding spots in the UK – and gazing at the starry night skies.

There are also countryside walks, cycling trails and horse-riding opportunities, as well as binoculars in the dresser for spotting red squirrels and an Isle of Wight edition of Monopoly.

Nab the swing chair and watch the kids run around with the rounders set as the fairy lights twinkle.

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Explore

The golden beaches at Freshwater Bay, Compton Bay and Colwell Bay are nearby, and you’re only five minutes’ drive from Tapnell Farm Park with its go-karts, jumping pillows, sledge slides, soft play and an array of animals.

The Wallaby Walkabout, where you get to feed the marsupials, is a particular hit.

Entry costs from £8 per adult, £10 per child (Tapnellfarm.com).

Robin Hill is a 30-minute drive away, offering 88 acres of adventure, with 35 rides, treetop walks, climbing walls, mini diggers and electric boats.

The exhilarating quarter-mile downhill toboggan ride will have even the big kids screaming.

Entry costs from £16.49 per person over 1m (Robin-hill.com).

No trip to the island is complete without a visit to The Needles, just 10 minutes’ drive from your tent.

Take a breathtaking chairlift down to Alum Bay beach to see the famous cliffs up close, from £6 one way, then putt your way around the 11-hole Jurassic Adventure Golf course or hop on the traditional horse carousel (Theneedles.co.uk).

Refuel

Follow in Kate Winslet and Benedict Cumberbatch’s footsteps and dine at The Hut in Colwell Bay, a beachfront restaurant dubbed the Chiltern Firehouse of the Solent.

The restaurant’s branded Jeep will pick you up in Yarmouth harbour, so you can enjoy a glass (or three) of Mirabello rosé, £37 a bottle.

The seafood is all sourced from the south coast – we devoured lemon sole, £36, with fries and tomato salad, £6 each, followed by banoffee pie, £10 (Thehutcolwell.co.uk).

Harbourside restaurant The Terrace in Yarmouth is another popular spot.

Order the divine Cornish cod with pea fritter and potato rosti, £27, and the rich dark chocolate mousse with salted chocolate crumble, £11 (Theterraceiow.co.uk).

For quick bites, Off The Rails, set on the old railway line in Yarmouth, does a cracking bacon sandwich, £8 (Offtherailsyarmouth.co.uk).

And PO41 Coffee House serves up island-brewed teas, home-made cake and delicious picnic essentials – we loved the orange and almond loaf, £8.75 (Po41coffeehouse.com).

Book It

Two-night stays for up to eight people at Glamping The Wight Way cost from £650 (Glampingthewightway.co.uk).

HIKING down the mountain, butterflies fluttering past, the sound of moo-sic fills the air. It seems the native black Hérens cows, adorned with huge bells, are on the move, too…

My daughter Ava, 12, and I are on an idyllic, hour-long trail in the Swiss Alps that starts at Cabanes-des-Violettes cable car and has us venturing across a spring, wildflower meadows and alpine forest.

And just when I think Ava is on her last legs, we round a bend to discover the Relais de Colombire restaurant, perched as high as the paragliders.

It’s the perfect spot to refuel on fondue, £27, and local Marmotte Hippie IPA, £6, while Ava makes light work of the giant cookie and ice cream, £11.20 (Colombire.ch/en/restaurant).

Fun-icular times

We’re kipping in the pretty town of Crans-Montana, with its elaborate flower displays, boutiques and eight lakes, in the French-speaking region of Valais.

It’s a scenic two-hour train around Lake Geneva then a thrilling funicular ride to get here from Geneva airport, and Hotel Valaisia makes the most of the scenery, with roomy balconies leading off its comfy doubles.

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There are indoor and outdoor pools, a sauna, cosy snug and games room, and at Eteila Brasserie, we feast on tasty dishes such as salmon with baked potato and mango salsa, £42 for three courses. You can also bike and hike from the doorstep.

Hopping on two wheels is a great way to get your bearings – more so if you’re over 16 and can e-bike!

We do our best to keep up with guide John, and even test our skills on a forest obstacle course.

Afterwards, we treat our wobbly legs to pulled veal burgers, £33, on La Plage’s terrace at Lake Moubra, where I try (unsuccessfully) to tempt Ava to sample my bourguignon-style escargots, £11 (Restaurant laplage.ch).

A one-hour bike tour costs £61 (Esscrans-montana.ch).

Love at frost bite

Even in August, you can still find snow up high. We catch a gondola to 3,000m above sea level, spying cute mountain goats and Roger Moore’s Bond pad on the way.

At the top, Plaine Morte Glacier – an 8km expanse of glistening ice – is breathtaking, as are views of the snowy peaks of Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn – the mountain Toblerone was modelled on.

It’s that same chocolate I find myself scraping out of my bowl that evening at Le Mayen, a short stroll from our beds, where the Toblerone mousse, £12, is a must.

Surrounded by check tablecloths, dirndl-wearing waitresses and a waft of cheese, we soak up the full Swiss experience, carb-loading on rosti – a heavenly mix of raclette, fondue and local dried meat, £31 (Mayen.ch).

Wakeboard me up, before you go, go!

On our last morning, we swap snow for the palm-tree-lined beach of Étang Long lake and watch a 140m wakeboarding cable give people the ride of their life, from £23 (Cransmontana.ch).

It looks easy, until I nose-dive into the water.

The lake inflatables – free with the MyExplorer Card hotel guests receive – are more our bag, then as we await our Beach Club crêpes with goat’s cheese, walnuts and honey, £17, Ava challenges me to a volleyball match. . .

I’ve done more exercise in just a few days here than I have in weeks back home.

There’s clearly something in the air – and it’s not just cheese.

JUST one hour into our safari, we’ve hit the jackpot!

“Look, you can just make out its outline,” our guide Dinuka shouts, as he passes his binoculars to me and my boyfriend Andy.

Standing on a grass bank surrounded by water, a majestic elephant comes into focus.

As we approach to get a better look, I feel like I’ve just stepped into a David Attenborough documentary.

This reservoir in Sri Lanka’s Gal Oya Valley National Park is home to an abundance of wildlife – we also spot crocodiles basking in the water, a herd of buffalo, eagles and a host of other birds.

With only four tourist boats allowed out on the water at a time, it feels very much like the nature in this national park is being protected.

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And from colonial cities to mountainous tea plantations, vast jungles and sandy beaches, everywhere we turn on this stunning island, there’s wonder to behold.

Valley High

We begin our trip in Kandy, Sri Lanka’s second-largest city and home to nearly 1.5 million people, plus a riot of cars, buses, tuk-tuks and scooters.

Mountbatten Bungalow, a 15-minute drive away from the bustle, was the hillside hideaway of Lord Louis Mountbatten during WW2 and is steeped in history.

It’s also an oasis of calm, with vistas of rolling hills, space for just 26 guests, Victorian trinkets and a swanky infinity pool overlooking the valley.

High tea, £12, is served on the deck and it’s the most beautiful place I’ve ever eaten a cucumber sandwich.

Double rooms here cost from £143 B&B.

Our driver, Nuwan, recommends the nearby Temple Of The Sacred Tooth Relic, as a must-see, and we’re so glad we take his advice.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it’s well worth the £5 entry fee as we look on in awe at the intricate Kandyan architecture and one of the holiest shrines in Buddhism, which houses the canine tooth of Gautama Buddha (Sridaladamaligawa.lk).

Tranquili-tea

Meanwhile, sitting amid marvellous mountains a two-hour drive away, the Tea & Experience Factory is a hotel unlike any I’ve stayed in before.

With the clouds rolling in, the surroundings are hauntingly atmospheric and, as the name suggests, this is a former tea factory built in the 1800s.

This stylish sleepover still has a small working factory showing how tea is produced, and from picking the leaves to seeing them being ground down in the various machines still in operation, it’s fascinating to find out how our daily cuppa is created.

The hotel also offers free guided waterfall treks with plenty of gorgeous photo stops in the lush landscape.

Double rooms cost from £114 B&B.

Jungle is Massive

Our favourite stop is still to come.

Three days spent at Wild Glamping Gal Oya is nothing short of a dream, and is where we spot the Sri Lankan elephant on our boat safari, which costs £85 per person.

Tents here have air-con, electrical sockets, huge comfy beds and alfresco bathrooms with waterfall showers.

A swimming pool sits in the middle of the camp with a breathtaking mountain backdrop – and with no phone reception, we fully embrace off-grid living.

The Veddas, one of Sri Lanka’s last remaining indigenous groups, work closely with the camp.

The first-known aboriginal people of the country, they were once forest dwellers, foraging, hunting and living in the jungle and caves.

These days, they make up less than 1% of Sri Lanka’s population and are a dying community who wish to teach others about how they live.

Gunabandilaaththo has a very simple life and shows us the ways in which his ancestors used to live, from mud huts to rustling up a traditional meal.

It’s an eye-opening two hours, £30 per couple, and a real honour to learn about his culture.

That night, we indulge in a Sri Lankan lamb curry and rice, £8, with creamy green beans, dal and coconut sambal, and chat about all we’ve learned.

Glamping tents at Gal Oya cost from £191 B&B.

Girl Power

Our last stop takes us to Amba Yaalu, set on the tranquil banks of the Kandalama Lake and the country’s first hotel fully managed and staffed by women.

Sitting next to a mango farm, rooms here look out over a glorious reservoir and the ancient Pidurangala Rock, which from some angles, resembles a person lying down.

Each room comes with an outdoor Jacuzzi bath to take in the views while soaking in bubbles.

Stays here cost from £121 B&B.

Sigiriya (also known as Lion Rock), is half an hour’s drive away and famous for its 200m-high granite column topped with the ruins of a 5th-century royal palace.

It’s a two-hour steep climb, but the views at the top are worth it.

Entry costs £26 (Sigiriyafortress.com).

Once back down on more solid ground, it’s the perfect time to reward ourselves with a Lion Beer, £2.50, from a street vendor and watch as the sun sets on an adventure just as golden.