Festive get-together holidays

Remember the feeling of warm air hitting you as you step off the plane? This December, put zoom meetings and home-schooling to the back of your mind and swap cold dark days for strolls along soft white sands, dining outside by the sea (with someone else doing the cooking) and quality time with family and friends.

We’ve missed out on so many shared moments lately and a holiday is the perfect way to celebrate being able to get together. With the green light for travel on the horizon, we’re seeing a trend for Christmas/New Year holidays and our winter beach holidays are already being snapped up. If you’re thinking of ending 2021 in the sun with your closest family and friends, take a look at our top get-together holidays.

Stay on a paradise island in the Maldives

In the Maldives, each luxury resort sits on its own private island, so space and seclusion comes naturally. For families and friends travelling together, 4* Kuramathi Maldives has Two Bedroom Beach Houses that sleep up to six people. Kuramathi is one of the largest islands in the Maldives and has a whopping 12 restaurants and seven bars. Wow-factors here include two oceanfront infinity pools, a house reef where you can snorkel straight from the beach, and a stunning mile-long sandbank at the tip of the island.

One of new favourite islands is all-inclusive 5* Emerald Maldives. There’s lots here for families: great sports facilities, free non-motorised watersports, a kids’ club and super-spacious family villas. If there’s a group of you travelling together, we can recommend a Royal Beach Villa, which has two floors, three bedrooms and a unique indoor-outdoor pool.

For great value and a wide range of activities from golf to submarine sightseeing, book a stay at 4* Meeru Island Resort & Spa. Sand floor bars and thatched open restaurants give a real ‘no news, no shoes’ feel to this popular large island. On Sundays, breakfast comes with Champagne.

If modern luxury in a remote location sounds like your kind of holiday, take a look at 5* Dhigali Maldives. The best way to get here is a seaplane journey from Malé, so even the transfer is a beautiful adventure. On this family-friendly island, you’ll find cool modern design features and top hospitality. The food focuses on delicious Asian flavours and there are incredible views from the upper level of the sunset bar.

Soak up stunning scenery in St Lucia

St Lucia is one of the Caribbean’s most beautiful islands and it’s not just for honeymooners. There’s plenty to see and do with family and friends, from hiking through rainforests to zip-lining and exploring protected coral reefs. For the ultimate scenic setting, stay at 5* Sugar Beach, A Viceroy Resort, which is tucked into 100 acres of lush hillside between the iconic Pitons. Every room here comes with a private pool and butler service. We love the Saturday evening movie nights on the beach, with beanbags set up on the sand and family-friendly films.

Get outdoors and explore Mauritius

For a small tropical island, Mauritius packs a whole lot in. There are dazzling white-sand beaches, jungle-clad mountains and cascading waterfalls, plus top golf courses and coral-filled lagoons. You could stay put in your hotel for a week, but it’s easy to hire a car or take a guided tour of the natural landscapes and lively towns. 4.5* Preskil Island Resort has one of the best spots on the island – this cool and contemporary resort is set on its own private peninsula. Watersports are a big deal here and lots of activities are included in the price of your stay.

If you’re a family of budding golfers, or a competitive bunch of friends, 5* Constance Belle Mare Plage has two championship golf courses. Gather the family for a golf lesson, or head out on a glass-bottom boat trip together and see how many different tropical fish you can spot. Opt for a sea-view room at this hotel – it sits on a spectacular mile-and-a-half-long beach.

You’ll find more stunning swathes of white sand at 5* Sugar Beach, where the hub of the resort is an impressive plantation-style Manor House. The setting may be grand, but there’s nothing stuffy about a stay here. A cute Hansel and Gretel fairy-tale house with pillars made out of ‘candy’ contains the kids’ club and a choice of Family Suites makes sleeping arrangements a breeze.

Embrace laid-back island life in Antigua

Antigua has a beach for every day of the year. Go exploring and you’ll find exciting activities from diving and sailing to island Jeep tours. For a great-value all-inclusive resort, 4* The Verandah Resort & Spa is set in 30 acres of sprawling beachfront gardens. Two restaurants have casual family-friendly à la carte dining and non-motorised watersports are included.  Every room here is a suite, so you’re guaranteed to have plenty of space.

At 5* Blue Waters Resort & Spa, there’s the perfect balance of romance and family fun. Dining together at this beautiful resort is made easy. From early sitting times for little guests, to a pre-order system that lets families choose dishes ahead of time, it’s all geared up to make things as stress-free as possible.We recommend bagging one of the pool villas for extra space and seclusion.

If your dream get-together is holidaying with another couple without any kids around, 4* Keyonna Beach Resort is a boutique hideaway that’s exclusively for couples. Its laid-back vibe, secluded coves and all-inclusive package provide the perfect environment for lazy days catching up in the sun.

Find winter sun closer to home in the Canary Islands

Around a four-hour flight from the UK, the Canary Islands have warm weather all year long. On the beachfront in Tenerife, 5* Bahia del Duque has been designed in the style of a Spanish village and has pretty bridges, pastel-coloured buildings and 15 acres of exotic gardens. The villas here are particularly great for families – we love the Las Mimosas villas, which come with 24-hour butler service.

Over in Lanzarote, 4* Gran Castillo Tagoro Family & Fun has a quiet location that’s ideal if you're looking to escape the busier areas but still be within easy reach of the town. It has an entire themed world for kids called Castleland (plus the choice of Merlin-themed rooms), a 5D cinema and a Thalassotherapy spa for much-needed me-time. It’s all inclusive, too, so you won’t need to worry about counting the cost of cocktails.