Top ten family-friendly resorts

London is without question one of the most family-friendly cities in the world, with a dizzying array of free museums and galleries to explore – not to mention the lure of Hamleys toy shop and the new Disney café at Harrods, where they even serve Mickey-shaped toasties.

One of London’s swankiest boutique hotels, Haymarket, part of the illustrious Firmdale group, is a glamorous bolthole in the heart of the West End. You’re incredibly close to theatres, Buckingham Palace, Piccadilly, Leicester Square and Covent Garden. The staff go out of their way to make sure everyone feels right at home, with amenities including kids’ bathrobes, milk and cookies at bedtime, and a children’s menu that’s definitely a cut above the rest (you may not be able to resist the banana split with chocolate ice cream and caramel sauce). There’s also a rather lovely swimming pool.

The low-down: Return flights on British Airways from Dubai to London Heathrow from about Dh2,700. A stay in the two-bedroom Suffolk Suite at the Haymarket is from about Dh13,250, with a separate drawing room, kitchen, two king-sized bedrooms and free internet (firmdalehotels.com).

No doubt your children are crazy about Elsa, Anna and Olaf from Disney’s Frozen, and with the sequel on its way, what better way to indulge their interest than with a weekend at Disneyland Paris.

The European HQ of the House of Mouse is at its glittering best in November and December. There are special seasonal activities across the two parks including performances by Elsa and co and dazzling fireworks, plus of course all those rides. There’s usually ice skating on offer on the rink outside the Hotel New York, and for some sightseeing and shopping you’re just half-an-hour by train from the French capital.

The low-down: Gloriously pink and fairy-tale pretty, the Victorian-inspired Disneyland Hotel has been voted one of the top French hotels for families and it’s right by the gates to the park. You’ll even get two extra hours in parts of the parks on some days. A luxury room with terrace and two double beds costs from Dh8,556 for two nights, with Disney Parks tickets and breakfast (disneylandparis.com). Return flights from Dubai to Paris cost from about Dh2,960 with Qatar Airways.

Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ gleaming vessel Europa 2 is widely regarded as one of the world’s most luxurious cruise ships, boasting bright, light, contemporary spaces, Murano glass chandeliers, marble flooring and Villeroy & Boch bathrooms.

Despite its super-swish decor, the ambience is casual and relaxed, and the ship (and staff) are wonderfully child-friendly. Suites with interconnecting doors are available, as well as state-of-the-art kids’ clubs for all ages, including one for teenagers offering 3D films, parties, iPod Chairs, Wii, PlayStation and fully supervised excursions.

If you fancy a lie-in, the staff will even collect your kids from your suite and take them to breakfast. With sailings from Dubai along the Arabian coast during November, and ports of call including Abu Dhabi, Doha, Manama, Khasab and Muscat, it’s incredibly convenient for anyone looking for a no-fly cruise.

The low-down: A nine-day cruise departing from Dubai on November 9, 2015, starts from Dh16,610 per person (hl-cruises.com).

With growing emphasis on eco-awareness and sustainability in schools across the UAE, kids are becoming much more knowledgeable about green issues; and according to a recent Trip Advisor survey 71 per cent of tourists said they plan to make more eco-friendly choices in the next 12 months.

That doesn’t mean you have to rough it, of course. At the exquisitely appointed Raffles Praslin in the Seychelles, kids can join in with a new ‘Ranger for a Day’ programme. It takes place on the neighbouring island of Curieuse, notable for its bare red earth and Coco de Mer palms, and activities include juvenile lemon shark tagging, or bird nest monitoring, followed by interaction with the giant tortoises, the most popular inhabitants of the island.

Children aged seven to 12 years can enjoy a half-day experience on Curieuse, where they will have the chance to interact with the tortoises, plant trees in the tree nursery, and go on nature walks with Raffles Rangers teaching them about the local environment in a fun and educational way.

And of course, the all-villa resort offers superb accommodation, as well as being located on what is widely regarded as one of the best beaches in the world, Anse Lazio.

The low-down: Stays at Raffles Praslin Seychelles start from about Dh2,430 per villa per night, based on a family of four in a Bay View Queen Pool Villa on a B&B basis.

The ‘Ranger for the Day’ programme is non-profit and costs Dh686, which is donated to the Seychelles National Park Authority to help protect the local environment (raffles.com/praslin). Return flights from Dubai to Mahe, Seychelles, with Etihad cost from about Dh4,110.

Just four hours from the Middle East, Sri Lanka offers idyllic palm-fringed beaches, ancient temples, historic cultural sites and plenty of wildlife. Stay at the Why House, a family-friendly boutique hotel just two minutes from the beach with cottage-style cabanas and a huge pool.

The Main House has pool toys, board games, volleyball and badminton and a great kids’ menu. Experienced babysitters are available, and the hotel is just a 15-minute drive from the Unesco world heritage-listed fort at Galle, where whale and dolphin-watching cruises are on offer from November to April. Day trips to safari in Yala and Uda Walawe national parks can also be arranged.

Your kids might have whizzed down the slopes at Ski Dubai, Mall of the Emirates, but nothing comes close to the real thing. Boutique chalet company The Alpine Club have three luxury chalets in St Martin de Belleville in the spectacular Trois Vallées region in Savoie, France. Each chalet is an authentic alpine chic mountain home, with a professional chef, host, chauffeur and chalet manager on hand to cater to your every après-ski whim.

And the location is an absolute dream – a charming French village dating back to the 16th century, the St Martin lift whisks skiers up to the top of the mountain at 2,400m in just 15 minutes, from where they can ski to Meribel on just one piste and Courchevel on one piste and two lifts.

The low-down: Chalets start at Dh73,520 for six nights in March, with breakfast and afternoon tea on seven days, six-course taster menu on six nights and complimentary soft drinks (thealpineclub.co.uk). Return flights from Dubai to Lyon with Lufthansa cost from Dh2,830. A three-and-a-half hour train journey takes you to St Martin de Belleville (Dh240).

One of the biggest pluses about The St Regis in Mauritius is that the staff are absolutely charming; they won’t bat an eye if your little darlings accidentally spill their drinks in their dinner or smear grubby fingers on the walls, which means you can relax, too. The butlers will go out of their way to ensure your family has the most fabulous time (spoiler alert – your children will find a fluffy dodo resting on their pillow at night).

Daytime activities include wind-surfing, kite-surfing, crab hunting, glass-bottomed boat rides and dolphin-spotting, and the Kite Flyers kids’ clubs operate on a drop-in basis, so kids are free to come and go as they please. They’ll also love dining at the Boathouse Bar and Grill, where the burgers and homemade coconut ice cream are mouth-wateringly good, and if you fancy dining à deux, then Le Manoir features exotic Mauritian flavours merged with French, Mediterranean, Indian and Asian cooking styles.

The low-down: A two-bedroom villa with a private pool at the St Regis Mauritius starts at Dh25,727 per night (stregismauritius.com). Return flights from Dubai to Port Louis with Emirates cost from Dh6,335.

If you want to entice the kids away from their video games, this is the vacation for you. Located on the island of Dhonakulhi in Maldives with its exceptional golden beaches, surrounded by crystal-clear cerulean waters, the Hideaway Beach and Spa Resort offers the perfect opportunity to spend some quality time with your family, as well as trying out water-sports together.

And with its new aquatic playground opening in November, promising hours of fun in the island’s lagoon, a complimentary children’s club and free babysitting service, you’ll be able to relax, too.

Start your holiday as you mean to go on by arriving at the idyllic retreat of Six Senses Zighy Bay in Oman in an overnight luxury yacht from Muscat. The Al Wasmy II takes one night and two days to reach its destination, and along the way your family will be able to snorkel and even dive off the boat, before sampling some delicious food cooked by the private chef.

You’ll then stay at Six Senses Zighy Bay, considered to be one of the finest resorts in the Middle East, with its village-style pool villas and private sandy beach set against a backdrop of the dramatic Hajar Mountains.

The low-down: For info on yacht and resort packages visit scottdunn.com. Musandam is a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Dubai.

All this, plus swoon-tastic ultra-contemporary Olga Polizzi-designed rooms with wraparound sea views, or suites with courtyards planted with orange trees. Plus of course a free kids’ club and a pristine beach.

The low-down: A two-room family package starts from Dh1,523 per night (roccoforte.com). Return flights from Dubai to Palermo, Sicily, with Emirates costs from Dh14,845.