Louise Male

The world’s largest arts festival will take over Edinburgh for three weeks from this weekend.

Alongside my quest for the perfect hotel in the perfect destination is my never-ending search for a good value short break with the family.

One of our recurring holiday games is pondering on our favourite hotel and favourite destination. Like most lists through life, it changes over time. The one constant is that no hotel has ever ticked all of the boxes.

“Doha?” “Why Doha?” Asked every single person I told about our impending trip to the gulf city. Friends and colleagues knew where it was, but not what was there.

I’m always on a mission to explore new cities but that doesn’t mean I’m easily impressed. I was disappointed with Venice – an uncomfortably busy, tourist city which appeared to have none of the usual city functions.

I know Disneyland Paris is an attractive destination for many a Disney-obsessed adult but the reality for most over 25s is it’s all about enduring the chaos for the delight of the children.

Four-year-old Ella wasn’t sure about having a golf lesson. Ever the concerned, she wasn’t even sure what golf was or what she had to do.