This week sees a deluge of articles on the family, with an exploration of Berlin and its kindercafes, a baby hotel inAustria and a rundown of the best child-friendly getaways for Easter. If you're looking for peace and quiet on your holidays, our Escape section will be perfect - from a South African cruise to the small islands of the South Pacific we've got it covered. And if you prefer your holidays more hedonistic than holistic Nick Clarke's guide to Miami is sure to be of interest. This week's categories are Food, Family, City, Escape and Outdoor/Adventure.

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Luxury beach hotels – and by this we mean stunning places to stay with friendly service to match the blue skies outside – are harder to come by than you think. Mistakes happen all too often: you turn up at your dream destination, caught up in visions of white sands and palm fronds only find you’ve paid up for a not-so-special, shoebox-room resort with a back view of a building site. Let it never happen again! Here we round up our pick of our very favourite paradise destinations, where wonderful luxury beach hotels are guaranteed...

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The house of Dona Blanca in Cartagena had a tough description to live up to - my Colombian friend Neyla, who spent much of her youth partying and visiting there, told me is it the most beautiful in the city - and indeed it probably is. If you have read Gabriel Garcia Marquez's book Love in the Time of Cholera, you immediately understand that his brilliant novel is steeped in the sensuousness, sleepiness and lushness of this place. The house of Dona Blanca, which was built by one of Colombia's finest architects, oozes the magical realism he writes about from the moment you pass through the iron gates.

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With over 900 riads offering accommodation, there is no shortage of fabulous places to stay in Marrakech. The same cannot be said once you’ve stepped beyond the Palmeraie however, which is a pity, as places like the small town of Ourika in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains are some of my favourite spots in Morocco. Until now, it has felt like a well-kept secret, known only to aficionados and local residents, but now that the greatly anticipated guesthouse, Kasbah Bab Ourika is finally open, there’s an even better reason to visit – and stay – in the area.

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Everyone appreciates the extras when staying in a hotel - a decent restaurant, a pool or spa, beautiful grounds. Visitors to the Hempel then, will no doubt be impressed with The Gallery, a 145 sq m space, tucked away in the basement of the eponymous Hempel hotel, itself nestled within the enclaves of West London off Bayswater Rd.

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Where to throw a memorable house party for a landmark birthday with an invitation list to accommodate parents, godparents, a clutch of recalcitrant teenagers, another clutch of turbo-charged pre-schoolers and the demands of a bunch of high-achieving closest mates. Does such a villa exist anywhere in the world that will be large enough, special enough and flexible enough to live up to such an occasion?

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I have now been in Mali for over a month and what a country - this should be on everyone’s visit list, although I will say that it’s not possible to see the whole thing in two weeks and even three weeks is a push...

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Jerusalem is the ultimate city of contrasts. As the spiritual centre for at least three of the world’s major religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam, one can feel as if one has visited as many different cities in one day. From the historic intensity of the old town to the rich cosmopolitan buzz of its surrounding districts, Jerusalem may not have the progressive edge of Tel Aviv but there is much to seduce the visitor in this remarkable city.

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Day 8: Friday Atun Poza Lake – Rio Pacaya 08:00 am. Atun Poza expedition Atun Poza by skiff: This morning we will cruise in our skiffs along a lake called Atun Poza, where we will surprise several species of egrets, herons, hawks, long-legged neotropical cormorants fishing for their dinner, and unusual and loud horned screamers. We will also [...]

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Day 4: Monday Arequipa to Colca Journey You will depart from Arequipa and drive northbound obtaining stunning views of the volcanoes that surround the City along the way. The total drive to the Colca takes 3-4 hours non-stop or 5-6 hours with sightseeing stops en route. The landscape and vegetation will change as you gradually gain altitude. [...]

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