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Holidays in Portugal: Ben Fogle enjoys a perfect family break at the Martinhal Beach Resort

I fell in love with Portugal the first time I met her. I came here with my then girlfriend, Marina, who has family in Cascais, near Lisbon. We returned less than a year later to get married. Although I have visited the country many times since, until now I have never explored the southern Algarve. To be honest, I have always tried to avoid it, instead favouring the less populated Atlantic coast.

But in April we seized the chance to go to the Martinhal Beach Resort and Hotel, near Sagres. It describes itself as the premier family resort in Europe.

Family favourite: Ben and Marina with Ludo and Iona at the Martinhal Beach Resort

As relatively new parents (Ludo is three and Iona is 19 months), Marina and I have come to accept that our holiday options have changed. It wasn't that long ago that we rolled our eyes in despair if we found ourselves sitting next to youngsters on planes. Now we're the ones checking how long the flight is, how far the resort is from the airport and wondering about children's clubs.

The Martinhal seemed to tick all the boxes: a direct flight from Gatwick to Faro, no time difference, only an hour's transfer, and a huge number of activities for Ludo and his sister. The Martinhal offers rooms within the main hotel, or for families there are villas around the estate. Our villa had a small pool and was located near a pine wood.

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Holidays mean different things to different people. I am lucky that my TV work has taken me all over the world and my job has been described as a continual holiday, but family breaks are extremely important. Given that I can be overseas for seven months of the year, time spent with my children becomes precious, and in Portugal I found myself more relaxed than I have ever been.

Breakfast in the hotel was an extraordinary affair. For those not fond of children it could be described as a scene from hell. The dining area was packed (one family had five youngsters) and the floor was littered with food that had been either dropped or thrown. Some children raced around tables. And it was only 7am.

Room with a view: The Martinhal's villas are perched on a hill overlooking the sea

The strange thing is all the parents looked happy. There was no need to be embarrassed about your infant's behaviour. There was no need to blush as your toddler threw a tantrum.

It felt like each and every person in that room was in it together. I loved it. It felt liberating. At times I feel stressed when we're in restaurants at home. Britain simply doesn't embrace 'family' and 'children' like many of our European neighbours.

The Martinhal staff doted on the children and there was even a dedicated play area next to the buffet where workers were happy to entertain the youngsters while parents had a moment to themselves.

There was a similar atmosphere at the swimming pool, where the children squealed with delight. Proud parents looked on as their little darlings dived and splashed around. On the beach, lots of children got together to build enormous sandcastles.

As any parent will know, children are great facilitators when it comes to striking up conversations.

Before long, the adults had clustered around the sandcastles too, beginning dialogue through their infants: 'Ludo, why don't you ask your friend's daddy if you can borrow his bucket.' Before long, fathers and mothers were busily discussing schools and various sports lessons.

Dig for victory: Ludo, left, and Iona build sandcastles at the Martinhal Beach Resort

The hotel has several restaurants, all offering dedicated menus for babies and older children. Fresh fish, vegetables and salad were gobbled down without a fuss - the icecream to follow was a just reward. The British winter had been relentless, so being in Portugal, where the sun shone and temperatures reached a balmy 25C, was heavenly.

'I think we should move here,' smiled Marina one morning. She wasn't joking. Family holidays with young children can be a complicated business. At Martinhal it was different - we were surrounded by like-minded souls.

One day during our stay, while Marina and the kids collected shells on the Martinhal's beach, I seized the chance to have my first surf lesson.

I drove with a local instructor, Eduardo, to nearby Praia do Amado, where I changed into a wetsuit and ran down steep wooden steps to the empty beach below.

This coastline is rugged and rough, the perfect place to learn to surf. Clutching my beginner's long board, I raced into the water and practised close to shore. Within an hour Eduardo had me standing up, riding the waves. I'm now hooked.

The countryside around the Martinhal is breathtaking too. A wet winter in the Algarve has created a rich green carpet that covers the rolling hills as far as the eye can see.

While the surfing offered a quick fix of adventure, the Martinhal is certainly not short of things to do. There are four swimming pools (including an indoor pool for the chillier winter days), a football pitch, tennis courts and a spa.

There are also plenty of children's clubs but, to be honest, we never used those because we were having so much fun with the children.

Take a dip: The Martinhal offers four swimming pools along with a football pitch, tennis courts and a spa

My only criticism was the babysitting arrangements. While many parents choose to eat early with their children, Marina and I have always enjoyed an hour or two to ourselves in the evening. While the hotel does offer babysitting facilities, it costs €20 per hour - that's £17, more than three times what we pay in London.

Other than that, it's hard to fault the Martinhal. The staff are the real stars here. They learned all the children's names, and gave them 'high fives' every time they walked past.

The Martinhal has made a bold decision to be so family-friendly, and by doing so the staff have created a sanctuary for sleep-deprived parents in need of recuperation.

It may sound overwhelming if you're not a parent or grandparent but we absolutely loved it.

Despite using high-factor lotion, Ludo and Iona still bear the warm honey tones of the sun on their cheeks. It's a marvellous reminder of a happy family holiday.

Getting there

Martinhal Beach Resort & Hotel (00 351 282 240 200, martinhal.com) offers seven nights in a family room sleeping two adults, one child under 12 and a baby from €1,554 (about £1,325) on a half-board basis. Monarch (monarch.co.uk) flies to Faro from Birmingham, East Midlands, Leeds-Bradford, Gatwick, Luton and Manchester from £98pp return. Three days car hire with Auto Rent costs from €80 (£68). Call 0800 032 4979 or visit autorent.pt. For further information on the region, visit visitalgarve.pt.




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