Family fun and grown-up luxury in Cornwall

As my friend Tess and I drove up the hill towards The Sands Resort Hotel in Porth, Cornwall, we did a bit of a double-take at its pinky orangy painted exterior but actually, once up close its sunny, colourful outside was matched by the atmosphere inside.

As we unloaded our luggage, the children, (my daughter, Lily-Rose, three and her friends Maddie, four, and Spencer, 10 months) whooped with delight as they set eyes on the childrens' adventure play area equipped with, amongst other things, a maze and crazy golf.

But don't let the crazy golf make you think that Sands is like many other ‘family friendly' hotels - it is very much a cut above. As we entered reception to check in I breathed a sigh of relief at its tasteful (if nautical) decoration - lots of neutral shades, creamy, ‘distressed' wood, tasteful comfy leather sofas, fantastic flower arrangements - all very stylish.

And this stylish theme carries through to the bedrooms - or suites as most accommodation at Sands is. Me and Lily-Rose's ‘bedroom' was one of the newly refurbished ‘contemporary' sea-facing family suites which consisted of a child's sleeping area, then large open-plan living area which boasts a sumptuous super-king bed (gorgeous cotton sheets, luxurious throws, velvet cushions) from which you can see the sea through the French windows.

The suite also included a flat-screen TV, mini fridge (great for keeping the kids' drinks and adults' vino cold), DVD player, Sony Playstation, and tea-making facilities. If you're still at the baby stage, microwaves, bottle warmers etc are also provided.

After unpacking and the girls (little ones and big ones) jumping on beds due to the excitement of being on holiday it was time for the children's tea. At Sands they serve a ‘high tea' for the children at 4.45pm each day. There's a great choice - including pasta, roast chicken, meatballs, plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables and a choice of three puds for dessert. Lily-Rose and Maddie tried and loved gnocchi for the first time.

You could also opt for ‘Family Dining' which is for those who want to eat dinner with their younger children as an alternative to children's teas. We didn't (!) so once the children were safely tucked up in bed (there's a fab baby-listening service where you're alerted the moment your child murmurs and it felt very safe) we donned our dresses and lippy and headed to the restaurant for dinner.

If you're expecting ‘holiday camp' style food you're in for a very pleasant surprise - starters included Cuban squid salad and mozzarella, rocket, and Serrano ham. Mains were salmon escalope with grilled pancetta, or roast chicken with lemon and garlic. There was a selection of yummy puddings too and all the food was well presented and deliciously cooked. There's a great choice of wine which is very reasonably priced - house wine (white and red) is £9.95 and very good quality.

Once you become a parent you often think you'll never go out for a child-free evening meal on holiday ever again but at Sands you can - and you feel (momentarily anyway) that carefree holiday buzz you used to feel before you became a parent. Beside the restaurant there's the very ‘grown up' Ocean bar which is great for pre- or post-dinner drinks (just alert the listening service if you change location).

The next day we almost didn't know what to do as there is just so much choice... after exploring the hotel (set in six acres of grounds), including The Harbour Café, a lovely decked dining area where you can have lunch in the sunshine, the ‘surf shack' which loans wetsuits and surf boards for all ages, oodles of children's play areas (including table tennis and a junior climbing wall) we decided to go for a swim in the hotel's pool... there's an outside pool but it was a bit too cold when we went - in the summer it would be gorgeous though.

After lunch the children begged to go to the Kids Club - we'd seen some children having the time of their lives there when we'd been exploring that morning - the clubs are age-banded and run by Ofsted registered staff who were all lovely.

With the children playing happily Tess and I took advantage of some ‘me' time and booked ourselves into the Ocean Breeze Spa for a pampering facial and massage in one of their six treatment rooms. Two hours later we emerged relaxed and glowing.

Because there's so much to do at Sands it is tempting to not leave the hotel at all (for the grown-ups there's also a gym, hydro and sauna, nine-hole golf, all of which are included in the price) but you're in such a beautiful part of the world it would be a crime not to.

You must visit the absolutely stunning Watergate Bay - just a two-minute drive or a 20-minute walk along the cliff top. It's home to Jamie Oliver's ‘15' restaurant. The bay is about as close to perfect as you can get: expanses of golden sand, blue sea, and whatever the weather, children just love being on the beach. Not remotely concerned about getting a sun tan all they want to do is build sandcastles and explore rock pools which we did plenty of.

Padstow is just 20 minutes away and a great day out - the children will love it and you can also visit one of Rick Stein's many food outlets or attend one of his cookery courses if your other half (or friend) is happy to babysit for a few hours.

The whole family is sure to love the nearby Eden Project and you could easily spend a day in St Ives on the beach and exploring The Tate gallery.

Whatever you decide to do I'd stake my life on the fact that you'll have a wonderful time. I can honestly say that my time at Sands was one of the best holidays I've ever had and the memory of my daughter's happy, healthy face as we drove home  is one I'll keep forever.

Find out more

A one-week stay at the Sands Resort (www.sandsresort.co.uk, tel. 01637 872864) starts at £849 for a family of four, inclusive of bed and breakfast.  A half-board option is available for an additional £13 per person per night. Up to two children under seven stay free on selected dates. Free facilities at the Sands include tennis, golf, children's adventure play areas with zip wire and climbing wall and an indoor and outdoor pool.