Boutique South Pacific
A boutique hotel has opened among 17 acres of tropical forest on a white sand beach on the island of Aitutaki, the Cook Island atoll regarded as the prettiest in the South Pacific. The Pacific Resort Aitutaki has 28 Polynesian beach-front bungalows and suites furnished in colonial style.

The first night at the Pacific Resort Aitutaki costs from £286, including flights from Rarotonga; subsequent nights from £121 with Talpacific Holidays (020-8288 8400, talpacific.com). Flights to the Cook Islands from £699.

Fir for a palace

Body Doctor, the lifestyle fitness programme combining nutrition and training, has been introduced at Le Prince Maurice, the palace-style hotel in Mauritius. A three-hour session with a personal trainer costs from £85.

Seven nights' B&B at Le Prince Maurice costs from £2,487 including flights with ITC Classics (01244 355527, itcclassics.co.uk, see also bodydoctor.com).

Single parent breaks
Escorted group holidays for single-parent families geared to the needs of both parents and children is offered by Small Families, which was launched last year with trips to Hammamet, Tunisia. Extra weeks have been added in Tunisia as well as hotels in the Algarve and Cyprus for the 2003 brochure. Christmas trips to Lapland are promised.

Prices start at £520 per adult (£440 for children under 12) for one week half board at the Hotel Dom Joao II at Alvor, Portugal, with Small Families (01767 650312, smallfamilies.co.uk).

Luxury villa
Each of the four bedrooms has a private terrace at Es Moli de Maiol, a traditional stone-built villa on a working Majorcan farm surrounded by almond and olive groves. There is a swimming pool and tennis court while the island's capital, Palma, is 10 minutes' drive away.

A week costs between £2,520 and £3,170 from Elegant Resorts' new Luxury Villa brochure (01244 897444, elegantresorts.co.uk).