How to really make Mother’s and Father’s Day

With Mother’s Day falling in May in the US and Father’s Day coming up this June in the UK, it’s the season for celebrating the most important people in your life. Here are some indulgent getaway ideas for every kind of parent – from the culture vulture to the spa queen.

For the foodie in your life there are countless restaurants to savour, many tucked away in stunning (or completely secret) locations. In Lake Placid, NY, there’s the fabulous Mirror Lake Inn, an award-winning restaurant that prides itself on farm-to-fork dining. For true haute cuisine, make a beeline for Michelin starred Les Etangs de Corot, serving other-worldly gastronomy just 15 minutes from Paris. Or for a taste of the exotic, get closer to nature with a picnic at Costa Rica‘s El Alma Soul Retreat. Expect brownie points for life.

If he (or she) can’t resist the lure of the fairways, these two pristine courses will have them in seventh heaven. Schlosshotel Kronberg‘s course is one of the most beautiful in Germany. Set around the former home of Empress Victoria Friedrich, this is a setting fit for a king, queen or budding Tiger. While in the UK’s beautiful Buckinghamshire countryside, the renowned Stoke Park features 27 holes of world-class golf. And, for fans of James Bond, this course even featured in the 1964 classic Goldfinger.

Any new member of Prince William’s ‘no-sleep club’ will appreciate a spot of pampering. For something quintessentially English, the award-winning Dormy House spa ticks plenty of boxes. With calming interiors, an Instagram-worthy infinity pool and couples’ treatment rooms, it’s the ideal way to reenergise after a hard day’s night. Plus it’s family-friendly, so you can take turns in the spa.

Just a hop, skip and a ferry ride from the UK and you’re in Normandy. Its history is written in the fabric of this northern French town – from the humbling Omaha Beach, site of the Normandy Landings, to the Bayeux Tapestry. Close by both sites is Château la Chenevière, an 18th-century belle that’s made for modern families, with its pool, tennis courts and Gallic gastronomy.

Then again, what better getaway for budding historians than sending them to a castle for the night. Walking into Crossbasket Castle is a little like stepping into the pages of a history book, with its Robert the Bruce roots. Though the restaurant menus that come courtesy of Albert and Michel Roux Jr ensure you’ll enjoy a thoroughly modern feast.

If this year calls for something bigger and bolder than flowers, take Mum and Dad up, up and away on a hot air balloon ride. The best way to see the fairy-tale landscape of Cappadocia is from above – in fact, there are days when you’ll see more balloons than clouds in the sky – and Ariana Sustainable Luxury Lodge can arrange flights. And for something a little more down to earth, there’s the extraordinary underground city of Kaymakli to explore.

We know that Mother’s and Father’s Day aren’t easy for everyone – for all sorts of reasons. If it’s a bittersweet Sunday, mark it (or ignore it) in whatever way works best for you.