How to get the family holiday you want in 2011

Booking a family holiday can be a nightmare, with hours spent searching online for the ideal destination, only to find you've been too slow and everything is fully booked.

Family friendly travel company Tots to Travel is taking the stress out of holiday bookings by offering to do all the leg work for parents.

With your bespoke requirements in mind, the Tots to Travel team will sift through its 300+ safe, child friendly holiday properties to compile a shortlist that they think will perfectly suit your family. They'll also research all the travel options for you - flights, route, approximate costs, what weather to expect, what to do in the area and what you'll need to take.

"This will save parents a huge amount of time, energy and stress, plus it ensures that they're ahead of everyone else so they don't miss out on the best properties," explains Tots to Travel founder Wendy Shand. "And best of all, it means that the holiday exactly meets a family's specific needs, rather than being pot luck."

Wendy also has these tips for parents who want to do their own holiday research:

1. Start by writing a list of all the things you are looking for and your approximate budget.

2. The younger your children, the more attention you should pay to the property itself. You'll probably be spending more time at the property that you will with older kids so make sure it's the kind of place you're happy to spend a good chunk of time in.

3. Ask friends for recommendations of companies that they have used.

4. When reading reviews, go for the grounded middle view. There will always be detractors and excitable cheerleaders. The reviews in the middle are likely to be the most accurate.

5. Pick up the phone. By talking to someone - rather than just looking online - you can ask more questions to ensure the place you're considering genuinely does suit your family requirements.

6. January is peak summer holiday booking season. Don't faff! The situation changes hour on hour so avoid disappointment by making a swift decision once you've got the facts. If you need July & August availability this is even more true.

7. There's little or no truth in the last minute bargain holiday for peak weeks in the summer. Availability is very limited and you will be scratching around to find something that suits, flights/ferries are more expensive and car hire is limited.

8. Pay by credit card so that your purchase is secure.

9. Organise your travel insurance at the same time so that for any reason you can't go then you'll get your money back.

To get a Tots to Travel personalized shortlist and travel plan, visit getmyshortlist.com. To view the Tots to Travel properties, go to totstotravel.co.uk.