Easter travel 2019: the best hotels, packages and deals

When Easter egg hunts in damp back gardens and awkward roast dinners with the extended family just don’t cut it, an adventure in some far-off land seems an enticing prospect.

Here are Portfolio's picks of the most luxurious Easter breaks on offer, for both families and couples alike.

Paradis Plage Resort, Agadir, Morocco

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Active families after a week of beachside bliss need look no further than this three-mile stretch of coast an hour north of Agadir in Morocco. The stylish Paradis Plage Resort offers a home-away-from-home experience, with an outdoor cinema, afternoon family surf classes for those over eight and free kids club, featuring face-painting, beach games and child-friendly yoga.

There is also a beachfront yoga shala, spa treatment room and a babysitting service for those keen for a bit of alone time.

Seven nights - 6-13 April - from £675 per person in a Junior Suite on a bed and breakfast basis, including return flights and private airport transfers. For more information, click here.

Fontelunga Hotel & Villas, Tuscany, Italy

If gastronomic delights are more your thing, an Easter sojourn to the remarkable nine-bedroom boutique hotel Fontelunga Hotel & Villas may be the ultimate treat.

Located in Pozzo Della Chiana less than 30 mins from the hilltop medieval towns of Cortona, Arezzo and Picenza, the hotel has crafted a special package inviting families to experience an authentic Tuscan Easter, including seven nights at the two-bedroom self-catered Villa Gallo, Tuscan cookery masterclasses, a wine-tasting session, an Easter-themed banquet on the terrace overlooking the Apennine Mountains and even a treasure hunt for kids in Fontelunga’s countryside grounds.

Seven nights from €3,810 (approx. £3,392). For more information, click here.

Terre Blanche, France

Down in the southeastern corner of France, nestled among nature in the hills of Provence’s Cote d’Azur, Terre Blanche is offering up an amazing Easter treat for families this year.

Just 35 minutes from Cannes, 45 minutes from Nice Airport and just three hours from London, the Terre Blanche resort is “designed as a Provencal village”, according to its website, and is home to a fabulous spa, two 18-hole championship golf courses and a Michelin-starred restaurant.

For Easter, kick things off with the resort’s Easter Brunch at the on-site Le Gaudina restaurant on Sunday 21 April 2019. Here, a stunning chocolate Easter egg creation will be unveiled, exclusive to the hotel and made by Terre Blanche’s talented pastry team.

But for the more restless in the family, activities will be available too, from an apiculture workshop, an easter egg hunt and a junior golf academy.

For more information, click here.

Shambala Private Game Reserve, South Africa

Once the countryside retreat of Nelson Mandela, the Shambala Private Game Reserve is situated on 10,000 hectares of pristine savannah in South Africa’s Limpopo Province, a 2.5 hour drive from Johannesburg.

Here, guests will have a chance to spot the “Big Five” (lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant, and buffalo) during game drives and bush walks, while other activities available include traditional South African fishing, star-gazing and an introduction to animal conservation.

And for Easter, Scott Dunn is offering a South African safari adventure, including a two-night stay at luxury The Saxon Hotel on a bed and breakfast basis, followed by three nights at Zulu Camp in the Shambala Game Reserve on a full board basis.

Five nights including international and domestic flights and private transfers from £3,500 per person. For more information, click here.

Amanzoe Villas, Greece

The Aman Villas at Amanzoe are stunning collection of hilltop villas available to rent and purchase on the Peloponnese peninsula in southwestern Greece.

Those lucky enough to find themselves spending their Easter here will be treated to one of Europe’s finest luxury resorts, with easy access to the sea, ocean-fronted restaurants, spas, treatment rooms, a state-of-the-art gym, tennis courts and watersports.

All villas at Aman come with a private pool and spacious living and dining areas, complete with a stylish minimalist design courtesy of architect Ed Tuttle.

Prices for a one bedroom villa start from €2,600 per night. Villas at Amanzoe are available to purchase from €3.2 million. For more information, click here.

Sofitel Villa Borghese, Rome, Italy

Sofitel Rome Villa Borghese will stage its grand reopening just in time for spring this year, ready to show off its wide-reaching renovations by renowned artist Jean Philippe Nuel.

Situated in a historic palace built in the 1890s, Sofitel Rome Villa Borghese sits within a quiet yet prime central location, providing guests with the perfect base to watch the celebrations of the upcoming Birthday of Rome (21 April) or immerse themselves into the historical reenactments and parades that come with it. And with a panoramic rooftop bar, there are few better places to join in the action.

For more information, click here.

Deccan Odyssey Train, World Heritage Sites package, India

Not all Easter breaks need to be relaxing, if Inspiring Travel Company’s Deccan Odyssey World Heritage package is anything to go by.

This eight-night adventure through some of southern India’s most underrated tourist spots is a whirlwind adventure, taking in the Western Ghats, the staggering Konkan Coasts of Ratnagiri and the arhitectural marvels at Ajanta & Ellora.

But the sights are only the half of it - the fabulous Deccan Odyssey is the height of luxury, an authentic Indian train with plush interiors and enough space for just 80 passengers, including two presidential suite carriages.

Eight nights from £2,499 per person for departure on 13 April on full board basis. For more information, click here.

Finolhu, Maldives

This Easter, Kuoni is offering a once-in-a-lifetime stay at the island playground of Finolhu on the Maldives’ majestic Baa Atoll.

The villas at Finolhu are stunning, and all of them come with private decked terraces, a private pool, an enormous king-size bed, semi-outdoor bathroom and even a private butler.

Here, in the shade of palm trees, guests can unwind with free yoga sessions, spot manta rays and whale sharks on a snorkelling safari, hit the surf with wakeboards and jet-skis or go glamping in style with the island's beach bubble tent.

Seven nights in April from £3,895 per person on a full board basis. For more information, click here.

Les Manoirs de Tourgeville, France

The stunning Les Manoirs de Tourgeville, part of the famed Groupe Floirat, is a charming 57-room retreat in the rolling hill of Normandy, just a short hop from the romantic seaside towns of Deauville and Honfleur.

This year, the hotel will be organising an Easter Egg Hunt for children on Sunday 21 April at from 10:30am, during which 200 chocolates and surprises will be scattered around the hotel’s seven hectares of picturesque parkland.

The hotel is also home to the excellent 1899 restaurant serving classic Normandy dishes by Chef Emmanuel Andrieu, and could scarcely be more convenient for UK travellers - the site is just a 40 minute drive from the port town of Le Havre, with frequent daily ferries between back and forth from towns across the south of England.

For more information, click here.