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The Irish Sun

Our travel team's favourite TUI holidays from African beach resorts to European bucket list hotels

THE SUN's Travel Team have certainly racked up the trips abroad, travelling everywhere from Europe to Africa. And as one of the UK's biggest tour operators, that means we've also done our fair share of TUI holidays . 12 We've revealed some of our favourite resorts Credit: google maps So here are some of our favourite hotels we've stayed at on a TUI holiday. Pickalbatros White Beach Resort Taghazout, Morocco Morocco is the best place for five star luxury on a budget - and one that I loved was the Costing as little as £885 each for seven nights all-inclusive, you feel its grandeur when you walk in with the huge marble lobby and towering glass windows. It's adult-only, with six pools to choose from and a beautifully golden sandy beach to watch one of the many surfers. Read more on TUI hotels Stays include one free visit per stay to the speciality restaurant Azha, which offers up delicious authentic Moroccan cuisine. Otherwise there is the Sachi bar overlooking the rest of the resort, as well as the pink sunsets. - Deputy Travel Editor, Kara Godfrey Bluesun Hotel Jadran, Croatia The standout of this laid-back resort is not its jaw-dropping location (although waking up to panoramic views of Croatia's sundrenched coastline each morning is no tough feat), it's the breadth of wellness facilities. Most read in Beach holidays As much as flopping on a sun lounger and catching a tan is my priority on holiday, I hate having to completely sacrifice my gym routine - and luckily I didn't have to at Bluesun Hotel Jadran. There are health and fitness activities galore here, as well as water sports. And the best part is, they're all included in the price of a stay. The African hotspot with TUI holidays set to be big next year 12 I loved the five star glamour as well as the fitness aspect When I wasn't practising my downward-facing dog under the shade of a palm tree or getting my heart racing on the tennis courts , I was swigging back a spritz on the pebble beach and tucking into the freshest seafood – after all, the hotel does occupy a prime spot on the Dalmatian coast. Think scorched octopus and garlicky, sizzling prawns. The village of Tucepi, in which the hotel sits, is quiet, so don't expect any wild parties, but the historic city of Split is just over an hour away by car, while the rugged mountains that back the hotel are great for exploring by bike (these can be hired at reception). For the more adventurous, there's also river rafting, canyoning and diving (all of which come at an additional charge). Any tired muscles can be soothed at the on-site spa, which is as lavish as you'd expect from a five-star resort. Both mountain-view and sea-view rooms are epic, but the sunsets over the ocean are some of the best I've ever seen. Visit in October this year and you can stay for less than £700 each for the week. - Assistant Travel Editor, Sophie Swietochowski 12 The views from the hotel pool are amazing Credit: Google maps 12 But the sunsets over the ocean are beautiful tooo Credit: Google maps Hotel Riu Palace Tres Islas, Fuerteventura, Brits are very limited when it comes to sunshine breaks with short flight times in February half term. But after a very late booking last winter , where most of the big TUI family hotels were booked out, I lucked out with a lesser-known gem on the edge of Fuerteventura's Grandes Playas - at the At first glance of the website, I might have opted for a different hotel as it had no kids activities. But this ended up being perfect for a relaxing holiday with my mum and five-year-old son. The 50-year-old hotel doesn't have all the bells and whistles of a more modern resort, but the hospitality was outstanding and the location on one of the island's best beaches was unbeatable. 12 Our Fuerteventura hotel was the best location Despite being fully booked, the hotel itself never felt crowded. And the small number of other young families meant all the kids in the resort instantly became friends - and were easily monitored throughout the hotel grounds. The food was great too, with no queues at the various restaurant stations, no matter what time you showed up - and some of the best all-inclusive dishes I've had. Shout outs also to the wonderful TUI rep Samuel, a born-and-bred Fuertaventurean who gave us all his best local recommendations for exploring the island, and the charming bar staff who loved inventing elaborate mocktails for the kids. - Head of Travel (Digital), Caroline McGuire 12 The hotel was so big it never felt crowded Credit: Google maps Riu Baobab, Senegal TUI launched the And the Riu Baobab remains their only hotel in the country, lining the Pointe Sarane coastline. I was never bored at the resort despite staying there for seven days (and as a serial adventure-goer over a fly-and-flopper, that is saying something). There are the four huge pools overlooking the beach, the swim up pool bars and the copious amounts of sunloungers to choose from. 12 The hotel swim up pool bar was where I was most afternoons The hotel buffet changed enough to keep you hooked , as well as having local Senegalese food. But I was seriously impressed by the specialty restaurants which can very often be a letdown. But the sushi at the Asian Dorayaki and the pasta dishes at Veneto were a highlight of the meals at the hotel. But even with the pools and unlimited free drinks it was the staff that made it, always happy to chat, dance by the beach or being cheeky in general. And if there is one thing you must do? Make sure you have a go or two on their on-site waterslides too... - Deputy Travel Editor, Kara Godfrey 12 And the resort was right on the beach, with no other hotels near us Credit: Google maps - Hotel Riu Serena Beach Resort & Spa, Kenya I visited Kenya for the first time with TUI, as part of their beach-safari combination holidays . And while the safari itself was a fantastic experience (spotting baby lion cubs up close) the beach resort itself was a beautiful way to end the trip. The Serena Beach Resort & Spa is stunning as soon as you walk in, with bright pink flowers and bush palm trees lining the gardens. It has an intimately small swimming pool complete with a pool bar serving all the cocktails you could want. 12 My trip to Kenya wasn't all safari tours, with some beautiful beach hotels along the way We then hopped over to the beach bar, with cushions and blankets lying on the floor making it the perfect place to watch the sun go down. Trying the hammock after one too many drinks was certainly a challenge... Food options include the buffet Fountain restaurant, as well as the pizzeria, grill and ice cream shack. But you aren't coming here for the food, but for a good night sleep before an early morning safari - and its safe to say I passed straight out... I can also recommend the Baobab Beach Resort & Spa in Diani Beach - just beware of the monkeys! - Deputy Travel Editor, Kara Godfrey 12 It was small but intimate Credit: google maps 4H Lapland Hotel Saaga, Finland A trip to see Santa in Lapland is the stuff bucket lists are made of, but they've always seemed as out of reach to me as a trip to Dubai . So I was pleasantly shocked by the The package holiday also includes a trip to the Snow Village with Santa meet-and-greet, snowmobile ride, ice palace visit and gingerbread-making, as well as a three-course Christmas dinner with entertainment on the last night. The hotel itself was also great, especially for the price, with a decent breakfast and option to tag on evening meals, and a fantastic location next to Finland's largest ski resort meant we were able to squeeze in half a day's skiing too. Plus,for those able to stay awake long enough after the day's activities, there was also the chance to see the - Head of Travel (Digital), Caroline McGuire 12 I couldn't believe how affordable the bucket list trip was 12 We even managed to fit in some skiing too Credit: Google maps