The best of both worlds

Everglades, Florida

Skimming through the Everglades National Park

Florida may be famous for family fun, but if you choose villa rentals over Florida hotels it can also provide a relaxing and refreshing holiday, says Nick Carter.

For many, Florida may seem a Mickey Mouse sort of place, great for kids seeking their pricey thrills at the Orlando theme parks but maybe not much of a destination for grown-ups with rest and relaxation in mind. There's certainly nothing restful about having all your loved ones crammed in around you into what the Florida hotel industry euphemistically calls a family suite ...

Rollercoaster at Islands of Adventure

Incredible Hulk Coaster at Universal's Islands of Adventure, Florida

Which is why villa rental is an increasingly attractive option. Take a villa rental in the Orlando area and you can be close enough to the action for the kids to have a good time, yet far enough away for parents to be able to appreciate a break from the relentless action of the theme parks.

And villa rentals are not an expensive option. Weekly rental rates for a lavishly-equipped villa are more than comparable with those for family rooms in the big resort hotels, and there's far more space and privacy on offer for all members of the family.

Our recently rented three-bedroom Florida villa was entirely typical of the breed and was situated on the nicely-kept Sunridge Woods estate near Davenport and Kissimmee, about a 15-minute hop down the highway from Disney and only a few minutes further from central Orlando.