I have been reading your website and wondered if you could offer me any advice, I am 33 year and have a ten-month old baby. I am married but am looking to go away for a week on my own as my husband is working. He is not very comfortable with the idea of me travelling alone with the baby. Can you offer me any advice please? - Claire Greaves via e-mail

Times online family travel expert Chloe Bryan-Brown responds Travelling with babies and small children can be wonderful. But evenings, after you have put them to bed for the night, are often a problem. One that is much worse if you are on your own. If there are two of you, you can, at least, crack open a bottle of wine and relax on your hotel balcony. But I don't imagine you fancy the idea of that without talking to another adult for seven nights on the trot. Not unless you are planning to read War and Peace, or something similarly weighty.

A house party-style holiday could just be the answer. It would give you the freedom to spend time alone with your baby during the day but also a chance to socialise with other adults in the evening in a non-pressured environment.

Villa Pia is a lovely and very well-established old holiday home in Lippiano, a medieval village on the Umbrian/Tuscan border in central Italy. It has a relaxed open-house policy whereby guests all eat together and can help themselves from the fridge throughout the day. It is particularly relaxing for lone parents as there are always lots of other children and all the adults eat together in the evening. There is also a team of babysitters available on request should you need a complete break.

Chateau Ribagnac - you may remember it from the Channel 4 series No Going Back - Chaos at the Castle - is a fabulous fairytale-style castle with turrets and towers in the Limousin region of France. The owners have three young children themselves and are well geared up for guests with families. Rooms are offered on a B&B basis but table d'hote is also available, giving you an opportunity to dine with other guests at one big table after you have put your baby down for the night (you might want to take your baby monitor with you so you can relax). It will also provide all sorts of baby paraphernalia such as nappies and wipes so you have less to manage in your bags on your journey. Lone parents are particularly welcome.

Chateau Rigaud in Bordeaux is yet another variation on the theme. A cross between a private house rental and a boutique hotel, it is available for rent most of the time with house parties offered on certain dates throughout the year. At these, couples and lone parents are all welcome with their children. Activities are organised for the children and, while all meals are included, there is plenty of space to escape if you don't feel like socialising every evening.

In the UK, Cornish Tipi Holidays offers another way of socialising with other families in a relaxed way that is great for lone parents. Meals are not included, though cooking equipment and a camp stove are provided.

Got a question about family travel? Email our trio of experts at yoursay@timesonline.co.uk - Chloe Bryan-Brown takes care of questions for the 0-6 year olds, Emma Mahony handles the 7-12 age group and Jane Owen the teenage and single mother groups

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