Blue Marlin sits on the subtropical South Coast of KwaZulu-Natal, forty minutes south of Durban and a short walk from Scottburgh Beach. For owners, the appeal is what the all-inclusive model removes: breakfast, lunch and dinner are served daily at the Lighthouse Restaurant, themed evenings give each stay a bit of occasion, and selected beverages are included, so there is no running tab and nothing to plan.

Accommodation is built around families, from comfortable hotel rooms through to more spacious suites, many looking across the gardens or out toward the Indian Ocean. A full activity programme keeps every age group busy, from the Dream Xplorers badge programme and supervised games for children through to snorkelling, surf lessons, archery and mini golf at the Activity Centre.

What owners tend to talk about is the social side. The same families return in the same weeks, children grow up alongside each other, and a holiday becomes a tradition rather than a decision to be made each year.