Autumn has a way of arriving before you’re ready for it.

One minute the kids are barefoot in the garden and nobody seems bothered about what day of the week it is. Then, almost overnight, the school bags are out, uniforms are being located, lunchboxes are being washed and the birthday party calendar is filling up again.

And somewhere in all of that, you realise you never quite got around to doing the stuff you said you would do.

The day trips. The lazy mornings. The family dinners where nobody had to rush off anywhere. The little memories you thought you had plenty of time to make.

September can be so surviving-by-the-skin-of-your-teeth busy that you barely get a chance to ask a kid how they are actually getting on with being back at school. You get the old “fine” in the hallway, perhaps, before someone has to find a football boot or finish homework or get out the door for training.

Maybe that is why a little time away together can feel so worthwhile at this time of year.

Set among the woodland and open countryside of East Cork, Fota Island Resort offers something that is increasingly hard to come by in family life: space to hang out together.

And the resort’s self-catering lodges make a particularly appealing base for a family break, with two, three and four-bedroom options, fully equipped kitchens and open-plan living and dining areas designed to feel more like a home than a hotel room. A home where you don’t have to tidy, hoover or (if you don’t fancy it) cook.

There is something lovely about having your own front door for a few days. The kids can potter about, you can chat and sip a slow coffee, and there is room for everyone to retreat for a while before inevitably ending up back together again.

There are also acres of space (780 acres, in fact) for buggies, bikes and scooters, as well as all the other gear you’ll inevitably be bringing if you are travelling with kids.

And while the lodges give you that independence, you still have the pleasures of the wider Fota Island Resort & Spa on your doorstep.

Lodge guests have access to the hotel’s many leisure facilities, including the lovely indoor pool with its hot tub and sauna and gym, while the resort also offers dining, spa facilities and golf.

If you don’t play golf, you can still stroll down to the Clubhouse for a glass of wine on the terrace and take in the stunning views.

For families, there are activities including the Fairy Trail and Adventure Centre, giving the children plenty to occupy themselves.

If you have younger kids, you’ll be wondering one thing: Does the Fota Island Resort have a playground? The answer is yes: Fota Island Resort does have a playground, and it’s located right beside the Lodges.

In fact, if you book one along the edge of the Courtyard complex, your smallies can dart barefoot from the back patio across the vast expanse of soft grass to the swings and slides, squealing with delight as real live bunnies hop out of their way every morning.

After that, it’s a relaxed stroll along a pretty path for breakfast at the hotel (one of the best and most varied we’ve tried).

As well as a classic Full Irish and other made-to-order favourites, they include proper freshly baked pastries (warm from the oven), cakes and doughnuts to enjoy with a coffee. No dry little overcooked croissants here; they simply wouldn’t allow it.

Dinner in The Amber Lounge is delightful too. The staff go out of their way to make families and little guests feel welcome, and spacious tables make it easier to enjoy a laid-back meal as a family.

Perhaps the best thing, though, is what happens when you stop trying to make a holiday happen.

From your base at Fota’s Lodges, you have easy access to Fota Wildlife Park, where you can take off on an adventure and roam from the rhinoceros enclosure (there’s a new baby to check out there that will restore your faith in the world) to Monkey Island, stopping for a surprisingly good pizza halfway.

And later, when autumn is in full swing and everyone is back into the routine, those are often the moments that stick.

The summer may have slipped away a little faster than you intended. There may not have been enough time for all those grand plans. But there is still time to press pause, get everyone under one roof and make a few memories that don’t require a passport.

Sometimes, you just need a couple of days where nobody has anywhere else to be.

Check out the latest Lodge rates (from €235 per night midweek) here. A one-night autumn stay at Fota Island Resort starts at €579 for two people sharing and includes a rejuvenating Joy of Beauty facial or a soothing Indian Head Massage in the award-winning Fota Island Spa, dinner for two in Fota Restaurant and breakfast the following morning. For bookings and more information, visit fotaisland.ie.