Vacations Blog

Thatched roofs of the Park Royal Hotel

The name Cozumel means “land of the swallows” but it should mean “land of the laid back vibe.”  The tiny island is just 30 miles wide and 10 miles long but it’s filled with a quiet beauty that encourages you to linger.

I was invited on a Cozumel media trip by Royal Holiday Resorts a few months ago and I enjoyed a soothing and colorful stay. Cozumel was settled by the Maya over 2,000 years ago and the lush grounds of the Park Royal Hotel where I stayed boasted many tributes to Mayan culture like the towering statue and serene fountain below. Read More »

Planning a beach vacation with the kids? Finding a resort or hotel with good childcare, either in the form of day camps or individual programs, is a good first step toward ensuring the whole family has a great time.

Contact the director of the kids’ programs at your hotel or resort before you go on the trip and ask them any questions you may have. The best tip is to ask the same sort of questions you would ask of a childcare provider at home. The following are a few issues that you may want to discuss.

Day Camps vs. Specialized Programs

Some hotels offer day camps for younger guests, but many all-inclusive resorts offer deeper programs involving day hikes and visits to area attractions. Decide which of these options you and your children are most comfortable with, and select your hotel or resort accordingly. For example, the Club Med Sandpiper in Florida has separate programs and activities for children of different ages. If you’re traveling in Southern California, we’d suggest taking at look at SanDiego.org’s site, which has some great ideas for family-friendly beach hotels, including the La Costa Resort and Spa.

Hours and Flexibility

Find out if your child be allowed to leave and rejoin the kids’ programs as he or she wishes. Some children will want to spend part of their day with you and return to the program later on in the day. Also, find out what the evening childcare options are, in case you want to get away for an romantic evening out.

Program Size and Age Groups

How many kids will be participating in the day camp or program? If only a few children show up, will the program still take place? What are the ages of the kids participating and will the children be divided into groups accordingly?

Variety of Activities

Ask if your kids be interacting with other kids their age inside a designated playroom or will they be out exploring, swimming, and having adventures. The best kid-friendly beach resorts provide a variety of interesting programs for youngsters which go far beyond simply babysitting your children. Your kids should have their own special vacation memories to take home with them.

Ratio of Kids to Caregivers

Are you concerned about the safety of leaving your child alone with other adult supervision? Ensuring that your child receives ample adult supervision is very important. As Babycenter.com reports, an adult-to-child ratio of 1-to-4 is necessary for infants, while the ratio is 1-to-6 for two- to six-year-olds. Be sure to ask hard questions of the resort or hotel that you choose.

Other Helpful Resources:

• About.com: Top 10 Hotels and Resorts for Family Vacations
• TinyTravelers.net

Hawaii’s spectacular natural beauty are no longer just for honeymooners. According to Babycenter’s survey, “beach” is the No. 1 family summer vacation choice (38% of 11312 responses). Hawaii welcomes kids and family with its warm and shallow waters, Hawaiian resorts incorporate natural beauty into fun kids’ program. In the coming weeks, we will pick the best kid friendly resorts or hotels in each island of Hawaii. We are not going to rank the resorts here and you can click on the points on the map and then click on the photos t0 read hotel reviews.

Interactive Map: Best Kid Friendly Resorts in Kauai, Hawaii

In the interactive map above, we can see most of the hotels are around the two best beaches in Kauai: Hanalei Bay Beach in the north and Poipu Beach in the south. Poipu Bay Golf Course has hosted the star-studded PGA Grand Slam of Golf for 13 consecutive years. While there are a few on the east part of the island which is relatively closed to the airport. Except of Hanalei Colony Resort, all other hotels have children’s pools, or keiki pools; kids under 17 (or 18) can stay with parents for free, but room services are mostly avaliable in limited hours.

Highlights for each resort (in thinking to take kids):

• Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa: has a 150 feet water-slide which makes it kids’ paradise; 24 hours room services, complimentary daily continental breakfast in Regency Club, afternoon cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, and upgraded room amenities; Camp Hyatt for kids 3.5 – 12 years old.
• Sheraton Kaua’i Resort: Playstations in game room, kids (under 12) eat free at Shells; access to Kiahuna Beach; Most rooms are connected to others by a lock-off, which are good for families needing multiple rooms.
• Marriott’s Waiohai Beach Club: Access to Poipu Beach Par and Poipu beach, full kitchen with cookware and tableware in guest kitchen.
• Hilton Kauai Beach Resort: Complimentary scuba lesson in pool; has a sandy beach pool and water slide.
• Aloha Beach Resort Kauai : Access to Lydgate Beach Park, has restaurant where kids under 12 can eat free; Sony PlayStations in every room.
• Hanalei Colony Resort: Free maid service twice a week, fully-equipped kitchens(lack dishwashers) in guess kitchen.
• Kauai Marriott: Spectacular circle pool; Nintendo in rooms.
• Princeville Resort: 24h room services; access to Pu’u Poa Beach, keiki program for kids from 5 to 12.
• Poipu Kai Resort: access to Brennecke, Poipu Beach and Shipwreck Beach.
• Kiahuna Plantation Resort：Access to Kiahuan Beach, has a sand-lined pool.

We’re starting to investigate family friendly beach resorts as a potential destination for the time between Christmas and New Years. On Kango, we compiled some of our ideas for family friendly resorts in California, Florida, and Hawaii.

“On Maui, the Grand Wailea Resort and Spa is a combination between a huge water park and an impressive art museum. The multi-level pool has waterfalls, caves, a rope swing and slides for kids to explore and play on. Masterpieces by Picasso and Warhol provide exciting learning opportunities for adults and kids. On Oahu, the kid-friendly beach resort called Sheraton Princess Kaiulani will make your kids feel like royalty. Programs for kids 5-12 include snorkeling, boogie boarding and star gazing. Kids even get a throw-away camera to capture all of their adventures. A great kid-friendly beach resort on The Big Island is the Hilton Waikoloa Village. A lagoon with dolphins and Disney-themed attractions ensure that your kids will never be bored, and kids can explore the island’s volcanic past and present on supervised fieldtrips.” Here’s more on Hilton Waikoloa Village.

Our last family reunion, we stayed at the Kea Lani Maui and my brother stayed at the Grand Wailea Resort , both in South Maui (Wailea area). If you are focused on kids activities, a great toddler pool with sand at the bottom, fun waterslides and a river current, I recommend the Grand Wailea. The pool area was very satisfying for our kids (and us!). The beach is also highly convenient, just right next to the toddler pool area. The pool facilities at the Kea Lani paled in comparison. However, we had a suite (the Fairmont Kea Lani is an all suites hotel) so we were able to sleep better than if we were all in one room. The downside on the Grand Wailea is the cost…we rented a poolside cabana for $150 per day! The Four Seasons Maui, located right between the Kea Lani and the Grand Wailea is extremely civilized, and provides poolside cabana and Kids Club for no extra charge, according to a friend who recently stayed there. So be sure to calculate kids’ club and cabana costs into your cost equation when you book.

Anyway, we’ll be looking at Hawaii family friendly resorts and probably Mexico family friendly resorts as well. Any advice to us? We’ll be traveling with 2 grandparents, 4 kids (6, 5, 2, 1), and 4 exhausted parents of young kids and toddlers ready for a break!