What makes a hotel kid-friendly? If parents and kids enjoy their stay, then a hotel fits the description of kid-friendly.
One thing you may look for is a hotel that features entertainment making the hotel one of the major attractions of your trip.
For example, you may find a hotel with an indoor waterpark, or adjoining an outdoor waterpark or theme park.
Others feature playgrounds and movie theaters, bowling alleys, video game arcades, and child care options. Puppet shows, costumed staff, and indoor mini-zoos are also features of some of these more exotic vacation-destination hotels.
Some will not offer a full-scale waterpark, but do have a large wave pool or a lazy river in conjunction with their standard pool offerings.
For those who are not looking for a hotel that is their destination, but rather a kid-friendly hotel that complements their destination, there are many great services and features to search for before making a reservation.
Some hotels cater to families. For example, if requested at the time of reservation, some will baby proof a room for you. Others provide child-sized robes along with the adult sized. The most child friendly provide cribs and rollaway beds, along with complimentary baby soap.
A feature many parents find extremely attractive is the supervised activity program for children offered at some of the higher-end, kid friendly hotels. These provide age-appropriate play, crafts and games grouped by ages while parents are able to enjoy some vacation time themselves.
Some hotels provide package tours that group the hotel features with local family friendly attractions such as science museums, mountain bike riding, Zoos and theme parks.
There are video libraries, board games, and child friendly restaurants at many kid-friendly hotels. Ask about a children’s menu at the hotel restaurants to be sure they are accommodating to kids in your age group.
Other hotels provide lessons in golf, snorkeling or surfing, while others have “dive-in” movies shown on a big screen near the pool.
A few particularly baby-friendly locations offer complimentary bottle warmers, strollers and juice.
A feature that is becoming more common is family-friendly television and movies, eliminating the need for hawk-like supervision of the television remote by parents.
If you are going for a more modest vacation hotel, but still want a family-friendly one, there are some features you should ask about when you make a reservation.
First, if you can afford a suite or room with a small sitting room, get it. This will give you two televisions, and eliminate the disagreement over what to watch in the evenings.
Make sure the hotel has a pool, and one that is kid-friendly. Ask about a kids pool, and if the kids can use the hot tub. See if the shallow end is really shallow. Some start at 3.5 to 4 feet deep, making them impossible for younger children or their parents to enjoy.
Ask about free board games, mini golf, or dvd rentals. Many hotels make these smaller family provisions at little added cost.
