Taking the Kids: Shouting out hotels we've visited that go all out for families
Bravo to hotels that really go out of their way to welcome families. It’s easy enough to talk the talk — sure we love kids, they promise — but that doesn’t necessarily translate to a stress-free experience.
“It’s hard to find a resort that really welcomes kids,” says Kyra Shepherd, here at the Four Seasons Oahu Ko Olina about a half-hour north of Honolulu and the crowds in Waikiki, with her husband, two young children and mother-in-law from Houston. “We love it here. They really take care of all of us.”
What do families really want? To be able to relax, of course. I remember the days when I felt embarrassed just walking through a fancy hotel lobby with my brood, even if they were behaving.
That — and the economy — may be a big reason why so many families now opt for vacation rentals. But it’s a relief to those families who want the amenities of a resort that they are truly welcomed – and they should be. Kids, after all, are the next generation of guests. I particularly appreciate resorts that intuitively meet family needs.
At the Four Seasons Oahu Ko Olina, for example, there is a “keiki” children’s pool as well as a calm lagoon with a sandy beach where the kids can play and splash in the water without worries the waves will knock them over.
The Kids for All Seasons program, unlike at many luxury hotels, is complimentary for kids 5 to 12, the activities are listed by the time offered so kids may come for what they like — fish feeding around the resort, for example, lei making or Hawaiian stories and legends. Depending on the season, there are teen-only activities — a sail and snorkel around the resort, for example, or a guided hike. And when the kids are happily occupied, parents can enjoy the spectacular infinity pool overlooking the ocean or a spa treatment, perhaps in an outdoor casita and relax in a Zen garden. This spot was where Hawaiian royalty once came for wellness treatments, I learned.
When the Shepherds arrived, the kids’ names were spelled out in bath sponges, there were baby and children’s toiletries and everything they needed for their 14-month-old daughter, even a high chair. “The little touches were really nice after an eight-and-a-half-hour flight with little kids.”
The restaurants — even the acclaimed Mina’s Fish House where dinner can be over $100 – have a kid’s menu, featuring grilled fish and chicken, as well as a cheeseburger, chicken fingers or mac and cheese. Noe’s, for great Italian dishes, is set in a beautiful garden on a lagoon filled with koi.
There are plenty of options on Oahu for guests to partake in. We opted for a half-day boat excursion with Wild Side Ohana Specialty Tours, where we spent time observing a large pod of Pacific Pilot Whales, went snorkeling on a coral reef, and enjoyed a nice lunch.
Yes, the Four Seasons is expensive. But I’ve been to plenty of five-star properties that aren’t nearly as intuitive about what families want and need.
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