© Kaanapali Beach Hotel

This ocean-front, 432-room resort is located on eleven acres in the heart of the Kaanapali Resort, three miles from Lahaina Town. Amenities include two restaurants, spa salon and swimming pool, plus complimentary Hawaiian activities.

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The hotel is right on the beach where you can enjoy all the regular (and less regular) water and beach activities, including skim and boogie boarding, snorkeling, scuba diving, cliff diving, whale watching, parasailing, etc.

Additionally, a variety of Hawaiian activities are scheduled daily, including ukulele lessons, hula exercises, lei making, lauhala weaving, pineapple cutting, drawing in the sand, storytelling, Hawaiian music, etc.

Golf enthusiasts have a choice of 15 courses, ranging from sun-soaked resort layouts, where all three PGA tours play, to a links course that is a slice of Scotland in Maui’s central valley.

The resort offers special programs for kids under 12 years old, but they are more of a family program rather than a day-care center.

Website: http://www.kbhmaui.com/

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All images © Kaanapali Beach Hotel

© bahiaprincipe.com

Surrounded by beautiful white-sand beaches, crystal clear waters and lush tropical vegetation, the 858-room, all-inclusive Gran Bahía Príncipe Tulum resort is located in the heart of the Riviera Maya, 60 minutes from Cancun international airport and 35 minutes from the city of Playa del Carmen.

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The complex is located on the Caribbean shore, with postcard beaches, fine white sand and crystal clear turquoise waters, surrounded by lush tropical vegetation.

Accommodation is in 3-storey villas that have views of the ocean and tropical gardens.

There are many ways to relax and enjoy. If you get tired of the beach, the spa will offer all the latest in relaxing, body and stimulating treatments. Golf enthusiasts can enjoy a 36-hole golf course.

Out-of-resort activities include excursions to the Mayan ruins and the second biggest coral reef in the world. At night, various shows, discotheque, and a 24-hour snack bar, are at guests’ disposal.

Families with children will find many activities to enjoy. Plus a babysitting service is available for extra charge, if desired.

Website: http://www.bahia-principe.com/BP/resorts/resort/Tulum

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All images © bahiaprincipe.com

Also included are:

• Federal and state holidays.
• Teacher’s Day off – 2-3 days during the year (schools only).
• Snow Days – usually a few days up to a full week.

For a limited time, all bookings include daily beachside buffet breakfast for two at Plumeria Beach House restaurant, a value of over $62 per day.

Partial Ocean View and Ocean Front Suites include full suite amenity program with a two night stay, a value of over $600.

More details here

© Clayoquot Wilderness Resort

A favorite destination for families, the Clayoquot Wilderness resort is located on the Vancouver Island, near the village of Tofino. It is accessible by a 45-minute seaplane flight from Vancouver, British Columbia.

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Clayoquot specializes in remote experiences. You can take surfing classes, go on day-long hikes, kayak in whitewater or ocean, ride on a horse, go fishing or mountain-climb or bike. But the most spectacular are probably the unforgettable bear and whale watching experiences.

Back in the camp, you can get a massage, sit in a sauna or jump into a hot tub.

Open from mid May until the end of September, this eco-resort comprised of only 20 guest tents, offers all-inclusive stays of 3, 4 and 7 days long. By design you won’t find any telephone or TV in the rooms.

Most adventure gear, including mountain bikes, fishing equipment, life jackets, and also clothes and boots for all ages and situations, is available on site at no extra charge. All meals, drinks, snacks, and alcohol are also included in the price.

Website: http://www.wildretreat.com/

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All images © Clayoquot Wilderness Resort

© Nukubati

Nukubati is a private all-inclusive island eco-resort in the Fiji Islands located inside the Great Sea Reef, off the North Coast of Vanua Levu.

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Surrounded by a spectacular coral reef and a white sandy beach, Nukubati Private Island is a low to no-activity destination where the emphasis is on fine food, friendly service, and complete relaxation.

Catering for a limited number of guests, the island is very private. It has only seven bures and suites, with a total capacity of only 14 guests.

The island is completely powered by the sun. They grow their own organic fruits and vegetables, and catch their own seafood.

There are no telephones and no TVs on the island. All attention is on the nature and simple South Pacific living style.

You can spend your days swimming, snorkeling, sailing and fishing, or simply lying under a coconut tree, reading a book. There is also tennis, traditional Fijian massage and visits to the local village.

Website: http://www.nukubati.com/

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All images © Nukubati

© The Peaks Resort

Consistently rated as one of the world’s finest resorts, The Peaks Resort is located in Telluride, Colorado, amid snow-capped peaks of the majestic Rocky Mountains.

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The Peaks Resort provides convenient access to miles of skiing, hiking, tennis, golf, mountain biking, fly-fishing, and children’s programs. There are over 125 ski trails on over 2,000 skiable acres.

The resort offers 161 guest rooms including 32 suites, 3 restaurants, and the largest spa in Colorado.

Website: http://www.thepeaksresort.com/

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All images © The Peaks Resort.

• Balangan Beach
• Geger Beach
• Bias Tugal
• Ungasan
• Amed

© The Del

Built in 1888, this Victorian-style classic beachfront hotel has long been regarded as one of America’s most beautiful beach resorts. It has 679 rooms in three distinct buildings plus 78 cottages and villas.

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Situated along 28 beautiful oceanfront acres on Coronado Island, the Hotel del Coronado offers a variety of fun and exciting activities. You can explore Coronado Island by bike, watch the sun set over the ocean, or enjoy a fun day of surf and other beach activities.

The adjacent facility offers rentals and instruction for sailboats, speedboats, water skis, jet skis, paddleboats and kayaks. If you feel like playing golf, you can ask the concierge to arrange tee times at any of the 80 golf courses in the San Diego area.

Kids and teens have lots of possibilities. Kidtopia offers 3-hour camps, shorter camps and 1-hour activities and also features computers, movie-time media, play room, crafts and more for kids ages 4 to 12. Vibz serves teens ages 13 to 17 and offers billiards, foosball, computers, movie-time media, etc.

Other activities include pool, sunset sailing, surfing and paddleboarding, yoga, fitness center and spa.

Website: http://www.hoteldel.com/

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All images © The Del

© Landmark Hotels Group

The Kahala Hotel & Resort is the only beachfront resort in Kahala, Oahu‘s most prestigious residential area. It’s only 10 minutes by car from Waikiki and overlooks both Diamond Head and Koko Head craters.

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Aspiring to be Hawaii’s most luxurious and secluded beachfront resort, the Kahala Hotel & Resort features 306 rooms, 32 suites, five stylish restaurants and a world-class spa.

Set on a white sand beach just 10 minutes from the world-class shopping and entertainment of Waikiki, water is not only a short distance from the property, but guests will also be able to visit many of the other attractions in the area as well, including Waikiki Beach, the Ala Moana Shopping Center, and Diamond Head. The hotel will provide complimentary transportation to any locations within a 5.5 miles radius.

The rooms have mahogany furnishings, balconies with views of the mountains or the ocean, coffeemakers, DVD players and 40-inch flat screen TVs.

Additionally, the 10-story hotel offers onsite saunas, steam rooms, fitness center, and the Keiki Club for kids.

Website: http://www.kahalaresort.com/

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All images © Landmark Hotels Group

Click here for details

© Tortuguero Lodge & Gardens

The Tortuga Lodge & Gardens resort is located on 146 acres of private land, on the north east coast of Costa Rica, 47.5 km (29.5 miles) from the Nicaraguan border. The lodge sits on the river bank directly across from the airstrip and 2 km (1 mile) from the mouth of the Tortuguero River. The Lodge has 26 deluxe rooms and one penthouse.

Everything about Tortuguero is defined by slow-moving tropical rivers that are best explored by boat. Originally intended to protect a major nesting beach of the Atlantic Green Sea Turtle, Tortuguero National Park is one of the last large areas of tropical rain forest in Central America.

Several tours and activities are on offer, including history boat tours, kayaking in Tortuguero, fishing on the Atlantic coast, village tours, etc. However, the easiest way to explore (and, even get to) Tortuguero is to buy a complete package that includes round trip transportation, lodging, excursions and meals.

If you come during the season (July through October) you will be able to stand a few feet from a 300-pound Green Sea Turtle while she lays eggs and to observe turtle hatching from up-close.

Website: http://costaricaexpeditions.com/tortuga-lodge/

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All images © Tortuguero Lodge & Gardens

© The Hideout at Flitner Ranch

The Hideout, located in Shell, Wyoming, is an upscale riding, horsemanship and working cattle guest ranch spread across some 300,000 acres. Other activities on offer include fly-fishing, 4×4 scenic mountain tours, hiking, biking and shooting.

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For horseback riding, all levels of riders are welcome. Beginners can learn how to ride under the guidance of professional trainers. Advanced riders can take advantage of experienced riding guides and specially-trained horses.

The cattle-work guests take part in is the actual work that keeps the ranch operation going. You will be taught how this work is done properly using a special concept of low stress handling of life stock.

The Hideout Guest Ranch usually has 15-25 guests at a time. This keeps the experience personal, authentic and as customized as possible.

The entire experience is more focused towards adults and families with older children. Ideally, they will also have some equestrian experience and are in good physical condition. There are no kids programs.

Website: http://thehideout.com/

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All images © The Hideout at Flitner Ranch.

© Disney

Sitting on the shores of Seven Seas Lagoon, in close proximity to the Magic Kingdom theme park, this Victorian-style luxurious resort is the flagship hotel of Walt Disney World Resort, offering world-class dining, entertainment and luxurious accommodations in 6 red-gabled buildings.

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The hotel includes 2 pools, state-of-the-art fitness center, 6 restaurants and other amenities. Guest rooms can have views of the Seven Seas Lagoon, wedding pavilion, pools, marina, Cinderella Castle or nightly fireworks at Disney’s Magic Kingdom theme park, or the resort’s gardens.

Children can enjoy the white-sand beach or any of the two pools that also include cascading waterfalls and a waterslide. There is also a variety of watercraft rentals, sports and a 24-hour game room. Supervised activities are available for children of all almost ages, allowing parents a carefree night on the town.

The convention and business center offers 40,000 square feet of flexible meeting and function space.

Website: http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/grand-floridian-resort-and-spa/

Additionally, if you stay at least 4 nights, you will put $250 against your airfare. If you stay 6 nights or longer, your airfare credit will be $400.

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© Four Seasons Hotels Limited

Acknowledged as one of the world’s finest resorts, this luxurious Four Seasons facility is located in Wailea on the southwest cost of the Hawaiian island of Maui.

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With its 380 guest rooms and suites, and 15+ oceanfront acres of pools, terraces and lush tropical gardens, the resort resembles a classical Hawaiian palace.

This first Hawaii’s AAA Five-Diamond and Mobil Five-Star resort offers, among other things, a spa and fitness center, 4 restaurants, 2 outdoor pools, tennis courts, championship golf and extensive indoor and outdoor function space for every imaginable gathering.

Website: http://www.fourseasons.com/maui/

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All images © Four Seasons Hotels Limited.

© Kerzner International Resorts Inc.

Atlantis is the flagship resort of Kerzner International. It is an ocean-themed destination located on the Paradise Island, in the Bahamas. The resort offers a variety of accommodations and the largest casino in the Caribbean.

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A 141-acre waterscape includes over 20 million gallons of fresh and saltwater lagoons, pools and habitats. There are over 50,000 marine animals in lagoons and displays, including The Dig, a maze of underwater corridors and passageways providing a journey through ancient Atlantis.

Another attraction is the Aquaventure: a non-stop water park consisting of thrilling water slides, a mile-long river ride with high intensity rapids and wave surges, and never-before-seen special effects.

Dolphin Cay is the resort’s interaction and education center. Its purpose is to educate visitors about ocean wonders and its inhabitants.

Website: http://www.atlantis.com/default.aspx

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All images © Kerzner International Resorts Inc.

The folks at Travel + Leisure asked 15 travel agents for tips on best family resorts for spring or summer vacations. Each agent offered one top pick and one best-value recommendation. They come from all around the world and include resorts in Costa Rica, Hawaii, Maui, Bahamas, Fiji, British Columbia, Mexico, British Virgin Islands and various places in the continental United States.

It’s an interesting read, but I wonder if any of these places still deserve the praise?

This web site is about family resorts. Therefore, the best way to start is to make sure we know what we mean by that.

In order to properly define the term family resort, we need to get clear on (at least) three things:

• What is a family?
• What is a resort?
• What makes one a family resort?

Family

Defining the term family is the easier part. By most accounts, family is a unit consisting of parents and children who share a common household. At minimum, this means 2 people: one parent plus one child. Can you guess how many family members make up currently the world’s largest recorded family?

Update 2012/01/04: I just came across a definition of family by the U.S. Census Bureau:

A family is a group of two people or more (one of whom is the householder) related by birth, marriage, or adoption and residing together.

The main difference is that the USCB’s definition doesn’t specifically mention children. For our purposes, however, we will take the definition that includes children.

Resort

Now, this one is a harder nut to crack. You see, not even governments and industry professionals have managed to agree on a common definition or classification. Everybody uses their own. Which is why objectively comparing individual resorts to one another is so difficult and why consumers have such a hard time to make a decision.

The only research in this area that I’m aware of has been conducted by Dr. Eric T. Brey in 2009. After 18 months of research and 50+ interviews with resort executives and professionals, he defined the term resort as:

A full-service lodging facility that provides access to or offers a range of amenities and recreation facilities to emphasize a leisure experience. Resorts serve as the primary provider of the guests’ experience, often provide services for business or meetings, and are characteristically located in vacation-oriented settings.

Full-service means that the resort must provide both, lodging and food. Attractions that do not provide accommodation (such as theme parks, day ski hills, etc.) cannot be considered resorts. Consequently, hotels and other lodging facilities that do not offer food service are also disqualified.

Resorts must offer enough to encourage guests to spend most of the time on property. While they do not need to own or contain all the activities and amenities on offer, resorts must provide direct access to them without interrupting the customer experience. A good example is a public beach with unobstructed access from the resort.

Finally, resorts are all about leisure, relaxation and recreation and their offer must strongly emphasise this experience. For example, your typical conference hotel is not a resort according to this definition.

To determine whether a given facility qualifies as a resort, Dr. Brey suggests the following minimum qualification benchmarks:

• 1 signature amenity or anchor attribute;
• 5 secondary recreation, leisure, or entertainment experiences;
• 1 full-service food and beverage outlet;
• Short-term or overnight lodging in the bed-base;
• At least 25 rooms or other accommodations (does not apply to properties with 2 signature amenities/anchor attributes and 10 recreation/leisure/entertainment experiences); and
• Leisure or retreat-environment experience.

Signature amenities are significant attractions, amenities or geographical attributes. Examples include: golf, ski or mountain, beach, ocean or lakeside, casino or gaming, all-inclusiveness, spa, health or wellness, marina, tennis, water park, etc.

Anchor attribute refers to a theme that links several non-signature amenities together to create a signature one. Theme examples include: couples, family, educational, tropical, dude ranch, etc.

Recreation/leisure/entertainment experiences are secondary amenities that create, shape and add to the resort experience. Examples include: beach volleyball, croquet, organized kid activities, etc.

As you can see, defining the term resort is a serious business. Overall, however, a simplified version of the above could be:

A place where one can stay and enjoy oneself for extended periods of time without having to interrupt their experience.

In essence, true resorts are destinations in their own right.

Family + Resort = ?

Obviously, when a resort’s key theme (anchor attribute) is family, then it is a family resort.

However, having a family theme shouldn’t be a requirement. I believe that if a resort can make family members enjoy themselves individually, it qualifies as a family resort, regardless of its theme or signature amenity.

The long-and-complicated defnition:

Family resorts are full-service lodging facilities that provides access to or offers a range of amenities and recreation facilities to emphasize a leisure experience for families, as a group or individually. Resorts serve as the primary provider of the family members’ experience and are characteristically located in vacation-oriented settings.

The simplified definition:

Family resorts are places where families can stay and enjoy themselves for extended periods of time without having to interrupt their experience.

What do you think, did we get it right?

Resources

Caribbean Hotel Association. 2009. Resort definition and classifications. [PDF]
Brey, E. T., 2011. A Taxonomy for Resorts. Cornell Hospitality Quarterly. August 2011 vol. 53 no.3 283-290.