Which hotel chains welcome families with young children?
Many lodging companies have woken up and smelled the hot chocolate (with sprinkles) and now offer family amenities that didn't exist a decade ago. When planning your next family trip, consider the following lodging options:
Holiday Inn
At Holiday Inn Worldwide, youngsters under age 19 always stay free in their parents' room; at participating properties, those under age 12 eat free from the kids menu when an accompanying adult orders a meal. Many Holiday Inn properties go one step further with bend-over-backward extras. For example, the Holiday Inn Family Suites in Orlando, Florida (407-387-5437), offers two bedrooms, a parlor, kitchenette, bathroom, bunk beds, a VCR, and much more.
Hyatt Hotels & Resorts
Hyatt Hotels & Resorts wrote the book on children's programs. Some locations offer, Camp Hyatt, which features inventive activities like astronomy classes, s'mores parties, lei making, and clay sculpting, to name a few. Learn more at Hyatt.com
Lowes Hotels
With services like the Family Concierge to help families plan activities in and out of the hotel, and programs designed to keep kids from toddlers to teens entertained, Loews Hotels are a great pick for vacationing families. Find out if there's a Loews hotel at your next vacation destination.
Embassy Suites
Embassy Suites has over 100 properties that serve up free breakfasts, free evening cocktails and juices, large two-bedroom suites, pools, and playgrounds. And their Kid's Eye View program has suggestions for great kidcentric activities in top 10 cities like New York, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Dallas. For more information, or to make reservations, go to EmbassySuites.com
Laura Manske is the editor of Family Travel: The Farther You Go, the Closer You Get.
