Spacious Villas in Costa Rica

The beautiful Andaz Costa Rica Resort at Peninsula Papagayo, located within a 1,400-acre private resort community, just made family travel even better by announcing the opening of its 25 new one-, two-, and three-bedroom residential villas.  Located in an exclusive new hillside neighborhood, the villas will offer outstanding views of Culebra Cay.  Families will love splashing around in the villas’ private plunge pools, chef-curated market fresh baskets, a special in-villa coffee program, and complimentary afternoon apertivo!  If you can drag yourself away from your villa, check out the resort’s newly opened beach club, Casa de Playa, which provides an enhanced pool and beach experience on the sands of Playa Nacascolo with an array of complimentary watersports. Families can also visit a nearby village and participate in a community gardening project to handpick produce for a customized chef-prepared dinner to enjoy in your villa! Resort activities abound and also include golf and an adventure center for ziplining, mountain biking, and more. 

Connect at the St. Regis

The new and eco-friendly St. Regis Kanai Resort in the Riviera Maya, Mexico is now guaranteeing connecting rooms (deluxe and grand luxe categories)!  All 124 rooms and 19 suites at this luxury resort offer ocean views.  The sea in front of the resort is where you will find the area’s largest undisturbed coral reef.  There are also plenty of pools including one for families with a restaurant and cabanas, a kids’ club with its own pool, spa, gym, and several dining options.  The resort includes a variety of added Virtuoso amenities for stays through November 30:

• Breakfast for two guests daily at Chaya Restaurant
• Upgrade upon availability at check-in to the next room category
• $200 total resort credit per stay through June 30 and $100 after that
• Early Check-In / Late Check-Out (if available) 

Family Time at Sandy Lane

Looking for a relaxing summer getaway?  The iconic Sandy Lane in Barbados is showcasing a special Family Package for 4+ night stays between April 15 and October 31, 2024. The package offers a second room for half off for up to three children ages 16 and under, a gift for each child, unpacking/packing services, airport transfers, and complimentary dinner for children ages 3-12 during the summer months. An additional $700 food and beverage credit is available through June 2 and throughout September with a minimum stay of 5 nights. There is also a fun Sports Camp available for ages 7-16 during select weeks from June through October that includes soccer, golf, tennis, water skiing, and more.  The resort also features a supervised children’s program starting at age 3, a teen hang out, free watersports, 45 holes of golf, tennis courts, padel courts, an extensive spa, a pool, and more!

Sharing Time in Mexico

Banyan Tree Mayakoba in the Riviera Maya, Mexico now showcases a special family package called Sharing Time.  Your benefits include:

• 20% Off their Best Available Rate
• Daily breakfast for 2 adults + 2 children
• Children up to 11 years old, eat (from the children’s menu) and stay free 
• Complimentary access to the Ranger’s Kids Club (ages 5-12)
• Complimentary extra bed
• 20% Off food & beverage (except Ember Restaurant)
• 20% Off an extra room
• Complimentary parking
• One complimentary family activity (such as a Family Cooking Class)

This luxury and Asian-inspired resort offers 163 rooms, suites, and villas with up to three bedrooms.  Activities and recreation include watersports, nature tours, archery, golf, spa, fitness program, tennis, bike rentals, and more.  

Festive Belmond

Great News! Belmond Resorts has lifted their minimum length of stay requirements for Cap Juluca on Anguilla and La Samanna on St. Martin for this upcoming festive season. Both resorts are ideal to consider for winter break or Thanksgiving getaways!  The resorts will showcase a nice variety of special dining, wellness, recreation, and children’s activities to make your holiday celebration extra special.  Note that Cap Juluca’s 3 and 5-bedroom villas and La Samanna’s 3 and 4-bedroom villas are also available, which are ideal for family groups or multi-generational families.  The newly renovated and reopened Belmond Maroma in the Riviera Maya, Mexico also has space still available with a 5 to 7-night minimum stay depending on your dates.  The authentic resort, nestled between 200 acres of jungle and white sand beaches on the Riviera Maya, was redesigned by local artisans to celebrate Mexican heritage and will also offer plenty of festive activities.

Mexican Grand Villa Delights

One&Only Mandarina, a luxury ecoresort located along the beach in the lush rainforest near Punta Mita, offers a unique set of amenities and recreation for families of all ages.  The destination boasts a swimmable white-sand beach, twin mountain peaks, lush flatlands, and estuary. Activities include an in-house biologist to learn about the local flora and fauna, an engaging children’s program with its own butterfly farm, a variety of watersports including surf lessons, guided biking and hiking tours, their own zip lines, polo and equestrian club, tennis, pickleball, cooking classes, archery and more!  Accommodations ideal for families are the Grand Villas which range from one to three bedrooms, and Signature Villas which range from four to ten bedrooms that can host up to 28 people and include a game area, full-screen cinema, and gym! Your family will receive an extra $1,000 resort credit when staying for at least four nights by December 17, 2023.  Plus added Virtuoso amenities such as daily breakfast for two per bedroom, another $100 resort credit, and if available an upgrade, early check-in, and late check-out.  Rates also include daily fresh fruit and water, wellness activities, children’s (ages 4-11) and teen (ages 12-16) programs and non-motorized watersports.

Autism Concierge

Karisma Hotels & Resorts, in partnership with Autism Double-Checked, recently announced the introduction of the world’s first-ever Autism Concierge providing a dedicated contact for all autism-related questions. Karisma is the first hotel group to offer this service, which encourages guests traveling with a child with autism or adult guests with autism to ask about specific needs through a concierge contact found within the resort’s visitor guide. Every member of the Karisma staff has completed multiple courses in “Assisting Guests with Autism” and all staff that are in contact with guests have been trained in the specific situations that guests with autism may face during their stay. The resort group also plans to introduce temporary door alarms which will be available to you upon request. These alarms will allow your family to vacation with peace of mind knowing your loved ones are safe and secure. In Mexico, staff at Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts Riviera Maya, Margaritaville Beach Resort Riviera Cancún, Azul Beach Resort Riviera Cancún, and Generations Riviera Maya, and in the Dominican Republic, staff at Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts Punta Cana and Margaritaville Beach Resort Cap Cana, have now completed the more intensive stage of training that allows them to be certified.

Family Escape to Thailand

Tropical vibes abound at Amanpuri in Phuket, Thailand.  The luxury resort is offering a special 3-night Amanpuri Family Escape chock full of great dining, amenities, and recreation for the whole family.  Your stay includes:

• Daily breakfast at Buabok restaurant
• Daily 3-course dinner at Buabok (Thai), Arva (Italian), or The Lounge
• Daily dinner from the children’s menu for up to two children under 12 years old
• Daily Kanom Krok – Thai-style afternoon tea
• One family cooking class, once per stay
• Replenishment of the minibar once a day
• Daily group movement class based on a weekly schedule
• Use of selected non-motorized water sports equipment including kayaking, paddle board, hobby cat, snorkeling gear, and bodyboard
• Access to the Eco Beach Discovery Centre offering nature and science activities, Thai cultural arts and crafts, and junior culinary and wellness workshops for children under 12 years old
• Access to the Hot Spot for children over 12, including its half-pipe, climbing wall and digital room.
• Complimentary extra bed for up to two children under 12 years old
• Round-trip airport transfers

This special package is available until December 20, 2023, and again from April 15-December 20, 2024.  Blackout dates apply.  Let us help curate an amazing Thailand getaway by adding on additional Thai or other Southeast Asia destinations!

Caribbean Luxury and Wellness

The Six Senses La Sagesse resort in Grenada is making its Caribbean debut later this year. This luxury and wellness-focused experience will be spread over 38 acres between two beaches with 56 guestrooms, seven one-bedroom villas, and five two-bedroom villas. There will also be three- and four-bedroom green-roofed homes, each with a horizon-edge pool and wrap-around pool decks. Activities will abound with outdoor fitness trails, a cascading poolscape, quiet locations for mental and wellness programs, watersports, an extensive spa and wellness program, several dining options, and more. A teen lounge and children’s play center will showcase Grow With Six Senses activities, an invitation to reconnect with nature and gain useful life skills through play. The Six Senses Earth Lab is where your family will be encouraged to join workshops and learn first-hand about the natural world and how to lighten your footprint.  In terms of excursions, the lush island of Grenada offers up shipwreck dives and waterfalls, spice trails and chocolate factories, hiking through a rainforest reserve, and unique underwater art at the Molinere Underwater Sculpture Park. The capital, St. George’s, is a beautiful and buzzing horseshoe-shaped harbor, where narrow streets are lined with interesting shops, outdoor cafes, and a daily market.

Family Fun in Cabo

The Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal’s Family Fun Under the Sun package is now available through December 15, 2023.  Your package includes luxury round-trip airport transfers (including a personal greeting by an airport host and escort to your private car), Totuguitas Kids Club access (usually $50 for a full day, $30 for a half day, or $20 per activity), breakfast daily and a $200 resort credit per bedroom (up to $800 total) to be used at the spa, S’mores on the Beach, Family Movie Nights, In-Villa Guest Experiences, Cooking Classes, and more.  Just stay a minimum of 3 nights.  A holiday version of the package runs from December 19, 2023-January 5, 2024 with $400 in resort credits (up to $1,200 total), but without the free kids club.  Located at the base of Pedregal Mountain, in the town of Cabo San Lucas, this luxury resort can only be accessed via a private tunnel carved through the center of the mountain. The resort opened in late 2019 and each room features a private plunge pool, a fireplace, an outdoor terrace, and a beautiful view of the Pacific Ocean.