At some hotels, the term “kid-friendly” means a few bath toys in the room and a children’s section on the room-service menu. Other properties, however, are taking the idea to the next level: playgrounds conceived of by Hollywood production designers, animal conservation projects, and rooms that can be turned into full-size fun zones, all designed to appeal to the most discerning and hard-to-please travelers—the kids themselves. Here, five luxury properties that always think of the children.
One&Only Mandarina
Riviera Nayarit, Mexico
This resort, which debuted in 2020, boasts a 42,000-square-foot KidsOnly area complete with jungle tree houses connected via hanging bridges, climbing walls, nature trails, a butterfly sanctuary, and opportunities to explore the area’s archaeological significance. The mastermind behind the elaborate design is Oscar-winning art director Brigitte Broch, who is known for her work on Moulin Rouge!.
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Hôtel de Crillon
Paris
Last fall, this venerable Rosewood property announced a partnership with the French concept store Smallable to transform a traditional guest room into a full-size playhouse. The custom room includes bespoke games (Smallable’s website has over 500 options), vintage metal pedal cars, and furnishings for children that live up to the elegance of the Crillon, a 1758 palace on the Place de la Concorde.
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Four Seasons Resort Nevis
Nevis, West Indies
Last summer, this newly renovated Caribbean resort launched Sea Turtle Summer Camp, where kids can partake in daily marine biology classes, turtle-themed arts and crafts, and beach clean-ups. The hotel can also facilitate a turtle adoption through the Sea Turtle Conservancy; your tikes won’t actually be bringing a new pet home, but they’ll learn the value of giving back and help ensure that sea turtles will be around for their children to enjoy.
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The Farm at Brush Creek
Saratoga, Wyoming
Starting this spring, this luxury dude ranch will offer butter- and cheese-making as part of its Lil’ Wranglers program. The milk comes from the 24 goats at the resort’s Medicine Bow Creamery, the first and only licensed Grade-A goat dairy in the state. Here, (human) kids meet the farm’s kids and learn about the milking process before making their own dairy products.
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Palmaïa – The House of Aïa
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
This wellness resort’s “holistic center for children” is inspired by the Waldorf method, a pedagogy based on personal growth. A certified Waldorf instructor leads the device-free program, which includes activities such as baking bread and planting herb gardens.
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