New Luxury Hotels with Interconnecting Rooms
Family & Friends
Family time is quality time, and comfort should be king. Even larger families don't like to be physically separated while on vacation, preferring to book interconnected rooms and suites. Since these arrangements can be challenging to find, we've gone on the hunt and found new, family-friendly luxury hotels around the world that offer this coveted feature.
New Luxury Hotels with Interconnecting Rooms
Family & Friends
Family time is quality time, and comfort should be king. Even larger families don't like to be physically separated while on vacation, preferring to book interconnected rooms and suites. Since these arrangements can be challenging to find, we've gone on the hunt and found new, family-friendly luxury hotels around the world that offer this coveted feature.
Anantara Koh Yao Yai, Thailand
Green in the back, turquoise in the front! The location of the recently opened Anantara Koh Yao Yai between forested mountains and sparkling sea can be described as simply idyllic, and the same goes for its accommodation options for families. Several room categories (Family Suite Pool Access, Family Sea View Suite, and the Grand Family Sea View Suite) are equipped with bunk beds. On top of the fun sleeping arrangements, the kids even have a space to play in the suite. As the name suggests, the Family Suite Pool Access has direct access to the resort's family pool, which has some impressive water slides. Good to know: of the 148 suites, villas, and penthouses, 38 suites have connecting doors. This applies to the Deluxe Sea View Suite (King & Twin) and Family Sea View Suite (King & Twin). The focus on families is also demonstrated by the F&B options – at the Family Pool there is a family pool bar specializing in smoothies and juices, and the restaurants have healthy kids' meals that are playfully plated, with fruit and sandwiches cut in fun shapes, for example. The Kids Club (up to the age of twelve) has as special play area for the really little ones aged one to four so that no one gets lost in the ball pit. To ensure that the younger generations understand the importance of wellness from an early age, the Anantara Spa also offers treatments for children – including foam bath parties and coconut hair treatments. By the way, the Anantara Koh Yao Yai is located on the island of the same name in Phang Nga Bay. You can get there by speedboat in about 30 minutes from Phuket and about 20 minutes from Krabi.
Trade Contact: Jantana Bualuang, Senior Director Sales & Marketing
Conrad Orlando, USA
Starting on February 5th the brand new Conrad Orlando in Florida will be the talk of the town, especially among the youngins. The Hilton brand hotel is located in the equally new and rather large Evermore Resort and shares a lagoon with it that covers approximately 6.1 acres (2.5 hectares). It's perfect for swimming and many other water sports, but the other bonus is that there's also a beach. Anyone who prefers a classic dip will of course be pleased, because there's not just a beautiful pool but also a separate area with water fountains and all sorts of splashing areas for younger children. For parents it's time to sit back, watch, and enjoy a cool drink or a book! One other big bonus about the Conrad Orlando? Its proximity to the Walt Disney World Resort. Just 1.5 kilometers away (barely a mile), and the hotel offers a shuttle service. Clients prefer to hang out in the hotel? The Kids Club offers daily programs for little ones from 9am to 4pm. Good to know: among the hotel's 433 rooms are 53 suites and ten Family Suites, which can accommodate six people. In total, a respectable 121 rooms and suites can be connected, which is great for families! Culinarily speaking the Conrad Orlando has five restaurants, bars, and cafés, but the coolest place for dinner is the rooftop restaurant, Ceiba. Parents whose kids are too young for evening visits to Disney still have two big perks here: delicious Mexican food and a view of the evening Disney fireworks. As if that weren't enough, the hotel is also ideal for golfers. There are two courses, one of which was designed by Jack Nicklaus, as well as a golf concierge who is happy to book tee times.
Trade Contact: Garry Perotin, Director of Leisure Sales
ADVERTISEMENT – The 896 square meter (9,645sq. ft.) Overwater Reef Residence at the top of the 360-degree house reef at Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa is the epitome of luxury and elegance – ideal for discerning families and friends. Exclusive features include three elegant bedrooms, large living and dining areas, a 16-meter (52ft.) infinity pool, a private jacuzzi, hammocks over the water, a gym, in-villa spa treatments, and a fully equipped kitchen with private chef service. On top of that, the following services are included: 24-hour butler service, complimentary premium minibar, daily 30-minute yoga on the deck, guided snorkeling tours, iAqua, kayaks, a beach pool villa, and movie nights.
Trade Contact: Judith Ronsdorf, Director of Sales.
Aye caramba, what a location! Soon to open its latest Mexican gem on the Baja California peninsula, Four Seasons has zeroed in on some prime real estate just outside Cabo San Lucas. Unlike most beaches in the Cabo region, you can actually go swimming at this one, which is a big plus for families! But the resort's thoughtfulness runs deeper than just a beach. Kids receive a welcome gift, special meals are served for them in the restaurants, and there are unique kids' amenities in the rooms, suites, and villas. Naturally, there's a babysitting service, too. You can also say "bye-bye" to boredom, as one of the three resort pools is specifically designed for families, with a shallow children's area and a water playground. Family cabanas invite guests to camp out and relax, even if just for a moment until running off to the beach, which is directly accessible from the pool area. Sand toys are even provided, and Club Palote offers regular entertainment for children between the ages of five and twelve. As for the accommodations, 96 suites, casitas, villas, and La Casona Rooms are available, 29 of which can be combined with interconnecting doors. In addition to three restaurants, there is also a rooftop bar, and with a bit of luck you can spot the whales that regularly swim by.
Trade Conact: Rob James, Director of Sales
Gran Meliá Nha Trang, Vietnam
Meliá is celebrating the premiere of its first hotel in Asia. The quiet bay location of this recently opened resort makes the hotel a great retreat for families. But quiet doesn't mean boring, far from it. There's a private beach, and guests can choose to splash in the waves, take a dip in the infinity pool, or cool off in the natural saltwater lakes that feed into the bay. The Wanderlust Kids program offers daily activities and is based on Montessori pedagogy, which encourages curiosity and independent discovery. Culinarily speaking, the Gran Meliá Nha Trang has ambitiously brought the highly acclaimed Hispania restaurant concept to Asia. While the kids indulge their wanderlust, adults can relax in the Song Spa. Afterwards, they can spend time together in the 262 accommodations, which are divided into 94 pool villas. Of these, 22 rooms can be interconnected. Pardon the grammatical gymnastics here, but the "Beachfront One Bedroom Suite with Pool" category is linked to the "Beachfront One Bedroom with Pool," the "Oceanfront One Bedroom Suite with Pool" to the "Oceanfront One Bedroom with Pool," and the "Gran Ocean One Bedroom Suite with Pool" to the "Gran Ocean Suite One Bedroom with Pool." Moreover, even the entry-level Beachfront Room category is 64 square meters (689sq. ft.).
Trade Contact: Laurence Neumann, Director of Sales & Marketing
ANZEIGE – Quark Expeditions ermöglicht Ihren Kunden mehr Abenteuer als jeder andere Anbieter von Polarexpeditionen. Unter anderem können sie zwischen Kajakfahren in Spitzbergen, Stand-up-Paddling in der Antarktis und Mountainbiking in Grönland wählen. Die Polarexpedition lässt sich durch eine Vielzahl einzigartiger Exkursionen individuell und aktiv gestalten. Die Reisenden haben die freie Wahl, was sie erleben möchten.
Mandarin Oriental Mayfair, United Kingdom
"Kids welcome!" This is the motto at the new Mandarin Oriental hotel in London. Upon arrival, each child is given their own Mandarin Oriental teddy bear called Ben, who can of course go home with them after their stay. The fun part is that the hotel, which is due to open this spring, has developed an activity book that is guided by Ben, their mascot. The Head Concierge has also collected cool ideas for family experiences outside the hotel. How about a Paddington Bear Afternoon Tea Bus Tour, for example? The boutique hotel is also perfectly geared towards families when it comes to accommodation. A whopping 47 of the 50 rooms and suites are equipped with connecting doors to support larger families. To boot, extra beds for children are free of charge. The hotel's location on Hanover Square in the heart of the elegant Mayfair district is also perfect for guests to explore on their own. Bond and Regent Street are each a five-minute walk away, while Soho, Covent Garden, and the West End theaters can be reached in ten minutes. If you want a Michelin-star meal, you don't have to leave the Mandarin Oriental Mayfair, as celebrity chef Akira Back will be serving modern Japanese cuisine in his namesake restaurant. Fine dining for a maximum of 14 people is the vibe at the Korean restaurant Dosa. To top it off, delicious drinks are available at the two bars: Abar Lounge and Abar Rooftop.
Trade Contact: Nick Sievewright, Director of Sales & Marketing
One&Only Aesthesis, Greece
One&Only's first foray into Greece is now complete, and the next is expected to follow this spring with One&Only Kéa Island. The luxury hotel brand's second European property opened a few weeks ago on the outskirts of Athens and offers families a fun mix of an urban seaside vacation. And there are a number of great accommodation options for families. For example, the Aesthesis Sea View Rooms King can be combined with a Queen Room of the same category. This provides space for up to four adults and two children. In addition to the two villas, the 97 accommodations also include bungalows and suites. In the bungalows, the Aesthesis Bungalow King and Aesthesis Bungalow Sea View Kind can also be combined with a Queen Room of the corresponding category. However, it's only for kids up to four, as older kids require another room type. As for the suites, the One-Bedroom Epos Suite King is connected to the Queen version of the room type. Up to three adults are allowed per suite. One&Only Aesthesis has also launched the Kids Only program for children. At this Greek hotel everything revolves around nature, and children can visit a tree house village or a botanical garden, for example. The more splash-arific sojourers will be content by the pools, or with their toes in the sand by the waves from the Mediterranean Sea. Six F&B outlets ensure that gourmets are also well taken care of.
Trade Contact: Sofia Adamantopoulou, Director of Sales
Let's ask the Industry:
Are families an important factor in the luxury sector?
"Multi-generational vacations and multi-family trips are becoming increasingly important, and the luxury travel business for families is generally doing very well. Grandparents and siblings are coming along, people are traveling as families of friends because these get-togethers are becoming increasingly rare in everyday life. The option of being able to combine rooms and suites on vacation is therefore becoming more important. Families who spend a lot of money on a luxury trip usually also want to have space to retreat and be close to their children, but still have the opportunity to be alone from time to time. Another important aspect is that some families (especially those with smaller children) need separate areas. Depending on their needs, one parent can look after the toddler in one room and the partner can catch up on some sleep in the other. Families also value friendly, committed, attentive, and well-trained staff. How are you welcomed as a family? How do you approach children and different family members? In my opinion, this is the key to happiness and an absolute game changer. Attention to small details in the rooms, thoughtful offers for shared experiences, excellent cuisine, and flexibility when it comes to the kids' sometimes particular meal requests are also very important. This year I would anticipate trips that offer a combination of city and country to trend, as well as interest in the European Football Championship in Germany and Olympics in France. Trips that offer special experiences or focus on diving, learning to surf, or safaris with kids will continue to be popular."
Kerstin Bognár, The Niche Traveller