High-end City Experiences for Families
Family & Friends
City trips with children have special elements for success, and many luxury hotels try to make the stay as magical as they do unforgettable for little ones. Here are LuxuryWise's highlights for great kids' stays.
High-end City Experiences for Families
Family & Friends
City trips with children have special elements for success, and many luxury hotels try to make the stay as magical as they do unforgettable for little ones. Here are LuxuryWise's highlights for great kids' stays.
Kids run the world, or in this case, the hotel. At least that's one impression from the Four Seasons Tokyo at Otemachi. As part of the Four Seasons Kids Academy, young guests have the opportunity to get a taste of various hotel professions. Whether it's playing door attendant, housekeeping, or mini-chef in the Italian restaurant Pigneto, youngsters can try their hand at everything. It goes without saying that all this is done in appropriate uniforms, which is made possible by the "Rent a Uniform" program. For documentation purposes, each child receives a so-called Job Card, which is stamped for each department they pass through. Any kid who completes all three receives a surprise. There's no age limit, but there is a size limit. The uniforms are available for kids between 120-160cm (~4-5ft.) tall. Photos of the youngsters in their cool hotel outfits can be taken upon request. Good to know: despite its location in Tokyo's financial district, the hotel is popular with leisure guests as its 190 rooms and suites have amazing views. From some vantage points guests can even look out over the city, the Imperial Garden, or upon Mt. Fuji from the Pigneto restaurant on a clear day. Make sure you book a window seat in the morning as breakfast is also served here!
Trade Contact: Joerg Zimmermann, Regional Director of Sales at Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts
Island Shangri-La Hong Kong, Hong Kong
An impressive 544 rooms and suites spread over 56 floors are part of the Island Shangri-La Hong Kong. As of this year, 21 of them have been dedicated to families. The hotel has converted an entire floor into a retreat for families and given all the rooms and suites a theme – with lots of love and incredible attention to detail. Depending on the theme, the children's bunk beds are built accordingly, such as an airplane (pictured, Airship Voyage Themed Family Suite), a typical Hong Kong harbor ferry, a castle, a tree house, or a jungle lodge. What they all have in common is the slide that brings the kids back down to earth. Each themed bed has various play and discovery options, and the rooms and suites are also equipped with a children's table where they can draw and play. One big bonus is that toys and costumes for dressing up are also available. A family concierge is on hand to help with planning excursions together, and guests also have access to The Pantry, where countless children's amenities and a washing machine await. If clients get hungry between meals, they can go to The Hangout on the family floor around the clock. Here they can enjoy free snacks and drinks, and of course make new friends. There's also a special area for small children by the pool.
DISPLAY - The Mar-Bella Collection's perfectly coordinated twin center experience offers the ultimate family vacation, combining MarBella in Corfu with a stay at Elix on the other side of the Ionian Sea in mainland Greece. Your family clients will enjoy a stress-free vacation with the Collection's premium all-inclusive program: parents on a well-deserved break by one of the magnificent pools, kids all day long at MarBella's water park or adventuring at Elix, which offers a nature playground with its brand new Teens Club for exciting activities such as mountain biking, kayaking and stargazing. Children under 13 stay for free at MarBella - and under 15 at Elix! Find out more
Ihr Kontakt: Areti Kitsou, Sales Manager GAS, EE & Russia - E-Mail
Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London, England
In the capital of the UK and England children up to the age of twelve can become "Little Rangers" if they stay at the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park with their parents for at least 72 hours. Since the "Little Ranger Adventures" program offers quite a few experiences, it's easy to fill up three days. Upon arrival, the kids are given a treasure map and can choose their favorite ranger character, which comes with a matching toy. Family Suites have a selection of suitable toys, kids' amenities, and snacks. Pro Tip: the "Little Ranger Adventure" includes special experiences that must be booked in advance. This can be a tour with the Toy Concierge in the iconic department store Harrods, a visit to the British Army's mounted corps, the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment, and a Sensory Card Game in Hyde Park. The package includes meals for children up to the age of twelve at The Rosebery, and there are origami workshops for kids at the Weekend Brunch at The Aubrey. As if that wasn't enough, the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park offers a Children's Afternoon Tea. Children may also relax in the spa, which now offers a special treatment menu for them. Even very young children up to the age of three can become rangers in the "Very Little Ranger" program, which conveniently stocks all the necessary baby/toddler tools, products, and general accoutrement in the room. More details about this special program for kids can be obtained here.
Trade Contact: Sergio Vega, Cluster Assistant Director of Sales Mandarin Oriental London
One&Only Cape Town, South Africa
A child's vacation dreams can easily come to life here. One&Only Cape Town is not only lucky with its location near the marina and the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, but it has also created some wonderful experiences for children. One of these is the Sea Turtle Experience, and One&Only Cape Town has teamed up with the Two Oceans Aquarium to bring hotel guests very close to the turtles. This means that they can go with a guide to areas that are otherwise off-limits to visitors. This includes the Turtle Hospital, where they can (cuteness alert!) take a look at tiny baby turtle patients and even help feed them. Little guests also learn a lot about the sea turtles and the dangers they face. The experience of course includes the other publicly accessible areas of the aquarium as well, that are all about the protection of animals, oceans, and marine education. Younger children can enjoy and participate in activities at the hotel's own Kids Only Clubhouse, while slightly older children can join their parents in the kitchen. At the "Tale of Two Sisters" baking course, for example, the whole family makes traditional South African desserts under the guidance of the hotel's own pastry chefs. These can be sweet or deep-fried – either way, the taste and the event will remain a cherished memory. If your clients want to continue baking at home, they can take the One&Only apron with them. The hotel has created a Family Itinerary here.
Trade Contact: Kirsten Simon, Director of Sales & Marketing Germany & Central Europe
DISPLAY - For customers who value good cuisine, Los Cabos, a destination known the world over for its culinary delights and sustainability, is just right! For the first time, the restaurant scene has been awarded 18 Michelin Guide stars. The gourmet restaurant Grand Velas Los Cabos received its first star and the farm-to-table farms Flora Fields and Acre are among the first to be awarded a Green Star. Exquisite cuisine combined with outstanding hotels, charming towns, diverse landscapes and activities - what more could a destination offer?
Mehr Informationen unter info@majunkesales.com oder auf Visit Los Cabos.
Russell Crowe can hang up his greaves – Rome Cavalieri, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel, is where the true gladiators are trained, naturally with stylish armor! Kids up to seven can participate in the "Circus Maximus Fun" experience at the luxurious and very classically furnished hotel. The class takes place in the hotel's large gardens and enables them to reach the highest gladiator level, Tiro. Anyone over the age of seven can join the big gladiators. Like the younger kids, the older ones are trained by representatives of the Gladiator School and learn lots of exciting facts about Roman history along the way. A program like this makes a visit to the famous Colosseum even more exciting! If clients are looking for something a little less action-packed, there's a pizza making class or the Hat Making Experience. During a visit to an old-established hat-making workshop in the city center, guests learn all about this craft then put their new skills to work. During the summer months, the hotel offers the IT Club – League of Young Cavaliers for all kids between the ages of four and twelve. In addition to these cool activities, there's also a Nutella bar. Yum!
Trade Contact: Barbara Russo, Reservations Manager
The Peninsula Paris, France
As you might imagine for a high-end hotel in France, it's all about the food. The Peninsula Paris recently launched the Peninsula Academy for budding young chefs and gourmets. Guests can take part in culinary experiences, and one of them is tailored specifically to introduce families to the French food culture: dessert-making and tasting with a pastry chef. On the first Wednesday of every month, Anne Coruble opens her kitchen to young bakers. In the class, which runs from 3:30-6pm, the professional pastry chef reveals her baking secrets and teaches participants how to properly wrap croissants and glaze candy apples, for example. Registration necessary! Coruble's signature delicacies – hazelnut spread, crispy double chocolate cookies, and soft, sugared brioche dough – are also part of the workshop. Participation is for ages six and up, and snacking is strongly encouraged! If that's not enough, you can book afternoon tea with other delicacies from Pastry Chef Anne Coruble in Le Lobby. For adults, a boat trip with caviar tasting, a wine tasting with a sommelier, or a dim sum workshop can also be booked as part of the Peninsula Academy.
Trade Contact: Nathalie Vimar, Director of Sales and Marketing
Let's Ask the Industry:
What really matters on luxury city trips with children?
"You should definitely create a variety of memories, the children will be out of the house sooner than you think. Generally speaking, the best way to teach children about history is to experience it firsthand. We recently planned a great trip to Rome for a father, his two children, and the nanny. Rocco Forte and my DMC did an excellent job. Rosewood and Belmond are also very popular with children. I take my kids to London every year – musicals, Harry Potter, high tea, great restaurants, sensational amenities in the hotels and of course the toys and games departments of Harrods and Hamleys. My kids love the popcorn machine at The Cadogan! We also went to Paris twice this year. Cheval Blanc definitely has a wow factor for us – and not just because of the Louis Vuitton chocolate as an amenity. Little things stay in your memory: my children still remember the croissants at Rosewood Crillon to this day. There's a personal popcorn machine there, too. Quick and easy and everlasting memories! Whether it's New York, Bangkok, or Hong Kong, when booking a family stay in a luxury city hotel it's very important that the pool in the hotel can be used by children."
Susanne Reiss, Managing Owner · Reiss Reisen