Yep, it’s great to get a hotel with a pool when you’re traveling
with small fry. But if you’re in the mood to splurge, here
are some off-the-scale options.
1
ATLANTIS PARADISE ISLAND (pictured)
One Casino Drive, Paradise Island, Bahamas
800-ATLANTIS, www.atlantis.com
On your family quest to discover a lost civilization, you’ll encounter 50,000 marine animals, 11 pools, and eight waterslides — including one slide that drops you down a high-speed plunge of 60 feet through a transparent tunnel, in shark-infested waters.
2
GRAND PALLADIUM BAVARO RESORT & SPA
El Cortecito, Playa Bavaro, Higuey, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
809-221-8149, www.fiestahotelgroup.com
Nobody says, “I’m bored!”
at this all-inclusive resort, home of the largest kids’ club in the Caribbean (more than 5,200 square feet, with a Spanish fortress theme). Diversions include a pool, zip line, mini-disco, movie theater, waterpark, and trampolines
disguised as pirate ships.
3
MIGIS LODGE, Route 302, South Casco, Maine
207-655-4524, www.migis.com
Kids and teens hang with their own tribes for waterskiing lessons, sailing, kayaking, lobster bakes, and karaoke; parents appreciate the rustic-chic vibe of the cottages and the lovely, woodsy setting on Sebago Lake.
4
NICKELODEON SUITES RESORT
14500 Continental Gateway, Orlando, Fla., 407-387-5437, www.nickhotel.com
If your kids are more into Dora the Explorer than Mickey the mouse, they’ll love the Nick character-themed bedrooms at this budget-friendly all-suites hotel, not to mention two water parks, a kids’ camp for ages 5-12, a kids’ spa, characters galore, and nightly live shows where families compete (and the winning kid gets slimed — a true honor).
5
RITZ-CARLTON GRAND CAYMAN
Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
343-943-9000, www.ritzcarlton.com
Go way beyond the usual kids’ camp activities here, where kids (and families) can visit the sea floor in a submarine, learn underwater photography, or explore a shipwreck as one of Jean-Michel Cousteau’s ambassadors of the environment.