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The Best Family Vacations
Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort & Casino (Aruba; tel. 800/233-1234 in the U.S. and Canada, or 297/58-61234; www.hyatt.com): Designed like a luxurious hacienda, with award-winning gardens, this resort is the most upscale on Aruba. Supervised activities for children 3 to 12 include games and contests such as crab races and hula-hoop competitions.
Sandy Beach Island Resort (Barbados; tel. 800/448-8355 in the U.S., or 246/435-8000): Set amid lots of fast-food and family-style restaurants on the southwest coast, this family-oriented hotel provides one- and two-bedroom suites. Each unit has a kitchen, so you can cook for yourself and save money. The beach is a few steps away, and the ambience is informal. If you bring the kids, they'll have plenty of playmates.
Hyatt Regency Grand Cayman (Grand Cayman Island; tel. 800/233-1234 in the U.S., or 345/949-1234; www.hyatt.com): Safe and serene, Grand Cayman Island, with its 11km (6 3/4-mile) sandy beach, seems designed for families with children. No one coddles children as much as the Hyatt people, who offer not only babysitting but also Camp Hyatt, with an activity-filled agenda, for children 3 to 12.
Breezes Curaçao (Curaçao; tel. 599/9-736-7888; www.breezes.com): One of the most welcoming resorts for families is Breezes Curaçao, which has the best kiddie programs on island in its on-site Camp Breezes. Making it even more fun for children, the inclusive resort lies next to both the Undersea National Park and the Sea Aquarium and opens onto one of Curaçao's most beautiful and longest beaches.
Sunset at the Palms Resort & Spa (Negril, Jamaica; tel. 800/234-1707 in the U.S., or 876/957-5350; www.sunsetatthepalms.com): Rising on stilts, these wooden cottages with private decks add a sense of adventure to a beach vacation. Surrounded by tropical vegetation, families are only steps from the beach. Features for kids include a playground, computer games, arts-and-crafts lessons, and even storytelling sessions. Children under 2 stay free if they share a room with their parent; children 2 to 12 are $25 extra.
FDR (Runaway Bay, Jamaica; tel. 888/337-5437 in the U.S., or 876/973-4592; www.fdrholidays.com): FDR gives you a suite with its own kitchen, and a "vacation nanny" whose duties include babysitting. Neither its beach nor its pool is the most appealing on Jamaica, but the price is right, and the babysitting is part of the all-inclusive deal. Programs for children include dress-up parties, donkey rides, basketball, tennis, and snorkeling.
El Conquistador Resort & Golden Door Spa (Puerto Rico; tel. 800/468-5228 or 787/863-1000): Children aren't forgotten amid the glamour and hoopla of this fabulous resort. Camp Coquí provides day care daily from 9am to 3pm for children 3 to 12, at a price of $40 per child per day. Activities include fishing, sailing, arts and crafts, and nature treks. Babysitting services are available, and children 15 and under stay free in a room with a parent.
Four Seasons Resort Nevis (Nevis; tel. 800/332-3442 in the U.S., 800/268-6282 in Canada, or 869/469-1111): The staff of the Kids for All Seasons day camp are kindly, matronly souls who work well with children. During the adult cocktail hour, when parents might opt for a romantic sundowner, kids attend a supervised children's hour that resembles a really good birthday bash. Other kid-friendly activities include tennis lessons, watersports, and storytelling.
The Buccaneer (St. Croix; tel. 800/255-3881 in the U.S., or 340/773-2100; www.thebuccaneer.com): Posh, upscale, with extremely good service, this hotel is a longtime favorite that occupies a 96-hectare (240-acre) former sugar estate. Its kids' programs (ages 2-12) include a half-day sailing excursion to Buck Island Reef and guided nature walks that let kids touch, smell, and taste tropical fruit.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before
planning your trip.
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