I've always been a big fan of Trip Advisor - in fact, I don't stay in any hotel I haven't checked out on TA. However, now that I have my own little jet setter along for the ride (to be called henceforth as Little Jet), my criteria has changed a bit. Actually - to be more accurate, the criteria I have for a great hotel hasn't changed at all. Instead my list of must have/nice to have has grown to include things like "easy to push a buggy around the grounds", "have rooms in close enough proximity to the bar to allow a baby monitor to work", "include bed linen when they deliver a travel cot to the room"...
Unfortunately, TA doesn't really tell me these things. It is great to hear that a honeymooning couple loved a particular hotel, or that a retirement party couldn't get enough of a certain resort. However, what I need to know at this point in my travel life what is my risk of Little Jet screaming her little head off for most of the trip? Unhappy Little Jet = unhappy me.
I've come up with the key things that I think make travelling with Little Jet easier and more fun for me (and for her) and I'll be rating a number of hotels and resorts against this list. I'm rating these hotels on how well they cater to really young children (ages 0-4) as a primary goal. I'd be happy to get your feedback on other areas that you think would be beneficial to rate as well!
The Room:
- Size of Room, Type of baby cot, amenities for babies and kids, cleanliness, bath vs. shower, location of room in the hotel/resort, noisiness, air conditioning
The Grounds:
- buggy friendliness, safety on steps etc., security, shady areas
The Pool (if there is one!):
- shallowness, area around pool, cleanliness, water temperature, toys allowed?, safety, location within the grounds, shady areas
The Food:
- kid-friendly food, toddler breakfast included?, proximity of restaurant to rooms, are kids allowed in the bar?, high chairs, do they do purees?
The Location:
- access to local restaurants and bars, buggy route to beach/restaurants/towns etc., drive time to areas of interest, ease to get taxis or transport
The Baby Services:
- babysitting, kids club, kiddie pool, activities, laundry, fridge in rooms or ability to use hotel fridge.
We have recently been on a trip to India and I'll use these criteria in my next posting to start sharing!
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