Luiz Hoinkis and Justin Keeperman of WGY Lifestyle, are VIP travel gurus. They offer inside access to some of the world’s most desirable destinations, coveted tickets, hottest tables in town and exclusive options that some people don’t even know exist or how to obtain. Their clients include busy Silicon Valley techies to C-level executives, celebrities and the elite, whom are constantly on the go with limited time, and want their travel and life experiences to be as seamless and personalized as possible.
According to these guys no request from their clients is too outrageous to fulfill. They come with over two decades of expertise in the hospitality industry and have top notch international contacts on speed dial for every client’s individual needs.
We asked Luiz and Justin to give us their recommendations for best resort kids clubs.
"A lot of hotels are implementing kids programs and catering to children more and more. However, the quality of the programs varies significantly. I do not think it's enough at a top property to have a program just the with arts & crafts, a pool, and a playground. As parents, they want to give their children the opportunity to experience the destination and the culture, spend time exploring and learning something," says Keeperman.
Here are some highlighted resorts that operate a supervised children's program, each offers something unique:
1. Maui, Hawaii: Grand Wailea Resort & Spa:
This resort is more cool for the kids than the parents and happens to be our WGY pick of the 'favorite kids program'.Although its stunning location on Maui's Wailea Beach might be enough to please the kids, The Grand Wailea (part of the Waldorf Astoria collection) has a wonderful supervised children's program for kids ages five to 12 years.
Camp Grande is over 20,000 square feet, open seven days a week and offers full day, morning, afternoon and night camp. The spread is impressive and includes a whale-shaped outdoor wading pool, a play kitchen and tool set, a private movie theater, snack bar, craft room and a full-sized soda fountain. Other popular spots are the game room, which has foosball, ping-pong, and pool, and the arcade. Children can participate in activities like exploring tidal pools, sandcastle building, nature walks, Hawaiian lei making, and hula lessons. Night Camp includes dinner, a Walkie Talkie Tag at Night game, sand crab hunting, theater games, scavenger hunts and more.
2. The Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman
The Ritz Carlton's children's program, Ambassadors of the Environment, is as unique and educational as it is entertaining. Created in conjunction with Jean-Michel Cousteau, the program offers kids ages four to 18 the opportunity to explore their surroundings with cool adventures like pontoon boat rides through the mangroves, and rides in the resort's own submarine, Atlantis XI, which sinks to a depth of 100 feet so kids can view the underwater reefs off Grand Cayman first-hand.The program allows kids to choose six from more than 40 themed experiences each day. Three modules are geared for ages four to seven and three for ages eight to 17. The program divides into morning (9:30 a.m. through 12:30 p.m.), afternoon (2 through 5 p.m.) and evening (6:15 through 9 p.m.) segments. Parents are encouraged (but not required) to share these activities with their kids.
In Discovering Sea Turtles, kids learn all about the creature's habitat, as well as environmental threats to their wellbeing. They even get to track two tagged (real) green sea turtles. In Fun With the Sun, kids make solar prints and eat cookies they've baked in a solar oven. Other popular themes are Eco-Chefs, Traditional Caymanian Crafts, and the Sea Floor Submarine Adventure. More »
3. Jamaica: Half Moon Rose Hall
If it's luxury you're after, the posh Half Moon Rose Hall in Jamaica promises to spoil your kids as much as they spoil you. Half Moon's kids' program is housed in the resort's Anancy Children's Village, where kids ages three to 12 can join in many different supervised activities. Named after Jamaica's fabled children's character "Anancy the Spider," the space includes shaded play areas, activity rooms, a wading pool and a sand box. There are puppet shows in Tacoomah Hut, cold refreshments in Patoo's Lookout, an arts and crafts area and daily story times.Teens can participate in tennis clinics, volleyball, nature walks, golf, squash, horseback riding and water sports. The Hype Zone is open to teens 13 to 17 and has a game room with air hockey, table tennis and pool, a cyber lounge with Internet access and a mini spa.
Half Moon's Equestrian Centre has horses and rides to fit every skill level. Guided tours will take you on a ride through paths in the hills or valleys, or down to the beach. The resort's Dolphin Lagoon is a great opportunity for kids ages four and older to get a hands-on experience with the dolphins. They are allowed enter the water to touch, swim and play with them.
4. San Diego California, Hotel Del Cononado
Moms and dads visiting San Diego will love The Hotel Del Coronado's children's facility, Kidtopia. The program offers three-hour camps and one-hour programs for children ages four to 12, with plenty of fun indoor and outdoor activities. There is a beach-themed room where kids can put on stage performances, a cool funhouse mirror and entertainment stations with computers. But what's a visit to San Diego without hitting the surf? Perhaps the best feature of the program is the surfing lessons, which are available for kids ages six and older three days a week. They'll provide the equipment, wet suit and lesson for a fee.The resort also has a space dedicated to teens ages 13 to 17. VIBZ, a hip lounge, has computers, karaoke and foosball tables. Teens ages 13 and up can also visit the spa for special massages and facials. Summertime activities for the whole family include dive-in movie nights, surf camps and family S'mores night.
5. New Mexico: Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort & Spa
Hyatt Regency Tamaya is a great example of a resort that takes great care to enrich the children's program with local culture and flavor. The 500-acre resort is located on part of a Native American Pueblo and offers kids ages three to 12 the chance to experience the art and history of this culture first-hand within organized activities at Camp Hyatt. Kids will create their own sand paintings, play Native American games, and explore the Rio Grande River on a guided stroll of the Bosque. Camp Hyatt works with National Geographic Kids to create eco-friendly and locally inspired activities. Each day of the week brings a different theme, including New Mexico Sunday, Tamaya Monday, Hisru Ku Hinu (You and Me) Tuesday, Wildlife Wednesday, Land of Enchantment Thursday, Farming Friday and Native American Saturday.In addition to the kids' program, Hyatt Regency Tamaya offers other family activities like trail riding, Pueblo pottery making, adobe brick making, hot air balloon rides and Native American stories under the stars.
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