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Five Things Hotels Are Offering Parents This Summer and Five Things Parents Say They Want Instead
As families are making their summer getaway plans, the nation’s hotels and motels, still suffering from the recession-related decline in business travel, are trying to get a piece of the vacation action. As USA Today reports, they are rolling out the red carpet for leisure travelers.
So what’s new? Herewith are five enticements being proffered by hotels hoping you and your loved ones decide to spend a few days with them this summer:
1. Free food. Homewood Suites and Hampton Inn and Suites offer guests a free breakfast buffets. Embassy Suites goes one further, with chefs cooking up fresh made-to-order omelets. As for dinner, check out Homewood Suites where you can dine on Asian salad with shrimp, rotisserie chicken and a do-it yourself salad bar.
2. Free Wii. Want to enjoy the evening complimentary wine reception but the rug rats have other ideas? Kimpton Hotels is providing Wii stations at its cocktail hour, loaded with Dance, Dance Revolution.
3. Loot. Marriott hotels will be gifting each family with children’s activity books and silicon bracelets decorated with popular Nickelodeon stars when they check in. Want more? For $20, they’ll toss in a backpack and Sponge Bob pillowcases. This is in addition to the Marriott resorts weekend getaways featuring SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer and opportunities to get slimed.
4. Ever more elaborate kiddy camps. The Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas is debuting a Lego Fantasy camp, hosted by a LEGO master builder.
5. Late checkout. Want one last dip in the hotel pool? Ask and you shall receive. Many hotels and motels will extend your check out time if you request it. It has become such a popular perk, Kimpton is making 2 p.m. its formal room vacate time on weekends.
That’s all well and good, but what do parents want from hotels? We don’t need to guess. More than a few parents took to USA Today’s comment board to say what they would like to see. Their wish list:
1. Connecting rooms. Mom and dad would like a little privacy, and would rather not smoosh the entire family into one room.
2. Segregation. Business travelers are tired of hearing children run the halls screaming. Families are tired of feeling guilty when their kids behave like kids. The solution: separate floors dedicated to each group of travelers.
3. Teenagers are kids too. Stop charging the full adult rate for children over the age of 12. Financially strapped families are likely to reward you for your kindness with their business.
4. The pool. More floaties and other water toys would be a great add, parents say. Travellers not accompanied by children say they would love a childfree hour in the water. Since we at Babble realize that might not be feasible for many hotels and motels, here’s a suggested compromise: a dedicated lap lane in the pool for use by adults only.
5. More freebies. Never mind the free branded toys. Offer complimentary access to the room fridge and snack bar. Those $5 bags of peanuts kids take when their parents backs are turned add up fast.
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[...] Strollerderby responds with their list of “Five Things Parents Say They Want Hotels to Offer Instead”: [...]
Hotel Deals for Families commented on Jun 04 10 at 11:03 am[...] Parenting site Babble, piggybacking off a USA Today story on the trend, compares five hotel perks to five things parents would rather have instead. [...]
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Special Medical Clinic for Thumb-Suckers? | Strollerderby commented on Jun 18 10 at 12:23 pm[...] into free breakfasts. Many hotels offer no-cost access to buffet-style morning meals for all guests. My older son says he recommends the made-to-order omelets at Embassy [...]
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Model Adrianne Curry Bashes Breasfeeding on Twitter | Strollerderby commented on Jun 28 10 at 11:45 pmmbaker commented on Jun 04 10 at 4:15 pmI want all rooms to have empty minifridges for sippies of milk, expressed breast milk, yogurt, and other healthy snacks not stocked in minifridges. One of the first things I ask before I book a room for the family is whether that’s available. I also ask how close a grocery store, Wal-Mart or Super Target is so that we can stock up on supplies instead of carrying everything on the plane and whether the cribs are full-sized cribs with crib sheets or whether they are pack and plays.
D commented on Jun 06 10 at 1:13 amIts not easy in the hotel industry to balance some people’s need to exist within a sound proof void while raising another person’s children
Mom o many commented on Jun 06 10 at 2:35 amI really wish that hotels were more “large-family-friendly.” I agree with the ajoining rooms. They are just not readily available! We can’t stuff all of our children in one room and they are not ready to be in their own.
Mimi commented on Jun 07 10 at 3:02 pmI think we shouldn’t even have to pay! I mean, businesses actually making money? This is unheard of where I’m from! Everything should be free. I should get my own personal pool, a free iPod per person, a chauffer sent to my home to ensure I don’t get lost.
The list just goes on and on. Hotels really don’t know how to please their guests!
epgunn commented on Jun 09 10 at 11:19 amI stayed at a Kimpton hotel in Washington, DC. they often have good weekend deals and are stylish. But they have teeny, tiny rooms with over-sized beds that take over. We had to hang out in the bathroom to get away from our toddler while she fell asleep. Luckily the bathroom was nice, and roomier than the room. Can’t imagine staying in one room with say, two energetic school-age kids.
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