tamarijn aruba
Families staying at Tamarijn Aruba can plan all their family fun using the property’s family-dedicated microsite, which features information about all the activities families and kids can enjoy on the property and around the island.
“Both the Divi Aruba and the Tamarijn Aruba are wonderful choices for families traveling with their children,” says Alex Nieuwmeyer, managing director of Divi Resorts, Aruba. “Kids of all ages enjoy the wide variety of activities the properties offer to keep them entertained.”
Kids can take part in the resort’s Kids Club; enjoy non-motorized activities such as kayaks, catamarans, floats, windsurfing, snorkeling, and biking along a designated path or with a guide; climb the resort’s 30-ft. rock wall on the beach; or take part in a sandcastle contest, scavenger hunt, and kite-making session.
Tamarijn offers 236 oceanfront guestrooms, each with a patio or balcony, in 2-story buildings; the guestrooms feature one king or two queen beds. For clients traveling with a larger group, the Divi Village All-Inclusive Villas come in three separate categories: studio, 1-bedroom, or 2-bedroom. Amenities include a washer/dryer, fully equipped kitchens, private terraces and/or balconies, and a welcome bar.
Guests who book a villa not only enjoy free golf after 3 p.m., but get extra savings with the resort’s Family package, offering kids up to 17 to stay, play, and eat for free—normally the Family package allows kids under 5 to enjoy these perks; and kids 6 to 12 are $50 per night.
The 97 Tamarijn All-Inclusive Suites, located at the Dutch Village, offers families fully equipped kitchenettes, jetted bathtubs, and balconies or patios. The property also features 13 dining options, 11 bars, seven freshwater pools, and nightly entertainment. Parents who would like a little private time, can request adjoining guestrooms, and babysitting services are also available. Rates start at $450 per night.
grand palladium, punta cana
The Grand Palladium Bavaro Suites Resort & Spa has added Family Friendly suites that “can be outfitted with age-appropriate welcome packs upon guest arrival,” says Jacques De Paep, Palladium Hotel Group’s commercial director for North America. “These family packs, available for a small fee, can include anything from diapers and formula to video games and movies, making families feel more ‘at home’ even while traveling.”
Palladium’s kids’ programs includes The Baby Club for ages 1 to 3 years old, and the Mini Club for kids 4 to 12; both are housed in the new Kid’s Club and offer age-specific games, a pool, a zipline, and cooking classes that teach kids about regional flavors and ingredients. The Black & White Junior’s Club, for ages 13-19, offers a menu of sports and age-appropriate entertainment, and provides longer running hours under the supervision of trained professionals.
Little ones can also enjoy dining with TV character, Raggs, and his friends. The 1-hour breakfast event, at no additional cost, includes a photo-op with the characters and a sing-along.
Palladium recently poured $25 million into renovating its three Punta Cana properties, all of which are located on Bavaro Beach: Grand Palladium Bavaro Suites Resort & Spa, Grand Palladium Palace Resort & Spa Casino, and Grand Palladium Punta Cana Resort & Spa. The renovation includes refurbished guestrooms, two new restaurants, and a waterpark. Together, all three properties offer 13 dining options, four pools, a spa & wellness center, a casino, and 14 bars. Rates for the Grand Palladium Bavaro Suites Resort & Spa are $452 per night dbl for a Junior Suite.
moon palace jamaica grande
Palace Resorts’ first property outside of Mexico opens this spring in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. The new resort, Moon Palace Jamaica Grande, will feature more than 700 guestrooms and suites with oceanfront views; five pools; five high-end restaurants; a FlowRider Double wave simulator; a Wired Teens Lounge; The Playroom; Noir nightclub; and the Awe-Spa, with a wellness center. The Playroom is an area for the little ones to enjoy, which offers group activities like piñata-making, ping-pong, mini-Olympics and movie nights, as well as beach soccer and tennis lessons.
“Our signature property, Moon Palace Golf & Spa Resort in Cancun, has become synonymous with world-class entertainment, the highest caliber service, and exciting amenities and attractions that cater to families. It is our goal to bring that same spirit to our first property outside of Mexico, Moon Palace Jamaica Grande,” says Kathy Halpern, v.p. of sales & marketing for Palace Resorts.
The family-friendly property offers tours around the island, including the Mystic Mountain Sky Explorer, which takes guests about 700 ft. above the Jamaican rainforest; a city tour of Ocho Rios; and a visit to nearby Negril.
Guests can also take advantage of a $1,500 resort credit to enjoy various amenities and all-inclusive services. “As an added incentive for travelers seeking the ideal venue for summer travel, Moon Palace Jamaica Grande will also feature the brand’s signature resort credit promotion and the kids-stay-free promotion,” points out Halpern. All-inclusive rates start at $237 pp per night dbl.
New at Beaches
Beaches Barbados is coming soon to St. Peter, where Almond Beach Resort was formerly located. This new property marks the first Beaches in Barbados and the fourth addition to the “Luxury-Included” brand collection.
A new sailing program, offered through American Sailing Association (ASA), is now available at all Beaches resorts. The new Sailing Fun Experience, for adults and kids 8+, allows guests to participate in four, 2-hour sailing sessions. The course, conducted by an ASA-trained instructor, starts at $150—families of four can chose a private course for $500. If guests can’t complete the four courses during their stay, the hours can be transferred to any Beaches property within 18 months of the first class. Guests receive a Sailing Fun Experience card, and letters from Beaches and the ASA, upon completion.
Archived related articles (available on recommend.com/magazine/issue-archive): Sandals LaSource Resort & Spa, Grenada (August 2014)
contact information
Beaches: (800) 223-2437; beaches.com or taportal.sandals.com
Grand Palladium Bavaro Suites Resort & Spa: (800) 961-7661; palladiumhotelgroup.com or palladiumhotelgroup.com/en/profesionales
Moon Palace Jamaica Grande: (888) 327-0652; palaceresorts.com/moonpalacejamaicagrande or palaceproagents.com
Tamarijn Aruba: (800) 554-2008; tamarijnaruba.com
