Vacations with child-care options

welly01 · March 2014

Any tips on finding a good resource of resorts/hotels/etc that might offer some type of child care? Also, when a place offers a child care option, are they usually pretty good, like you'd actually want to leave your child there?

FemShep · March 2014

There are family travel websites like Mini Time that may offer reviews of onsite kids clubs. In general, the hotel contracts with external babysitting agencies to provide care, although this varies by resort. Some offer specific programs, others offer referrals, others may just have a list of staff looking for extra work. Do some research, read reviews of the resort/location you're considering, and contact the concierge to ask more questions.

welly01 · March 2014

@FemShep...Mini Time is a great website! I'd never heard of it before but it looks like a great place to start. Thank you!

Sept07b2b · March 2014

I think it somewhat depends on what you are looking for. For babies and toddlers, there are a couple of resorts (some Beaches, Club Med, many cruises, and Franklyn D. Resort in Jamaica are a few) that offer full day kids club options for children that young.

Beyond that, you will be basically getting a babysitter on-site like you would at home. I think almost all reputable hotels have a contact for babysitting services. As PP mentioned, they typically contract with an agency, so you at least have some comfort that the person they send has been screened and is insured.

Once your children are potty trained, the options expand considerably. There are a ton of places that have kids camps during the day for kids 4+.

cecilyandgautam · March 2014

If you're looking for just a couple nights of babysitting while you & DH have a nice dinner out, then I think any 5 start hotel should be able to help you arrange a sitter - it's usually a regular hotel staffer who's up for making some extra cash and who the management trust. If you want a full day program for the kids in which you can drop off each day, then that might take more research. If you're staying within the US, you could check out which cities have plenty of drop-in daycares and pick a hotel next to one - just as another option.

groovygrl · March 2014

Ditto the others, if you are looking for something where you drop your kids off somewhere ipad there sort, you will have very limited choices until age four with just a handful of places that allow potty trained three yr olds.

bcnoelle · March 2014

My friend just mentioned to me the Ponte Vedre Inn (Jacksonville area) that supposedly offers 4 hours of free child care per day. Looking at their site I saw that they have a nursery starting at 6 months with a 3 hour limit. I've considered lots of situations to try to get in a vacation (bring a babysitter and pay all expenses but give her designated times to watch LO?). I like the idea of the Frankin D Roosevelt in Jamaica where they set you up for a nanny but overall the reviews say that the beach isn't very close and the food is mediocre at best. Disney cruise had a good nursery, but it's not all that glamorous to enjoy that time alone with your spouse anyway surrounded by families/disney stuff. We were so excited looking at the possibilities that opened once our son was 3 and potty trained, but now that we're expecting our 2nd we're pretty much back at the limited options again.

welly01 · March 2014

wife07mom09 said:

can you take your nanny or babysitter with you?
I am one of "those" moms and I am not sure I could or would leave a little one under 5 with a hotel babysitter just for fear they would be weird or something, leave my kid in front of the TV or yell at my kiddo. I am sure I am overthinking or whatever but thats me.

Can your parent or inlaws keep your little one for you?

Otherwise I frequently stay at Narriott properties and I know at some of the higher rated ones they offer babysitters especially at the resort areas. or try care.com in that area

We don't have a nanny or babysitter. I don't trust either of our parents to keep our son alone that long. I have thought about taking a vacation with the grandparents, so they could provide part-time child care.

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