This summer, escape the daily grind, grab the kids and head to Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, which offer exclusive activities for children and a range of family-friendly activities ideal for any budget. Whether taking to the pink sands of Bermuda, enjoying a family trip to the zoo in Washington, D.C., or getting the royal treatment at a legendary castle in Quebec City, Fairmont destinations areeasy to access by car, train, or a short plane ride and promise a memorable experience for all.
As an added bonus, families can also take advantage of Fairmont’s kids dining program, which offers complimentary meals from the buffet or children’s menu for little ones 5 years of age and under, and 50% off the regular menu for children aged 6 -12. With exciting offers at a great value, Fairmont’s family packages will keep both youngsters and parents entertained all summer long. Packages include:
Canada
· For families who love the great outdoors, Fairmont Le Château Montebello in Quebec, famed for its rugged luxury and picturesque surroundings, offers a Family Fun Package that has it all. Offer includes nightly accommodation for two adults and two children (12 and under), daily buffet breakfast and dinner, a children’s activity program, three hours of bicycle rental, mini-putt, one-hour pontoon boat cruise, full-day canoeing or kayaking at Fairmont Kenauk, one free family admission to Omega Park, a tour of the Manoir Papineau National Historic Site, access to the hotel’s sports center, indoor and outdoor pools, as well as squash and tennis courts. Available from May 30 - September 13, 2009, rates start from $353 ($439 CAD) per night, with a minimum two-night stay required.
· From exhilarating ocean-bound whale watching safaris to world-class cultural exhibits and mouth-watering local cuisine, there’s never a dull moment at The Fairmont Empress in Victoria, B.C. With sea kayaking along Canada’s West Coast, and hiking trails through spectacular settings on Southern Vancouver Island, families will be enthralled by the diverse activities that Victoria has to offer. The entire family can enjoy thehotel’s Family Adventure Package and create memories that will last a lifetime. Offer includes nightly accommodation, full breakfast for the entire family,children’s activity book that includes local kid-friendly attractions and a Kid’s Fun Quest, and a hotel scavenger hunt that ends with a special take-home treasure. Available throughout the summer, rates start from $297 ($369 CAD) per night.
· What better getaway for a Prince and Princess than to a historic castle in charming Quebec City? This summer, families can experience the Prince & Princess Package at Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, just steps away from historic sites, outdoor European-inspired cafes and exclusive shops and boutiques. Offer includes nightly accommodation, historic guided tour of the legendary hotel, one in-room family movie rental, special in-room delivery of popcorn and juices, and a 50% rebate off the regular rate offered on a second room or second night booked. Available from May 1 - December 30, 2009, rates start from $213 ($265 CAD) per night.
· This summer, spend some quality with the people who matter most. The Fairmont Chateau Whistler’s family package, Stay Together, Play Together, keeps it simple with nightly accommodation in a room with two double beds, daily breakfast, daily in-room movie with popcorn, and a Snack Pack on arrival for the wee ones. With rates starting from just $209 ($259 CAD), and additional rooms at 50% off, Whistler welcomes families big and small. For guests with big and small appetites, the Family Buffet in The Wildflower restaurant is available at $10 for adults and $5 for children, from 4:30-6:00 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays all summer long.
· Families looking to hit the links this summer can take advantage of golf getaways offered at a number of Fairmont’s resorts including The Fairmont Chateau Whistler and Fairmont Le Château Montebello in Quebec. At The Fairmont Chateau Whistler Golf Club, Canada’s number one resort golf course, kids between 10 and 18 years of age play free with any full-paying adult, and each additional child is only $40. At Fairmont Le Château Montebello, guests purchase one green fee at regular price and pay only $20 for children 18 years of age and under when playing after 1:00 p.m. For more on Fairmont’s world-renowned golf locations, visit www.fairmontgolf.com.
United States
· Families can make waves this summer at Arizona’s Fairmont Scottsdale with the resort’s Summer Splash Package. Youngsters will be kept busy with an interactive Kid’s Club, offering board games, pinball, fishing, nature walks and more, while The Hang Out, a refuge for teenagers, serves up age appropriate offerings like a CD listening stations, X-Box games, and a Cyber Café. For water loving families, the resort’s Sonoran Splash recreational area, a 6,000 square-foot aqua oasis, features twisting 200-foot water slides among the largest in the state. During the summer months, the resort also offers its popular Dive In Movies, family-friendly flicks shown on a theatre size screen at the main pool each Friday and Saturday, and a host of lawn games ranging from badminton to croquet. Package also includes a $100 daily food and beverage credit for families to enjoy at the resort. Available throughout the summer, package rates start from $199 per night.
· From exploring science and nature to learning about the world of water to enjoying interactive playtime to learning about history, Fairmont Battery Wharf allows families to choose their own adventure with its Family Adventure Package. Package includes nightly accommodation with two double beds and 4 tickets to one of Boston’s top family attractions. Guests choose from The Museum of Science, The New England Aquarium, The Children’s Museum or The Freedom Trail’s Pirates & Patriots Tour. Available through October 31, 2009 (certain exhibits may be seasonal), package rates start from $289 a night.
· For animal loving youngsters, The Fairmont Washington, D.C. invites families to discover the giant Pandas at the National Zoo, while simultaneously helping to ensure the safety of these furry creatures in the wild. Each time the Panda Package is booked, the hotel will make a $10 donation to the Friends of the National Zoo’s Giant Panda Conservation Fund, which supports conservation initiatives in the U.S. and China. Package includes nightly accommodation for two adults and two children, a Zoo welcome kit including discount coupons, stuffed Panda, Zoo map, Giant Panda fact sheet, kid’s activity booklet, Panda post card and disposable camera. Available throughout the summer, package rates start from $199 per night.
· New York City’s The Plaza is delighted to welcome adults and children to experience the famed hotel’s Play at The Plaza package. Well-known as the home of the mischievous fictional character Eloise, not to mention a scene-stealer in the family-friendly flick Home Alone 2, The Plaza is an exciting hotel for kids, and a timeless retreat for parents. Package includes nightly accommodation, welcome amenity suitable for children of all ages, choice of $25 gift card to FAO Schwartz or Apple’s Fifth Avenue store, complimentary use of gaming consoles (Nintendo, Wii, Playstation 3 or X-Box 360), and valet parking. Available throughout the summer, rates start from $675 per night.
International
· Families can steal away to Bermuda this summer with Fairmont Hotels & Resorts and its value-oriented Bermuda’s 400th Anniversary Family Package. This unbelievable offer, celebrating the Island’s birthday, runs from April 20 - August 21, 2009, and includes luxury accommodations at either The Fairmont Southampton or The Fairmont Hamilton Princess. Room rates start at the family-friendly price of $429 per night, with a second room for the children priced at 50% off the rate per night. Guests who book a four-night package will be offered a $400 credit good at The Fairmont Southampton or The Fairmont Hamilton Princess. The resort provides a plethora of children’s activities from the Fairmont’s Explorers’ Camp offering exciting activities daily, staffed by experienced counselors to splashing in the calm Ocean to playing by the pool to taking a Jet Ski adventure.
· The Fairmont Royal Pavilion, located on Barbados’ sun-drenched West Coast, should be top of mind for parents traveling with kids and teens this summer. Operated as an adult’s only resort throughout the winter, the hotel transforms itself annually into a kid-friendly retreat from April - October. For children 4 and under, the resort offers complimentary daily activities like race days and the always-popular hotel treasure hunt. Children aged 4 -17 can enjoy kayaking, movie nights with a special late night viewing for teens, swim camp and more. This summer, families that book two rooms will also receive a second room at 50% off. From May through October, rates start from $549 per night and include breakfast, a 10% service charge and value added tax.
· Grab the gang and head south to discover the beauty of the Riviera Maya with the Fairmont Mayakoba’s Sweet Deal Package. Package includes nightly accommodation, a $250 food and beverage credit per room per stay, daily breakfast buffet including gratuities, complimentary access to the resort’s Willow Stream Spa facilities for two adults, a 30-minute customized spa treatment with the purchase of any 60-minute a-la-carte spa service at regular price, unlimited rounds of golf with the purchase of one round at the PGA tour stop El Camaleón course on the same day, and a guided boat tour of the onsite water canals with the resort’s ecology expert. Complimentary access to the hotel’s Kids Club is also provided for three hours per day, per child. Available throughout the summer, rates start from $319 per night.
· Fairmont St Andrews, Scotland invites families to get back to their roots with its Ancestry at The Fairmont St Andrews package. While tracing their lineage, families can enjoy walks along the Fife Coastal Path with breathtaking views of the ocean, explore the historic town of St Andrews with its cathedral, castle, museum and aquarium, take advantage of unique shops, gardens and more. Offer includes a private meeting with Dr. Brian Thomson to discuss guests’ family history, a tailored ancestral search with Dr. Thomson, from a basic examination to full family record, and a copy of famed photographer Andy Hall’s book of images, A Sense of Belonging to Scotland. Available throughout the summer, rates start from $256 per night.
· Kids and water are a perfect combination and this summer, the Fairmont Monte Carlo presents its Beach Experience getaway, offering a choice of five private beaches, all located on the Avenue Princess Grace in Monaco. Guests can choose the family-style La Spiaggia beach, complete with teenager and kid activities like volley-ball and a trampoline, the fashionable Le Miami beach, with a nautical atmosphere and a small kid’s play area, or one of the other sandy spots for fun. Package includes nightly accommodation, buffet breakfast, access to one of the five private beaches including transfers and lounge chairs, and a children’s gift. Available from April 1 - September 15, 2009, rates start from $459- per night.
All packages unless noted otherwise are subject to availability, priced per room, per night, exclude taxes and are based on double occupancy. Prices quoted are in US dollars unless noted otherwise. For reservations, please visitwww.fairmont.com, call 1-800-441-1414 or contact your local travel professional.
Source: Fairmont Hotels & Resorts
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".