So what exactly makes a family friendly hotel? Is it just offering cribs and free breakfast to children under 12? Perhaps it’s more. Perhaps it involves the overall attitude of the hotel. There are definitely hotels built for romantic getaways or hotels that are built to be five star extravagances catering to the rich and famous. Maybe family friendly hotels are built from the ground up with an attitude of fun and adventure. Maybe it’s more than just a checklist of a few amenities.

Look at the Nickelodeon Family Suites; it screams family friendly (although no one wants to be slimed upon check in). It boasts a huge water park, a kid’s spa, a mall and 4-D experience. I still think there is a difference between being kid friendly and family friendly because I think the thought of staying at this hotel would give some parents a headache, while others would probably love it. Maybe family friendly hotels have something for everyone, a place for the kids to have fun with a lounge for the parents to relax in.

I don’t think a hotel doesn’t have to be quite this extreme to be considered a family friendly hotel. I think some simple things can be done as well.  An example could be if a family has reserved a crib having it set up for them when they arrive in case they get in late, having foods in the continental breakfast that would appeal to younger folks, extra towels, etc. But really it’s the attitude and the combination of these amenities that the hotel takes on that I think makes the difference.

This year I plan to explore this concept and seek out hotels that claim to be family friendly and report my findings here. However, till then I’d love to hear your thoughts or hear of places you have stayed that you thought fit the bill and why.

*picture courtesy of www.nickhotel.com

Who doesn’t like to stay in a sexy boutique hotel where the accommodations are contemporary, unique and stylish? Unfortunately, it’s not always an option when you are looking for affordability and a place to house your children. Or perhaps you love the idea of modern but prefer the ease of a chain? Choice Hotels new brand Cambria Suites allows you to get the both of best worlds. It’s affordable, convenient yet sleek and modern. It’s a hotel chain where you will feel comfortable bringing your family on vacation or bringing your loved one for a quick romantic getaway. It’s a great choice too for those health conscious travelers because they offer organic and healthy options at their cafes and have healthy freshly prepared snacks to grab.

We were invited to stay at Cambria Suites on our recent trip to San Antonio. We loved the close proximity to the airport- yet it didn’t feel like an airport hotel at all. The room was modern and chic. When I stay at a hotel I really notice the little things. I think little things can make a hotel room feel luxurious over cheap. This hotel nailed it from the Bath & Body Works bathroom products all the way down to the Wolf Gang Puck coffee and organic tea. I’m serious, I know those are small in the large picture but a hotel that pays attention to detail makes a really big difference in your quality of stay. We definitely did not feel we were sleeping at the Super 8 Motel.

I also loved that there was an LCD TV in every room. We had a two-room suite so there was three! That’s one more TV then we have in our house. The rooms were large, spacious and the most important thing- the beds were super comfortable. Look at how it’s decorated, isn’t it fun? There are 15 locations across the country and more in the works. Definitely recommended for my budget-minded traveler friends who still like the life of luxury (that’s me).

Rosas View San Ignacio

Last year I traveled through the small country of Belize. The country is so small, that it is in fact a smaller than my home state of Utah!  Honestly, not until I returned from my trip to Belize did I fully understand where I had been and the beautiful sceneries I was able to see, the dangerous situations I had put myself in, and the adventures I would be able to tell my kids about (hypothetical children).

It all started last March when a couple that my boyfriend and I knew invited us to go on vacation with them to the country of Belize and stay for FREE in their boss’s hut right next to the beach in Placencia (the southern tip of the Belizean peninsula).

Carelessly we agreed, started a bit of light planning, and booked the flight (as a way to cut costs we decided to fly into Cancun, Mexico and take public buses into Belize – you can opt to fly into Belize City, but make sure to fly in during the day, the city can be rough at night). We were all excited about the trip and were especially grateful to be backpacking in a country that’s official language was and is English (Belize was established by British colonies).

As two traveling couples, we agreed to be as spontaneous as possible and not to book any places to stay, which for the

Rooftop View Los Palmos

most part was one of the best parts of our vacation (the only exception was when we got to the boss’s hut and there were no beds, no bathroom and we decided to spend the night in hammocks…not a very comfortable nights sleep).

I have listed below some of the places we stayed as well as some travel tips; I would recommend them to anyone and actually when we back-tracked on the way home, we stayed at these places again because we loved them so much. They were all clean, had private baths, and all offered A/C (which is an important amenity when you are facing 90% humidity), oh and did I forget to mention that they were a great price for a small budget!

Location: Playa del Carmen, Mexico (about 60 minutes from Cancun airport)
Hotel Mayeli – $35 US a night
Family owned – about 20 rooms
Amenities: pool, about 2 minute walk to ocean/beach, A/C, attached bath,
clean towel service, restaurant located in hotel

Location: Corozol, Belize (about 9 miles from the Mexican border)
Los Palmos Hotel – $75 US a night
Ask for Charlie – he is the owner and a very nice man
Amenities: beautiful hotel top views (one night we watched a storm blown in…it was amazing!),
mini fridge, A/C, private bath, clean towel service, TV, large common area
Website: http://www.laspalmashotelbelize.com

Location: San Ignacio (On the West side of the country, about a 15 minute drive to the Guatemalan border)
Rosa’s – $60 US a night
Very secure and right downtown next to some fun night life
Amenities: private bath, A/C, clean towel service, overlooks the local central park

Now to the point of the post; the travel tips. Although I will not try and state that I know everything about the country of Belize, I can honestly say that we traveled through 90% of the country and I have some helpful tips. Enjoy!

Hotel Tips:

• Whether you are booking your hotels ahead of time, or trying to be spontaneous, make sure you do some research before you go, believe me, it will make your life a lot easier.
• Always choose a hotel that has A/C, it is important and you will want it when the 90% humidity hits you.
• I am not convinced that Belize knows what the term hot water means. All the places I stayed said they had hot water, but believe me it was COLD…be prepared!
• Although the crime rate is high in Belize, if you stay at a hotel that has a guarded front gate, you will be able to leave your belongings in the room and feel comfortable enough to do so.
• Do not drink the water! There are enough food stands around to purchase bottled water and in fact many hotels sell cold water at the front desk. I recommend that you drink the bottled water, despite what the locals say.

Public Transportation Tips:

• If opting to travel the Belizean country side on public buses…be prepared!
• The buses in Belize are run-down (this is an understatement) and do not have A/C, but fortunately the windows slide down and get a good breeze going through the bus.
• DO NOT ride the buses at night! (We did and had the scariest night of our lives).
• Watch your luggage. The bus drivers are required to place any large bags under the bus. Watch the other passengers and make sure they do not take your bags and run off.
o I recommend tying everyone’s bags together to stop thieves.

Activities You Must Do:

• Travel to southern Belize, it is so green and beautiful and much prettier than northern Belize
• Ride on the public buses – It’s an experience, try it…you will be thankful for UTA
• Mayan Ruins – such as Tikal (use a tour guide – about $65 US per person)
o You will travel through the rain forest, see monkeys (Spider), and Toucans
• Cave kayaking – Belize has many rivers and about every town offers this unique experience (about $65 per person)
• Go to the beach (they are close)– Belize is in the Caribbean and offers some of the best beaches in the world
• Snorkeling/Diving -  Belize offer some of the clearest waters, great for snorkeling and seeing sealife.

Hannah Dalton is a public relations professional that comes from Utah. In her free time she likes to take care of her two dogs and two cats, try new recipes, watch anything reality TV, spend time playing Scrabble with her live-in boyfriend, oh and of course travel. Her new love is Twitter, so follow her now at hannahsherox.