HOTELS THAT GET KIDS RIGHT

By AHL Editorial Team on 09.08.26

A great kids’ club changes the whole shape of a family trip: suddenly there are solo hours again, on a beach or a mountain or a spa day, and everyone reconvenes happier for it. We chose our six favorites that let you recharge to enjoy yourself (and each other), from a ski-in kids’ club in Park City to a Mini-Club on the shores of Lake Lugano, and an oasis of activity in Palos Verdes. Hint: it’s one of our favorite properties for kids in the U.S.

SIX SENSES LA SAGESSE | St. David, Grenada

Kids at Six Senses La Sagesse make their own toothpaste and body scrub, then swap algebra for treasure hunts, cookery, and yoga in the sand. Teenagers get their own separate lounge with beanbags, board games, snacks, plus a little breathing room from the under-11s next door. Families settle into one of the resort’s four-bedroom villas on the Bluff, each with its own kitchen, lap pool, and expansive ocean view. La Sagesse Bay itself stays shallow and warm enough for the smallest swimmers, and a nanny is on call when parents are looking for a few hours to themselves. Check it out before you check in. 

MONTAGE DEER VALLEY | Park City, Utah

Paintbox keeps the youngest guests busy with art projects while Compass Explorers runs the rest of the day’s adventures, which means parents at Montage Deer Valley get a few solo hours on the mountain too — a trade we’d happily make. Ski-in, ski-out access means nobody’s hauling gear across a parking lot, and the rooms wait at the end of the day with stone fireplaces and heated floors built for defrosting as a family. Apex Prime Steakhouse and Yama Sushi split the difference between picky eaters and adventurous ones, and Historic Main Street is close enough for a walk before everyone collapses. Check it out before you check in.

TERRANEA | Rancho Palos Verdes, California

When AHL’s Janet Mercel visited Terranea last spring, it was one of the best family trips of the year. After thirty tear-free seconds of goodbye, a happy 4-year-old was deep into the art project of the day and lunching on hamburgers with the group. Madeleine ran her “classroom” with enough fun that the whole handoff felt effortless, while the parents went open-water kayaking. The largest pool is what the resort calls its family hub (there are other kid-free options for a solo experience). There are 102 acres to explore, with oceanside trails leading to the nearby Point Vicente maritime museum for a charming afternoon of sea life exhibits. Back home, we tried falconry with Joe Roy III, and even the littles enjoyed watching hawks get the zoomies. Every dinner, even the fine dining, came with a warm welcome for the tiniest diners… but you might want to tag along for the build-your-own waffle bar in the morning. Check it out before you check in and read the full AHL review here to see why we loved our stay.

THE OMNI HOMESTEAD RESORT | Hot Springs, Virginia

At The Omni Homestead, Virginia’s Allegheny Mountains do most of the entertaining. Allegheny Springs holds two 100-foot water slides and a 400-foot lazy river, and the mini-golf course alone is worth an afternoon. Winter turns the whole 2,000-acre property into a sledding, skating, and tubing operation, while DownTime’s family game room and Theater 1923 cover the rainy days. Parents can slip off to the Warm Springs Pools, geothermal water so clear you can read through it, while the kids work through the archery range and the falconry program. When you’re reunited, celebrate with a horse-drawn carriage through the fall foliage. Check it out before you check in. 

CARLISLE BAY | Old Road, Antigua

Cool Kids Club at Carlisle Bay takes children two to seven, seven days a week, while older siblings graduate to Crew Blue and Crush. Family suites sit right on Antigua’s south coast, two-bedroom layouts built for four, steps from a horseshoe bay of white sand and turquoise water. Water sports are complimentary — sailing, kayaking, paddleboarding — and parents willing to go further can charter the resort’s own FJORD36 yacht. The adults-only spa waits at CARA Organic Beauty, timed for exactly the hours the kids are busy. Check it out before you check in. 

PARCO SAN MARCO | Lake Lugano, Italy

Mini-Club takes the two-to-five set at Parco San Marco, Club Bim Bam Bino runs six-to-twelves through workshops and outdoor games, and Teen Space gives anyone older a room of their own for billiards and music, all of it running May through October. The Fun Pool stays loud and full of kids while the Relax Pool next door stays adults-only and actually quiet. Dinner doesn’t have to be a fight: Il Basilico’s pizza, made with ancient grain flours, works for the pickiest eater by the pool, and La Veranda runs a proper breakfast buffet before anyone heads down to Lake Lugano for the day. Check it out before you check in. 

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