Growing up, my parents’ vacation routine was always the same: find a babysitter, kiss my brother and me goodbye, then vanish to some glamorous corner of the world without us. But family travel has evolved! According to a
What You’ll Learn in This Guide
- The New Luxury Standard: How seven world-class resorts build vacations around kids without compromising adult indulgence.
- Property Highlights & Perks: What each resort offers families, from golf lessons and archery to water parks and private lagoons.
- Tested Insider Expertise: Firsthand takeaways, starting rates, location perks and signature experiences from SheBuysTravel writers.
The writer was partially hosted by Grace Bay Resorts.
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Grace Bay Club: Best Luxury Beach Resort for Families
Location: Providenciales, Turks & Caicos | Address: Grace Bay Rd, Grace Bay TKCA 1ZZ, Turks & Caicos Islands | Phone: +1 649-946-5050 | Rates: $1,100 – $2,200/night (for a family of 4–5 in a 2-Bedroom Suite)
If your idea of a perfect vacation means picture-perfect turquoise water and a myriad of ways to explore it, Grace Bay Club is the place to be. This iconic Turks & Caicos resort has three pools, a sprawling powder-white beach with water sports galore, three open-air oceanfront restaurants with elevated kids’ menus and creative mocktails for littles, plus a complimentary kids’ club (ages 5–12) and on-site tennis and sailing lessons.
- Best For: Families dreaming of a classic, high-end Caribbean beach vacation with easy beach and water-sports access.
- Room Config / Sleeping Setup: Huge ocean-view, all-suite accommodations featuring expansive outdoor living spaces, full kitchens and full-size washers and dryers.
- Location Factor: Prime spot on the award-winning, iconic sand of Grace Bay Beach.
- Pros & Cons / Considerations:
- Pro: Direct access to arguably the best beach in the Caribbean;Con: There’s no tween/teen club
- The Signature Moment: Having my 11-year-old daughter warmly greeted as “Princess” by the resort staff throughout our stay.
South Bank Resort: Best Turks & Caicos Resort for Multigenerational Families
Location: Providenciales, Turks & Caicos | Address: Long Bay, Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Islands | Phone: +1 649-946-5600 | Rates: From about $1,000/night (for a family of 4 in a multi-bedroom villa)
South Bank Resort trades the bustle of Grace Bay for a sprawling 31-acre waterfront setting built around the island’s only ocean-fed swimming lagoon. With accommodations that feel more like private homes than hotel rooms, families can spread out in marina-front Boathouses, Lagoon Villas or expansive Ocean Estates — all with full kitchens and in-villa laundry. Days can be spent paddleboarding across the lagoon, riding bikes around the resort, watching poolside movies or exploring the secluded beach.
- Best For: Multigenerational families and larger families who want to stay together without feeling crowded.
- Room Config / Sleeping Setup: Spacious multi-bedroom villas and estates with full kitchens and laundry; the largest Ocean Estates have up to six bedrooms and 8,000 square feet of living space.
- Location Factor: Set on the quieter Long Bay side of Providenciales, with an ocean-fed lagoon, marina and secluded stretch of rugged beach.
- Pros & Cons / Considerations:
- Pro: Tons of space and privacy, plus the conveniences of a vacation home with the amenities and service of a luxury resort;Con: The beach is rockier, and the tide is choppier on this side of the island. It’s gorgeous, but it’s not the calm water and powdery sands of Grace Bay (though my daughter still loved it for all the conch shell collecting!)
- The Signature Moment: Sitting on our huge rooftop deck and seeing the sea turtles lazily swimming by our private dock.
Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit: Best Luxury All-Inclusive
Location: Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico | Address: Av. Cocoteros 98 Sur, Nuevo Vallarta, Nayarit, Mexico | Phone: +52 322-226-8000 | Rates: $1,348-$4,026 per night (all-inclusive for a 1,000-square-foot room for four).
Set on the beach about 15 minutes from the Puerto Vallarta airport, Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit 267-suite resort boasts ocean views and gourmet dining plus a kids’ club, dedicated teens club and a baby concierge that can arrange everything from strollers and cribs to pureed baby food. The all-inclusive rate also covers in-suite dining, water sports, fitness activities and more.
- Best For: Families who want the ease of an all-inclusive without sacrificing luxury, great food or grown-up amenities.
- Room Config / Sleeping Setup: All 267 suites have ocean views, with larger family accommodations available for groups of up to eight.
- Location Factor: Beachfront in Nuevo Vallarta, about 15 minutes from Puerto Vallarta International Airport.
- Pros & Cons / Considerations:
- Pro: Kids programming for every age, with separate kids and teen clubs plus a baby concierge who can help you with whatever your baby needs;
- Con: Specialty restaurants require reservations, so families may need to plan dinners ahead.
- The Signature Moment: SheBuysTravel writer Mira Temkin was impressed by the teen club, where older kids can hang out with video games and air hockey by day before the space transforms into a disco at night.
Read SheBuysTravel writer Mira Temkin’s full review of Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit.
Terranea Resort: Best Luxury Family Resort Near Los Angeles
Location: Rancho Palos Verdes, California | Address: 100 Terranea Way, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275 | Phone: +1 866-802-8000 | Rates: From about $600/night (for a family of 4)
Set across a sprawling 102 oceanfront acres atop the dramatic cliffs of the Palos Verdes Peninsula, Terranea Resort feels far from LA despite being only 45 minutes from LAX. It’s the kind of place locals love as much as tourists, if only for the incredible views from its public hiking trails. Kids can race down the 140-foot waterslide at the family pool, explore craggy tide pools or try everything from kayaking and archery to snorkeling, while adults can retreat to the oceanfront spa or adults-only pool.
- Best For: Families looking for a luxury California coastal getaway with plenty to do without leaving the resort.
- Room Config / Sleeping Setup: Traditional guest rooms and suites are joined by larger bungalows, casitas and villas, giving families and multigenerational groups plenty of options for spreading out.
- Location Factor: Set on 102 oceanfront acres on the Palos Verdes Peninsula, with meandering coastal trails and Pacific views stretching from Long Beach to Malibu.
- Pros & Cons / Considerations:
- Pro: A long list of on-site family activities, from kayaking, tide-pooling and archery to golf, tennis and seasonal kids programs (including mermaid meet-and-greets!);
- Con: The rocky coastline is gorgeous for exploring, but families looking for a traditional sandy Southern California beach day will need to drive elsewhere.
- The Signature Moment: Exploring the craggy tide pools at low tide for sea stars, anemones and hermit crabs. Fun fact: This gorgeous stretch of coastline served as a filming location for Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl!
Loews Regency New York: Best Luxury Family Hotel Near Central Park
Location: New York, NY | Address: 540 Park Ave, New York, NY 10065 | Phone: +1 212-759-4100 | Rates: $649–$2,169 per night (from a standard room that sleeps 4 to a spacious 2-bedroom suite)
When we checked into the classy Loews Regency New York Hotel, the bellman gave us balloons—a perk that promptly inspired my kids to play a wild game of balloon catch in the pristine lobby. And despite the glamorous digs, it was totally fine! Because while this iconic New York hotel may be decidedly “Upper East Side” chic, it goes out of its way to welcome younger guests (and pets, by the way—we brought our dog!).
- Best For: Families who want a polished New York City stay in a quieter, more residential-feeling part of Manhattan.
- Room Config / Sleeping Setup: Spacious rooms and suites, including two- and three-bedroom options for larger families, plus guaranteed connecting rooms available through the Connecting Comfort package.
- Location Factor: Park Avenue at 61st Street on the Upper East Side, just two blocks from Central Park and within walking distance of Fifth Avenue and the Central Park Zoo.
- Pros & Cons / Considerations:
- Pro: Loews “ Leave It to Loews” program can provide families with everything from crayons and board games to cribs and strollers;
- Con: There’s no pool, which may matter to families looking for downtime between days of sightseeing.
- The Signature Moment: Having the doormen greet us with such genuine warmth each time we returned that it felt less like coming back to a hotel and more like coming home to our own Upper East Side apartment.
The Reef at Atlantis: Best Luxury Atlantis Resort for Families
Location: Paradise Island, Bahamas | Address: 1 Casino Drive, Paradise Island, Bahamas | Phone: +1 242-363-3000 | Rates: Starting at $328 per night.
The Reef at Atlantis is a luxury residential-style high-rise hotel located on Paradise Island in the Bahamas. Since it is part of the larger Atlantis Paradise Island Resort, Reef guests have access to the pools, beaches and attractions of Atlantis while having a quieter, roomier place to go back to at the end of the day.
- Best For: Families who want all the kid appeal of Atlantis with more space, kitchen facilities and a quieter home base.
- Room Config / Sleeping Setup: Studios are available with two queen beds and kitchenettes, while larger one- and two-bedroom suites feature full kitchens and separate living areas.
- Location Factor: Oceanfront on Paradise Island within the Atlantis resort complex, with access to Aquaventure, beaches, marine habitats, pools, restaurants and other Atlantis attractions.
- Pros & Cons / Considerations:
- Pro: Families get full access to the Atlantis experience while staying in accommodations designed for longer, more comfortable family stays;
- Con: The Reef sits farther from Aquaventure and some of Atlantis’ restaurants and attractions than The Royal, although complimentary resort shuttles make getting around easier.
- The Signature Moment: SheBuysTravel writer Breeze Leonard loved watching her daughters make their own breakfast in the kitchenette while she enjoyed her morning coffee on the balcony.
Read SheBuysTravel writer Breeze Leonard’s full review of The Reef at Atlantis.
Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve: Best Over-the-Top Caribbean Luxury
Location: Dorado, Puerto Rico | Address: 100 Dorado Beach Drive, Dorado, Puerto Rico 00646 | Phone: +1 787-626-1100 | Rates: Starting at $1,570 per night (for a room with a king bed, sofa bed and beachfront balcony).
Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve delivers serious five-star luxury without forgetting about the sorts of things kids love. Set on a former Rockefeller estate along Puerto Rico’s northern coast, the resort pairs spacious rooms and dedicated personal service with beaches, pools, nature experiences and its own water park.
- Best For: Families willing to splurge for a true bucket-list Caribbean resort with exceptional service and plenty for kids to do.
- Room Config / Sleeping Setup: Rooms start at 950 square feet, with two-king-bed configurations available for families, plus expansive suites and residences for larger groups.
- Location Factor: Set on 1,400 lush acres along Puerto Rico’s northern coast, about 35 minutes from San Juan.
- Pros & Cons / Considerations:
- Pro: Rare combination of ultra-luxury service and genuinely impressive family amenities, including a water park and nature-focused kids programming;
- Con: The secluded setting is part of the appeal, but families looking to explore San Juan should know it’s about 35 minutes away.
- The Signature Moment: SheBuysTravel writer Katie Riley singled out the resort’s dedicated embajador service (essentially a personal ambassador assigned to guests) as one of the touches that makes a stay here feel a level above the typical luxury resort.
Read SheBuysTravel writer Katie Riley’s full review of Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve.
Frequently Asked Questions About Luxury Travel With Kids
Yes! The best luxury family resorts offer experiences that everyone can enjoy together or have kids’ clubs fun enough that children are happy to wave goodbye while Mom and Dad have their “me time.”
It depends on what kind of vacation you’re looking for, but in my opinion, it’s best to wait until kids are out of the baby stage. Many luxury resorts offer complimentary kids’ clubs starting around ages 3 or 4 through age 12, which makes those years especially good for parents hoping for a little alone time.
Not always, but they’re becoming much more common. As family travel has evolved, many luxury resorts have realized that to lure Mom and Dad, they’ve got to lure their kids, too.
Luxury hotels are often great places to sleep after exploring a destination. Luxury resorts are destinations unto themselves — with enough amenities and activities that families don’t even have to leave the property.
Look for spacious rooms or connecting accommodations, in-room kitchenettes and laundry, kids’ clubs with clearly stated age ranges, family-friendly pools and activities, flexible dining and enough grown-up amenities that parents feel like they’re on vacation, too.
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