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From coast to coast, hotels are reaching out to families with younger children by offering colorfully themed sleeping quarters and lots of extra perks.

Between May and July 2009, Family Travel Forum's consulting division, FTFc interviewed a number of acknowledged family hotels and family resorts to find out about the state of their amenities for adults traveling with children. Happily, most of them have more and larger themed family suites available than in the past, as well as more amenities and programs designed specifically for school-age kids.  Of course, you'd expect Orlando, Florida and other theme park destinations to lead the pack in imaginative, kid-pleasing hotel design.  And in many cases, these destinations do. 

But others have gotten into the game by becoming their own 'theme park.' The Great Wolf Lodges, North America (800/559-WOLF) have built their business around indoor water parks, naturally a family-family environment. Their forest themed, self-contained resorts were designed to appeal to families with children 2 to 14-years living within driving distance of many vacation destinations: Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin; Sandusky, Ohio; Traverse City, Michigan; Kansas City, Kansas; Williamsburg, Virginia; the Pocono Mountains, Pennsylvania; Niagara Falls, Ontario; Mason, Ohio; Grapevine, Texas; Grand Mound, Washington; and Concord, North Carolina. In addition to pure fun, costumed mascots waiting to pose for pictures, huge game arcades, supervised crafts classes and a super green environmental policy, each all-suite Great Wolf Lodge features 270 to 400 “dens” with microwave, a fridge and sitting area. They range in size from Family Fireplace Suites to KidCabin Suites with bunk beds in semi-private sleeping areas themed with trees, tents and bear caves.

Many hotels which once had a one-size-fits-all attitude toward decor have learned a lesson from these family vacation success stories. On a small and personal scale, they are dolling up some accommodations and smarting up their programs to appeal to the fussiest of young travelers, while continuing to court other segments of the market.

U.S. Hotels in the East Put Kids First

Loews Portofino Bay Hotel
5601 Universal Blvd.
Orlando FL 32819
407/503-1000
With 18 kids' suites ranging in themes from Dr. Seuss and Jurassic Park to classics like a castle or sailboat design, the Loews Portofino offers many great options for families. The Dr. Seuss rooms feature the "Cat in the Hat" and other memorable characters from the books, making you feel like you’re living in Who-ville. The suites include two rooms, with the children’s room opening up to the adults' room, so the kids won’t be able to escape their rooms and wreak havoc on the hotel staff. Kids can also take part in Camp Portofino, a supervised children’s activities center. While staying at the hotel, families receive many exclusive perks, such as the Universal Express Ride Access, allowing them to bypass lines at many of the rides and attractions at Universal Orlando. Other amenities include priority seating at Universal Orlando theme park restaurants, complimentary on-site transportation, and enjoying one of the three-themed hotel pools.

Hard Rock Universal
5800 Universal Blvd.
Orlando, FL 32819
407/503-2000
Another Loews Hotel property, the Hard Rock features music-themed Lil’ Rock Kids Suites. The rooms feature a king-sized bed for the parents and two twin beds in an adjoining room for the kids. They also have Camp Lil’ Rock, a supervised activity center for kids to enjoy. Just like at the Loews Portofino, family guests receive the Universal Express Ride Access and priority seating at Universal Orlando restaurants. The pool at this resort is amazing, providing 12,000-square-feet of pool fun, along with a sand beach, an underwater sound system, interactive fountains, and a 260-foot waterslide. Other fun, added value activities at the hotel include poolside movies, rock 'n' pop culture trivia contests, tie-dying, character dining (for a fee of course), water basketball, and other fun games.

Nickelodeon Family Suites
14500 Continental Gateway
Orlando, FL 32821
877/NICK-111
With Dora the Explorer and the Fairly Odd Parents, your kids will feel right at home in their themed rooms alongside their favorite Nickelodeon characters. The Kid's Suites at the Nick Hotel in Orlando offer two and three-bedroom suites, which feature a living room area and a kitchenette. The suites include a master bedroom for the parents, and in the kids' room you can choose between either two twin beds or a bunk bed. Other amenities include a pull-out sofa, a TV, Play Station 2, and dining table with chairs. Some exciting options to generate more revenue from families include a Character Breakfast, at which kids dine with their favorite Nickelodeon characters who are more than happy to give an autograph. The added value about this option is that kids under 5 eat for free. Another fun spot at the resort is the Mall, where kids can eat, play, and pamper themselves at the Kids’ Spa, where all ages are welcome. Entertainment is everywhere at the Nick Hotel, luring families back early from the theme parks. Adults can hang out at the Nick at Night Lounge, for example, while kids are having fun in the Nick-After-Dark Kids Activity Program.

Swissotel Chicago
323 East Wacker Drive
Chicago, IL 60601
312/565-0565
From check-in to checkout, kids are treated like royalty at the Swissotel Chicago in the Very Important Kids program. Upon arrival at the hotel kids receive a coloring book to occupy them at their own small desk with kid-sized chairs, while their parents handle the check-in procedures. Then they are escorted to their themed room, which can be decorated with a Shedd Aquarium, Adler Planetarium, or Field Museum theme. The suites have an adjoining room for kids complete with DVD’s, video games, toys and books, and come with a child-sized bed. After playing in their room, kids who work up an appetite can try some of the kid-friendly meals like a four-ounce sirloin burger, butter pasta and meatballs, or a very special make-your-own PB&J on crust-less bread. Of course, kids can create a mess like none other, so Swissotel Chicago offers a quick laundry service for a fee. Parents traveling with tweens and teens have the added perk of free wireless Internet in all guestrooms. And don't forget that kid-approved pool on the 42nd Floor.

Hotel Helix
1430 Rhode Island Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20005
202/462-9001
At this Washington, DC hotel, the Family Bunk Rooms feature specialty bunk beds, with the top bunk a twin-size bed and the bottom bunk a full-size bed. The rooms also have a king-sized bed for the adults, a flat-screen Sony TV, DVD player, and Nintendo. Other hotel highlights include in-room spa treatments to help mom and dad relax, in-room movies, daily newspaper delivery, pet amenities, and a fully stocked Honor Bar. The chain's Kimpton Kids Program helps families with features that allow mom to travel light, providing baby cribs, in-room child safety kits, high-chairs and booster seats at all restaurants, and child-sized animal print robes. The front desk will assist adults in arranging for a babysitter, for a fee.