13 Family-Friendly Hotels and Resorts in the US

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Tilted, low-angle view of the pool at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa as a little girl and two little boys in swimsuits jump in.

Travel changes once you add kids to the reservation, as any parent knows. To make your family vacation still feel like a vacation, picking the right place to stay is key. With a family-friendly hotel as your base, you can focus on the fun – bonding over new experiences, splitting up to enjoy age-appropriate activities, and gathering to swap stories at the day’s end. 

We’ve selected 13 properties in The Hotel Collection that cater to families with spacious accommodations and a host of other offerings. They range from kids’ club programming and on-site water parks to practical amenities and dining options for even the pickiest eaters.

Plus, when you book at least two consecutive nights with The Hotel Collection through American Express Travel®, Platinum® and Gold Card Members receive a $100 credit to use during your stay towards eligible charges, which may include spa, dining, or other on-property charges (eligible charge vary by property), and a room upgrade at check-in, when available (certain room categories are not eligible for upgrade)*.

Explore the mix of beach resorts, nature escapes, and big city stays below to get inspired for your next family getaway. 

Hit the Beach and Pool

 

Hawks Cay Resort

Make your way to secluded Duck Key – midway between Key West and Key Largo – and you’ll find ample space to spread out at Hawks Cay Resort, with suites and villas, many of which have multiple adjoining bedrooms and even kitchens. Families can hang around the beach or arrange activities hosted on-site, including fishing excursions, paddleboards, and kayaks. Parents seeking a little alone time can drop the kids off for a day at the supervised Camp Adventure, which runs nature excursions, beach-themed crafts, pirate scavenger hunts, and other nautical activities. 

Standout amenities: five resort pools; an enclosed saltwater lagoon and beach with water sports; a kid’s camp focused on outdoor activities.  

Omni La Costa Resort & Spa

The San Diego area is a natural choice for families, between the heavenly weather and proximity to beaches and theme parks. Book a family suite or an entire villa at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa; select villas include kitchens, fireplaces, patios and additional bedrooms. Water babies will delight at the resort’s eight distinct swimming pools, which include a splash pool for the littlest ones and a family water park with flumes, slides, and a fountain. Rent a poolside cabana to keep an eye on the kids and refuel with classic sandwiches and treats from the Splash Café.

Standout amenities: eight swimming pools including a water park; an on-site golf course; tennis and pickleball courts; Kidtopia Kids Club; and beaches a few miles away.

JW Marriott Orlando, Grande Lakes

For an upscale spin on Orlando, look to JW Marriott Orlando, Grande Lakes, where family suites are stocked with bath toys, mess-free markers, stuffed animals, and a film projector. Guests at JW Marriott Orlando also enjoy full access to the amenities and Ritz Kids® programming at the Ritz-Carlton, which shares the 500-acre landscaped grounds. Kids will have a ball at Grande Lakes Water Park, which features a lazy river, three towering waterslides, tucked away lagoons, and an Oasis VIP firepit lounge for parents. Wake up early to join a Sunrise Safari guided tour for the chance to encounter bobcats, alligators, white-tailed deer, and owls.

Standout amenities: kid-friendly welcome amenities; a lazy river outdoor pool, waterslides, and the AquaCourse 360 water obstacle course; Ritz Kids® programming; kayaking; mountain biking; falconry and wildlife tours.

Wild Dunes Resort

The Isle of Palms is an easy Charleston-area getaway with fun for the whole family. Pick the Wild Dunes Resort option that’s right for you: the original Boardwalk Inn or the newer, higher-end Sweetgrass Inn, each with guestrooms and suites to accommodate families of varying sizes. Kids will love resort treats, including hand-churned ice cream, fresh baked brownies, and candies sold by the pound at the Sweet Shoppe. To keep mealtime easy, head to Coastal Crust for wood-fired pizzas, pastas, and salads, or pack your own picnic to enjoy at nearby Isle of Palms County Park, complete with a playground and waterfront tables. Make sure to check out Turtle Cove, a center offering a variety of fun activities and games and crafts for families and children of all ages can enjoy together.

Standout amenities: kid-friendly dining; on-property playgrounds and parks; bike rentals; guided tours to spot dolphins and other wildlife.

Jekyll Island Club Resort

The pace slows when you arrive at Jekyll Island, known for white-sand beaches, marshes, and live oaks draped in Spanish moss. Amid this enchanting setting, Jekyll Island Club Resort harkens back to the Gilded Age and hosts tours designed to bring the past to life for guests of all ages. There’s plenty of modern-day fun to be had here, too. Kids can go geocaching (a scavenger hunt using a phone’s GPS); ride the flumes at Summer Waves Waterpark (with complimentary shuttle service); play mini-golf or croquet; or rent paddleboards and kayaks. Afterwards, gather round the fire pits for s’mores and then let the bedtime routines begin. Rooms sleep up to four and suites provide flexible sleeping arrangements. Note that guests of the Island Club Resort can take advantage of amenities at Jekyll Ocean Club (whose hot tub and pool stay open year-round) and the Island Cottages, a series of standalone mansions suited to large family and group gatherings.

Standout amenities: beach and pool access; bike and boat rentals; horseback riding; mini-golf, croquet, and more activities on site. 

Explore the Great Outdoors

 

Sunriver Resort

Immerse yourself in the high desert of Oregon at Sunriver Resort, a 3,300-acre all-seasons getaway backed by the Cascade Mountain Range. Accommodations come with river rock-stone fireplaces and private decks or balconies. The Lodge Village Suites sleep up to six guests with an open loft plan, kitchenette, and two bathrooms. Kids 12 and under can eat for free at two of the resort’s three restaurants, and join complimentary seasonal activities such as miniature golf, biking, and snowshoeing. Saddle up at the resort stables, which provide guided horseback riding experiences to those ages 7 and up. For some healthy competition, let the kids loose on a Takoda the Bear Scavenger Hunt; find all six of the Takoda Bear statues and win a sweet treat. Little ones can build and dress their own stuffy with a Takoda the Bear Factory In-Room Kit.

Standout amenities: Guided trail rides from the resort stables; planetarium shows, family-friendly outdoor concerts, four golf courses; the Sunriver Fitness & Aquatics Center; kids can eat free; and nearby skiing.  

Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Gainey Ranch

An oasis in the Arizona desert, Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort & Spa Gainey Ranch features palm trees and flowering cacti and striking views of the McDowell Mountains. When it comes to kid-friendly fun, it’s not a matter of what to do, but how much you can fit into a day – from face painting, air brush art, and balloon animals to cookie making, sunglass decorating, sandcastle making competitions, and hair braiding. Beyond crafts, you can grab a raft to join the pool Float Races (held on Saturday afternoons) or bet on your favorite yellow duck at Quack Swim Quack, a rubber ducky race Thursdays. Older children and their parents can get in on a game of Beach Ball Volleyball.

Standout amenities: various crafts and sports activities; a 28-foot climbing wall; 10 pools and a 30-foot-high water slide; golf course and tennis courts on site; nearby hiking and horseback riding.

The Tides Inn

On a private peninsula surrounded by the serene Chesapeake Bay, The Tides Inn is a haven for parents in need of a break and kids in need of burning off energy. The Bayside Explorer Kids Club hosts supervised activities – both on-property and at the nearby Carter’s Creek – that include art, nature excursions, and history tours (ages 4-12). The whole family can get involved by booking one of the inn’s ecology experiences to engage with the area’s river life and build aquariums. As part of the beekeeping experience, families will tour the inn’s Bee Meadow, learn from the on-site apiarist, and sample the honey. There’s even a Maker Space, where families can create one-of-a-kind keepsakes (including watercolor art and pottery) to take home. In the evenings, enjoy s’mores on the beach before retiring to one of the 70 rooms and suites, most with private patios.

Standout amenities: Kids Club and Maker Space; hands-on ecology experiences; seasonal events; an outdoor pool; boat rentals; bocce, tennis, pickleball, and golf.

Have a Big City Adventure

 

Loews New Orleans

New Orleans may be best known for Mardi Gras and Bourbon Street bar crawls, but the good times roll here for families too. Catch a streetcar ride through cobbled neighborhoods, join a ghost or swamp tour, and marvel at Mardi Gras World’s warehouse full of floats and props. The Audubon Butterfly Garden Insectarium and the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas are also popular spots for the kid set – and a five-minute walk from downtown’s Loews New Orleans. Rooms have 10-foot ceilings and fit up to four while suites start at 532 square feet – some have parlors with sofa beds. The Loews Loves Families initiative encompasses kid-friendly menu options, complimentary cribs and baby bath amenity kits, and a downloadable family activity guide to the city.

Standout amenities: kid-friendly food and drinks; complimentary crib and baby bath amenity kit; baby bathtubs, game tables, and coloring supplies available on request; indoor pool.

Viceroy Chicago

At this Windy City property, they’re team kids – literally. Viceroy Chicago offers a V Team Kids Program of creative activities and amenities designed to engage, inspire, and encourage children to interact with one another and the world around them. From beekeeping and lakeside picnics to scavenger hunts and curated museum kits, families can book any number of immersive experiences created just for little travelers or the entire crew. Parents will dig the elevated seasonal American cuisine at the hotel restaurant Somerset, as will adventurous younger eaters. Other kids may be persuaded to have their greens in anticipation of a stop at the lobby Candy Cart, which dispenses complimentary confections daily between 11am and 7pm.

Standout amenities: V Team Kids Program activities; complimentary Candy Cart treats; a rooftop pool; complimentary bikes; board games and playing cards upon request.

Kimpton Hotel Monaco Philadelphia

A former bank building in the heart of Philadelphia, near the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, Kimpton Hotel Monaco Philadelphia is a prime location for families who want to explore Philly’s past and present. Suites sleep up to four guests and include a separate living room and seating area along with a vintage soaking tub. Child safety kits and items like night lights are available on request and kid-friendly comfort food is on the menu at on-site Red Owl Tavern. Kimpton Hotel Monaco Philadelphia also makes pets feel pampered; the Bark Package includes doggie bags, a pet care kit, and a keepsake bandana. 

Standout amenities: complimentary bikes and yoga mats; scooters available in two children’s sizes for complimentary use along with helmets; a complimentary on-demand mini fridge to store breast milk in your room.

Claremont Club and Spa, A Fairmont Hotel

Originally built as a private home during the Gold Rush, the stately Claremont Club and Spa, A Fairmont Hotel treats families to resort-style amenities along with convenience to urban and natural Bay Area attractions. Select suites include separate living and dining spaces, perfect for larger families, and furry family members are welcome as well. The Kids’ Club obliges with supervised activities, movie nights with dinner and popcorn, and even seasonal camp experiences, when available. Kids under 5 always eat free at the Limewood Bar & Restaurant and Lobby Lounge, both offering fresh, farm-to-table fare. For recommended things to do, including the Exploratorium Museum, check out our three-day San Francisco itinerary.

Standout amenities: Kids’ Club activities; kids under 5 eat free; the Club at the Claremont includes tennis and pickleball courts and three year-round heated pools.

Lotte New York Palace

Families visiting the Big Apple can stay in the very heart of it at Lotte New York Palace, a storied Midtown institution. There are many room categories to suit a family’s needs, plus a limited number of connecting rooms. The Palace Family Suite, for instance, has living areas, two bathrooms, and sleeps up to six guests comfortably. Whatever your accommodations, you can level up with the Little Royals package, which includes a palace playhouse set, bedtime storybooks, activity books and crayons, cupcakes delivered to your room, and a $100 gift card to famed toy store FAO Schwarz. Spring for the Royal Suite Collection to add in a tea party of up to eight guests.

Standout amenities: kid-friendly packages and services, such as cribs, strollers, and baby supplies; professional babysitting services can be arranged by the concierge; convenient to kid-friendly attractions like Top of the Rock, American Girl Place, and Central Park.

Check out more family-friendly hotels and resorts in The Hotel Collection where Platinum® and Gold Card Members enjoy elevated benefits when booking through American Express Travel®.

 

 

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