July 12, 2011
We're in summer and if you haven't planned your annual family vacation, don't stress, it's not too late to hit the road!
Travel writer Elizabeth Thorp, a DC area mom, who started the family travel website poshbrood.com is here with her "Mom-tested" and "poshbrood-approved" picks to inspire your vacation plans.
AFFORDABILITY
WHERE: Juniper Springs Resort, Mammoth, CA
WHY: Just a short hop on a plane from SoCal beaches, Mammoth is near the top of California. The Juniper Springs Resort is an affordable, upscale resort that is one of the few ski in, ski out properties in the area. Families will love the heated outdoor pools and hot tubs. The resort offers studios, 1, 2 and 3 bedroom condos that are equipped with kitchen and dining areas, DVD players and free high-speed Internet. Enjoy the woodsy experience with in-room gas fireplaces and balconies overlooking the mountain range. Juniper Springs is slope side to Mammoth Mountain's Eagle chair lift, rental/lesson area and restaurant. The on-site game room is just icing on the cake. Juniper Springs Resort is a fabulous place to relax with family and friends California slope side.
POSH-NESS
WHERE: The Peninsula New York
WHY: Our gang just got back from a stay at The Peninsula New York - there's posh and then there's Peninsula! The accommodations, family-friendly amenities, the staff, and location were unmatched. Kudos to The Peninsula for going way above and beyond to provide a happy, friendly, beautiful and luxe escape for families. We all (including our 3 year old) remarked we'd like to live there. Peninsula cupcakes, MINI Cooper service (with driver) if you book a suite, stuffed animal MINI Coopers, Peninsula coloring books, crayons, kid's menus, babysitting, a rooftop pool and perfectly sized miniature Frette robes complete the luxury family friendly picture. The Peninsula is offering luxury family packages on weekends that include "Kids Eat Free." Our brood (in our robes and wet from the pool) rode down the elevator with a very handsome and patient Ryan Seacrest. Mommy likey. He was very gracious to our little girls who thought he was Justin Bieber's dad.
ECO-CHIC
WHERE: Amansala Resort, Tulum, Mexico
WHY: It's on the Mayan Rivera just minutes from the famous and breathtaking Mayan Ruins, but 2 hours away from Cancun. It is an eco-chic resort, bikini boot camp and spa but also very welcoming of families with larger palapas, a quiet, soft sandy beach with beautiful Caribbean blue water. Kids (and parents) can use Amansala bicycles to ride into town, visit nearby Mayan Ruins, explore the jungle side of Tulum and visit Xcaret, a breathtaking eco-archeological park with underground "rivers" or cenotes. After you do pilates, eat organic fresh fish tacos and have a Mayan healing ritual, you might spot a celeb or two. Tulum has become a hot new destination for numerous famous actors and musicians who revel in the relative obscurity so close to Mexico's party capital of Playa del Carmen and Cancun. Twist my arm, recently spotted include: Drew Barrymore, Sienna Miller, Jade Jagger, Jude Law, Ryan Phillippe and Amanda Seyfried, and Kate Bosworth and her boyfriend True Blood heartthrob Alexander Skarsgard.
CELEB SIGHTINGS
WHERE: Montage Beverly Hills
WHY: Enjoy the luxury accommodations, first class restaurant, fabulous spa and rooftop pool while doing some serious celeb sighting. On our visit we spied Tori Spelling and her brood, Maria Shriver, and Katherine Heigl and her singer-songwriter hubby Josh Kelley. The hotel offers their littlest guests (and parents) an onsite kids program, called Paintbox. Guests are given two hours complimentary at Paintbox for their children when they book a spa treatment or reservation at the hotel restaurant. How fabulous!
BEST POOLS AND KIDS ACTIVITIES
WHERE: Round Hill Jamaica
WHY: Round Hill has amazing beachside pools — One quiet adult pool, one family pool and one wading pool for small children. The beach is shallow, soft white sand and crystal clear Caribbean water, perfect for families. Round Hill's kids program, Pineapple Kids' Club promotes fun and education with a host of options offering an active and imaginative holiday for children. Activities include nature walks, a creative assortment of arts and crafts, water sports, talent shows, reggae lessons and movie and story hour. The Pineapple Kids' Club and 7-Up Club are open daily open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. for children 3 and up.
WHERE: Omni Bedford Springs Resort, Bedford, PA: (about 2 hours from Philadelphia and Washington, DC)
WHY: This Omni has a historic indoor pool that was one of the first indoor pools in the United States. Originally built in 1905, the sparkling gem has been fully restored to its lavish beauty. Once upon a time, musicians would serenade the swimmers from an elevated opera box, and legend has it that daring sons of visiting dignitaries would plunge into the two-story pool from its upper level. Today, you can simply dip into the peaceful waters (heated by hot springs) and relax.
WHERE: Trump International Hotel & Towers Chicago
WHY: Trump International Hotel & Tower provides everything you could need from a family hotel in Chicago. The posh hotel warmly welcomes families and has created a special program just for kids. The Trump Kids program offers everything your little traveler needs for a journey to a downtown Chicago hotel. Trump Kids' amenities include: kiddie cocktails, kid's robes and slippers, a selection of board games, PlayStation and Xbox, children's books and movies, MP3 Players with kid friendly music and "Trump Kids" business cards printed with each child's name. The Spa at Trump offers 23,000-square-feet of serenity — mom can get a massage, dad can hit the health club and then the whole gang can swim in the heated indoor pool overlooking the Chicago River and Lake Michigan.
For more information on any of these picks, head to www.poshbrood.com.
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