Child friendly hotels take some stress out of family vacations

By Niels C Sorrells Aug 23, 2011, 3:06 GMT

Berlin - You might love your children, but that doesn't mean you love the stress of taking them out to a nice restaurant or to a fancy hotel.

But what if you could go some place where your child wasn't the only one having a temper tantrum in the lobby, or messily working his way through a bowl of noodles, gleefully getting food on the floor, his face and all points in between?

It might sound like hell to people without children. But to parents of young children, the option of a place to go where no-one will look askew at your child acting up - because their children will be doing just the same - sounds heavenly.

And there are such places for parents tired of shushing their children through holidays. Kid-friendly hotels offer the whole package: fun for kids, relaxation for Mom and Dad, and not a single stern look from disturbed fellow vacationers.

'Just because you've got children, you still want to get away and have fantastic surroundings and food,' says Clare Hammond, general manager of the Woolley Grange children's hotel in Bradford-on-Avon on southern England. 'You don't want to miss out on that.'

Thus, a hotel like Woolley Grange focuses on making things child- and parent-friendly. Hammond says signs are kept to a minimum so children don't feel hemmed in. Play areas are informal. At the same time, there are plenty of activities for children if they want to go and do something separately from their parents.

As for the parents, they can opt to sit with their children for an early dinner and then get them to bed before heading downstairs for a formal dinner, complemented by a baby monitor provided by the hotel.

It's similar at the Ulrichsof, in Bavaria in southern Germany, which boasts dozens of rooms and 4,500 metres of play area for kids - including pony rides, a swimming pool and even a miniature bumper car area.

There are also babysitters for young children and activity leaders for older ones. Should the kids go off to play, parents can then hit the sauna, check out the Western-themed bar or - dare they dream - nap.

'The idea was just a hit,' says owner Ulrich N Brandl. 'When we started with nine apartments, we were booked out within two years.' Within a few years, the hotel had expanded by a factor of six.

Parents can be demanding, but justifiably so, note both Hammond and Brandl.

'It's just having a little empathy. It's not just about providing high chairs and bibs. It's really about everything we do, we have to think about the children,' says Hammond.

That means keeping a lot of specialties for children with allergies. Hammonds said Woolley Grange keeps a supply of wheat-free bread and lactose-free milk. Brandl said his hotel moved to all organic food years ago. 'There's always a problem to solve, but we solved a lot of them with organic food.'

Other issues include upholstering lots of furniture to cut down on sharp edges. Staff have to be prepared to change a lot of bedding when necessary. Hammond says families have brought along a classroom hamster, which the family was minding during the holidays.

Ulrichshof doesn't allow animals, but Brandl notes that the former farm has plenty of its own. And that can lead to its own customer requests.

'We get whole dramas if a pony is no longer here when they come back (after a previous visit),' said Brandl. 'Children call to ask about their pony. I've had to send off pictures.'

But he notes the line was drawn when a Dad tried to buy a pony for an exceptionally passionate child.

The social dynamics are also a challenge. Staff have to be able to work with children, either in terms of minding them or carrying trays of food through dining rooms full of cavorting children.

Of course, that can also be a problem. 'Between two and five, they make friends very quickly,' notes Brandl. 'They become infatuated with one another within a week and it's always a drama when the first one heads home.'

That's led to some families returning to the Ulrichshof simultaneously every year for 13 years after a casual encounter during their first visit.

Another major difference to regular hotels is that the night-life can be subdued. Although the Ulrichshof has a bar open every night and numerous evening activities, the majority of parents never make it downstairs after getting their kids to sleep.

'One Dad told me, 'I spend my whole year flying around. Vacation, for me, is time to sleep and time to spend with my kids. So, after I've spent a day with my kids, it's time to sleep.''

Which is fine. The important thing is having fun and not having to feel nervous that your child's fun is ruining someone else's vacation. 'They're just relieved and happy that their children's happiness is acceptable,' says Hammond of her guests. 'And they'll probably find a family whose children are worse than theirs.'

Internet: www.ulrichshof.com/de/index.php, www.woolleygrangehotel.co.uk.