Luxury island resorts and retreats should never allow children unless they are specifically targeting families. I’ve said it already. Feel free to comment, but before you comment, I’m not a kid hater. It’s not the kids in these places I want to avoid, it’s the parents who think it’s OK to bring their kids there.
Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort is one of the few luxury resorts that caters to families.
I spent 20 years as a travel writer (yes, before you comment, I am sincerely grateful) and have come to this conclusion: Many luxury resorts offer things for kids, like activities in the snow. But there’s so much more to do in the snow and everyone wears so many more clothes. But the very nature of ultra-luxury island resorts and retreats is to do very little. Or nothing at all. And how is doing absolutely nothing good for kids? You might be looking for mindfulness, but the kids are looking for ping pong.
The problem isn’t necessarily with the parents: Resorts are hard to fill these days, and luxury island resorts are tapping into the family market to increase their potential market share. But the main question with this is what happens when your kids are the only ones there.
I recently stayed at a luxury resort in the South Pacific. Although their website heavily advertised that they allowed children (they didn’t really offer much for kids, just allowed them to be there), I watched as the only child left on the island sadly walked behind his parents for four days. Then, last year, on the other side of the world, the exact same thing happened. It was a very romantic resort, and I was staying there as one of the few couples who wasn’t on honeymoon. Unless the island advertises itself as a real family resort, with a kids’ club, appropriate activities, and plenty of family-friendly dining options, it’s bound to leave you and your kids feeling adrift.
I’m not saying families can’t stay at an island resort, and I know intergenerational travel is a big thing these days, but pick what works for you. And hey, it’s unlikely you’ll choose a fancy, ridiculously expensive resort. There are tons of options out there that allow couples to stay on an island without disrupting the romantic getaway they’ve been planning for years.
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Few resorts appeal to both couples and families quite like Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort in Fiji. But this one is a (pricey) rare gem: it gets the balance right. And it’s marketed as a luxury family resort, so there won’t be any surprises for couples when they arrive. It offers a more relaxed family restaurant and a completely separate bar and restaurant for couples and adult groups (private dining is also available everywhere, from the end of the jetty to the private island). It also has programs for kids of all ages and dedicated babysitters for all kids under six.
But many resorts fail. There’s a difference between encouraging families and tolerating kids. Check the wording on the website of even the most expensive resorts that allow children. There’s a good chance they’ll get bored.
When choosing, consider the following: Does your child really need a degustation dinner? Or would they prefer a never-ending buffet or à la carte meal, with food that ends as soon as it’s finished (I once watched a 10-year-old girl endure a three-hour meal with her European parents in a candlelit restaurant on a small island resort).
