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Best Practices and up to the minute news on Customer Experience Management and Service Excellence
Children have become a major factor in hotel bookings. According to the 2025 Hilton Annual Trends Report, 7 in 10 families choose travel destinations based on their kids’ input.
The child-led travel trend highlights how critical it is for hotels to consider a group of guests they might have been overlooking or treating as a problem to solve instead of an opportunity to serve. Intentionally curated, family-friendly environments delight young guests and make them want to keep coming back.
Hilton’s report reveals that families are increasingly looking for hotels that go beyond the basics to create environments where children feel welcomed and engaged. More than half of traveling families now select hotels based on youth programming. As travel demands become more sophisticated, families aren’t just looking for a place to stay – they’re seeking enriching experiences for their children.
Whether it’s educational activities, interactive play areas, or kid-friendly dining options, hotels have ample opportunity to provide value for young guests, which ultimately enhances the appeal for parents and keeps families returning year after year.
For hotels aiming to meet this demand, a thoughtful approach to design and service can have a lasting impact on guest satisfaction and loyalty. With parents prioritizing destinations that bring joy and excitement to their children, there’s a unique chance to create unforgettable stays for families.
Here are ten tips for designing spaces and services that will capture the interest of children while fueling happy vacation memories for the entire family.
Hotels can set a family-friendly tone from the start by designing lobbies with interactive elements. Play areas with toys, activity stations, and kid-sized seating spark imagination and create a welcoming atmosphere for children. Interactive digital screens or educational installations can engage young guests while parents check-in, reducing wait-time stress and setting a positive tone for the stay.
Family rooms or suites with kid-friendly themes – such as jungle, underwater, or outer space – add a touch of magic to a family’s stay. Providing bunk beds or play tents adds to the excitement, making the room itself part of the vacation experience. Additionally, supplying board games and children’s books in the room can keep kids entertained and help families feel at home.
A thoughtfully designed children’s menu that goes beyond chicken nuggets or macaroni acknowledges younger guests’ tastes while introducing new, nutritious options. Consider having a “create-your-own-meal” option for kids, which allows them to select from several small portions of food. Designated family-friendly dining areas or themed dining experiences (like pirate or fairytale nights) also add excitement to meal times.
Make sure rooms have access to kid-friendly streaming channels or on-demand movies. Some hotels also include gaming consoles, virtual reality headsets, and interactive apps that keep kids entertained during downtime. Consider offering educational content on the room’s smart TV, such as documentaries, age-appropriate cultural programs, or even virtual city tours tailored for younger audiences.
Enhance the traditional turndown service with small gestures, such as placing stuffed animals, bedtime storybooks, or kid-friendly bath amenities on their bed, making the end of each day memorable. For a special touch, a “choose your own turndown” experience allows kids to pick a special item or treat to be delivered to their room at night.
Many families will be drawn to hotels with child-friendly pools and play areas. Shallow wading pools, splash pads, and mini water slides provide safe and exciting water fun. Adjacent play zones with sandboxes, climbing structures, or mini obstacle courses encourage physical activity while allowing families to unwind in different ways.
With an increasing focus on wellness, hotels can cater to children’s fitness by offering mini gyms or activity spaces where kids can safely participate in physical activities indoors. From yoga and dance classes to small-scale climbing walls and balance beams, having dedicated spaces where children can release energy helps maintain their routines and offers a healthy outlet during vacation.
Sports clubs or activity centers designed to accommodate both adults and children allow families to bond over shared interests. Sports like mini-golf, tennis, and family-friendly obstacle courses offer shared play experiences while providing adjacent yet separate areas for adult sports classes or fitness activities.
Offering a welcome kit for children upon check-in is a simple yet impactful way to make young guests feel special. These kits could include activity books, crayons, travel-sized games, or even a mini scavenger hunt to explore the hotel. Personalized welcome bags can also feature items like maps of the hotel grounds, stickers, or postcards, giving kids a sense of independence.
Hotels should offer kid-friendly workshops on local culture, nature, or the arts, utilizing staff as counselors or expedition leaders. Interactive cooking classes, guided nature walks, or creative arts and crafts sessions will help kids create an attachment to the hotel beyond just a place to sleep. Most importantly, these activities give parents time to enjoy other hotel amenities.
While hotels should consider children’s needs to create a family-friendly atmosphere, it’s also essential to balance the need for adult relaxation.
The 2025 Hilton Annual Trends Report highlights that 54% of parents make an effort to incorporate adult time into family trips. Hotels can offer childcare options or supervised kids’ programs to support this, allowing parents to enjoy a quiet dinner, a spa treatment, or a few hours by the pool.
Hotels that strike a balance between engaging young guests and catering to adults create an atmosphere that appeals to all family members. By prioritizing fun for children while offering relaxation for parents, hotels can transform family travel into a fulfilling experience for every age group.
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