Beach vacations to please the entire family

When Judi Silverman's children were young, she used to take them to Half Moon Resort in Jamaica's Montego Bay on holiday.

Forty years later, the New Jersey-based travel agent happily sends young families there because, she says, she knows firsthand that "when they say they are a family resort, they mean it.

A lot of times resorts will call themselves 'family friendly' but you can tell right away if it's just in the brochures but not in the attitude of the staff."At Half Moon, for example, kids are welcome in all of the restaurants, yet there is also a restaurant with special children's menus should parents prefer that option.

There's a reasonably priced Kid's Club for younger children ages 3 to 12 and one for 'tweens and teens that the resort offers, as well as tennis clinics, a riding stable and a game room, in addition to myriad water sports. The resort even recently added a Dolphin Experience in which kids can nuzzle up to a dolphin and even ride its dorsal fin.

What's in it for Mom and Dad? The largest spa in the Caribbean, for starters. And the elegant resort now offers all-inclusive packages, which is helpful in a time when even luxury travelers are tightening the belts on their terrycloth robes.According to the Travel Industry Association, leisure travel is expected to decline only slightly in 2009 (by 1.3 percent), despite the economic downturn.

However, people surveyed by the TIA say they will vacation differently, with 76 percent expecting to book a packaged vacation to save money."All-inclusive used to get a bad rap because it meant a lesser experience,'' says Edmundo Roa, manager of Let's Take the Kids Travel Agency in Ottawa, Canada, which specializes in booking family travel.

But now that luxury resorts have gotten into the family-travel niche, "It just means you're getting more for your money," says Roa. "It also means an easy, no-brainer vacation, which, sometimes, is exactly what's needed."

Expert opinion-To find 10 great family-friendly beach destinations, we asked a panel of family-travel experts to name their favorite vacation spots where kids will have a ball and parents can get some much-needed respite and relaxation. But there's even more to it than that when it comes to finding the perfect vacation spot, experts say.

Suzanne Rowan Kelleher, editor of the tell-it-like-it-is family travel Web site WeJustGotBack.com, says so many resorts have gotten into the family act, it's important to "find the resort that's right for your particular family." She therefore shies away from the broad term "family resort" on her Web site because, she says, "what's right for a couple with a baby (great nanny service, for example) may not be right for a family with 'tweens or teens."

One resort that seems to have all the bases covered, our travel experts agree, is Club Med's Ixtapa resort in Mexico. Between the Baby Med program which means your room will be stocked with everything from a stylish crib to bottle warmers and diapers and the Circus Camp where older children learn to juggle and swing on a flying trapeze, the resort caters to every member of the family. From January through April 2009, the resort is offering seven nights for the price of three, starting at $965 a person, all-inclusive.

"It's really great when your children can come home from a beach vacation having done something they've never done before like flying through the air or canopy climbing," says Kelleher.Canopy climbing, literally gliding through the treetops, is one of the activities offered at the Los Suenos Marriott in Guanacaste, Costa Rica, another resort that made our list. Family packages there start at $339 to $579 per night, all inclusive, for a family of two adults and two children under six.

Kelleher says while many "family resorts" tout kids' clubs where parents can drop off their kids for the day, then play a round of golf or learn to hula or surf, it behooves parents to inquire about the activities offered at these clubs. Many of tem are more appropriate for toddlers and are nothing more than glorified — and pricey — baby-sitting centers, she says.

"The real litmus test is whether or not your kids want to go the next day," says Kelleher. "You're not going to get much hammock time in if your kid is bored with the club activities."No boredom is likely at the Hilton Hawaiian Village on Waikiki, where creative club activities also teach about Hawaiian culture. Alternatively, take the family to the newly revamped Ritz-Carlton Naples, for budding marine biologists.

The resort boasts 11 aquariums, including touch tanks where kids can get up close and personal with turtles and starfish. Older children can hang out in the hotel's laboratory, playing with Petri dishes and microscopes."The hotel really gives kids a sense of place because they learn all about the Floridian eco-system," says Kelleher. And because it's a Ritz-Carlton property, parents know their needs will be met, too.

Oh, and there's that postcard-perfect beach. All this will set you back about $675 a night for a coastal room that would accommodate two adults and two children.In safe hands-When evaluating kid-friendly resorts, Kelleher says, there's always a concern about the staff that will be looking after your children, what Kelleher refers to as "the X factor."

In that department, it's hard to top The Winnetu Inn & Resort on Martha's Vineyard, where kids' camp comes free with the room, and activities include combing for seashells, agility ladder courses and putting contests. The young and eager counselors — 22 for 100 children — are, for the most part, college students and aspiring teachers who grew up on the Vineyard and know what a special place it is, says Kelleher, so they have a great rapport with the kids.

"They're the kind of counselors who'll take the time to hold a child's hand or dust the sand off their toes," says Kelleher.That, she says, is priceless. But whatever resort you choose, Kelleher says it's important to sit down with your kids and talk about things they'd like to do before you board the plane. The ideal vacation is when both parents and children come home having done exactly what they wanted to do."This ensures that, come the next family vacation, they'll definitely want to come along."

Book the Ideal Vacation Rental in Four Easy-to-Follow Steps

With the increasing popularity of the travel rental industry, it’s easy to get confused by the multitude vacation rental from various hosts and management agencies. Fortunately, you can easily book the perfect rental property for your vacation by following simple and easy steps.

1. Plan your pre-booking necessities Before searching for the ideal vacation rental, you must first set your pre-booking needs beforehand. First, choose the destination. Vacations should be planned carefully and by knowing where you plan to go before booking the travel accommodation, you’ll save yourself and those you bring with you some expenses and avert troubles.

Make sure you research everything you can about the destination and make sure that the place is safe and tourist-friendly. Next, settle everything you need for the travel. If you want to save money, travel during off-peak seasons. Not only will this slash a bit from the travel expenses but provide you with a lot of vacation rental choices, which naturally comes next.

2. Browse for travel accommodations There are several ways to look for the perfect rental. You can either ask for referrals from friends and relatives or read the latest travel magazines. But the most functional way, which will never even require you to leave your home, is to go online. There are simply several websites that host holiday rentals. But don’t put all your eggs in one basket; collect several choices from various websites.

3. Double-check on everything

Once you’ve a list of rentals, double-check the information associated with them. Make sure you have everything, from bathroom and bedroom to rules and regulations, settled. And speaking of rules and regulations, you should ask the property manager or owner for a set of rules that will indicate what you can and cannot do while using the property. This is critically important to avoid any future problems.

You should also remember to check the payment procedure of both the utilities and the rental. For the utilities, confirm to the owner whether you're obligated to pay for them while using the property. As for the rental itself, always use your credit card as the payment option.

4. Book early, if possible If you're planning to visit a travel hotspot during peak season, to avoid shortage of travel accommodations, book your rental months early. But before you do this, make sure you ask the manager or property owner for any money-back policy on the event of cancellation. This will give you ample time to get things settled before you leave. It is even also advised to book the vacation rental early to avoid ending up with foreclosure

Melbourne's own Westin Hotel wins Qantas Frequent Flyer award

The Westin Melbourne, the most decorated Westin property in the world has been recognised by frequent flyers as one of the best leisure and business hotels in Australia.

Last year, the Westin was named in Conde Nast traveller's gold list as one of the best places to stay in the world, alongside the best luxury hotel in the Victorian Tourism Awards hall of fame amongst others.

Now consumers who travel frequently have named the Westin Melbourne in their favourite category. Qantas Frequent Flyers were asked to vote for their favourite qantas.com hotels across destinations and categories such as comfiest bed, best room, best view and more. The results are now being showcased in a spectacular minisite that has been integrated into 'Hotels' on qantas.com. www.qantas.com/hotels

Anne Jamieson, Sales and Marketing Director, the Westin Melbourne said, "This is a great honour. Qantas frequent flyers are connoisseurs of the industry. As world travellers, their taste is most discerning. So to be voted as one of their favourite hotels is certainly flattering."

She said, "Our guests love the Westin because of its unrivalled location in the heart of Melbourne, the welcoming staff and the sleek chic ambiance which epitomises the hotel."

About Westin Hotels & Resorts

With a portfolio of more than 150 properties around the world, Westin Hotels & Resorts is in the midst of the most robust growth period in the brand's 77-year history. Westin Hotels is the fastest growing upper-upscale brand in the world with plans to expand to more than 250 hotels in the next five years. Westin Hotels & Resorts is owned by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT). Starwood Hotels is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with approximately 940 properties in more than 97 countries and 145,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood® Hotels is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels and resorts with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis®, The Luxury Collection®, Sheraton®, Westin®, Four Points® by Sheraton, W®, Le Méridien® and the recently announced AloftSM and ElementSM Hotels. Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts. For more information, please visit www.starwoodhotels.com.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with more than 940 properties in approximately 97 countries and 145,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood Hotels is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels, resorts and residences with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis®, The Luxury Collection®, W®, Westin®, Le Méridien®, Sheraton®, Four Points® by Sheraton, and the recently launched AloftSM, and Element SM. Starwood Hotels also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts. For more information, please visit www.starwoodhotels.com.

History of Holidays to Sharm -ul- Sheikh

Way back in the early nineties when the Red Sea came into prominence it was only Taba and Eilat just over the border that was known to the select few diving enthusiasts that had ‘discovered’ what that part of the world had known for a few thousand years before that ‘discovery’, that the Red Sea and the coral reefs nestled therein where pretty astounding; lets face it The Red Sea was parted by Moses himself, mentioned in the Old Testament so it wasn’t exactly a secret now was it, I mean how many people have read the bible? So to be fair let’s say this area was rediscovered by some diving enthusiasts, who fell in love with the gentle lapping waters of the Red Sea framing the golden sands of the desert. I have a strong belief that some parts of this world have a direct effect on your psyche, an effect that cannot be quantified or fully explained by the written word or the spoken word until it is seen by your very own naked eye, felt in the first breath of air you breathe in your lungs and felt with the warmth of the sun caressing bare arms and if you are lucky maybe a teeny tiny bit of breeze. This is what I felt back in 1992, when I crossed the desert from Eilat through Taba to the then unheard off Sharm El Sheikh with a select few travel agents been introduced to this part of the world. We travelled by coach across desert terrain, that was so uniformly golden it looked like we were in Gods very own brown crystal sugar bowl, I half expected a big old spoon with a mighty big hand to scoop up some desert sugar to stir into His imaginary coffee (my God drinks Coffee sorry tea lovers) that’s how I felt, but I have been known to have a fantasy life equal to Walter Mitty, so once again I am digressing and waxing lyrical. That was of course then, this is now, and in the last 17 years alone the little unknown resort with its two solitary hotels standing alone at the edge of the desert that I first came upon when I was first in Sharm el Sheikh has undergone a metamorphosis worthy of mention. At twenty four kilometres long this little desert place in Egypt has become the top holiday destination for us and our European cousins’. It is littered with a wide selection of five star hotels offering either very sophisticated ultra modern five stars like the Four Seasons Resort or smaller and more affordable three to generic tourist five star hotels, most offering all inclusive, but as a rule of thumb All Inclusive Hotels can get a bit repetitive after five days so be warned. Personally I have never really like the concept of All Inclusive, I much prefer exploring local foods and culture and staying in small and friendly guest houses, but nonetheless given the nature of Sharm El Sheikh holidays and the fact that it’s a purpose built resort, unless you are prepared to go deep into the desert and hunt down some very shy Bedouins puzzled by the mad English Person who is trying to go local, All Inclusive is the best option, of course if you are going to stay around Naama Bay, Sharks Bay or Ras Om El Seid Hill, you can get away with small BB’s and eat local but as most hotels stretch over some serious kilometres along the coastline of Sharm El Sheikh then All Inclusive is easier by far! If you are going on an All Inclusive Holiday in Sharm, remember that no two five star hotels where ever created equal, price IS the indicator here.

You have Tourist fives, and Family fives, and of course luxury five stars, an experienced travel agent will point you in the right direction and remember tripadvisor.com may be a good source of feedback both positive and negative, however, I have known many a client been undone by the good marks and points given by the people who have looked at Sultan Garden’s for example, but, and this you need to take into consideration, the Sultan Gardens is absolutely perfect if you are going as a family with children in tow, but an older couple with no children may find the Sultan Gardens teeming as it will be with lots of families with kids, doing what kids do on holiday may result in the hotel been unsuitable and a tad overwhelming, this means you would not enjoy it as much, so when you are looking at advise websites you really need to actually read between the lines and check out who has posted the review. Apart from where to stay of course Sharm El Sheikh is known for its diving and what a place to dive it is, if the Garden of Eden was meant to be beneath the sea, then this is where it would be. Once you have a snorkel on and your head submerged beneath the sea you are in a different world, a world brimful of colour, with every coral and every fish imaginable just there in front of you, you get to see the yellows and purples and the turquoise of all the darting little fish, the sway of sea anemones and the brain coral and best of all you are there, sensing and touching all these new and wonderful techni-coloured visual stimuli which bares no comparison to you gazing in brochures and on the internet at all the photos and snapshots.