Actually Nice Family Resorts and Hotels

The Cliffs of Moher, an easy day trip from the Dromoland Castle Hotel.Photo-Illustration: The Strategist; Photo: Getty Images

Relaxation on a family vacation is only possible if you know exactly what to book, like the Irish castle that will leave their little mouths agape or the all-inclusive where you can eat at picnic tables. People with kids and absurdly good taste gave us the broad strokes (and a few indispensable details) from their not-too-touristy travels that they would happily embark on all over again.

Dromoland Castle Hotel, County Clare, Ireland

“Dromoland is grand yet has the warmth of a hotel with generations of family history. There’s an expansive list of activities for kids, including archery, biking, hiking, and go-karts. My 4-year-old boys particularly enjoyed falconry — a sentence I never thought I’d say. Nearby, there’s more to see, like the beautiful Cliffs of Moher. It’s the kind of place your kids won’t stop talking about.”— Cynthia Andrew, travel-content creator

Club Getaway, Kent, Connecticut

“You go with just your family or with a group of like-minded friends. You stay in a summer-camp bunkhouse cabin with a rustic little bathroom attached. You mosey over to picnic tables for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There’s excellent, free child care for any age, there are ropes courses, and you can learn how to water-ski. Every night is a choose-your-own-dream evening. You can hang out on the grass at sunset with your kids or friends, or solo-sip cheap wine, or eat too many s’mores. You can have a talent show, do karaoke, play pickup basketball, or watch a movie under the stars. Not a single thing is fancy, yet the place is perfect.”— Christina Tosi, chef and founder of Milk Bar

YHA Boggle Hole, Whitby, England

“Our group of six took two private, wooden-floored, bunk-bedded rooms in the cozy Old Mill — the main building — of this hostel tucked away in the woods of a onetime smugglers’ cove. During the day, we hunted for fossils on the beach and wandered north along the sand to the age-old fishing village of Robin Hood’s Bay. In the evening, we warmed up in front of the wood-burner with pots of tea, wedges of carrot cake, and board games.”— Ben Lerwill, author ofNature’s Tiny Champions

Hutton Brickyards Riverfront Hotel + Venue, Kingston

“In April, my son, daughter, son-in-law, and my two grandchildren and I spent Easter weekend here. It’s less than a two-hour drive from Manhattan. My grandkids brought their scooters, and we brought bikes to tour the property, which has a ton of hiking trails and pathways. In the afternoon, we hid Easter eggs around the two cabins we stayed in for an outdoor egg hunt. In the evening, the kids loved making s’mores and telling stories next to the firepits. One of my favorite parts of the trip was dancing in our cabins to music from the in-cabin turntables; my grandkids said they loved all of the exploring the property allowed for, like using magnifying glasses to walk along the Hudson River and look for bugs and other creatures.”— JoAnn Gregoli, event planner

The Lalu, Nantou County, Taiwan

“After a few days in Taipei, we wanted to explore the countryside, so we traveled to Sun Moon Lake in the mountains. We stayed at the Lalu, which has incredible views overlooking the lake. While it’s not specifically a kid-centric hotel, the staff were accommodating to families. They had cribs already set up for us, there was a second bedroom for the grandparents to stay in, and there was even a deep-setonsen-style bathtub and outdoor shower that the kids loved. There’s so much to do in the area — from boat rides to climbing the pagoda to riding a cable car to the Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village. In the evenings, the hotel set up a large table in our room with a lazy Susan at the center so the whole family could enjoy dinner that the restaurant cooked up for us.”— Dominique Ansel, chef-owner of Dominique Ansel Bakery

The St. Regis Mexico City, Mexico City

“This resort rolled out a red carpet for my kids: There was a dedicated check-in desk for them with candy. We found it to be a perfect central headquarters for all of our daytime jaunts (the big ones were to the pyramids of Teotihuacán, the Xochimilco canals, and the Papalote Museo del Niño — one of the best children’s museums I’ve ever been to). The hotel also has a pool that opens early and closes late, ideal for our three kids, who are extra energetic on vacation.”— Eva Chen, VP of fashion partnerships at Meta

Al Marmoom Domes, Dubai, UAE

“We recently swapped our usual winter ski slopes for desert sand dunes, and my children were captivated. The whole family loved the modern glass domes we stayed in, which provided 360-degree desert views, and my kids were mesmerized during our desert safari, spotting wildlife and learning about local traditions. The best moment was watching the sun set over golden dunes before enjoying dinner under the clearest night sky we’ve ever seen.”— Johannes Reck, CEO of GetYourGuide

Grand Hotel Minareto, Syracuse, Sicily

“We stayed in the Villa Posidonia suite with a comfortable living area, a private pool, and a terrace overlooking the resort’s garden — ideal for unwinding. The kids adored the hotel’s sandy beach and snorkeling excursions in the Plemmirio Marine Park. We also took the hotel’s shuttle boat to Ortigia, where we found restaurants tucked into the island’s charming alleys and piazza.”— Joey Gonzalez, executive chairman at Barry’s

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