7 Ways Your Hotel Can Instantly Be More Family-Friendly
By Katherine Furbee
Hotels can stand out to families by offering thoughtful amenities that make travel easier and more enjoyable. From cribs, highchairs, and diaper pails to streaming services, babysitting, outdoor spaces, and in-suite baby rooms, these features enhance comfort, safety, and convenience for both children and parents.
To stand out in the sea of hospitality options, hotels must extend their amenities beyond an ice machine and free Wi-Fi. While that might be enough to satisfy a professional traveling for work, a vacationing family requires a more diverse set of amenities for an enjoyable stay.
To meet the needs of all guests, hotels should aim to provide amenities that ease typical travel tension while also promoting a fun, entertaining atmosphere for kids. From designing adaptable rooms to offering useful and engaging little perks, there are simple and strategic ways to set your property apart. Whether you’re looking to enhance your current offerings or completely revamp your approach, check out 7 hotel tips that keep families coming back for more:
1. Hotel Cribs:
By providing folding cribs, your staff can meet the needs of families traveling with infants. Offering wooden or steel cribs to guests ensures an environment that mimics a baby’s at-home nursery. This will help both the child and parents feel more comfortable and relieve the stress of being away from home. Parents will appreciate a hotel that cares for its youngest guests by investing in high-quality cribs and mattresses. Other equipment to consider are travel yards, which offer a flexible “down time” solution for parents. Well-designed cribs make everyone more comfortable, including your employees. Wooden and steel hospitality cribs should quickly fold for better storage and include casters for smooth and quiet mobility. Both features are essential for easy mobility, set up, and efficiency.
2. Highchairs for Hotels
Infant and toddler feeding chairs are another necessity that hotels can offer families when traveling. Feeding seats are an obvious amenity in your hotel restaurants and cafes. High chairs can also be useful for more than just feeding. Guests can also use in-room high chairs if they order room service or prefer to feed their baby in private. High chair models for hotels should be equipped with an adjustable buckle and a no-tip base to maximize safety. Staff will appreciate seat features that allow for easier cleaning and storage, like impermeable straps and stackable, space-saving designs.
3. Diaper Pails
Your hotel should consider offering odor-free diaper pails as they are a simple, yet practical, amenity that can greatly improve the overall experience for both families and housekeeping staff. Providing a diaper pail ensures that parents have a convenient and hygienic way to dispose of diapers, reducing the risk of unpleasant odors and mess for guests and hotel staff. It is a thoughtful gesture that demonstrates a hotel’s commitment to accommodating the unique needs of families.
4. Streaming Services
Streaming services have emerged as a fantastic hotel benefit for family travelers. These services allow guests to log in to their personal accounts and watch their favorite shows and movies at any time. This helps parents keep their kids entertained with their favorite shows while they prepare for a day of outings or relax in the comfort of their room. Families will appreciate the convenience and comfort of having access to their favorite shows and movies, making their stay more enjoyable and homey, and encouraging them to return to your hotel.
5. Accredited Babysitting Provided by Hotels
Even on family vacations, parents need a break. When they do, your establishment can be the hero with on-site, accredited babysitting. Many resort hotels offer programs for school-age kids, but offering in-room babysitting can help parents with infants and toddlers enjoy some alone time as well. If babysitting is not an amenity offered by the hotel, simply providing a vetted list of outside childcare agencies can be an immense help for traveling parents.
6. Outdoor Amenities
Outdoor amenities are crucial for hotels looking to attract families, as they create inviting spaces for relaxation and play. Features like pools, playgrounds, and gardens provide children with safe areas to explore and have fun, while parents can unwind nearby.
These amenities promote family bonding through shared activities, making the hotel a more appealing choice for vacationers. Additionally, outdoor spaces encourage guests to spend more time on the property, enhancing their overall experience and increasing the likelihood of repeat visits.
7. In-Suite Baby Rooms
Comforting a restless baby in an unfamiliar environment can lead to a sleepless night for the whole family. Some higher-end hotels have attached baby rooms for added space and convenience.
Additional amenities like hooded towels, bottle warmers, baby bathtubs, larger, more comfortable cribs and rocking chairs
can all help ease a cranky infant. A separate baby area also allows parents and other children the freedom to stay active into the nighttime hours without worrying about waking sleeping babies.
Foundations is your total solution for cultivating the ultimate family-friendly hospitality environment. Whether it is an obvious necessity or an unexpected perk, traveling families will always appreciate accommodations that satisfy their unique needs.
Contact Us or call 330-722-5033 to learn more about our full line of hospitality products.