#1 for Family
Wailea, Maui · Five-Star . ***** · from USD 1,400/night
"The 1990 Wailea beachfront flagship, the family standard against which every other US resort is measured."
9.7Room & Design
9.9Service
9.8Location
Why this rank, Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea opened in 1990 on Wailea Beach on Maui's south coast. 380 rooms and suites across a low-rise property; the connecting-suite floor plans are configured for two adults plus two children with two bathrooms, the working family standard. Forbes Five-Star recognition has been continuous since 2007. The Kids for All Seasons program runs year-round at no additional charge with age-banded programming from infant care through teen surf and snorkel clubs. The Serenity Pool is adults-only and the working parental anchor. Spago Maui by Wolfgang Puck and Ferraro's Bar e Ristorante anchor the dining. The Maui Suite at 1,930 sq ft is the family flagship. The Wailea beach is calm enough for young swimmers and the property's Pacific position produces consistent sunsets. Best for the multigenerational US family stay where the resort is the destination rather than a base.
Best room: Maui Suite, 1,930 sq ft, ocean view, connecting
#2 for Family
Walt Disney World, Orlando · Five-Star . ***** · from USD 900/night
"The 2014 Walt Disney World property, the working luxury family hotel for the Orlando theme park visit."
9.6Room & Design
9.8Service
9.9Location
Why this rank, Four Seasons Resort Orlando opened in August 2014 on 26 acres inside Walt Disney World, the only Four Seasons inside a Disney resort. 443 rooms and suites across an 18-story tower; the connecting-suite product is configured at scale for the family market. Park access perks include extra magic hours at all four Disney parks, dedicated Disney character breakfast service at Ravello, and EPCOT fireworks views from the rooftop Capa restaurant. The Explorer Island water-park complex and the Kids for All Seasons club extend the stay beyond park-day fatigue. The Royal Suite at 4,600 sq ft is the family flagship. The Disney-inside-Disney position is the operative difference: park transport runs from the property and the working hours extend past the public-park schedule. Best for the Walt Disney World family trip where Disney is the trip and the hotel is the recovery.
Best room: Royal Suite, 4,600 sq ft, two bedrooms, park view
#3 for Family
North Male Atoll, Maldives · Ultra-luxury . ***** · from USD 3,500/night
"One&Only's 109-villa Maldives flagship, twelve beaches and the most serious KidsOnly programme in the archipelago."
9.8Room & Design
9.9Service
9.9Location
Why this rank, One&Only Reethi Rah opened in 2005 across a 109-acre private island in the North Male Atoll, with twelve separate beaches and 109 beach and water villas. The KidsOnly club covers ages 4-11 with marine biology, snorkel programming and Maldivian craft sessions; the One Tribe teen club covers 12-17 with structured water sports and overnight beach campouts. The villa product includes two-bedroom Grand Beach Villas and the four-bedroom Grand Sunset Residence configured for the multigenerational stay. The Espa across two hectares is the family-resort spa floor; the adults-only Rahaa pool is the parental anchor. Reserve at One&Only and the in-villa private dining accommodate children and grown-up rooms in parallel. The atoll position requires a 45-minute speedboat from Male International. Best for the multigenerational Maldives stay where the island scale and the kids' club seriousness both matter.
Best room: Grand Sunset Residence, four bedrooms, private pool
#4 for Family
Kapalua, Maui · Five-Star . ***** · from USD 900/night
"The Kapalua headland Ritz-Carlton, the working West Maui family flagship since 1992."
9.5Room & Design
9.7Service
9.6Location
Why this rank, The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua opened in 1992 on the Kapalua headland on Maui's northwest coast, on a 50-acre site adjacent to the Honolua Bay marine preserve and the D.T. Fleming Beach. 463 rooms and suites across the property; the connecting Club Level rooms and the two-bedroom Residential Suites are the family floor plans. The Ritz Kids programme runs year-round with Hawaiian cultural classes, beach play, snorkel instruction at the protected DT Fleming break, and the Jean-Michel Cousteau ambassadors-of-the-environment partnership. The teen programme adds surf instruction at Honolua and Kapalua's championship golf courses. The Banyan Tree restaurant and the Burger Shack anchor the dining. The Kapalua position is at the quieter, greener northwest tip of Maui (twenty minutes from the Lahaina recovery zone). Best for the multigenerational West Maui stay outside the busier Wailea-Kihei strip.
Best room: Two-Bedroom Residential Suite, ocean view
#5 for Family
Paradise Island, Bahamas · Five-Star . ***** · from USD 1,200/night
"The Paradise Island Four Seasons, Versailles Gardens beachfront, the historic Bahamian family standard."
9.7Room & Design
9.8Service
9.7Location
Why this rank, The Ocean Club, A Four Seasons Resort opened in 1962 on Paradise Island in Nassau, on a 35-acre estate overlooking Cabbage Beach with the Versailles Gardens running through the property. Four Seasons has operated the resort since 2014. 103 rooms and suites across low-rise buildings; the Hartford Wing oceanfront suites and the Crescent Wing family suites are the family floor plans. Kids for All Seasons runs year-round with Bahamian craft, beach play, and the Atlantis water-park visit programme (the Atlantis is a short ride away). The teen programme adds water sports, scuba and the property's tennis academy. Dune by Jean-Georges and the Martini Bar anchor the dining; the children's menu at all restaurants is taken seriously. The Cabbage Beach in front of the property is one of the calmest swimming beaches in the Bahamas. Best for the multigenerational Bahamas stay outside the larger casino-resort campuses.
Best room: Crescent Wing Suite, two bedrooms, ocean view
#6 for Family
Baa Atoll, Maldives · Ultra-luxury . ***** · from USD 2,800/night
"The Baa Atoll Four Seasons, the manta-ray UNESCO biosphere position, the Marine Discovery Centre."
9.7Room & Design
9.9Service
9.9Location
Why this rank, Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru opened in 2006 on a 44-acre island in the Baa Atoll, the only Maldivian atoll designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and the only one with year-round manta ray and whale shark feeding aggregations. 103 beach, water and over-water villas, with the two-bedroom Beach Sunset Villa and the family-configured Land & Ocean Suite as the family floor plans. The Marine Discovery Centre runs marine biology programming for ages 5-12 (year-round) that is closer to a junior naturalist programme than to a kids' club. The Kuda Velaa kids' club covers play-based programming for ages 5-12; teen programming includes scuba certification and free-dive instruction. The Spa across two hectares operates as the adults-only anchor. Best for the Maldivian family trip where the marine ecology is the educational hook.
Best room: Land & Ocean Suite, beach plus over-water
#7 for Family
Cable Beach, Nassau, Bahamas · Five-Star . ***** · from USD 1,000/night
"Rosewood's Cable Beach property inside the Baha Mar complex, with butler service and the family flexibility of a casino-resort campus."
9.6Room & Design
9.7Service
9.6Location
Why this rank, Rosewood Baha Mar opened in 2018 on Cable Beach inside the Baha Mar resort campus, the largest single-development resort complex in the Caribbean. 233 rooms and suites and 30 standalone villas. The villa product (two to four bedrooms with private pools and butler service) is the family flagship floor plan. Rosewood Baha Mar is the quietest of the three Baha Mar hotels (Grand Hyatt and SLS occupy the rest); the campus shared amenities (Esports arena, water park, golf course, casino floor, racquet club) extend the property's family programming without the property having to host all of it. The Sense Studio teen-and-tween wellness centre is the unusual family-spa amenity. The Nassau airport is a 25-minute drive. Best for the multigenerational Bahamas stay where the resort campus runs the activity programme rather than the hotel having to assemble it.
Best room: Two-Bedroom Beachfront Villa, private pool, butler
#8 for Family
Ko Olina, Oahu · Five-Star . ***** · from USD 1,300/night
"The Ko Olina west-Oahu Four Seasons, four lagoons, the quieter Oahu family alternative to Waikiki."
9.6Room & Design
9.8Service
9.6Location
Why this rank, Four Seasons Resort Oahu at Ko Olina opened in 2016 on Oahu's west coast, on a 642-acre resort campus that includes the four protected Ko Olina lagoons (man-made, family-graded swimming). 371 rooms and suites across two towers. The connecting Club Level rooms and the Presidential Suite are the family floor plans. The four Ko Olina lagoons in front of the property are calm enough for toddler-age swimmers and ringed by protected sand. Kids for All Seasons runs year-round with Hawaiian cultural programming. The teen programme adds surf instruction at the property's protected break. The Naupaka Spa and the Mina's Fish House anchor the parental amenities. The Honolulu airport drive is twenty-five minutes (no inter-island flight required from US west coast) which is the operative difference from the Maui and Big Island properties. Best for the multigenerational Oahu family stay outside the Waikiki tower-hotel cluster.
Best room: Presidential Suite, ocean view, two bedrooms
#9 for Family
Surfside, Miami, Florida · Five-Star . ***** · from USD 1,200/night
"The 1930 Russell Pancoast Surf Club restored as Four Seasons, the Atlantic beachfront family flagship in Miami."
9.7Room & Design
9.8Service
9.7Location
Why this rank, Four Seasons Surf Club Surfside opened in 2017 in the restored 1930 Russell Pancoast Surf Club building on Collins Avenue in Surfside, Miami. 77 hotel rooms and 75 private residences across the property; the connecting hotel-suite floor plans are configured for the family stay. The Surfside beach in front of the property is the calmest stretch of Atlantic beachfront in the Miami area. Kids for All Seasons runs year-round. The Surf Club Restaurant by Thomas Keller and Le Sirenuse Miami anchor the dining. The Ocean Suite at 1,500 sq ft is the family flagship. The Surfside position is fifteen minutes north of South Beach (children's pool noise stays off the property) and ten minutes from Bal Harbour Shops. Best for the multigenerational Miami stay outside the South Beach scene.
Best room: Ocean Suite, 1,500 sq ft, ocean view, two bedrooms
#10 for Family
Montecito, Santa Barbara, California · Five-Star . ***** · from USD 1,400/night
"The Montecito beachfront Rosewood, sixteen acres on the Santa Barbara coast, the working US west coast family standard."
9.7Room & Design
9.8Service
9.7Location
Why this rank, Rosewood Miramar Beach opened in 2019 in Montecito on the Santa Barbara coast, on a 16-acre historic Miramar property that operated from the 1880s through 2000. 161 rooms and suites and bungalows across the property; the beachfront cottages and the two-bedroom suites are the family floor plans. The Rosewood Explorers' Club runs year-round programming for ages 4-12 with beach walks, art classes and California craft sessions. The Santa Barbara Caviar Bar, Manor Bar, and Goa Tea House anchor the adults' dining; the children's menu at the casual restaurants is taken seriously. The Sense Spa is the parental anchor. The Montecito position is two hours north of LAX, ninety minutes from Santa Barbara airport (private aviation possible into SBA), and the working family-friendly alternative to the busier LA-area resorts. Best for the multigenerational California coast stay.
Best room: Ocean Bungalow, two bedrooms, beachfront
#11 for Family
Malolo Island, Fiji · Five-Star . ***** · from FJD 2,800/night
"Six Senses' Mamanuca Islands resort, family pool villas, the most serious sustainability programming in the South Pacific."
9.6Room & Design
9.8Service
9.7Location
Why this rank, Six Senses Fiji opened in 2018 on Malolo Island in the Mamanuca group, a 30-minute boat ride from Nadi International Airport. 24 pool villas and 60 residences with two to five bedrooms. The villa product (especially the four and five-bedroom residences with private pools and Bula host services) is the multigenerational family floor plan. The Grow With Six Senses kids' club covers ages 4-11 with marine biology, Fijian craft, and lagoon snorkel programming; the teen programme adds free-diving and night snorkels. The Six Senses Spa runs the parental anchor. The Earth Lab demonstrates the property's sustainability programme (solar-powered, plastic-free) as part of the family education. The Mamanuca position simplifies the long-haul family logistics from LAX (Fiji Airways direct, ten hours, then 30-minute boat). Best for the multigenerational South Pacific stay with a sustainability hook.
Best room: Four-Bedroom Residence, private pool, lagoon view
#12 for Family
Emerald Bay, Phuket, Thailand · Five-Star . ***** · from THB 25,000/night
"The Emerald Bay headland Rosewood, two-bedroom pool villas and the working family standard on Phuket's southwest coast."
9.6Room & Design
9.8Service
9.6Location
Why this rank, Rosewood Phuket opened in 2017 on Emerald Bay on Phuket's southwest coast. 71 villas and 80 pool pavilions across a 24-acre headland property, with the majority of accommodations having private pools. The two-bedroom Pool Villas and the four-bedroom Rosewood Residence are the family floor plans. The Rosewood Explorers' Club runs ages 4-12 with Thai cooking classes, muay thai instruction, and beach craft programming. The teen programme adds water-sports tutorials and Phuket cultural day trips. The Sense Spa across the resort is the parental anchor. Ta Khai (Thai), Red Sauce (Italian) and Mai (rooftop) anchor the dining. The Emerald Bay position is calmer and less developed than Patong or Karon (twenty minutes by car); the Phuket airport is forty-five minutes. Best for the multigenerational Thailand family stay outside the busier beach-strip resorts.
Best room: Rosewood Residence, four bedrooms, private pool
#13 for Family
Teton Village, Jackson Hole, Wyoming · Five-Star . ***** · from USD 1,400/night
"The Teton Village Four Seasons, ski-in family suites and Grand Teton National Park as the back yard."
9.6Room & Design
9.8Service
9.7Location
Why this rank, Four Seasons Resort and Residences Jackson Hole opened in 2003 in Teton Village at the base of the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, two miles from the entrance to Grand Teton National Park. 124 rooms and suites and 31 residences. The two and three-bedroom residences are the multigenerational family floor plans. Kids for All Seasons runs year-round with winter programming coordinated with the Jackson Hole Mountain Sports School and summer programming that includes Grand Teton ranger-led walks, fly-fishing on the Snake River, and wildlife-spotting drives. The teen programme adds back-country day trips. The Westbank Grill, Ascent and the Spa anchor the parental amenities. The Jackson Hole airport (JAC, 25 minutes) handles the long-haul logistics; the Salt Lake City five-hour drive is the alternative for west coast families. Best for the multigenerational Rocky Mountains stay paired with Grand Teton and Yellowstone access.
Best room: Three-Bedroom Residence, mountain view, full kitchen
#14 for Family
Madrid, Spain · Palace-equivalent . ***** · from EUR 1,300/night
"The 1910 Ritz Madrid restored by Mandarin Oriental, the working European city-family flagship with Retiro Park access."
9.7Room & Design
9.8Service
9.8Location
Why this rank, Mandarin Oriental Ritz, Madrid reopened in April 2021 after a complete restoration of the 1910 Cesar Ritz palace property facing the Prado Museum. 100 rooms and 53 suites across the property; the Ritz Family Suite floor plan with connecting children's room is the working family floor plan. The Mandarin Oriental Kids' Programme runs Spanish-language craft and cultural tours of the museum cluster (Prado, Reina Sofia, Thyssen-Bornemisza all within walking distance). The Retiro Park three blocks east supplies the green-space anchor that European city-family stays require. Deessa under chef Quique Dacosta holds two Michelin stars; the Pictura cocktail room runs the working evening adults' anchor. The property's central position is fifteen minutes from the Royal Palace and the Plaza Mayor, ten minutes from Atocha train station. Best for the multigenerational European city stay where a serious art-museum schedule structures the trip.
Best room: Ritz Suite, palace facade view, connecting
#15 for Family
Bangkok, Thailand · Five-Star . ***** · from THB 30,000/night
"The 1879 Bangkok grand hotel, river-facing family suites, the heritage family programme in Southeast Asia."
9.5Room & Design
9.9Service
9.7Location
Why this rank, Mandarin Oriental Bangkok opened in 1879 as the Oriental Hotel and is the oldest continuously operating luxury hotel in Asia. The continuous renovation cycle (most recently 2019) keeps the room product current; the 393 rooms across the Authors Wing, the River Wing and the Garden Wing include the two-bedroom River Suite floor plan configured for the family stay. The Mandarin Oriental Kids' Programme runs cultural classes (Thai cooking, garland-making, fruit-carving) that are taken seriously by the property's heritage of service tenure (40-year staff are not unusual). The river-facing position and the property's longboat to the temple complexes simplify the family logistics in Bangkok's traffic. The Sala Rim Naam Thai restaurant on the opposite bank runs the heritage Thai dance dinner for the family-cultural-evening category. Best for the multigenerational Bangkok stay where heritage depth and river-facing rooms matter.
Best room: Authors Suite, two-bedroom, river view
#16 for Family
Whistler, British Columbia · Five-Star . ***** · from CAD 1,200/night
"The Whistler Upper Village resort, ski-in family suites, the working winter-and-summer family flagship in Canada."
9.6Room & Design
9.8Service
9.7Location
Why this rank, Four Seasons Resort and Residences Whistler opened in 2004 in Whistler's Upper Village, three blocks from the Blackcomb Mountain base. 273 rooms and suites; the connecting-suite product with two bathrooms and the Three-Bedroom Town Home floor plan are the family options. Kids for All Seasons runs year-round, with winter programming including ski lessons coordinated with Whistler Blackcomb school, snowshoe walks and the property's outdoor ice rink. Summer programming adds mountain-bike instruction at the Whistler Bike Park base and Lost Lake swimming. The Sidecut steakhouse and the rooftop Braidwood Tavern anchor the dining. The Vancouver airport drive is 90 minutes; the property runs scheduled airport transfers configured for family logistics. Best for the multigenerational ski-and-summer stay in Canada's flagship mountain resort.
Best room: Three-Bedroom Town Home, private outdoor space
#17 for Family
Palm Jumeirah, Dubai · Five-Star . ***** · from AED 2,800/night
"One&Only's Palm Jumeirah villa-resort, private beach, the working ultra-luxury family flagship in Dubai."
9.6Room & Design
9.8Service
9.6Location
Why this rank, One&Only The Palm opened in 2010 on Palm Jumeirah's western crescent in Dubai, on a 65-acre private estate with 800 metres of private beach. 90 rooms, suites and villas across the Moorish-Andalusian-influenced low-rise property. The two-bedroom Palm Beach Junior Suites and the four-bedroom Palm Manor are the multigenerational family floor plans, with private pools and butler service. The KidsOnly Club covers ages 4-11 with Arabic and English programming and the Palm-specific marine programmes; the One Tribe teen club adds water sports and the Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa day trips. The Guerlain Spa is the parental anchor. STAY by Yannick Alleno (one Michelin star) and Zest anchor the dining. The Palm Jumeirah position is fifteen minutes from Dubai Marina, thirty minutes from Dubai International. Best for the ultra-luxury Dubai family stay with private beach.
Best room: Palm Manor, four bedrooms, private pool, butler
#18 for Family
Vail Village, Colorado · Five-Star . ***** · from USD 1,400/night
"The Vail Village Four Seasons, ski-in family suites and the Colorado mountain-resort family standard."
9.6Room & Design
9.8Service
9.7Location
Why this rank, Four Seasons Resort and Residences Vail opened in December 2010 in Vail Village, three blocks from the Vista Bahn ski lift. 121 rooms, suites and private residences. The Two-Bedroom Suite product with the connecting Junior Suite is the family floor plan; the Residential Apartments add full kitchens for longer multigenerational stays. Kids for All Seasons runs year-round with winter programming coordinated with Vail Ski & Snowboard School. The summer programme adds mountain biking, fly-fishing instruction, and the property's nature walks. Flame and The Remedy Bar anchor the dining; the property's apres-ski programme on the rooftop is structured for families to use the early window. The Eagle airport (40 minutes) handles the long-haul logistics; Denver International is two hours by car. Best for the multigenerational ski stay in Vail Village.
Best room: Two-Bedroom Suite with connecting Junior Suite
#19 for Family
Jumeirah Beach, Dubai · Five-Star . ***** · from AED 2,400/night
"The Jumeirah Beach Mandarin Oriental, the working family flagship on the Burj Khalifa-skyline beach."
9.6Room & Design
9.7Service
9.5Location
Why this rank, Mandarin Oriental Jumeira, Dubai opened in 2019 on Jumeirah Beach, the only Mandarin Oriental in the UAE. 178 rooms and 78 suites across the property. The two-bedroom Family Suite and the four-bedroom Royal Mandarin Suite are the family floor plans. The Tween Club covers ages 8-12 with Arabic-language programming, the kids' pool zone, and culinary classes; the teen programme includes Dubai-specific cultural day trips, padel tennis at the property, and the optional desert-adventure overnights. The Spa at Mandarin Oriental is the parental anchor. Tasca by Jose Avillez and Etoiles by Mauro Colagreco anchor the dining. The Jumeirah Beach position is fifteen minutes from Dubai Mall and the Burj Khalifa, twenty-five minutes from Dubai International. Best for the multigenerational Dubai stay where the city-and-beach combination matters.
Best room: Royal Mandarin Suite, four bedrooms, sea view
#20 for Family
Koh Yao Noi, Phang Nga Bay, Thailand · Five-Star . ***** · from THB 30,000/night
"Six Senses' Phang Nga Bay pool villa resort, the most considered family eco-property in southern Thailand."
9.6Room & Design
9.8Service
9.7Location
Why this rank, Six Senses Yao Noi opened in 2007 on Koh Yao Noi island in Phang Nga Bay, between Phuket and Krabi, with views across the bay to the limestone karst formations that make the location unmistakable. 56 pool villas across the property, with the Hilltop Reserve and Family Pool Villa configured for multigenerational stays. The Grow With Six Senses kids' programme covers ages 4-11 with Thai cooking classes, marine biology programming and the property's biodiverse organic garden. The teen programme adds free-diving, kite-surfing and overnight beach campouts on adjacent uninhabited islands. The Six Senses Spa across the property runs the parental anchor. The Living Room restaurant runs the all-day programme; The Hilltop Reserve dining room serves private multi-course meals. The Phuket airport transfer is 90 minutes (40 by speedboat plus road). Best for the multigenerational Thailand family stay with serious eco-and-wellness depth.
Best room: Hilltop Reserve, four bedrooms, private pool
