Search Listed

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Hotel children’s programs aren’t just for kids anymore! Beginning this summer, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT) will unveil a new family-friendly program with signature services and curated experiences designed for kids and grownups alike. “Love Your Family” will launch in 29 resort locations flying the Sheraton, Westin, St. Regis and The Luxury Collection brand flags. Debuting first in the U.S. and the Caribbean, the program will expand internationally to Canada, Latin America and Europe by 2009.

Taking traditional children’s programming one step further, Love Your Family was developed using customer research, guest feedback and good old common sense, all of which suggest that when spending vacations together, kids and their parents welcome creative programming that caters to the entire family.

Starwood's new Love Your Family travel program features signature activities curated by the Director of Fun at no costs to guests. Local experts participate in and facilitate Stargazing, Fireside Storytelling and Dive-In Movies. Love Your Family launches in 29 resort locations flying the Sheraton, Westin, St. Regis and The Luxury Collection brand flags beginning this summer.

Starting today, reservations lines are open to book stays at each of the 29 participating resorts. Guests can access the latest information by dialing 1-888-625-5144 and visiting the Love Your Family website: www.FamilyFunSpecials.com.

The core elements of Love Your Family include three signature experiences—Fireside Storytelling, Stargazing, and Dive-In Movies – as well as other features that will be indigenous to each respective property. Additionally, Love Your Family includes services designed to appeal especially to parents, including connecting rooms, food and beverage discounts, and other unique packages and offers, all coordinated by the resort’s newly appointed “Director of Fun.”

“With families busier than ever these days, our guests have told us that it’s more important than ever to spend meaningful time together as a family—especially during cherished vacations,” said Matt Ouimet, President, Starwood Hotel Group. “The purpose of Love Your Family is not only to help families maximize their time together, but to create memories that will last well beyond the flight home.”

DIRECTOR OF FUN

Each participating Love Your Family resort will feature a Director of Fun, a family ambassador of entertainment, who will make sure that all elements of a family hotel stay are in place to make the vacation a memorable one. In addition, the Director of Fun will oversee a “fun staff” responsible for coordinating activities and experiences throughout guests’ stay.

SIGNATURE EXPERIENCES

While each resort will provide a unique family travel experience indigenous to its location, signature evening experiences will be found at each participating Love Your Family resort. These will include Fireside Storytelling, Stargazing and Dive-In Movies.

• Fireside storytelling allows families to gather around a campfire, roast marshmallows and make S’mores while enjoying stories told by professional and locally relevant storytellers.
• Stargazing invites families to join together, use telescopes and observe the night sky constellations and learn about the stars and the galaxy.
• Dive-In Movies lets families go for a swim while simultaneously enjoying favorite family films on the pool’s big screen, paired with theme nights and coordinated activities.

PARENTS’ NIGHT OUT

While Love Your Family focuses on a true family vacation, Starwood also recognizes that parents need some “alone time” every now and then. To deliver on this experience, a core component of the program offers parents a guilt-free night off while their children enjoy their own big night out, dining with other kids and enjoying fun and festive counselor-led activities.

GUEST ROOM AMENITIES AND SERVICES

When families book trips as part of the Love Your Family package, they are guaranteed a host of family-friendly amenities including connecting rooms, child safety accessories, and a minimum of at least one family television station.

FOOD AND BEVERAGE

Knowing that nothing bugs parents more than paying full-price for their child’s meal only to have it go half-eaten, Love Your Family lets children five and under eat for free, while children six to 12 receive 50 percent off the regular menu with child portions.

PACKAGES/OFFERS

Trips and packages through the Love Your Family program are available by visiting www.FamilyFunSpecials.com.

Following is a complete list of participating Love Your Family properties:

• Sheraton Hotels and Resorts
  • Sheraton Broadway Plantation (Myrtle Beach, SC)
  • Sheraton Cable Beach Resort (Nassau, Bahamas)
  • Sheraton Desert Oasis (Scottsdale, AZ)
  • Sheraton Kauai Resort (Koloa, Kauai, HI)
  • Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort & Spa (Kailua-Kona, HI)
  • Sheraton Princess Kaiulani (Honolulu, HI)
  • Sheraton Maui Resort (Maui, HI)
  • Sheraton Vistana Resort/Sheraton Vistana Villages (Orlando, FL)
  • Sheraton Waikiki (Honolulu, HI)
  • Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort & Spa (Phoenix, AZ)
  • The Royal Hawaiian (Honolulu, HI)
• Westin Hotels and Resorts
  • The Westin Aruba Resort (Palm Beach, Aruba)
  • The Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa (Hollywood, FL)
  • The Westin Ka’anapali Ocean Resort Villas (Maui, HI)
  • The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa (Scottsdale, AZ)
  • The Westin Kierland Villas (Scottsdale, AZ)
  • The Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa (Tucson, AZ)
  • The Westin Maui Resort & Spa (Maui, HI)
  • The Westin Mission Hills Resort & Spa (Rancho Mirage, CA)
  • The Westin Mission Hills Resort & Villas (Rancho Mirage, CA)
  • The Westin Mona Surfrider (Honolulu, HI)
  • The Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort (Savannah, GA)
  • The Westin St. John Resort (St. John, USVI)
  • The Westin St. John Villas (St. John, USVI)
• Luxury Collection
  • The Phoenician (Scottsdale, AZ)
  • The Wigwam Golf Resort & Spa (Phoenix, AZ)
• St. Regis
  • St. Regis Resort Monarch Beach (Dana Point, CA)
• Coming Soon
  • The Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas (Kauai, HI) – coming Summer 2008
  • The Westin Resort & Spa (Cancun, Mexico) – coming Summer 2008
  • The Westin Whistler Resort and Spa (Whistler, Canada) – coming Winter 2008

About Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with approximately 900 properties in more than 100 countries and 155,000 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 Aloft^SM and Element^SM Hotels. 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.

Tags: travel