Resorts with Childcare Options for 1 Year-Old--Besides Beaches

[Anonymous]

We are thinking of taking a last minute trip in Feb. Our daughter is 1, and we'd like to have the option for either a sitter or a childcare program so that we can have a little bit of time by ourselves. We're totally open in terms of location--Mexico, Hawaii, or Carribbean.

I would LOVE to hear any recommendations. THANKS!!!!!!!

[jsteele]

We had a nice time at the Melia Caribe Tropical in the Dominican Republic this past August. They have a childcare center that can accommodate one-year-olds.

http://www.meliacaribetropical.com

[Anonymous]

Thanks for link. I'm not OP but this resort sounds nice. How many hours a day could 3-4 year olds be left? We try to do only a few hours a day to give us time as a family but the last resort we went to only let us leave him for 2 hours a day. Was barely enough to do a massage

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for link. I'm not OP but this resort sounds nice. How many hours a day could 3-4 year olds be left? We try to do only a few hours a day to give us time as a family but the last resort we went to only let us leave him for 2 hours a day. Was barely enough to do a massage

I don't remember there being a time limit. But, for the kids that age, the care is not very exciting. They have a television with cartoons, a few toys, etc. I think the caretakers might have them do some small art projects. Our younger son got board fairly quickly and one of the caretakers hunted us down and said he wanted to come join us. The club for older kids is fantastics with a lot of fun activities.

I highly recommend the Royal Service at this resort. The suites are fantastic and there is a huge difference in the services provided. The only downside is that the Royal Service suites are a long way from the kids clubs. However, you can always arrange a golf cart ride over.

[Anonymous]

I've never been to this place but I have heard from others it is good, http://fdrholidays.com/. I think the FDR has "girl Fridays" who are nannies who are assigned to you and assist during your visit. Also, we did Club Med (although not since we've had kids). Different resorts have different facilities but I think you can't go wrong with Club Med, they do a nice job and have different levels of childcare options depending on the location. Check out their website. I would think wherever you go you could get a good deal in this economy! Bon voyage!

[Anonymous]

Club Med has family villages-The one in Florida takes 4 mo old and up look at the website

[Anonymous]

I went to FDR in January after reading all the good reviews on the internet. I have 3 kids (2, 6 & 9) and the idea of a nanny at no additional cost for 8 hrs of the day was too much to resist. I am a stay at home mom, so I needed a "break" from the kids. It was the best vacation of my life! The nanny was so professional and the kids took to her right away. They have lots of activities for the kids and even my 2 yr old got her face painted and tried to do tie-dye (very cute). They have little contests/pageant shows for the kids at nights, my girls loved that! Lots of variety in food, lots of fresh fruits, fish, jerk chicken (yum) and I even managed to have a romantic dinner with hubby at their Italian Restaurant (adults only - yes!). The babysitting service after 4:40pm is so worth it, US$6 per hour and the nanny has the kids for the night. Did I mention the rooms?! Lots of space for the 5 of us, we got upgraded to a 2-bdr suite, which was like a little apartment! The beautiful nanny stocks the fridge with snacks for the kids (cereal, crackers, milk, cheese etc.) - no cost, separate bedrooms for us but more importantly, separate bathrooms!! We were in heaven! The hardest part of this vacation was leaving!

So if you're looking for a moderately priced all-inclusive with lots of stuff for the kids and full time help with the toddlers, FDR should definitely be your first choice.