The Top 10 Best Hotel Chains for Families

Budget-Friendly and Family-Focused Conveniences Offered Nationwide

 Parents magazine today revealed the top 10 Best Hotel Chains For Families, perfect for family road trips, holiday travels or weekend getaways. Parents’ magazine editors and travel experts evaluated 60-plus hotel brands across the country to identify chains offering families great space and comfort, high satisfaction ratings, affordable rates, and entertaining kids’ programs. The full list is available in the November 2015 issue of the magazine and on Parents.com.

According to Parents, the year’s best hotel chains for families include:

Best Budget Chains

1. Residence Inn

With 650+ U.S. locations, the hotel offers extensive in-room amenities and a seasonal “Residence Inn Mix” program, featuring food-truck fare, restaurant pop-in tastings, and a backyard BBQ, depending on the night and location. (Fall rates for a Studio Suite start at $84 per night; residenceinn.marriott.com).

2. Hyatt Place

Perfect for keeping kids healthy on vacation, these properties offer a free breakfast buffet which has expanded in most locations to include more nutritious options, many packed with fruit, veggies, and protein. (Fall rates for a room with two queen beds start at $134 per night; hyattplace.com).

3. SpringHill Suites

Known for its roomy living areas and creative breakfast options, the chain’s special touch lies in a showcase of more than 2,000 pieces of artwork displayed throughout its lobbies. (Fall rates for a suite with two double beds start at $79 per night;marriott.com/springhillsuites).

4. Hilton Garden Inn

The hotel’s redesigned rooms are more family-friendly than ever, providing more counter space, clothes storage, charging stations, and seating. Hate waiting in line? Use the HHonors app to check-in and choose your room from your smartphone – you may decide on a room near the indoor pool, for instance – then swing by the front desk for the key.  (Fall rates for a room with two queen beds start at $129 per night; hiltongardeninn.com).

5. Wingate by Wyndham

With starting rates of less than $100 per night (and free breakfast!) in many areas, you can’t beat the price of a standard room here. The brand also has a unique loyalty program that allows you to redeem some of your points for discounts on your stay. (Fall rates for a room with two double beds start at $129 per night; wingateatlanta.com).

Best Mid-Priced Chains

1.       Embassy Suites Hotel by Hilton

Every room is a suite here, so forget about splurging on an upgrade for more space and privacy. Additional perks include a free nightly snack and drink reception, training for all staff on interacting with kids, and a new program offering baby care essentials at some locations. (Fall rates for a suite with two double beds start at $189 per night; embassysuites.com).

2.       Loews Hotels & Resorts

From receiving early admission to Orlando theme parks so they can beat the crowds to attending “Farm School” at an organic farm to care for local animals and vegetables in San Diego, families take advantage of the coolest partnerships to keep the kids happy. (Fall rates for a room with two double beds start at $249 per night; loewshotels.com).

3.       Omni Hotels & Resorts

Omni has a knack for taking old, historic resorts and restoring them into family meccas with plenty of adventure. Kids will have tons of fun with the free photo book and game-filled backpack they receive at check in. (Fall rates for rooms with two double beds start at $229 per night; omnihotels.com).

4.       Hyatt House

Many locations offer two-bedroom, two-bathroom suites for what you’d pay for a single room at a higher-end chain. Plus, all room types come with a full kitchen and all the tools you need to cook and eat a great meal. (Fall rates for a one-bedroom suite start at $159 per night; hyatthouse.com).

5.       Sheraton Hotels & Resorts

Sheraton offers the same features as its pricier Starwood cousins, Westin and Aloft, like “sweet sleeper” beds and cribs, pools, and an all-inclusive dining program for kids 12 and under. (Fall rates for suites start at $249 per night and a room with two double beds at $189 per night; starwoodhotels.com/sheraton).

About Parents

Parents was founded in 1926 and, along with American Baby, FamilyFun, Parents Latina and Ser Padres, makes up The Meredith Parents Network portfolio of parenthood brands.   Parents is the leading voice for a community of more than 15 million moms who are engaged and inspired by the brand’s trusted content. In turn, these moms enlighten and inspire others by joining ongoing conversations about parenthood via Parents.com as well through Parents’ robust presence on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr.  Parents is dedicated to engaging and inspiring moms with the information they need, wherever they go.

Embassy Suites And Hampton Hotels Add “by Hilton” Endorsement To Their Names

Strategic Change Linked to Brand Evolution and Global Recognition
 

 Hilton Worldwide  has announced a re-branding of Embassy Suites Hotels and Hampton Hotels in the U.S., adding the “by Hilton” endorsement to their monikers. The new brand logos and names, Embassy Suites by Hilton and Hampton by Hilton, represent the next phase of a renewed business strategy to further reinforce the brands’ identities within the Hilton Worldwide portfolio and the company’s continued commitment to the future growth, expansion, and evolution of its brands. The phased rollout begins this quarter and will bring about greater consistency as these brands already carry the ‘by Hilton’ endorsement outside of the U.S.

“The Hilton brand symbolizes quality, consistency, and familiarity, providing further reassurance to guests and owners alike,” said Jim Holthouser, executive vice president, global brands, Hilton Worldwide. “Research and historical brand data indicate that guests are more likely to stay at a ‘by Hilton’ hotel, and we are confident that this simple global modification to the Embassy Suites and Hampton brands will have a positive impact on brand performance for owners, developers, and franchisees as well as consumers.”

This addition to the brand name follows the course of other Hilton brands including DoubleTree by Hilton, Canopy by Hilton, and Curio – A Collection by Hilton, and will continue to further align brand recognition and global consistency across the Hilton Worldwide portfolio. Currently, five Embassy Suites properties and 101 Hampton properties include “by Hilton” in their brand names, the majority of which are outside the U.S. This change will apply to all Embassy Suites hotels and Hampton hotels in the U.S., which will now be known as Hampton Inn by Hilton and Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton.

Consumers can now confidently associate the Embassy Suites and Hampton brands with the quality and consistency of Hilton Worldwide, thereby increasing consumer familiarity of their brand attributes, including opportunities to earn/redeem points and benefits with Hilton HHonors, the award-winning guest-loyalty program for Hilton Worldwide’s twelve distinct brands. Hilton HHonors members who book directly through preferred Hilton channels have access to benefits including digital check-in and choose-your-room, and coming in summer 2015, free Wi-Fi.

Supporting Brand Research
After looking at historical data from the DoubleTree by Hilton rebranding effort in 2011 and conducting proprietary market research, findings showed that the “by Hilton” association results in increased expectations around service, guest rooms, comfort, locations and awareness of the brand’s association with the Hilton portfolio. The rebranding campaign of DoubleTree also saw improvement across key metrics, such as average daily rate (ADR), occupancy and revenue per available room (RevPar).

Brand Evolution
The “by Hilton” endorser will further reinforce the next generation and refresh of legacy Embassy Suites and Hampton properties. Between 2015 and 2019, more than 45 percent of Embassy Suites properties will have completed or be in the process of a relicensing and renovation, totaling more than $300 million across the portfolio. The brand has also introduced new food & beverage options and an additional design option for new build projects, offering greater flexibility for owners to adapt their hotels to their markets while maintaining Embassy Suites’ signature brand pillars.

In addition, Hampton has remained focused on keeping the brand relevant for guests and franchise owners by re-envisioning it at appropriate times.  In 2013, Hampton’s forever young initiative (fyi) launched as a way to extend the life of current Hampton properties nearing the relicensing process. fyi created a fresh look and feel, welcoming new travelers with a modern makeover, keeping the core Hampton trust points intact. The program upgrades building exteriors, guestrooms and baths and to date, hundreds of Hampton hotels have completed the fyi renovations. For new-builds, the core elements of fyi have become part of brand standards.

For more information about Embassy Suites by Hilton, visit www.embassysuites.com or http://news.embassysuites.com. For more information about Hampton by Hilton, please visit www.hampton.com or http://news.hampton.com.

Travelore News: St. Kitts To Have The First Hilton Branded Embassy Suites Hotel In 2017

Currently under construction in Pelican Bay, St. Kitts will debut a 226-suite Embassy Suites by Hilton hotel in the first quarter of 2017. This announcement was made by Hilton Hotels on Wednesday, May 6, following the signing of a franchise agreement with Caribbean-based developers Sterling Developments.

“We welcome Hilton Hotels to the island,” said the Hon. Mr. Lindsay F. P. Grant, Minister of Tourism, International Trade, Industry and Commerce. “Their upscale Embassy Suites brand will serve as an excellent complement to the diverse mix of our current hotel product and it is well-aligned with the direction of our strategic plan for the continued development of our tourism industry.”

The US $90 million development is an approved Citizenship by Investment project. The condo hotel complex will include six towers, 3,847 square feet of meeting space, an infinity pool, a fitness center, spa, and kids’ club. It will also provide guests the Embassy Suites by Hilton’s signature spacious suites equipped with a separate living area, private bedroom and wet bar fitted with a microwave, mini-fridge and coffee maker. All rooms will have direct views of the Caribbean.

“We look forward to introducing the Embassy brand to beautiful St. Kitts & Nevis,” said John Rogers, global head, Embassy Suites Hotels. “The prime location of this resort, coupled with Embassy’s full service offerings, ample space and guest-desired inclusive amenities will drive this hotel’s leisure travel appeal and strengthen the area’s accommodation options.”
The new hotel will offer the Embassy Suites brand's signature features, such as an inviting atrium environment, where guests will have access to complimentary cooked-to-order breakfast and Evening Reception with complimentary appetizers and beverage. Restaurant facilities on the resort will include a three-meal restaurant, a specialty restaurant, and a pool and beach bar.

Embassy Suites by Hilton St. Kitts will be located in Pelican Bay, which is an exclusive private cove nestled on seven acres of gently sloping land, cascading down to a private beach on the Caribbean side of the island. Once complete, the hotel will offer easy access to the area’s main roads and downtown attractions, and is only 10 minutes away from Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport. The Embassy Suites will be Hilton’s first property in St. Kitts & Nevis. Hilton Worldwide currently has 20 hotels open or in the pipeline throughout the Caribbean.