CHECKING INTO

Kid-safe hotels

Child care and kids' clubs are a growing part of hotel services.
Parents can make sure kids have a good time–and stay safe–with these strategies. 

BY KALPANA MOHAN
(Article Published in Better Homes and Gardens, January 2006)

Parents naturally have high expectations of hotels when it comes to issues of their children's safety and security while staying at one. Such concerns are even higher for travelers who hope that hotel kids' programs will offer safe, fun activities while parents are elsewhere in the hotel. More and more hotels are adding childcare to their list of amenities. “It's become a big business,” says Joe McInerney, president and CEO of the American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA). Yet despite the rapid growth in hotel and resort offerings, there are no federal standards or regulations for hotel childcare services, and the quality and level of those services differ from chain to chain and state to state. Experiences with hotel-based child care can be enjoyable and safe for children, if parents check out options, activities, and the premises first. There are several ways to do that.

KNOW THE LAW Every state has its own laws regarding the policing and licensing of child-care centers, including those in hotels. In New York, for instance, a drop-in child-care center does not need a daycare license if it doesn't care for kids for more than three hours or on a regular basis. So too in California and Arizona, drop-in care such as hotel kids' camps do not need a daycare license, and parents must sign a consent form stating that they will be available on the hotel premises while their kids are in care. If you plan to use babysitting services instead of the kids' camp, call ahead and ask whether the hotel has a contract with a registered service that checks the background of its employees, says Pamela Keller-Hallows, president of Arizona Children's Nanny Services.

LEARN THE HOURS AHLA's McInerney points out that hotels have begun to recognize the need for kids' programs to coincide with convention timings and conference events. Often, however, hotel kids' camps end by 4 p.m. A call ahead will let you know whether to arrange for a babysitter afterwards or rearrange your own schedule. At many Disney hotel and resort properties, for example, recreation programs for children begin at 3 p.m. and, depending on the age of the child, go on past midnight to help parents who wish to be at a business banquet or hang out at the spa.

PROVIDE DETAILED INFORMATION If the staff doesn't ask you to fill out a thorough registration form when you drop off your child, take the initiative and provide your contact information. Also indicate your child's allergies, nap times, fears, eating preferences, physical abilities (especially their swimming skills, since pool activitiesare common), and whether your child can leave the premises for a field trip. “The best kids' club programs will have rules posted on site, go over the rules with the children, and have a clause on consent forms that states that they have the right to exclude any child whose behavior endangers the safety of other children or staff,” says Chris Tempesta, President, KiddieCorp, a popular national provider of on-site children's programs.

GIVE THEM A CHECKLIST Before you leave your child with hotel care staff, be sure to provide this information:Phone numbers where you can be reached, as well as an emergency contact back home.Name and number of the child's pediatrician.Food and medication allergies.Special needs, birthmarks, or recent injuries.A signature authorizing emergency care if needed.Instructions on what to do if your child is not happy in the program. Tell the staff how long they should try to engage your child. If you want to be called—especially with younger children—say so.

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