by Nikki Stinson


Taking in the view at the Mandarin Oriental - Boston

This winter, we had a fantastic stay at the new Mandarin Oriental in Boston. And any reservations I had about hitting a cold and snowy Massachusetts in December were quickly squashed upon our arrival of this amazingly beautiful hotel. It is a perfect mix of Bostonian sophistication and oriental elegance and is right in the heart of everything – on glorious Boylston Street.

This Mandarin has the most incredible suites! So much room and so beautifully appointed! Upon our arrival, the room was nicely equipped with a crib and child safety packets (including outlet covers, corner covers for tables, band aids and other first aid items). This hotel is one of the best equipped for babies and young children that we have seen. Available amenities include:

- Cribs with baby amenities
- Strollers
- Playpens
- kid’s-sized microfiber robes
- fun bath toys
- Kid’s DVD and video library
- Children’s menu for in-room dining and at our restaurants
- Sony PlayStation 3 consoles with games and Blu-Ray movie library
- Certified babysitting services (with 24-hour notice)

And to make their stay a little more special, the kids received a Mandarin Oriental t-shirt, small backpack with coloring activities and a kid’s brochure of child-friendly activities in the city, including Boston Harbor, the Aquarium and more. It was so handy to have the destination suggestions – as our kids love being out and about!

The hotel itself is connected to the Prudential Center – which has premiere businesses and wonderful shopping (Saks, Gucci and Tiffany to name a few) and tons of restaurants all within walking distance. It was so easy to take the stroller to shop or eat without having to go outside and brave the elements! That was a huge plus for us.

In-Room Dining at the Mandarin!

The dining options, both at the hotel and at the Prudential Center are plentiful.  There are options for everyone – fancy to casual, young to old! And the hotel offers a children’s menu for in-room dining and at their 3 restaurants.

When we weren’t exploring Boston, we spent time in the Mandarin’s beautiful spa. What a wonderful place to unwind while Dad took the kids to play!  You can work out,  take a steam, soak in their vitality tub and then indulge in a facial or massage. Just what the doctor ordered for a busy mom.

All in all, this was an exceptional hotel experience – from the staff to the rooms to the location. More importantly, the Mandarin made traveling with little ones easy and luxurious! We really can’t wait to go again – although next time we might wait until summer!

http://www.mandarinoriental.com/

http://www.prudentialcenter.com/

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By Amy Schwager

Your kid’s dream vacation, and yours too?  Can it be?

Yes! Really! This magical place does exist and no, it’s not Disneyland.  Meet the La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club in famous La Jolla, California.  The destination for some sand and surf…on your own private beach.

This hotel has ocean-front studio rooms that are perfect for a family.  The studio comes equipped with king bed (for mommy & daddy), sofa couch that converts into a bed (for the kids), and a kitchen. The accommodations are a bit rustic, but don’t let that scare you.  We are definitely hotel snobs, and while the hacienda- style rooms may not be our first choice,  having access to one of the only private beaches in southern California makes up for it, and then some.  And the never-ending activities (for you and your kids) make for a fun and easy weekend getaway.

Did I mention ocean-front? Every day, plan on enjoying breakfast, lunch, and dinner while you watch the waves crash just steps from you.

Hitting the links at the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club

This beach club has it all.  Start off your morning playing tennis with the kids on one of the 12 courts.  After a few strokes, your little customer may get bored, so time to move onto the next activity. Golf.  Yes -the club has a 9-hole, par-3 course. This is beyond perfect for your toddler who is working on perfecting his/her swing for the upcoming Mini-PGA tour.  We spent hours playing on this mini course and putting green.

Next up, gated playground.  You can let your kids run around and burn off some of their endless energy racing down the slide and climbing up the rock wall.  A gated playground – genius!

And if your little ones are as sharp as I think they are – they will surely spot the duck pond while testing out the playground. Does anything ever go unnoticed? So they will quickly inform you that is the next item on the itinerary. Head over to the pond to watch the ducks, geese and swans.

By now the kids are hungry, so head back to the club’s restaurant. You can order lunch poolside or take it to go and enjoy a little beach picnic. The beach services team will set you up on the beach with umbrellas, tables, chairs and even a big toy box full of sand toys.

Pool or beach. You pick.  Your kids can run back and forth between the salt water and pool water.  There is a perfect sized baby pool for the kids to splash around in. And if they’d rather the salt water, have them hit the waves with Dad at nearby Scripps Pier or La Jolla Shores.

Charging the waves at La Jolla Shores

But once you hit the beach as sunset draws near, it’s time for mommy and daddy to relax.  Let your little kids play with the toys and you can sit back and drink your beach cocktail. Keep your eyes on the water as there are always seals and dolphins swimming by. These fancy dolphins might just have membership to the beach club, as they are always there! If you have older kids, take a short walk down to La Jolla Shores Village and rent a kayak to take out – you may get lucky and have an up-close encounter with the many seals in the area.

Lounging outside the ocean-front suite.

For dinner, arrange with the beach services to have dinner on the beach. Yes – your own private dinner beach-side. They will bring out a grill, tables, and chairs for a yummy and easy BBQ on the beach.  Your room is steps away, so you can always run in to grab anything out of your refrigerator (mac and cheese for the kids, sippy cups, etc) or beach blankets when it starts to get chilly. Also, there is a little market down the road from the beach club that you can walk to so you can pick up food and drinks for your BBQ.  But the best part of having a room so close to the beach is after dark. Tuck your little ones in for bed and step right back into the sand for evening cocktails with family and friends.  Beach services will set up a fire pit, bring wood and help you enjoy a little alone time on the beach.

And if you choose to venture into the village for dinner, there are several charming restaurants with beautiful ambiance and tasty menus. It can’t really get any better – or at least not when you have kids in tow.

http://www.ljbtc.com/

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