Back-to-school has taken on an entirely new meaning this year for many families. While a record number of students are home from their classrooms due to the pandemic, their parents are also juggling working remotely. It’s a transition, to say the least, but the ability to work and attend classes from any location might be the silver lining for families who long to travel.
Now that kids can connect online with their teachers from just about anywhere, families are no longer locked into restrictive school calendars. It didn’t take hotels and resorts around the world long to catch on — so along with helping parents navigate the challenges of remote learning, properties are working to provide bright spots in a school year filled with many uncertainties. As a bonus, the properties below in the Virtuoso luxury hotel consortium offer exclusive perks that our Family Travel Advisors can access. Need booking help? Reach out!
Designed for kids ages 6 through 17, Montage Hotels & Resorts has launched Montage Academy at four of its five properties: Montage Laguna Beach, Montage Deer Valley, Montage Palmetto Bluff, Montage Los Cabos and Montage Kapalua Bay. Parents of high schoolers will appreciate offerings like an all-day monitored study hall and SAT/ACT test prep from The Princeton Review.
The Montage Academy package also includes:
Virtuoso Amenities
Remote with Auberge is being offered around the world, at each of the 19 properties in the Auberge Resorts Collection. All hotel and resort locations are working with Advantage Testing to provide both in-person and virtual tutoring services.
Virtuoso Amenities
Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts are well known for quality kid-friendly offerings at their properties around the world. Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita recently unveiled its Knowledge for All Seasons program. In addition to pool and beach cabanas decked out with Wi-Fi, headphones, lap pads and portable chargers, the program supports remote learning in a number of ways:
Virtuoso Amenities
Daily continental breakfast for two guests per bedroom, served in restaurant; $100 USD equivalent food and beverage credit to be utilized during stay
The luxury brand’s Orlando location is offering supervised study sessions that look, in a sense, like a traditional school day. Students can attend for a half day or full day.
Virtuoso Amenities
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Another brand that’s well respected for its family-friendly programming, Ritz-Carlton properties are helping families balance learning with opportunities to relax and have fun. The Ritz Kids Study Buddy program exclusive to The Ritz-Carlton Reynolds, Lake Oconee is customizable.
Virtuoso Amenities
It could be the ultimate field trip. The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, has partnered with Florida’s The Reef Institute to offer a 5-day, 4-night program designed to get kids excited about marine biology and ecology. The Remote Learning Field Trip: Barrier Island Ecology package focuses on the barrier island that the resort calls home. Instructor-led nature programming is designed to complement students’ earth-science classes.
In addition to supplies like nets and microscopes, the program includes:
Virtuoso Amenities
For families interested in an extended stay experience, Eden Roc Cap Cana is offering both a 20- and 30-day Family Staycation program. Along with full board and free Wi-Fi, it includes unlimited Spanish and piano lessons.
In addition, Family Staycation offerings include:
Virtuoso Amenities
Back-to-school isn’t so bad when the beach is your backdrop. Southern California’s Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort & Club is helping families juggle screen time with plenty of opportunities to get out and soak up some vitamin D. In addition to a golf course, three pools and beach access, the property offers complimentary bicycles and fitness classes.
The Edu-Cations package includes:
Virtuoso Amenities
The stress of online schooling melts away when recess includes soaking in a soothing geothermal pool. The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn School & Pool package earns top marks from parents looking for a family-friendly escape to wine country. Package benefits include:
Virtuoso Amenities
A joint effort of luxury hotels from around the world, The Embark World Academy offers a unique lineup of live, virtual classes. Courses typically run eight to 12 weeks, meeting once or twice a week.
Relevant Links:
Browse all vetted, family-friendly hotels and resorts on Ciao Bambino
Best U.S. hotels and resorts for a multigenerational family vacation
10 hotels and resorts ready to welcome families for summer 2020
Editor’s Note: Photos courtesy of the respective properties pictured.
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This is a challenging time for our clients given the uncertainty around the spread of coronavirus, particularly for those with near-term travel plans in impacted areas. We’re working with our suppliers on being flexible with their booking conditions, and enabling families to postpone travel to a later date without a penalty, when possible. Likewise, given the unpredictability around destinations that may be impacted in the future, we’re helping clients planning new trips and understand ways that they can protect themselves until the situation improves. We are ready to help our clients work through questions and concerns.
Our offices are closed for the holiday. We will respond to your request on Monday, November 28th. If you are a Ciao Bambino client experiencing an emergency while traveling, please leave a voicemail on
(855) 589-8865.