Caribbean Resorts

- main chains

Families love Caribbean resorts: the beautiful beaches, watersports, lavish pools, kids' programs, and (often) all-inclusive pricing. Below are many family-friendly Caribbean Resort groups.

(See also an A to Z of many individual Caribbean Beach Resorts, and tips on Choosing The Right All-Inclusive.)

Family-Friendly Caribbean Resort Chains

(alphabetical)

• Allegro Caribbean Resorts
  Allegro os one of the brands of the worldwide Occidental chain. Allegro properties feature Kids' Clubs and occasional Kids Stay Free promotions. "All-inclusive" typically includes non-motorized water sports, daily activities, kids club, etc.

• AMResorts
  This company has the Sunscape, Dreams and Secrets brands. Many are in Mexico; some in the DR as well.

• Barcelo Caribbean Resorts
  Barcelo is a large chain, based in Spain, with properties worldwide including all-inclusives in the Dominican Republic and Mexico. Barcelo features kids' clubs and Children's Parks.

• Beaches Resorts
  "Beaches Resorts" is the all-inclusive family brand in the Sandals chain, with extensive kids programs for different ages; novelty pools, outdoor play areas, Game Centers; snorkel outings and scuba (ages 12 and up) are included too. Beaches has a partnership with Sesame Street, annual Single Parents Months, Crayola Art Camp, and lots more. Read about Beaches Turks and Caicos with pirate waterplay zone, Beaches Boscobel in Jamaica, Beaches Negril with water park. Beaches has also started a new value-priced brand: Grand Pineapple Beach Resorts.

• Breezes Resorts
  "Breezes" is a brand of SuperClubs, another major chain of all-inclusive Caribbean resorts-- see SuperClubs, below.

• Club Med Caribbean Resorts
  Club Med has all-inclusive resorts worldwide, including Club Med Punta Cana in the DR, with amazing kids' programs, The Ramp for teens, long white-sand beach, watersports, trapeze, inline skating, and much more.

• Divi Resorts
  Divi Resorts has several family-friendly properties and affiliate resorts in Aruba, including an all-inclusive with kids' programs; Divi also has properties in St. Croix, USVI, St. Maarten, Barbados, Cayman Brac, and Bonaire.

• Franklyn D. Resort and FDR Pebbles
  These two properties in Jamaica have a unique feature: a friendly vacation nanny is assigned to each family throughout their stay. Also: kids' clubs, snorkeling outings, glass-bottom boats, scuba for ages 12 and up, tennis, biking, etc.

• Hilton Caribbean Resorts
  Hilton has a number of (non-all-inclusive) Caribbean resorts with family-friendly features: kids stay free in room with adults; kids under 5 eat free; kids 5 to 12 get breakfast free and 50% off other meals when accompanying adults, etc.

• Holiday Inn- Caribbean Resorts
  Holiday Inn SunSpree resorts have many features for families, and several operate on an all-inclusive basis. For example, in Jamaica the SunSpree at Montego Bay has miniature golf, windsurfing, snorkeling, sailing, glass bottom boats; activity centres for ages 6 mos. to 12 yrs. Read more about Holiday Inn SunSpree Resorts.

• Hyatt - Caribbean Resorts
  This giant chain has properties worldwide including Caribbean resorts. For the family traveler, the outstanding features are Camp Hyatt for kids and (at some properties) Family Camp. Kids under 18 usually stay free in parents' rooms, at Hyatt properties.

  ]Iberostar
  This Spanish-based company has properties in many countries, including all-inclusives in Jamaica, the Dominican Republic and Mexico (where there's a giant 5-resort Iberostar Paraiso complex at Playa del Carmen on Mexico's Caribbean.)

  Palace Resorts
  Palace Resorts have a number of all-inclusive properties on the Caribbean side of Mexico, i.e. the Cancun - Mayan Riviera area, and Cozumel.

  Riu Resorts
  The rapidly-expanding Spanish-based Riu Hotels and Resorts chain has all-inclusives in Jamaica, Dominican Republic, and Mexico.

• Sol Melia -Caribbean Resorts
  Sol Melia is another giant chain based in Spain with properties world-wide including all-inclusive Caribbean resorts.

• Starfish Resort
  Starfish is a brand of SuperClubs with a location on the north coast of Jamaica: families will find a value-priced Caribbean resort with many fun activities. Click above for a review and photos.(And read more about SuperClubs, below.)

• Superclubs Caribbean Resorts
  SuperClubs is a well-established name in Caribbean all-inclusives, and like Beaches, started out in Jamaica. SuperClubs has some great family-friendly resorts with kids' programs, watersports, etc, under two brands: Breezes and Starfish. See review of Breezes Curacao (with long sheltered beach), StarfishTrelawny in Jamaica (good price point). Also, one Breezes property in the Dominican Republic welcome kids under 16.

• Viva Wyndham Resorts
  The small chain of all-inclusive Viva Resorts (in Mexico, Grand Bahama Island, and Dominican Republic) has partnered with the giant Wyndham chain to create this brand. Rates are at a good price point; kids under 12 stay, play, and eat free; there are kids' programs, and for ages 13 - 18, Viva Juniors Club. Check the site for deals.

• Wyndham Resorts
  Many Wyndham resorts welcome kids and have kids' programs. Read about Wyndham Rose Hall in Jamaica, a magnet for families because of its private waterpark. The Wyndham Sugar Bay Resort and Spa is one of the few resorts in the US Virgin Islands with an all-inclusive plan.

Also of interest:

Several vacation packagers specialize in family holidays at Caribbean resorts (and other sun zones) including many of the properties noted above.

• Apple Vacations
  This popular packager offers dozens of Caribbean resorts, with airfares from many departure cities; property write-ups at the web site always note the features of interest to families (kids programs, pools, playgrounds, etc.)

• VacationKids
  This online travel company specializes in all-inclusives in the Carib'n and Mexico.

Facilities and terms of stay do change: always check resort sites for updates.