The Wyndham Group is the largest hotel company in the world with over 7000 properties (including TRYP by Wyndham boutique hotels), and since 2003, Wyndham has had a 10-year alliance with Viva resorts.
Guests will find kids clubs, mini disco for kids, activities for all ages, beach games, dance classes, cooking classes, water aerobics, yoga, etc. An animation team promotes activities during the day and entertains in shows at night. In addition to a kids club for kids up to age 12, a Juniors program may be offered for tweens and young teens; check individual resorts. And at least one property has amenities for infants: read about Viva Wyndham Resorts' kids programs.
Moving on to the resorts, let's start with Viva Wyndham Tangerine, which I visited some years ago...
- Viva Wyndham Tangerine, DR
This resort has a terrific location on the North Coast of the DR on a long stretch of beach, an easy walk to the fun little town of Cabarete and the wide sweep of Cabarete Bay, where kids can boogie-board and can watch kite-surfers. Family features at the resort include kids club, separate baby zone at the large free-form pool, a number of suites and junior suites, and babysitting available for a fee. Read more about this property, and see photos. (Keep in mind that the North Coast is on the Atlantic, (not the Caribbean, side of the island.)
-Check prices at Kayak.com
- Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach, DR
This resort is on the southeast coast of the DR on a white-sand beach that borders national parkland, and is just 17 miles from La Romana International Airport. Beach activities include kayaking and wind-surfing; more unusual are the lessons on a beach-front trapeze. This resort has four restaurants, three pools, a Health and Wellness program, yoga, spa.* This resort is adjacent to the Viva Wyndham Dominicus Palace.
- Check prices
- Viva Wyndham Dominicus Palace, DR
About.com's Guide for Caribbean Travel has the scoop on this property, which has a beachfront pool and kids' pool, kids' club, and eight restaurants; room categories include superior and junior suites. Location is next to the Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach (above) and guests can use the facilities there. (This resort focuses more on an adult and international clientele, but nonetheless TripAdvisor includes comments from many families.)
-Check prices
- Viva Wyndham Fortuna Beach, Bahamas
This resort has 26 acres on Grand Bahama Island, three restaurants, and many activities including a Sports House for sailing, windsurfing and snorkeling. Kids age 4 to 12 can have fun at the kids club, and ages 14 and up can try their hand at archery. Grand Bahama Island offers some nice outings, such as National Park -- with underwater caves-- and the Rand Nature Center which has nature trail.
- Check prices
- Viva Wyndham Azteca, Mexico
This resort is located near Playa del Carmen on the Riviera Maya, (an area where visitors can snorkel on the second largest barrier coral reef in the world, explore Mayan ruins, or visit Xcaret and other "eco-theme parks".) The resort has a kids club, kids activities, catamaran sails, windsurfing, snorkeling, other activities for all ages, nightly entertainment, etc. Guests can use the spa at sister property, the Viva Wyndham Maya.
- Check prices
- Viva Wyndham Maya, Mexico
Also located in the Mayan Riviera, south of Cancun and near Playa del Carmen, this resort likewise has kids club, and activities for kids and all ages both in the water and on land. And (at time of writing) special to this resort: the Viva Wyndham Maya has an Infant Care Program for families with kids up to 24 months old, providing changing table with bath, feeding chair, bottle warmer, sterilizer, and other amenities. This resort has nature trails and visitors comment on the birds, iguanas, and other wildlife that can be spotted on the property.
- Check prices
This brief profile is meant to introduce this resort to family vacationers; please note that for most of these resorts, the writer has not visited in person.
*Always check resort web sites for updates!
