9 Best Luxury Family Travel Destinations

Nihi Sumba Island in Indonesia, voted the best hotel in the world by Travel + Leisure in 2016 and 2017, is the brainchild of fashion veteran Chris Burch, who opened the five-star resort in 2015 after a $30 million renovation. Alongside his partner, hotelier James McBride, Chris Burch has created an over the top wonderland that includes a spa built under a waterfall, private surfing, luxurious wellness center, horse riding and open-air Land Rover Safari adventures among breath-taking scenery.

During the day, hike, surf or practice yoga with a private instructor who will come to your villa. Only ten surfers are allowed in the water at a time during the high season, so novices need not be afraid they'll be knocked over in the water. In the evening, select one of the horses from the private stable for a sunset beach ride before having dinner under the stars. 

Each of the 27 private villas has a private plunge pool and comes with staff, including a butler. Those who want to "glamp" can stay in the Mamole treehouse, described as a "social estate perfect for larger groups of friends or families that wish to be separate but close together.” One-bedroom villas start at $795; if money is no object, for $17,000 a night you can rent Raja Mendaka, Chris Burch's private home, with a "main villa" and four adjacent cottages.

Truly the best of all worlds, yacht travel offers endless possibilities for shopping, sightseeing, water sports, or quiet time for all ages. Camper and Nicholson, one of the top charter companies in the world, can arrange custom itineraries for your family and will even customize boats to ensure little ones are safe onboard. Set sail from Naples, head to the Blue Grotto in Capri, then on to Positano, ending at the volcanic island of Stromboli. Your adventurers and athletes will enjoy docking in unique locations only accessible by boat, like the Aeolian Islands or Capri’s Lan Fontelina, where they can explore, snorkel, swim and jet ski. Those who want to stay onboard and relax can meet up later for a delicious lunch and shop in town. Nightlife options abound, with the added bonus of returning to your quiet stateroom and letting the waves rock you to sleep. “Superyachts” start at $110,000 a week and include staff and meals.

If nature, fishing, hiking and horse-back riding appeal, but you’d like to collapse into a 1000 thread-count sheet set at the end of the day, you’ll do no better than the magnificent Ranch at Rock Creek in Montana, the only US charter member of the National Geographic Unique Lodges of the World collection. A Relais & Châteaux property, The Ranch offers superior spa treatments and luxury cabin and tented accommodations.  

Spread out over 6,600 acres of meadows, creeks, and forests, with wildlife in abundance, you can enjoy one of many guided trips and activities, including photography workshops, ropes courses, mountain peak tours and even a “Master Naturalist Class.” Kids ages 4-12 can participate in the “Little Grizzlies Kids Club” activities, where they can learn about Montana’s history and traditions, care for animals at the Barn, or exploring the banks of Rock Creek for local flora and fauna. There are stagecoach rides, a rodeo and wildlife viewing safaris. On rainy days, kids can watch movies, bowl or play shuffleboard and board games in The Silver Dollar Saloon. Babysitting is available too.

Rooms are charged per person, per night. Kids 4 and up are $850 per night in the Lodge, adults are $1500, excluding a 10% resort fee. 

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If the idea of your kids not being on their devices 24/7 seems like a fantasy, a safari trip offers a unique opportunity to reconnect not only with your children but also, of course, with nature. Even the hardest to please teens and tweens will be awed by the majestic beauty of exotic wild animals and the vast plains of Africa. Singita is a world-renown conservation company that has been offering exceptional safari experiences in South Africa, Tanzania and Zimbabwe for over twenty years. Spread over 45,00 protected acres, the company is also fiercely committed to conservation, offering your children the opportunity to gain a first-hand education on both animals and the environment, in a truly magical setting. In June, Singita will be partnering with private airline Federal Airlines to offer daily jet service for Singita guests from Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg to the Singita lodges in Sabi Sand region. Guests will have a personal butler meet their commercial flight and escort them directly to their private charter, reducing travel time significantly. Two-bedroom cottages that sleep 1-3 guests are $5115 in high season, with kids costing an additional $1000 per night, in the off-season, the rate drops to $3850 per night, with an added $770 per child.

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At Canyon Ranch, parents and teens ages 14 to 17 will participate in educational programs covering fitness, spirituality and the mind-body connection. Hiking, biking, swimming and fitness classes are offered at every level, and there’s even a zip line. For the more spiritually minded, there's Tarot card readings, the chance to “explore your natal astrological chart to inspire your astral-gemology mandala” and learn to meditate, or try hypnotherapy. Creatives can work with professional artists who teach jewelry making, studio painting, eco-arts, fabric arts and “meditative and intuitive art and poetry” classes. When all that family bonding gets to be too much, head to the spa for Ayurvedic body treatments, facials, energy work, manicures or pedicures, or even a make-up lesson.

Double occupancy rooms start at $2100 per night and include a spa gift certificate of $160, all meals, airport transfers, and access to most classes.

Iceland has been all the rage, and for good reason. A quick flight from the East Coast, it's spectacularly beautiful, offers luxury and adventure, and the pictures your kids will post of the Northern Lights will wow all their friends. Start in Reykjavik, where you can explore the world’s northernmost capital city on a two-hour bike tour, or visit one of the city's many museum and shops. Outdoor activities are also endless, with easy access to volcanoes, glaciers, forests and rocky beaches. 

But the highlight of any Iceland trip is seeing the Northern lights, best done from a built-in lounge chair in a heated geothermal pool at Iceland’s Deplar Farm. If you don’t mind being “as off the grid as it gets,” you and your family will love the Dr. Seuss-like landscape, verdant valleys and starkly beautiful mountains, all visible from the floor-to-ceiling windows in each of the 13 suites. There are countless activities offered, including hiking, horseback riding, fly-fishing on a world-class salmon river, fat tire biking, surfing and sea kayaking. Yogis will delight in the myriad styles of classes offered, including Ashtanga, Kundalini, “easy flow” and a class for families. There is also a hot springs tour and whale watching. Parents can spa while kids enjoy pool, foosball and ping pong in the game room.

Rooms start at $4100 per night and include all meals, two guide-led adventures per day, house alcohol and roundtrip airport transfers. www.elevenexperience.com

Another great destination for those who want to escape the heat in the summer is San Carlos de Bariloche in Patagonia, a gorgeous alpine style town nestled at the foothills of the Andes on the southern shores of Nahuel Huapi Lake, adjacent to the Nahuel Huapi National Park. Bariloche, as it is colloquially known, is a two-hour flight from Buenos Aires. Stay at the picaresque Llao Llao resort, which offers extravagant spa treatments for adults and kids. Enjoy the natural scenery, or try salsa lessons, tango classes, spinning, yoga or painting. Kids can enjoy the spa and the game room. Ski at Cerro Catedral, note that the skiing is challenging, and the ski lifts are dated by American standards. However, the views cannot be beaten, and the chocolate is delicious.

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If your kid is a budding tennis player and you’d like to sip sangria on the beach while he or she plays with a professional coach, The Puente Romano Beach Resort in Marbella is for you. An all-inclusive resort, The Puente Romano is a chic, fun, easy destination for kids and adults. The world-famous tennis club, founded by Bjorn Borg in 1979, has ten courts and offers a mini tennis academy for kids ages 3 and up during the week, culminating in Saturday tournaments. There are additional “Sports Schools” run by professional coaches for kids 8-16 who are interested in tennis, golf, football and water sports. If tennis isn’t their thing, there are also myriad watersports, including paddle boarding, sailing, jet skis and water bicycles. 

Suites have ocean-facing Jacuzzis on your very own private terrace or splurge on a villa with your own pool. The recently renovated “Six Senses Spa” has three treatment rooms overlooking the ocean, where pampered parents can enjoy tailor-made, innovative wellness programs focused on body and mind. Standard massages, facials, wraps and exfoliating treatments are offered along with “Integrated Wellness” screenings using “advanced technology to analyze key physiological biomarkers of health,” including body composition, heart function and stress markers. 

Rooms in the summer, based on limited availability, start around $2000 per night; a five-bedroom villa can be yours for $10,000/night.

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Bermuda is lovely year-round, and a tranquil get-away from the East Coast. The Hamilton Princess & Beach Club, affectionately known in Bermuda as “The Pink Palace,” is opening the Prince & Princess Kid’s Club on June 18, 2018. Kids ages 5-12 can attend camp for a full or half day ($80-$120) at a brand-new ‘Kids Cottage”, supervised by professional camp staff. Programming for the little ones is built around daily themes, including “Artiste Day” and “Here Be Pirates;” older kids can learn about sustainability, international culture, and science. There are also swimming and cooking classes and off-property excursions on land and sea.

Parents can lounge on the pink sand beaches, play golf and tennis or indulge in the Exhale Spa, which offers treatments and classes. The on-site Marcus restaurant features the cuisines of Celebrity Chef Marcus Samuelson

Suite and multi-room accommodations start at $549 and include access to a private beach club offering myriad water sports for all ages.

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