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Family Friendly Hotels

A 'Vacation Nanny' at the FDR Resort in Jamaica

March 29, 2007 at 1:52 PM | 0 Comments

Making the transition from a romantic couple to being parents is a real shocker when it comes time to take a vacation. Instead of the old vacation habits--sleeping late, lazing around on the beach, spending a day sightseeing--you're suddenly dealing with early rising, a stroller, and someone with a very short attention span.

So we're surprised more resorts haven't caught on to the heavenly (for parents) situation at Franklyn D. Resort and Spa in Jamaica, where a "vacation nanny" lets you get back to being a couple at least part of the time. This is no ordinary kids' club like you find at most big resorts. One dedicated staff person is at your service from 9:00 in the morning to 4:40 in the afternoon. For only $4 an hour you can have her babysit at night so you can have a dinner that doesn't involve chicken nuggets or a sippie cup.

There are 76 suites and the place is 45 minutes from busy Montego Bay, so it's not some sprawling mega-hotel where you get lost trying to find your room. The staff-to-guest ratio of 1:1 puts most other resorts in the Caribbean to shame. The stretch of beach is not huge, but most guests seem ready to overlook that: the hotel is the #1 rated one on TripAdvisor for Jamaica, out of close to 300 listings. A sister property, FDR Pebbles, is 30 minutes east of Montego Bay and has the same vacation nanny set-up.

We like the "no fine print hurricane policy" at this resort and here's something you don't see often at a beach resort: free wi-fi.

Published rates for the all-suite accommodations are $280 to $335 per person all-inclusive (kids 6 and under are free). Sometimes you can find empty spots available for bidding on Skyauction.com. The activities list of what's included is a long one, with tennis lessons, guided kayaking, glass-bottom boat tours, and of course a slew of diversions for the kids.