There is nothing wrong with a fancy schmancy luxury resort where your kids are given bathrobes, toys, coloring books and sweets upon arrival. Absolutely nothing wrong with that.
But let's be real–hotels aren't always the most economical choice. And even if you do have enough cash in your vacation budget to rent a suite, many hotels can't accommodate the other needs of families, aside from extra space, such as mini-fridges, kitchenettes, quiet rooms, toys and games, etc. Also, if we're being honest here, hotel rooms can feel deeply impersonal.
Which is why renting a house or an apartment makes perfect sense. But much like booking a hotel, you need to be sure that the property is family-friendly.
Enter Kid & Coe, a vacation rental site that consists solely of family-friendly properties.
The site was started by mother of two, Zoie Kingsbery Coe, when she was getting ready to rent out her London apartment while living in New York.
“I thought 'Who would this apartment be useful to?'” she told T+G. “Because it had a kids rooms, toys and stroller, I decided this would be perfect for a family.”
But Coe went one step further than just marketing her own London apartment to families. She's created a website full of curated listings for families in all corners of the world, each with detailed info on the family-friendly and age-appropriate amenities. (One test for listings is would Kid & Coe's team stay there with their own kids. If not, the property doesn't make the cut.)
There's also giant, well-lit photos to look through for each property, so you know exactly what you are getting, sometimes right down to the toys and books that are in the playroom.
Today, Kid & Coe's booking site has listings for family-friendly apartments and houses from Paris to Vienna to Capetown, Bali, Chang Mai, Cote d'Azur, Greece and nearly all the major cities in the U.S.
While the site is great for families in search of kid-friendly lodgings in popular destinations, Coe hopes that her site will inspire families to try places they wouldn't have otherwise experienced, or even considered. And it's working. Just seeing a kid-friendly option in Greece, already makes us want to book a flight with our two toddlers. (Staying sane through the long flight is, of course, another endeavour.)
Rates for listings on KidandCoe.com are per night and vary depending on the location (New York is more expensive than Denver, obvi.) There are also guest booking fees that range from 3 to 15 percent, as well as cleaning fees. And at least 30 percent of the stay is required at booking.
Still, the total cost, given all that extra space, will still be less than what you'd spend on a hotel suite.
And you'll have major peace of mind knowing you're in a spot that totally gets all your family's needs.
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