For those of you already familiar with the Starwod Hotels portfolio (#allaboutthatspglife), the Le Méridien brand has long been Starwood's upper-tier, design-oriented, arts-appreciating hotel brand, with a master barista at each property, locally-inspired eclairs (yes, seriously), and the LM100 program, which helps guests discover art and culture, often through complimentary museuem and gallery passes.
And now, Le Méridien has proudly become a family-friendly brand.
The other week, both Le Méridien and Westin Hotels unveiled new family and kids programs for their brands. While Westin has long been family-friendly (you may recall their “Eat Well Menu for Kids“), Le Méridien has always been a bit more on the down low with their “Bring the Kids!” 'tude. Yet with some very exotic destinations in their portfolio, combined with the existing coffee+eclairs+culture offerings for adults, Le Méridien could soon be the best brand out there for traveling parents who don't want to dumb down their usual travel style just because the kids are in tow.
Here's what's Le Méridien is rolling out for families at their hotels and resorts worldwide:
AWESOMELY DESIGNED KIDS CLUBS: The brightest spot in the LM family program, literally, is the dynamic design of the Kids Clubs, which are heavily inspired by mid-century modernism. (Note: these are only found in Le Meridien resorts, not all their hotels.) Check out this photo above of the Le Meridien Ra Beach Hotel & Spa which features Parc Güel and Gaudi-inspired art and Mondrian-style ceilings. These radically different kids clubs are also meant to mirror the Le Méridien Hub, or the lobby, the hotel's creative and social hangout space for guests.
“FILTERS OF DISCOVERY”: All activities, along with the kids clubs spaces, are meant to boost the creativity and curiosity of children through the brand's “Filters of Discovery” which are Coordinates, Culture, and Cuisine. Stripping down all that clever marketing speak, this essentially means teaching kids about the local area and customs from the destination's physical location in the world (shown on a life-sized map), to the types or rituals or games commonly played, to the types of snacks and meals served. These are done both in the kids clubs and through special activities and tours. Le Méridien even hands out little cards with the “Phrase of the Day” on them to teach kids a saying or word in the destination's local language.
LEGO TOYS AND DISCOVERY GUIDES: All Le Méridien Hotels will give children under the age of 12 a special LEGO toy at check-in, along with a city discovery guide which give families an itinerary for exploring. Most of these activities may already be on your TO DO list but there could be a few that you missed.
Le Méridien, along with Westin, has also introduced a new Global Family Package, which will let children eat free during their stay and have complimentary access to kids club, along with a discount for booking a second room, all of which are necessary for when shacking up with the family for more than two days.
Of course, a brand can promise many things at launch time and then fail to deliver later on. But we'll be checking into a Le Méridien next week to see just how their kid offerings stack up now. If you are staying at Le Méridien soon, be sure to send us your review!
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