Toddlers among guests at OneandOnly Palmilla
DAY 3 — The kids pool at One&Only Palmilla may be nicer than the adult pool. It overlooks the Sea of Cortez. Perch on pint-sized beach chaise and watch the ocean—or the resident Iguana. There are a whole variety of pool toys for the taking— and life guards on hand.
Kids and parents congregate at the zero entry area ideal for toddlers and preschoolers, No one cares that there’s no water slide. Elise and Adam Vickers like this place so much they’ve returned for a second visit from London—a long haul with daughters four and two that necessitated an overnight in Mexico City.
“It’s worth it once you arrive,” said Adam Vickers.
“They make you feel very relaxed and welcome with the kids… you don’t feel oh my goodness you brought kids here!” added his wife Elise, noting the director of the kids’ club was on hand to welcome them when they arrived so she could say hello to the girls. “A very nice touch,” she said.
“The rooms are stunning… the pools are stunning but what really makes this special is the service,” she continued, watching her daughters play with the resort-supplied pool toys. “I want to spend time with the kids but this is our holiday too,” she continued. And I don’t feel guilty for leaving him there is so much going on…At night we can get a sitter and go have dinner.”
Even better adds Elizabeth Callager, who is a repeat guest from Los Angeles here with her daughters aged eight and 10, “We can give the kids independence here, because the resort is so safe.
No one makes parents feel uncomfortable having their children at such an upscale place. They get up and dance to the music at dinner on the terrace at Agua; staff comes around with mini popsicles at the pool.
And though the town of San Jose is just a 10-minute cab ride, some families never leave. “They have it so set up for kids,” said Callager, adding “The staff at the kids club is so special a wish we could take them home with us.” “I can have an adult reprieve and I don’t worry about them.”
“Kids are kids are such a short time she adds. “Soon they won’t even want to go anywhere with us. This is inexpensive over a lifetime.”
Assuming you can afford the freight (in summer, rates start at under $400 a night but in winter, they can be more than double.)
But there are also many expensive resorts where families spend as much money or more and don’t get the same experience. “The key is the kids happiness, says Elise Vickers, watching her two young daughters splash in the pool. ”If they don’t have a good holiday, we won’t either.”
Next: Kayaking around the tip of Baja California