Hilton’s Caribbean Resorts

Want to know who offers the best family deals in the Caribbean? Family Travel Forum gives you the resort report.

Hilton properties around the Caribbean offer the fine service, comfortable guest rooms, and extensive business facilities that travelers have come to expect from the Hilton International company. Additionally, all of these sun-kissed resorts are showing their love to families with the V.I.C. (Very Important Children) program.

At every participating Hilton property (see www.hilton.com; 877-GO-HILTON), the VIC program includes the following components, some of which may be available only on a seasonal basis. Call ahead and speak with the concierge at each resort directly if any one of these elements is crucial to your family’s vacation.

• Children under 18 years stay free in same room with adults.
• Children under 5 years eat all meals free.
• All children 5-12 years receive free breakfast and 50% off all meals when dining with adults at selected restaurants at each property.
• Guests staying at least three nights enjoy one free babysitting service of up to five hours.
• Children receive a special gift.

VIC Programs on the Caribbean Route

In the popular-with-families Caribbean region, the following Hilton hotels are participating in these VIC Family Plan programs. Check the general Hilton Caribbean website (hiltoncaribbean.com) or each individual resort directly for dates of operation and extent of services:

British Colonial Hilton Nassau; Hilton Ponce Golf & Casino Resort and the Caribe Hilton, both in Puerto Rico; Hilton Kingston Jamaica; Hilton Barbados; Hilton Margarita & Suites, Venezuela; Hilton Curacao; and the new Hilton Santo Domingo.

Extensive Family Facilities

In addition, the following properties boast even more family facilities and terrific activities. Check for dates of operation.

Caribe Hilton, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Los Rosales Street
San Geronimo Grounds
San Juan, Puerto Rico 00901
787/721-0303
The Caribe Hilton offers a supervised activities program weekdays from 9am-5pm for children 4-12 years. The Camp Coco program provides specially created amenities and services for families during the summer. The interactive, educational and recreational activities take advantage of local surroundings, like Fort San Geronimo, a 16th-century Spanish fortress, as well as the Caribe’s beachfront swimming complex, which has a special children’s play area. Water sports, arts and crafts, talent shows and other supervised activities are part of the fun, led by bilingual, trained counselors. The program fee of $65/D includes lunch and two snacks.

Caribe Hilton also offers the Kidz Paradise Lending Desk (open daily from 9am-5pm) where families can check out a wide selection of popular brand games and toys for free. This includes electronic hand-held games and favorites from Playschool, Parker Brothers and others and is located at the pool complex area. An additional 168 condo units have opened in the resort’s Condado Lagoon Villas addition, bringing the hotel’s total to 814 rooms.

Hilton Curacao, Curacao
John F. Kennedy Boulevard
Curacao, Netherlands Antilles
+599 9 462-5000
At this 196-room property facing Piscadera Bay, families will find a supervised Kidz Paradise club open Monday-Saturday from 8am-12pm and 1pm-5pm. Children are spilt into two age groups: “Groovy Kids” for children aged 4-7 and “Cool Kidz” for older kids ages 8-12. The nearly 2,000-square-foot clubhouse features air-hockey, foosball, a video & DVD room with PlayStation 2. Within the naturally landscaped 23-acre resort grounds is an outdoor playground for family time, a kid’s pool, and an on-site miniature golf course. This Hilton is located about five minutes from Willemstad, so outings to the country’s picturesque historic port are very convenient.

For more information on these hotels or other Hilton properties visit their website or call 800/HILTON.