Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa, Tucson, Arizona

Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa in Tucson, Arizona, previously a winner of FTF’s Top 10 Getaways for Tiny Travelers award, get a fresh look in 2015.

The Old West meets the New West in Tucson, a sun-kissed metropolis that’s as kicked back as it is urban savvy.  And you won’t find a better place to savor this appealing blend of past and present than at the Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa. Nestled in the foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains, the Westin showcases its spectacular Sonoran Desert setting – we’re talking classic cowboy-film scenery, with towering saguaro cacti dotting rugged mountains – while providing an oasis in which to enjoy the backdrop in complete comfort, with personalized and friendly service.

At the contemporary, architecturally-striking La Paloma, families enjoy five pools, including one with a swim-up bar and “Slidewinder,” which, at 177 feet, is Arizona’s longest waterslide. Weekend evenings, when it cools off, complimentary family movies are played poolside and can be enjoyed from a chaise lounge, or while floating on an inflatable raft, munching popcorn from the swim-up bar. Other activities to enjoy together include waterslide contests and water volleyball. Excellent golf on a 27-hole Jack Nicklaus Signature course, a large tennis center, health center and the Red Door Spa by Elizabeth Arden are available for adults.

Westin Kids’ Club, in place at all Westin hotels and resorts, features welcome gifts and in-room amenities upon request, such as cribs, highchairs, and bed-rails. Only at La Paloma is there childcare from age 6 months to 12 years in the Discovery Room, where activities for toddlers include block building, storytime, arts’n’crafts, scavenger hunts and an outdoor play yard with riding toys. It is open daily from 9am to 5pm and three evenings until 9pm. Caregivers, screened by the hotel, have previous childcare experience and training in CPR. Babies from 6 to 11 months of age are welcome to attend for a maximum of two hours a day, and toddlers, ages 1 to 3-years, are welcome for a maxium of 4 hours a day.  Age-appropriate activities (video games, movies and word association games) are available for older kid who are welcome for full days.  Moms and Dads can enjoy some alone time while the kids are at the Discover Room, but they must remain on-property.

The Westin La Paloma is also a dog-friendly resort, so if Fido needs some rest and relaxation, bring him along.