With the calendar turning to 2022, it’s almost as if the hospitality industry is singularly focused on families with a host of brand-new family resorts and hotels set to make their debut. And whether you’re planning to visit lesser-known family vacation spots or simply spend more time outdoors on your travels, you can look forward to sharing some once-in-a-lifetime family travel adventures with your kids when this year’s most hotly anticipated hotels open their doors.
The Most Anticipated New Family Hotels of 2022
From eco-paradises on land and sea to an immersive Star Wars hotel experience in everyone’s favorite galaxy far, far away, here are the most exciting family hotels set to debut in the year ahead.
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1. Stanly Ranch, Auberge Resorts Collection – Napa Valley, California
Opening Date: May 2022
Seven hundred bucolic acres in the heart of California Wine Country might sound more like one of the country’s best vacation spots for couples, but the new Stanly Ranch is also a haven for families seeking a more holistic California vacation. Here you and the kids can gather oysters with a local farmer, then cook them up over a fire in a “secret” meadow; soar over the vineyards in a hot air balloon; snuggle up to outdoor movies in the Cork Forest; and hit the trails on your own or with a guide.
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Indoor and outdoor Napa dining experiences centered on farm-to-table cuisine will satiate even the pickiest taste buds. And families also will enjoy the ranch’s accessible guest rooms with open layouts, vineyard views, and private terraces.
2. The Retreat at Elcot Park – Newbury, England, United Kingdom
Opening Date: Spring 2022
Families staying at The Retreat at Elcot Park will have everything they need for an idyllic English getaway that pairs a bit of history with a fun and youthful spirit. Rooms are individually styled with “quirky British sensibility” and elements of surprise, and the property’s 16 sprawling acres provide plenty of landscaped gardens and walking trails to help little ones burn off some energy. In addition to two restaurants and various bars, the retreat will also feature a mixed-use space known as The Courtyard that will include a bakery and cafe, salon, wine shop, and monthly farmer’s market.
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Other family-friendly amenities include a croquet lawn and children’s zone, outdoor infinity pool, indoor kids’ club, spa, and a vintage food truck named Polly. Day trips are also made easy thanks to the hotel’s proximity to famous sites like Downton Abbey’s Highclere Castle and the Newbury Racecourse.
3. Movenpick Resort Al Marjan Island – Ras Al-Khaimah, United Arab Emirates
Opening Date: March 2022
A floating water park might sound like some magical fantasy conjured up for kids, but it’s actually one of the many cutting-edge amenities at Movenpick Resort Al Marjan Island. This soon-to-open beachfront escape just outside Dubai puts an emphasis on the sea, where a park with climbing walls, slides, trampolines, and monkey bars floats amid a backdrop of desert plains and shimmering coastline. Back on land, the lineup for little ones continues with a kids’ club spanning more than 2,000 square feet, a playground, and programming that aims to “edutain.”
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Parents also can make their dreams a reality with a waterfront chalet featuring a private pool and terrace, a diverse culinary spread including a Greek beach club-inspired lounge and rooftop restaurant, and daily “Chocolate Hour.”
4. Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser – Orlando, Florida
Opening Date: March 2022
Part hotel, part otherworldly experience, Disney’s Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is finally set to transport aspiring Jedis and Resistance fighters to a galaxy far, far away, where they will stay for two fully immersive nights before returning to real life. A day trip to experience the Millennium Falcon and Rise of the Resistance thrill rides on Batuu, Disney’s Star Wars land inside Hollywood Studios, is part of the two-day all-inclusive experience.
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Families will enter the Halcyon starcruiser by boarding a launch pod near Disney’s Hollywood Studios park. Once inside, both kids and parents can train to become heroes alongside beloved Star Wars characters, with the chance to harness their lightsaber skills, practice navigation on the bridge, and wander the ship. When it’s time for a break from the mission, families can kick back in the Sublight Lounge, enjoy meals in the Crown of Corellia dining room, and rest up in the starcruiser-themed cabins.
5. Royal Uno All Inclusive Resort and Spa – Cancun, Mexico
Opening Date: Summer 2022
Your long-awaited tropical escape is only a short flight away at Cancun’s Royal Uno, a Mexico all-inclusive family resort that makes planning almost effortless. The lush Caribbean coastline is only a few steps away from the property, which puts a modern twist on Mexico’s culture through its design, dining options, and activities. Kids will swoon over the colorful youth club—fully decked out with Day of the Dead artwork—and enjoy the pool with an in-water playground.
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Several guest room options offer more space for those traveling with kids, while the Cancool Family Room invites families to play board games and video games, read books, and watch movies together. When the youngsters are at play, parents can escape to the sun deck, complete with a shaded pergola and plunge pools overlooking the sea.
6. Hotel Hartness – Greenville, South Carolina
Opening Date: November 2022
None of the other hotels opening in 2022 exude the feeling of “home away from home” quite like Hotel Hartness. A project initiated by one of Greenville’s most notable families, the hotel welcomes guests into the Hartness family home—the family estate has been transformed into a dining, entertainment, shopping, and outdoor recreation hub—with a cozy feel, intimate service, and 180-acre nature preserve located on the grounds.
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The property boasts 15 miles of biking and walking trails with plenty of shade. Visiting families will enjoy the convenience of their own space, without having to venture far for outdoor activities. A Grand Lawn offering myriad family activities as well as a pool further appeal to parents with youngsters in tow.
7. Six Senses Crans-Montana – Crans-Montana, Switzerland
Opening Date: Early 2022
If your favorite family vacation ideas involve slope-side après-ski relaxation, the new Six Senses Crans-Montana includes a spa day for the whole family where kids can unwind in their own separate space and enjoy dedicated treatments. A splurge even for the most seasoned skiers, this Swiss Alps retreat affords ski-in, ski-out access while putting wellness at the forefront of every stay.
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Families can recharge after a day on the slopes with the hotel’s 22,000-square-foot spa, suspended relaxation area, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, sun terrace, and healthy fare at its two restaurants. Spacious rooms and suites cater to families, while panoramic views span from the Matterhorn to Mont Blanc.
8. The Lodge 30A – Seagrove Beach, Florida
Opening Date: Summer 2022
Driving down the Panhandle’s 30A, you’ll quickly realize this chain of charming Florida beach towns is not your average family road trip. Rather, it’s the conduit between “hidden gem” restaurants, colorful cottages turned mom-and-pop shops, and boutique hotels like Lodge 30A, all nestled along the Panhandle’s powdered sugar-sand beaches. The new hotel’s location will serve as a stepping stone for families to discover everything that makes this area one of Florida’s best-kept secrets.
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Family-friendly features at the Lodge 30A will include spacious guest rooms, a pool, and trailhead access to the 15,000-acre Point Washington State Forest. Also available are passes to its sister property’s Watersound Beach Club, which includes two massive pools, a private beach, watersport rentals, a children’s arcade, and more dining options.
9. Botanika Osa Peninsula, Curio Collection by Hilton – Puerto Jimenez, Costa Rica
Opening Date: May 2022
You’ll feel like you’ve stepped right into Jurassic Park when you arrive at the new Botanika Osa Peninsula, a new property surrounded by dense rainforest on the outskirts of Costa Rica’s Corcovado National Park. Families can get up close and personal with the jungle life on guided tours, while other activities like snorkeling with whale sharks, scuba diving, ziplining, horseback riding, panning for gold, and hiking to a local farm for a hand-caught tilapia lunch connect parents and kids with the nature that abounds.
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When it’s time to rest up for the next day’s adventures, families can enjoy the peninsula’s unspoiled beaches, relaxing by the hotel’s lagoon pool, and lounging on the rooftop patio of their accommodations (available in multiple room sizes). A staffed science center onsite provides further enrichment opportunities.
10. The Fullerton Ocean Park Hotel – Hong Kong, China
Opening Date: Summer 2022
Urban farming, forest bathing, aqua yoga, and meditation are all among the abundant wellness experiences available to families at The Fullerton Ocean Park Hotel in Hong Kong, which has already won awards for its health offerings and sustainable design.
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The new oceanfront property will complement its unique programming with spacious guest rooms overlooking the South China Sea, including themed rooms catering to families with little ones, and two suites with private pools. There are also four restaurants with something for every craving, an outdoor infinity pool and kids’ lagoon, an indoor youth club, and dedicated children’s excursions.
11. The Schoolhouse Hotel – White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia
Opening Date: Spring 2022
Thanks to its newest national park, West Virginia is trending as one of the best places to go with kids in 2022. But no conversation about the Mountain State would be complete without mentioning The Schoolhouse Hotel, a converted turn-of-the-century high school that’s now a boutique hotel with fun nods to its storied past. The schoolhouse theme is particularly apparent in the hotel’s spacious accommodations, which include an adjoining room option that can host a family of 10.
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Other highlights include the Varsity Club restaurant (approved for picky eaters) and rooftop lounge, with cozy seating arrangements to play games, have snacks, and savor views of the mountains and city of White Sulphur Springs. Although the hotel is on the smaller side (with only 30 rooms), it packs a punch with its family-friendly design and downtown location. Attractions like Sugar Bear’s Fun Shop, a park with a swimming pool and sports courts, and the Greenbrier River Trail are just a short walk away.
12. Emerald Faarufushi Resort and Spa – The Maldives
Opening Date: May 2022
A bucket-list destination for most travelers, the Maldives is elevating its family-friendly factor with the launch of Emerald Faarufushi Resort and Spa. Overwater bungalows and family villas with private pools and direct beach access provide ample space for groups of all sizes.
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Meanwhile, the resort’s sprawling kids’ complex (at 16,000-plus square feet) will make little jaws drop with its whimsical outdoor playground and adjacent indoor club, creative programming, and very own pool and restaurant catering to kids. A plethora of outdoor activities from scuba diving and snorkeling to catamaran sailing and kayaking bring parents and kids together for memories of a lifetime.
