10 ways to be family-friendly this Easter

Easter is one of the most popular times for families to get away and spend time together. The weather is still warm enough to enjoy the outdoors, and parents and children are more than overdue for a break after the craziness of the first term of school.

As an accommodation provider you can make this time even more special, and easier for parents, with the addition of a few added extras or hotel supplies.

To help you think outside the box, here are a few things you can offer this Easter to make your premises more family-friendly.

An Easter themed welcome gift

A special Easter themed welcome gift is a lovely surprise for your guests when they arrive. This could include wine, crackers, cheese, snacks and of course plenty of chocolate Easter eggs!

Easter fun for the kids

If you know you have young children staying over the Easter break here are a few fun things you can do especially for them:

• Have a prearranged Easter hunt ready to go.
• Put together ingredients for some delicious Easter bunny cookies that the family can make together during their stay.
• Head to the art and craft shop and leave supplies for Easter egg painting.
• Leave a note from the Easter bunny reminding the kids that he will still visit even though they aren’t at home on Easter Sunday.

A child friendly turndown service

This idea is adorable! As adults we love a great turndown service, so why not modify it to cater for children over the school holidays. Milk and cookies, an Easter egg or even a simple Easter themed storybook on their pillow will make their day.

Games and toys

If you have a luxury holiday house or Airbnb it’s always a good idea to stock up on board games, puzzles and colouring-in activities that will keep the little ones busy while parents get some much needed R and R. For the outdoors, don’t forget bikes, garden games and swimming pool toys (for those with pools).

Onsite activities

If you’re a larger establishment why not involve the staff and create themed activities for children to attend over the holidays. These can be tailored to your environment and location, and could include things such as cooking classes in the kitchen, an Easter egg hunt, or visits to the chicken pen if you have a farm onsite. This is a great way to keep the kids occupied while their parents relax during their stay.

Family fun off-site

It’s always great to have information handy about local attractions or family activities. Compile a list of your favourite attractions, local parks or child-friendly restaurants and have it in a folder for your guests to access.

Local partnerships

Take this one step further by partnering with local businesses to offer special deals for families during their stay. This could include discount vouchers for local attractions, discounts on SUP hire or surf lessons, or just advertising local business promotions.

Early restaurant opening hours

Do you have an onsite restaurant? All parents know the benefits of an early dinner… early bedtime! So if your restaurant doesn’t normally open until 6pm, open the doors earlier during the school holidays to cater for parents with small children.

Sleep-ins for parents

Remember, it’s not all about the kids! The Woolley Grange Hotel in the UK offers a baby breakfast club and we love this idea! The childcare staff visit the room at 8am to pick up the little ones so parents can have a sleep in. Good for the kids and the parents!

In the room rate they also include a couple of hours a day of complimentary baby-sitting, a special treat for tired mums and dads.

If you don’t have the capacity to offer babysitting services, always leave a list of babysitter recommendations and contact details so the parents can book themselves.

In room luxuries

It may sound funny, but having an in-room sanitizer for bottles, or a couple of packets of baby wipes will count as luxuries for many parents on holiday, especially if they’ve forgotten their own. When travelling with young children there are so many things to remember, so parents often forget something.

A kid’s step in the bathroom, block out blinds, tubes of sunscreen, potties, toys for the bath, a night light or a children’s dining set can all make the world of difference to parents with small children.

If we can help you with any of your Easter hotel supplies call us on 1300 557 415 or email info@nationalhotelsupplies.com.au