this is certainly a boon for exhausted parents looking for a break themselves. And I’m sure the kids could get used to it too!

More than a kids’ club

The centrepiece of The Ritz-Carlton’s focus on kids is its Petit VIP programme, which runs throughout the hotel, all year round, dreamt up by the charismatic Ladislas Rubino, a teacher and ex-Club Med staffer (as well as part-time magician) from France who is taking his message of treating kids with class to fve-star hotels around the world. And it’s a programme very much suited to the little princes and princesses of Asia – who by the age of four already seem quite accustomed to the perks of a business class lounge. (Indeed, it’s not uncommon at this time of year to hear earnest debate among a group of Hong Kong ten-year-olds over which is the best hotel pool in Asia!) The kids’ club offers activities each week at no additional cost for children in two age groups (ages one to six and seven to 14). During our stay, the stand-out moments for parents and kids alike included an educational “turtle release” event, crab-catching by torchlight on the beach (followed by marshmallows and music around a campfre), a pirate treasure hunt through Uncle Martin’s Secret Garden and morning Family Tai Chi on the lawn. My daughter lapped up the fve-star treatment and particularly enjoyed a holiday packed with activities she was interested in. The most fun she had was on the Segways (for hire at the beachfront) which, according to Natasha, were “awesome”. Snorkelling and scuba diving equipment is also available to hire. The hotel plans to add more traditional Chinese elements to the programme, which is jam-packed with arts and crafts and sports. Nature is a real focus at the hotel, borne out by the unusual fnd at the back of the hotel where its chief

engineer, “Uncle Martin”, decided to do a bit of gardening once upon a time. The result is a marvellous and carefully designed tropical garden that is ho small ani ducks an fippered the resor program laid out, made fro materials stumps ca and a sui house. It city kids natural w Back kids’ club with toys an outdo a dedicat slide. But fnd a sin game in s At the he of the Pet VIP conc providing holiday fo whole fam to reconn leaving th PlayStati behind.

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