Sometimes, the hardest part of choosing a vacation spot is balancing between your wants and the kids' needs. Sprawling out on the beach or sipping a cocktail by the pool works for you, but children need distraction ... constant distraction.
In perhaps the most creative travel offer I've seen this year,
Eden Rock – St. Barths is offering an easel, a paint brush and a palate of watercolors. Rather than splatter aimlessly, each kid will receive a one-time lesson with the Eden Rock Artist in Residence (the next is still to be announced).
Even for the caliber of guest that you find at Eden Rock, this can only be described as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
During the lesson, kids will also be exposed to the gallery's exhibitions in progress. In the recent past, this gallery has been home to the likes of
Richard Prince and
Will Cotton. The natural
St. Barths aesthetic plus that created by the artists invited to show their work in the gallery yields a unique combination that is sure to inspire any budding artist.
The lessons are only available when the artist in residence is, in fact, in residence, so check with the
Eden Rock Hotel when making reservations. The program runs through August 2009.
Thanksgiving with the family again this year. How about an escape to St. Barths instead? Hotel Carl Gustaf is offering the Thanksgiving Holiday Escape. The luxury hotel is perched atop a hill overlooking the capital city of Gustavia. Stay in one of the hotel's one-bedroom, 800 sq foot suites decorated with hand-carved wooden furniture and with its own private plunge pool, living room, a separate bedroom, kitchenette and a marble-floor bathroom with a multi-jet shower. The six-day, five-night stay in the one-bedroom suite includes a chilled bottle of wine served in your suite upon arrival, daily continental breakfast served in your suite, five -day car rental (excluding insurance and fuel), dinner for two at the Carl Gustaf Lounge, one-hour massage 'tete-a-tete" in the Boutique Spa by Carita and free access to the fitness center and hydrozone "Blue Spa." The Thanksgiving Holiday Escape starts at 2,525 Euros ($3,642) and must be booked by October 31, 2009.
Whether you're looking to recreate the 
