best luxury family summer destination

Kona Village Resort Wins the Luxist Award for Best Luxury Family Vacation

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Children

Kona Village Resort, on the Big Island of Hawaii, is the winner of the Luxist Awards' Readers' Choice Award for Best Luxury Family Vacation. The pristine resort features serene lagoons surrounded by lush, tropical landscaping as well as dramatic, surreal, black lava cliffs that plunge to meet the ocean.

Guests stay in thatched roof hales (Polynesian-inspired bungalows) on 82 oceanfront acres. No televisions, telephones, radios, air conditioners are there to distract. Coconuts supplant traditional "no disturb" signs,

Included in the guest rate are all daily meals, an award-winning, traditional Hawaiian luau and activities from snorkeling and tennis, to lei-making, stargazing and fishing the traditional way with bamboo poles.

Water-based activities include an Outrigger Canoe Program in which guests learn to paddle a canoe, Hawaiian-style. A Wiwo'ole Ribcraft Adventure is available for seasonal whale watching as well as cruises to hidden snorkeling sites with Scooters (dive propulsion vehicles). There's also standup paddleboarding, kayaking, windsurfing, sailing, and SCUBA diving (scuba dive instruction and certification programs are available as Kona Village is a PADI certified resort).

Gallery: Kona Village Resort, Hawaii

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Best Family Vacations Around the World

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Scottish Pursuits at Gleneagle Hotel in Scotland

Luxist readers have nominated their favorite luxury destinations for families around the world. From Scotland to Hawaii and South Africa, these destinations offer wonderful programs tailored specifically for children, in addition to luxurious accommodations and other incredible amenities.

The top five summer vacation destinations for families, according to our readers, include:

Gleneagles Hotel

When the Gleneagles Hotel opened in 1924, it was described as 'a Riviera in the Highlands' and 'the eighth wonder of the world'. Then as now, the Gleneagles Hotel was the glorious playground for people dedicated to leisure and pleasure in the most luxurious surroundings.

Set in 850 acres of Perthshire countryside, Gleneagles is a unique place for families to escape. It is home to three of the top Scottish Championship Golf Courses and also offers a wide range of exhilarating outdoor leisure activities, all of which exemplify the longstanding Scottish sporting heritage.

Gleneagles is like going to camp as a family, albeit a luxurious one, with its world-class sporting schools. Dedicated to the cultivation of classic sportsmanship, the schools offer children and adults rewarding 'hands on' instructional programs, fueling the trend to learn while on vacation and introducing the simple pleasures of country sports to families.

World-class instruction is offered in a variety of outdoor pursuits including Falconry (where kids take part in a falconry lesson and learn how to cast the hawk from their gloved hand and then call it back), Horseback Riding, Fishing, Shooting and Archery. There's a Golf Academy as well as a Gundogs School which offers a unique opportunity to experience gundog training. There's also a Junior Off Road and All-Terrain Off Road Course available for kids aged four to nine. Here, kids learn valuable driving skills at the wheel of mini Land Rover replicas over a purpose built course, designed to mimic the grown ups' off road course. Children ten years or older learn how to operate Argo cats, which are eight-wheel-drive, all-weather, all-terrain, tiller-controlled vehicles that operate on land and in water on a challenging purpose-built course.

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Gleneagles: Where Familes Can Experience Scottish Outdoor Pursuits

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Sports

When the Gleneagles Hotel opened in 1924, it was described as 'a Riviera in the Highlands' and 'the eighth wonder of the world'. Then as now, the Gleneagles Hotel was the glorious playground for people dedicated to leisure and pleasure in the most luxurious surroundings. Nearly ninety years later, Gleneagles, which is still considered one of the world's most coveted five star resorts, is nominated for a Luxist Award for Best Family Luxury Summer Vacation.

Built by the former Caledonian Railway Company (and complete with its own railway station), the resort has long been a fixed part of high society's calendar. During the 1950's, after the London "season", the elite went to Gleneagles for grouse shooting.
The hotel was only opened during the summer months until the early 1980's when a total renovation and restoration program was initiated. Since then, a total capital investment of more than £46 million has made it possible to enjoy the elegance and traditions of Gleneagles all year round.

Gallery: Country Pursuits in Scotland at Gleneagles

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The Readers' Choice Awards for Best in Summer Travel

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Is there an adventure getaway that you think offers an unforgettable experience? Is there a beachside hotel that you believe is superior to all others? Which international summer destination provides the best in luxury, landscape and culture? Can you tell us about a luxury family summer destination that offers an incredible experience for both young and old? Which cruise do you think is the best one to take during the summer months?

If you can recommend what you believe are the best in summer travel, we want to hear from you! The Luxist Awards Readers' Choice Awards for Best in Summer Travel will be awarded based on your nominations and voting.

We're currently seeking nominations for the best-of-breed in the following categories:

Best Adventure Getaway
Best Beachside Hotel
Best International Summer Destination
Best Family Summer Destination
Best Summer Cruise

One nomination per category, please. Submissions can be filed until August 15, 2010. Winners will be announced on September 1, 2010.

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