CORAL GABLES, FL—There was a time when going to a fancy hotel meant one thing for kids: boring. And, while The Biltmore Hotel here definitely qualifies as “fancy” with its landmark designation, historic architecture and AAA Four-Diamond status, the young set is expected to feel anything but ennui as the hotel aims to make them all Biltmore Buddies.
The Buddies program is the latest effort by the hotel to engage youth in daily activities that provide fun and create meaningful playtime that allows children to learn from an interactive agenda.
“We wanted to have a much more consistent program for kids,” said Philippe Parodi, The Biltmore’s VP of marketing and sales. “Nowadays, family travel is very important, especially for Florida… It was very important to us to have something that was very educational and very experiential… We also wanted to have a strong link through the program to the history of the property.”
According to Shelley Erasmus, founder and director of Ft. Lauderdale, FL-based Pear Programs, which developed and operates the wellness-based recreation program, after an initial meeting with Matthias Kammerer, The Biltmore’s managing director, the idea “was not to have a baby-sitting service or just a room where kids could come and hang out, but to really create an experience where they could explore The Biltmore at their level with a variety of activities and games focusing on the whole child.”
The program is open to children from four to 12 years old and is transparently overseen by a manager and staff from Pear Programs. “They’re also trained to modify the activities to meet the needs of the guest we have on that particular day to be age appropriate,” said Erasmus.
Since launching June 1, kids have had the opportunity to try out any number of activities. Children can attend the hotel’s Culinary Academy and whip up pizza or pastries; spend time on the putting green; get Zen in the Spa Yoga Studio; or play a variety of water games poolside at The Biltmore’s iconic 22,000-sq.-ft. pool.
Themed “adventures” also are featured. Playing off its longevity—The Biltmore turns 90 next year—the property concocted Biltmore Time Travelers to give kids a taste of the past. Activities include a Time Warp Scavenger Hunt. Pear Programs created QR codes, placing them around the hotel where the kids search for them. When located and scanned, vintage pictures of the hotel pop up. The kids can then get a photo in the same location. Other activities include taking part in a lawn-croquet tournament; constructing a pinhole box camera; and designing jewelry, hats and instruments inspired by the Roaring ’20s.
The Silver Screen Adventure lets kids explore filmmaking—working as actors, directors and crew, and learning about performance, set and backdrop design, costumes, rehearsal and filming, concluding with a red-carpet movie premiere. Among the activities are a music video shoot, directing a silent movie and designing a flipbook.
In Aquatic Escapades, kids splash in the pool’s 600,000 gallons of cool H2O, with paddle and capture-the-flag races, lifeguard games and a build-a-boat project among the activities.
Trekking Through the Tropics lets kids explore the property, looking at plants and animals while learning about preservation and conservation. Activities include a hike, creating Batik art and a nature scavenger hunt, among other themed activities.
The Biltmore Buddies program runs Monday to Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for $95 per day (includes lunch), with a half-day option (morning or afternoon) priced at $45. A five-day summer camp is also available Monday through Friday, priced at $400 per child, per week.
Beyond the Buddies program, The Biltmore also offers kids’ summer camps at its Culinary Academy and Golf Club.
While the program has proved a revenue stream for the hotel, it also has produced a “high level of satisfaction” in terms of service and allowing adult family members greater flexibility in their daily schedules while at the hotel, Parodi indicated.
“It was important for us to be in tune with those families who have been coming to the hotel for many years,” he said, noting the business mix at the property includes a lot of multigenerational family visits.
“The idea is for the kids to have a real good experience with us and discover a lot of different aspects in the hotel. To have something really special for them and work on their imaginations and entertain them,” said Parodi. “From what we’ve seen so far, it’s been extremely positive.”
—Stefani C. O’Connor