Suite success: the first all-suite Holiday Inn targets families seeking fun and fantasy in Orlando, Florida - Resort Of The Month

Travel America, May-June, 2003 by Randy Mink, Karen Mink

AFTER LONG, OFTEN exhausting days at Walt Disney World and other Central Florida theme parks, families need a refuge where the merriment continues, but at a more relaxed pace. Down time is a key ingredient in a winning vacation, and the Orlando area abounds with places to unwind.

One of its most unusual retreats is Holiday Inn Family Suites Lake Buena Vista, where kids are king. Some even beg to leave the Magic Kingdom early just to get back "home" and lord over their own "castle. "Awaiting them are tons of activities, their kind of food and their own specially designed bedroom. Unless you're a parent or grandparent traveling with children, might want to keep your distance from this large resort hotel, which is not just another link in the world-famous chain. In fact, there's no Holiday Inn like it--anywhere.

The innovative, $80-million resort features five different room plans, the signature layout being the Kidsuite, a design introduced in 1996 by resort president and co-owner Terry Whaples when she and her partners operated the former Holiday Inn SunSpree Resort Lake Buena Vista (flagship of that brand). Imitated by dozens of Holiday Inns and other hotels around the world, these kid-friendly nests marked the first major change in standard hotel room design in more than 50 years. The main concept: giving parents and kids their own space and amenities.

Of Holiday Inn Family Suites' 800 guest rooms, 592 are themed, two-bedroom Kidsuites with murals and other graphics reflecting corporate sponsors like Coca-Cola (frolicking polar bears), Kellogg's (Tony the Tiger), A&W Restaurants, and Edy's Ice Cream. The U.S. Space Camp suites are especially appropriate, considering that former astronaut John Glenn has been part of the Orlando-based hotel management team for three decades.

Kidsbooks.com, one of the world's largest independent book publishers, sponsors Kidsuites that educate children on space exploration, the environment, and endangered species (like the Florida manatee). The company has provided hundreds of books for the library in the poolside children's center.

Each three-room Kidsuite consists of a private bedroom for parents, semi-private kids' bedroom, and parlor area with pullout sofa sleeper, rocking armchair, 25" TV, and game table. The kitchenette has a mini-refrigerator, microwave, sink, storage cabinets, and coffee maker.

The kid part of each Kidsuite is like a little clubhouse, featuring two full-size twin beds or bunk beds with a pullout mini-twin bed. It's equipped with a cable TV with remote, Nintendo 64, videocassette player, fun phone, and CD/cassette player. The adult bedroom, with a king or queen bed, has its own TV and a vanity station with a lighted makeup mirror and hair dryer (in addition to the ones in the bathroom).

Inspiration for this revolution in family travel struck Whaples during a Texas vacation in 1995 with her husband and seven-year-old daughter. The Texas resort's accommodations--designed like a jailhouse--included a tiny, separate room with a twin bed, just right for a small child. (Before Family Suites opened, her Kidsuites had no private bedroom for parents.)

In catering to family travelers, Whaples goes beyond in-room amenities. Her Holiday Inn glows with personality and takes kids seriously. To hone their people skills, all senior management staff complete Clown College as part of their continuing education, and all employees take the "Childrenizing" oath, promising to treat each child like a VSK--Very Special Kid.

Whaples herself takes the stage weekly as Pinkie the Clown and does ventriloquism as well. Every Thursday night she amazes audiences with her stilt-walking routine. During an eight-minute video shown over and over on the in-house TV channel, Whaples talks about hotel safety with her puppet creation, Daisy. Children recognize Daisy and Whaples immediately when they stroll out into the resort's morning crowds.

"Daisy for me is a labor of love," says Whaples. "She is a very successful way for me to communicate the importance of safety to my guests. She is really the most recognizable member of my staff."

Whaples, one of the few native Orlando residents in the Central Florida tourism industry, and her husband Jim teach classes in makeup techniques, clowning, juggling, illusions, and ventriloquism to area groups; the only cost is a gift donation in an amount the group selects. In addition, Whaples brings her joy of clowning to churches, nursing homes, and children's homes.

Whaples enjoys mingling with guests during the day, sometimes as Pinkie, and is constantly eliciting feedback. She often reviews guest questionnaires, taking time to reply with a personal note.

"If I want to know how the guests feel about our amenities or programs, I go straight to the source and I take their suggestions very seriously," Whaples said. "For instance, early on we learned that traveling with bulky baby items can be cumbersome, so for years we've offered baby food, formula, and diapers on property. It's just good business to make traveling as stress-free as possible for every guest."