A patong family friendly hotel offers more than a kids pool. Children change what a room needs. They change what the restaurant needs too. Parents notice the gaps fast. A missing high chair at breakfast. A sliding balcony door with no latch up high. Reviews from parents mention details like these more than the lobby or the spa.
The Kids Pool
Almost every hotel aimed at families lists a kids pool in its facilities. Depth matters. For toddlers, 40 to 60 centimetres of water is about right. A seven year old gets bored there within an hour and heads for the slide, if there is one.
Shade is the part many hotels skip. A pool without a roof or sail cover is empty by 11 am.
Hotel pools in beach towns rarely have a lifeguard on duty. The sign by the steps says guests swim at their own risk, and that is the whole safety plan. Floats and arm bands from the hotel shop cost more than the same items in town.
Rooms That Fit a Family
Two adults and one toddler fit in a standard double. Add a second child and the suitcases end up on the bathroom floor.
Family rooms come in a few forms.
- Family suites. A bedroom for the parents, a sofa bed out front.
- Connecting rooms. Two standard rooms joined by an inner door.
- Bunk bed rooms, popular with children between 5 and 10.
- Large rooms with one king bed and one single bed.
Connecting rooms give parents a door to close at night. They need to be confirmed in writing. A booking for “two rooms” does not guarantee they connect.
Baby cots are free at most hotels, but supply is limited. Cots run out first in school holidays.
Food for Small Appetites
Breakfast buffets work well for children. Even the fussiest eater finds toast or a banana somewhere on the table.
Lunch and dinner are harder. Chilli turns up in a lot of dishes on a beach town menu. Hotels that host many families print a separate kids menu, with fried rice and chicken nuggets on it. Some also let children under a certain age eat breakfast free. The age cutoff differs from hotel to hotel and is listed on the rate page.
High chairs and plastic cups come up often in family reviews. Their absence comes up more.
Safety Details Parents Check
Listings say almost nothing about child safety. Parent reviews say a lot.
- Balcony railings, and whether a chair pushed beside them would let a child over.
- A second lock on sliding doors, set above a child’s reach.
- Pool gates that close on their own.
- Socket covers, which some front desks keep for families.
- Rooms on lower floors, for families uneasy about balconies.
Staff at a well run patong family friendly hotel can answer these questions quickly by email. A vague reply suggests the hotel rarely hosts families.
Kids Clubs and Nap Time
A kids club buys parents a free morning, or at least a long breakfast. Programmes follow a daily schedule. Sessions lean on colouring and treasure hunts around the garden.
Age limits apply. The usual starting age is around 4. Younger children need a parent present. Some clubs are free. Others charge per session. Opening hours vary, and many close at lunch.
Nap time is part of the day for families with toddlers. Rooms away from the pool bar and the main road help children sleep in the afternoon. The same rooms help parents sleep at night.
