Over this last spring break, my family of 3 (two moms and a 10 yr old girl) went on a vacation with another family of 3 (mom, dad, and an 11 yr old girl) to FS Manele Bay. The resort was great, the kids had a really nice time at the pool and on the beach and in the bay, and all the moms really enjoyed laying out in the sun and reading, listening to our iPods, drinking, etc.
The issue was extroverted dad. Extroverted dad likes to have fun at the pool and fun on the beach -- like pool volleyball or beach volleyball or any activity where he gets to mingle with folks, drink and talk.
Extroverted dad also loves to play tennis, and played a ton of tennis with the tennis pro. But there weren't many other hotel goers who played tennis at the level of extroverted dad.
After a while, extroverted dad got kind of sad. Not enough gregarious fun at FS Manele.
This made sense to me because Lanai is a quiet little island that caters to families who want solitude, etc. But then I started to think about it and I started to get worried that "luxury hotels" will never be fun for extroverted dad... that extroverted dad is going to have a better time at a Club Med vs. a Four Seasons.
So, the question is, does luxury pretty much mean "not a ton of gregarious fun"? I've been to FS Whistler, Vegas, Scottsdale, Koele, San Francisco, Seattle... and I would not characterize any of them as tons of fun. If you want privacy, yes. If you want service, yes. If you want understated elegance, then yes.
I suppose the real question is... as the vacation booker, do I need to conduct next year's vacation search at Club Med instead of FS? (And I guess I'm thinking FS Maui or Punta Mita.)
Nobody can guarantee that you will meet similar people on holidays. If you cannot have your kind of fun without other people, you need to bring friends or go somewhere where there are more of your kind. We have had the kind of fun you describe at FS hotels, but not always. Mainly not. Still we prefer the other things you mention.
So can anyone comment on the vibe of FS Maui or Punta Mita? What's it like around the pool or at the beach? Everyone keeping to themselves or more interactive?
Or would love to get recommendations on luxury hotels/resorts (generally in Hawaii or Mexico, or the warm part of the U.S.) where the vibe is pretty fun in such a way that extroverted dad would be happy...
We go to the FS Maui at least once every year. I always find people to talk to at the pool, but it's definately not a party scene. That's one thing that I like about FS properties. You never have to worry about it getting loud or out of control like you do at properties where they have loud pool activities and drinking games. I might have enjoyed that as a college student, but I enjoy a much quieter scene now. We always find other families to hang out with.
I found the FS Punta Mita to be even quieter than Maui. I didn't have my kids with on that trip, but I didn't think the other guests were nearly as friendly as they are in Maui.
I count three women and two girls, but just one man. Why would you change your preferences just to please him?
Stick to Four Seasons and wait for Dad to grow up.
Good recommendation for you would be Mandarin Oriental Riviera Maya, which is superb for grown ups and kids (great spa, good kid's programmes). Dad may enjoy the beach scene and bar, but if not, who cares?
I hear what you're saying, but everyone wants to have fun on vacation. It's two families that choose to -- but don't have to -- vacation together. The kids -- both only children -- have fun together, so I'd like to find a way to make it work. If we can find a nice compromise so that everyone gets what they want... then all the better.
I've met plenty of nice people at luxury properties, but no one who wants to go out of their way and play sports and party hardy with me. It's generally a friendly chat at the bar and possibly a dinner.
Even at all-inclusives like FS Tented Camp and Singita people were quite reserved and not interested in "hanging out" together.
Perhaps gregarious dad needs to plan a solo vacation or go somewhere with gregarious friends.
As a former competitive club tennis player at the 3.5 level (and 4.0 when I was younger) - I think what you're looking for involves more in the way of tennis (as opposed to any kind of hotel). You need something like this:
I'll note that my husband and I went there once. If you love tennis - you will love this place. The men are totally crazy - they play 'til they drop from blisters or heat exhaustion or similar. On my end - I wound up playing for 3 days with Barbie Benton (who was preparing for a celebrity tennis tournament). You are probably too young to remember who she is. Google her. Had much more fun meeting her and playing "Jewish geography" (she was an upper middle class Jewish housewife from Los Angeles then) than dealing with Florida in the early summer on the courts. And I have never had so much male attention in my whole life . Robyn
P.S. My younger brother - 10 years younger than I am and a solid 4.0 - maybe higher - player - came here to visit my dad and did the tennis program at the Ponte Vedra Inn and Club. Like you - he didn't find anyone to play with except the club pro.
I count three women and two girls, but just one man. Why would you change your preferences just to please him?
Stick to Four Seasons and wait for Dad to grow up.
Good recommendation for you would be Mandarin Oriental Riviera Maya, which is superb for grown ups and kids (great spa, good kid's programmes). Dad may enjoy the beach scene and bar, but if not, who cares?
I disagree. If one of the loves of your life is tennis - you're not going to be happy spending your vacation sitting on a beach listening to an Ipod and getting a sunburn. I didn't quit playing tennis until I was 55 and had a lot of injuries - didn't want multiple surgeries - and now I'm a golfer. If I didn't have wonderful golf facilities where I live - golf would be a top priority for me on a trip. I would flip things around. The girls and women should join Dad and learn a sport (tennis is a really good one). Robyn
[quote=vuittonsofstyle;11984823]I count three women and two girls, but just one man. Why would you change your preferences just to please him?
Stick to Four Seasons and wait for Dad to grow up.
Good recommendation for you would be Mandarin Oriental Riviera Maya, which is superb for grown ups and kids (great spa, good kid's programmes). Dad may enjoy the beach scene and bar, but if not, who cares?[/QUOTE]
Hilarious Vuittons ! I think you should leave him at home...or take a look at malliouhana or possibly Jumby Bay. But as Musken has said you cant guarantee you will meet similiar or likeminded people anywhere.
I disagree. If one of the loves of your life is tennis - you're not going to be happy spending your vacation sitting on a beach listening to an Ipod and getting a sunburn. I didn't quit playing tennis until I was 55 and had a lot of injuries - didn't want multiple surgeries - and now I'm a golfer. If I didn't have wonderful golf facilities where I live - golf would be a top priority for me on a trip. I would flip things around. The girls and women should join Dad and learn a sport (tennis is a really good one). Robyn
Well, this is the reason we want to find a place that works for all involved. Gregarious Dad needs someone besides the tennis pro to play tennis with, and he also needs some extroverts.
However, 2 of the 3 Moms are business executives who want to rest on their vacation. 1 of the 3 Moms is into yoga and does it actively. Another 1 of the 3 Moms is into triathlons and trains for them actively. The Moms just want it to be chill.
And the girls... they just want to giggle and swim.
I had far more fun at hotels when I was young and poor. I remember with great fondness the night I organised an impromptu karaoke competition in a hotel bar between all of the under-employed prostitutes who were based there and a group of American pensioners whose tour group was staying there, for example. This was not at a Mandarin Oriental, you won't be surprised to hear. However, one mans 'lively' bar and beach scene is anothers mans idea of hell. I don't think that I have ever reviewed a hotel on tripadvisor and ticked 'Yes' by the 'Great pool scene?' box - in fact I'm not even sure what a 'great pool scene' is meant to be! It brings up images of young Americans in Cancun.
You could argue that the wealthy are, in general, quieter and more reserved than Jo Six-Pack. You could argue that the wealthy are often financiers, lawyers etc who are naturally more laid-back types. You could argue that the wealthy work hard for their money and simply want to relax on holiday by doing nothing except spending quiet time with their family. You could argue that the wealthy are generally the older members of society which lead to fewer younger guests to play with.
It is not a coincidence that I am in NYC this weekend for some fun with 3 male friends of mine to celebrate a landmark birthday, and we're certainly not staying at the Four Seasons - we're at Soho House (at a similar cost to the FS) and will alternate between there and the Gansevoort for our entertainment.
Not quite on the level of the Four Seasons, but the Grand Hyatt on Kauai has a nice vibe and good energy level. There is also lots of active pursuits around the island and plenty of active people looking for company.
That said, those who are introverted can be happy there as well.
FS Punita Mita but be a good compromise...the new adult pool offers a really great getaway for the adults while the main kids pool offers the kind of "fun" you might be looking for. Stayed at FS PM for a week last year and it was very nice but not great and nothing like Lanai. The service was good but its not quite up to the highest FS standars. Another good option might be the Ritz Cancun---we have had very good luck there. I think it combines the best of everything that you are looking for.
. Robyn
