Traveling with aging parents requires more thought than it used to. From mobility to convenience, their needs can shape nearly every aspect of a trip.
Flying my mom to Las Vegas for four days to see Usher is one of my favorite trips to date. She’d asked for tickets for Mother’s Day. But unlike our fast-paced childhood vacations, this one moved a little slower — mostly because I needed to be mindful of her knees. I hadn’t considered that when booking our stay at the Wynn, but thankfully, it was the perfect choice.
We were able to dine, shop, and visit casinos with just a quick elevator ride — no need to trek miles up and down the Strip. But if I hadn’t chosen such a central hotel, things could have gone very differently.
As we plan more trips together, I want to be more thoughtful about her comfort. So I connected with two luxury travel experts for guidance on what to keep in mind when booking accommodations for intergenerational travel.
Consider Mobility
I often hit book and never speak to anyone beyond check-in. However, EMBARK Collective luxury travel advisor, Janelle Ruhumuliza, says we should chat with the concierge to communicate special needs and floor plan concerns ahead of arrival. “Most hotels can make accommodations like assigning a room closer to the elevator so you don’t have to walk a mile to your room or ensure a walk-in shower,” she says.
She also notes the concierge can arrange airport-to-hotel transportation, so there’s no lugging of bags or hiccups finding a lift after a long flight. These services may cost an extra fee, but can be well worth the investment. Additionally, with notice, some hotels can provide complimentary wheelchairs, with properties like UNICO 20˚87˚ in the Riviera Maya even able to secure motorized scooters with early notice by phone or email.
Make It Simple and Book a Cruise
Ruhumuliza highly recommends cruises for multigenerational groups. “[Cruises] allow everyone to experience destinations in their own way and still have plenty of time together.” Her top picks are Virgin Voyages and Celebrity Cruises because they’re fun, modern, and offer great amenities. Celebrity Cruises also provides a list of ports where accessible shore excursions are offered. Each of these cruises offers itineraries from three to five days across the Caribbean, so you won’t have to use all of your PTO.
Sheena Williams, a luxury travel advisor at EMBARK Collective, prefers smaller ships. “Smaller ships mean a higher-end experience,” she says. “[You can] check off multiple destinations without the burden of packing and unpacking constantly, but avoid the massive crowds you find on mass cruise ships.” For example, Viking Ocean Cruises only sails with 930 passengers, which is a departure from the average cruise ship that sails with about 3,000 passengers. Their itineraries include bucket list programming like an eight-day Mediterranean sailing with stops in Italy, France, and Spain. Getaways are all-inclusive, so there are no surprise fees.
The Crystal Symphony also sails with a small number of guests (max 606) and has a nearly 1-1 guest to staff ratio. They also offer shore excursions tailored for people with mobility difficulties, including wheelchair-accessible transportation to ensure all passengers can experience the fullness of epic itineraries like sailing from Cape Town to Accra, Ghana.
Book a Villa With Service Versus a Hotel
For a medium to large group, look for a spacious villa with luxury hotel-like service, so you get space, privacy, and top-of-the-line amenities. For example, Wymara Villas + Beach Club in Turk and Caicos offers villas ranging from one to six bedrooms (each with its own pool) and access to all the resort benefits like housekeeping, restaurants, pools, and the private beach club. They also have a complimentary shuttle between the villa and the resort.
There are also resort-free options like Lunara Bay in Key West that boast waterfront views and offer upscale home-away-from-home touches like a private pool, fire pit, and chef’s kitchen that can host up to 16 people. And their guest services team is just a phone call or email away if you decide to hire a private chef or have them curate excursions.
These lofty layouts give everyone space for quiet time and recharge when needed, and if you need more space, you can book the villa or home next door.
Consider the Floor Plan
Considering the number of guests, the floor plan, and where everyone will go is essential. “Parents are best suited in ground-level mother-in-law suites that allow them to avoid stairs and to have a bit of refuge in their private entry accommodation,” Williams says. “For the kids, she suggests a room with bunk beds. “[They] get more rest (read fewer meltdowns) when they have their own bed to sleep in.” And for the adults, she says everyone should have their own bedroom. “Space is important, and a little bit of it goes a long way in keeping the mood of a vacation on the up and up.”
Booking a multigenerational trip that feels luxe and special will take some planning—we recommend up to six months in advance—but with the right location, space, and considerations for our seasoned parents, aunties, and uncles, a special time will be had.
