TRAVEL + LEISURE / MARCH 2015
FAMILY TRAVEL
A Russian
guest bought
a watch in the
avenues. He had
an argument with his
wife and she threw it
outside the balcony. It
went straight down to
the Ambassador Lagoon
as their suite (Terrace
Club)hasaviewof
the lagoon. The guest
cametotheconcierge
to ask assistance and
the divers looked for it
for hours. It was finally
found, and the guest
then told us it is worth
US$100K. He tipped
a thousand dollars
each to the concierge
and the diver.
—RITCHIE PLAZA
Head ConciergeATLANTIS THE PALMModern Family Oops!
You need all the help you can get
when kids are around. Here are
some smartphone apps to make
travel (relatively) less stressful.
SitOrSquat
A major concern
when you’re
travelling with
kids is them announcing, “I need
to go right now!” This app will get
you out of the muddle by fi nding
bathrooms near you, and let
you know if they are worthy of a
‘squat’ or a ‘sit.’ Available on iOS
and Android.
FirstCamera
This camera app
saves pictures
on the app, not
in the gallery, so you can let your
kids click as many windows and
trees as they want without it
all clogging your album. Paints,
stickers, and fi lters are happy
extras. Available on iOS.
Trail Wallet
You may not be
able to control all
expenses while
travelling with family, but you can
track them. Set a budget at the
beginning of your trip, and keep
adding expenses as you go. The
app will show you if you’re under-
or over-budget, convert it in your
home currency, and make pie
charts. Available on iOS.
GateGuru
The app provides
information about
204 airports
around the world—fl ight delays,
airport security wait, maps,
airport amenities are at your
fi ngertips now. It especially
comes in handy when you’re
strolling your baby through
the maze of an airport, looking
for a place to eat. Available on
Android and iOS.
Bingo Road Trip
Road trips will be
more enjoyable if
your kids are busy
playing Bingo on the backseat,
spotting street signs and vehicles.
Available on Android; iOS has its
own Bingo app.
Sanya Marriott Yalong Bay Resort & Spa CHINA
COST From US$639 for three nights; through the year; marriotthotels.com.
INCLUSIONS Accommodation in Garden View room; 30 per cent discount for guests booking
a second room for parents above 55 years old; welcome drink on arrival; daily breakfast for two
adults at Marriott Café; children under 12 stay free with breakfast and extra bed; children under six
order free from the kids’ menu; RMB 500 dining credit; one kid’s cup for free fl ow soft drinks at any
outlet and a beach ball; four hours free use of facilities in the Kids Club; complimentary activities
for children and adults; complimentary use of a DVD Player with a wide selection of DVDs; a
complimentary pizza; late check-out; round-trip airport transfers.
BEST FOR A kid-centric holiday. This family-friendly resort has a Kids Ambassador
who helps plan all activities exclusively for kids. For newborns, the resort provides
a complimentary baby cot, baby bath, and a milk sterilisation set. Wait, there’s
more—robe and mini slippers for kids, Kids Club, kids’ pool with waterslide, outdoor
adventure play area, a bean bag movie theatre, and an indoor play area.Trident AGRA
COST From C16,800 for two nights and three days;
till March 31; tridenthotels.com.
INCLUSIONS Accommodation in a Deluxe Garden
View Room for two; two kids below 8 years can
stay with parents for free; additional room for two
children up to 12 years at 50 per cent of the offer
price; meals for kids up to six are complimentary;
children up to 12 receive 50 per cent discount on
buffet meals; Trident Breakfast and one major meal
for two; Happy Hours between 6 - 7pm; access to the
Trident Kids’ Club and special activities.
BEST FOR A glimpse into India’s great
heritage. Give them a historic tour of the
city as you take them to see Taj Mahal,
Agra Fort, and Fatehpur Sikri.